Hunting is a a popular past time for many and a way of life for many Floridians. That being said there are Florida specific game many go after. I listed information about a few:
alligator-
Alligator season runs from August 15th to november 1st. 5000 permits are available and permit the taking of 2 alligators. They are available via random drawings. There are more than 1.25 million alligators in Florida alone. Popular hunting grounds for these creatures are the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee. They are usually hunted at night with a speargun, crossbow, or harpoon. There has been 23 fatal alligator attacks since 1948, and many more injuries. The average length of alligators caught is 8 feet, and many of the ones targeted are the mammoth nuisance ones who no longer have a fear of men. The alligators can then be taken to where their meat and hides can be processed.
wild pig or hog(feral pig, boar)
Wild pigs are the second most hunted large animal in Florida behind white tailed deer. On private property they can be hunted year long and with no limit or permit. On wildlife conservation areas, you can hunt all year except during spring turkey season. On WMAs they usually have a lottery to get a permit, and their can be quotas. Some hog hunts are only available during certain dates. Rifles, muzzleloaders, shotguns and pistols are used. Florida has about 1 million wild pigs statewide.
The first public hunt for pythons took place in 2013. They are known to grow up to 18 feet long. In the Everglades, the burmese python is an out of control snake species. It is believed to number in the ten of thousands there. The snakes are native to southeast Asia. Florida has an annual hunt called the python hunt. It takes place in the Everglades to lesson the amount of pythons that are threatening native mammals. Prize money is involved for the hunt. The snakes have no real predator.
black bear-
The states largest land mammal was down to a few hundred bears in the 1970's. Today that number is around 4030. In 2015, Florida had its first black bear hunt in 20 years. It was done to curb the population. 304 bears were killed in 2 days. Bears with cubs were not allowed to be targeted, but the hunting of female and male was allowed. Many activist were upset when it was discovered many of the females that were killed were still lactating. Because of the conflict, the bear hunt for 2016 was postponed. The Florida wildlife conservation received over 6000 calls in 2015 involving bear human conflicts. The Florida black bear was considered endangered until 2012.
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