Hunt Evaluation 2010–2011

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Hunting Evaluation FAQs

Other Related Documents

• Hunting Working Group Meeting Notes - January 28, 2011
• No-Net-Loss of Hunting Lands Report - September 15, 2010
• United Waterfowlers Hunting Presentation - July, 2010
• United Waterfowlers Hunting Proposal - July, 2010
• United Waterfowlers Framework and Use Proposal - July, 2010
• Assessment of Hunting Opportunities on District Lands - 2006

Initial Evaluation Results:

• Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps
• Cypress Creek Preserve
• Green Swamp East Hampton Tract
• Green Swamp East Non-Wildlife Management Area
• Green Swamp West Non-Wildlife Management Area
• Hálpata Tastanaki Preserve
• Lake Panasoffkee Non-Wildlife Management Area
• Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve
• Weekiwachee Preserve

The District is currently evaluating District-managed lands to determine if there are additional hunting opportunities available. This is a multi-step process with numerous opportunities for public comment. After a public meeting to discuss proposals for four properties, the District’s Governing Board voted to expand hunting on both the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve and the Green Swamp West Non-Wildlife Management Area (WMA) properties. Proposals have been finalized for four additional properties and will be presented to the District’s 13-member Governing Board at its February 28 meeting for consideration. Public comment will be accepted at the meeting.

Public Meetings

Governing Board

Proposals

Below are the proposals that will be discussed at the February 28, 2012 District Governing Board meeting.

• Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps
• Weekiwachee Preserve
• Lake Panasoffkee
• Halpata Tastanaki Preserve (Change in staff recommendation, no vehicular access allowed.)

Approved Recommendations

Expanded hunting opportunities were approved for both the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve and the Green Swamp West (Non-WMA) properties. The approved proposals are below:

• Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve
• Green Swamp West (Non-WMA)

Evaluation Information

• The District is currently evaluating District-managed properties for additional hunting opportunities.
• This is being 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 participate 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 initial list of lands. Eight properties were identified for the initial evaluation.

Evaluation Criteria

Criteria being 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

Initial Properties Being Reviewed

Eight properties are part of the initial review. They are:

• 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 have evaluated the properties identified above.
• Now that the staff analysis is complete, recommendations related to hunting are being developed.
• The evaluation is complete for four of the eight properties, resulting in the District’s Governing Board approving expanded hunting opportunities on both the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve and the Green Swamp West (Non-WMA) properties.
• District staff presented proposals for the Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps, Halpata Tastanaki Preserve, Lake Panasoffkee (Non-WMA) and Weekiwachee Preserve properties at a public meeting on January 5, 2012 to gather public feedback.
• Recommendations for the Lake Panasoffkee (Non-WMA), Halpata Tastanaki Preserve, Chassahowitzka River and Coastal Swamps, and Weekiwachee Preserve properties are scheduled to be presented to the Governing Board at its February 28, 2012 meeting.
• Members of the public are welcome to speak at the meeting.

Updates

• The District has developed an interested parties email list, to which you can be added. We will send emails to this list to notify residents of future meetings as this process moves forward.

Additional Information

If you have further comments or questions, or wish to be included on the email list, please contact Will Miller at Will.Miller@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.