Hunt Evaluation

Comments

The District would like your opinions about the current evaluation. Please submit your comment by clicking on the link below.
Submit comments »

Hunting Evaluation FAQs

Initial Evaluation Results:

The District has evaluated eight District-managed lands to determine if additional hunting opportunities were available. This was a multi-step process with numerous opportunities for public comment. After public meetings to discuss proposals the District’s Governing Board voted to expand hunting on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, Green Swamp West Non-Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Lake Panasoffkee Non-WMA and Weekiwachee Preserve properties.

The Cypress Creek Preserve, Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps, Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve and parts of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Non-WMA, including the Hampton Tract properties were also considered; however, no expansion was approved in those areas.

Approved Recommendations

Expanded hunting opportunities were approved for the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, Green Swamp West Non-WMA, Lake Panasoffkee Non-WMA and Weekiwachee Preserve properties.
The approved proposals are below:

Evaluation Information

The District evaluated District-managed properties for additional hunting opportunities.
This was done in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Background

In 2009 the District met with its land use stakeholders group, which is made up of citizens and representatives from various interest groups and other agencies, to discuss land use. One of the issues identified by the group was existing and potential hunting opportunities on District lands.
In 2010 the District agreed to take an objective look at current and potential hunting opportunities and developed a hunting working group. A variety of interested stakeholders participated in the working group, including representatives from environmental and government organizations, hunting and equestrian groups and other concerned citizens.
In January 2011 the hunting working group developed criteria that will be used to evaluate future hunting opportunities on District lands.
That spring, given the large number of properties to review, staff met with some of the hunters in the working group to further narrow the list of lands to be evaluated. Eight properties were identified for the evaluation.

Evaluation Criteria

Criteria used to evaluate District lands for potential hunting opportunities:

The FWC’s ability to manage hunts
Budget impacts
Adjoining land uses
Internal infrastructure
Security challenges
Sufficient access
Sufficient acreage
Sustainability
Balancing demand
Regional demand/adjacency
Resource management/ecological conditions

Properties Reviewed

Eight properties were part of the review. They were:

Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps
Cypress Creek Preserve
Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve
Non-WMA lands in the Green Swamp East
Non-WMA lands in the Green Swamp West
Non-WMA lands in Lake Panasoffkee
Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve
Weekiwachee Preserve

Approval Process and Timeline

District and FWC staff evaluated the properties identified above.
Recommendations related to hunting were developed.
The District’s Governing Board approved expanded hunting opportunities on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, Green Swamp West Non-WMA, Lake Panasoffkee Non-WMA and Weekiwachee Preserve properties.
The Cypress Creek Preserve, Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps, Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve and parts of the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve Non-WMA, including the Hampton Tract properties were also considered; however, no expansion was approved in those areas.

Additional Information

If you have further comments or questions, or wish to be included on the email list, please contact Joe Quinn at Joe.Quinn@WaterMatters.org.

For more information on hunting in Florida, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website.

View our District Land Management Plans page for land use management plans and other background information, such as aerial photography and links to recreation information.