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Deer Management Units (DMUs)

Deer Management Units

The development of Deer Management Units (DMUs) in Florida was the result of statewide public input and is a major component of the Strategic Plan for Deer Management in Florida. Stakeholder technical assistance groups (TAGs) were created to help understand public preferences and guide management recommendations. Responsive Management conducted a statewide randomized telephone survey of hunters, farmers, and the general public. This survey was the most comprehensive source of information ever compiled on public attitudes and opinions towards deer, deer management, and deer hunting regulations in Florida. For more information regarding the results of the telephone survey and TAG reports, please see the links below:

Deer Management Units

Map showing zone A, B, C and D and the 12 deer management units in Florida.

The end result of this process was the development of 12 DMUs with unique antler point and antlerless season regulations based on local habitat quality, deer herd characteristics, and hunter preferences. The following antler point regulations and antlerless season dates took effect for the 2015-2016 hunting season. For season dates and bag limits on wildlife management areas (WMAs), please refer to the WMA brochures page.

DMU Population Goal Minimum Antler Requirement (1,2)
A1 Increase 2 points on one side
A2 Increase 2 points on one side
A3 Increase 3 points on one side OR a main beam length of 10 inches on one side
B1 Increase 3 points on one side OR a main beam length of 10 inches on one side
C1 Maintain or Increase 3 points on one side OR a main beam length of 10 inches on one side
C2 Maintain or Increase 3 points on one side OR a main beam length of 10 inches on one side
C3 Increase 2 points on one side
C4 Maintain or Increase 3 points on one side OR a main beam length of 10 inches on one side
C5 Maintain 3 points on one side OR a main beam length of 10 inches on one side
C6 Maintain or Increase 3 points on one side OR a main beam length of 10 inches on one side
D1 Maintain or Increase 2 points on one side
D2 Maintain 3 points on one side OR a main beam length of 10 inches on one side
  1. Youth hunters 15-years-old and younger are now limited to harvesting 1 antlered deer annually that does not meet DMU antler point regulations but has at least one antler 5 inches or more in length.

  2. A “point” is defined as: Any antler projection that measures 1 inch from base to tip.

Zones

A1 –The northern boundary begins in Clewiston and runs east along U.S. 27 to S.R. 80 and east along C.R. 880 to U.S. 441/U.S. 98/S.R. 80 east to the Atlantic Ocean. The line then turns south and follows the coast to the southeastern corner of Dade County.  It then continues along the western boundary of the Dade County line north till its intersection with the southern boundary of Big Cypress WMA.  It then follows the eastern boundary of Big Cypress WMA north to Interstate 75, then turns east along Interstate 75 to Government Road/C.R. 833 and follows Government Road/C.R. 833 north to C.R. 835 and north along C.R. 835 to Clewiston.

DMU Zone A

A2 –The northern boundary begins at the coast and runs due east to the Golden Gate Parkway. It then follows Golden Gate Parkway east to Interstate 75 and runs along the interstate to the western boundary of Big Cypress WMA. It then turns north and follows the Big Cypress WMA northern boundary west until it turns south and follows the eastern boundary of Big Cypress WMA to its southern most intersection with the Dade County line. It then follows the Dade County line south to Florida Bay and then follows the Monroe County line northwest along the coast.

A3 –The northern boundary begins at the coast on Gasparilla Island at the Charlotte/Lee County line and runs easterly along the county line to the east shore of Charlotte Harbor. The line then runs north/northeast along the east shore of Charlotte Harbor and up the east shore of the Peace River until it intersects with S.R. 70. The line then becomes S.R. 70, running east until it meets U.S. 441 north of Lake Okeechobee. It then follows U.S. 441 south, where it proceeds around the eastern shore of Lake Okeechobee and turns east on S.R 80 to U.S 27 east to C.R. 835 where it runs south to Government Road/C.R. 833 and continues south to Interstate 75. The line then follows Interstate 75 east to Golden Gate Parkway, continues east on Golden Gate Parkway to Tamiami Trail, and then east to the coast. The line then turns north and follows the coast to the Charlotte/Lee County line.

B1 –The western boundary is Interstate 75. The northern boundary is S.R. 50. The eastern boundary begins at the intersection of S.R 50 and U.S. 441 and runs south to the west shore of Lake Tohopekaliga; it then follows the west shore of Lake Tohopekaliga to the C-35 canal, where it proceeds along the west side of the canal to Cypress Lake; it then follows the west shore of Cypress Lake to the C-36 canal, where it runs along the west side of the canal and east shore of Lake Hatchineha to the Osceola/Polk county line; it then follows the Osceola/Polk county line to S.R. 60. The southern boundary is S.R. 60.

DMU Zone B
DMU Zone C

C1 –The northern boundary begins at the coast in Hernando County and runs due east to S.R. 50 and then follows S.R. 50 to Interstate 75. It turns south and follows Interstate 75 to S.R. 60. It turns east on S.R. 60 to its intersection with the Kissimmee River (i.e, Polk/Osceola county line). It follows the Kissimmee River (i.e, Polk Couty/Osceola and Highlands/Okeechobee county lines) south to S.R. 70. It then follows S.R. 70 west to the east shore of the Peace River. Then it follows the east shore of the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor to the Charlotte/Lee line then westerly to the coast of Gasparilla Island. The line then turns north and follows the coast to the point-of-beginning in Hernando County.

C2 – The western boundary begins at the intersection of S.R 50 and U.S. 441 and runs south to the west shore of Lake Tohopekaliga; it then follows the west shore of Lake Tohopekaliga to the C-35 canal, where it proceeds along the east side of the canal to Cypress Lake; it then follows the west shore of Cypress Lake to the C-36 canal, where it runs along the east side of the canal and east shore of Lake Hatchineha to the Osceola/Polk county line; it the follows the Osceola/Polk and Highlands/Okeechobee county lines to S.R. 70. The northern boundary is S.R. 50 to U.S. 1; south on U.S. 1 to the Bennett Causeway/S.R. 528 and Canaveral Barge Canal east to the coast. The eastern boundary is the coast. The southern boundary follows S.R. 70, running east until it meets U.S. 441 north of Lake Okeechobee; it then follows U.S. 441 south, where it proceeds around the eastern shore of Lake Okeechobee; the line then turns off U.S. 441 and onto S.R. 80 and follows S.R. 80 south just a few miles before turning east on C.R. 880, running just a few miles before joining up with U.S. 98/441/S.R. 80/Southern Blvd., where it continues east all the way to the coast.

C3 –The western boundary is S.R. 61 south to U.S. 319 to U.S Hwy 98, east along U.S. 98 to the Wakulla River, south along the east shore of the river to the east shore of the St. Marks River and on to the coast. The northern/eastern boundary begins in Tallahassee on U.S. 19/27 to Perry where it follows U.S. 27 to High Springs then turns south along U.S. 27/41 to Brooksville where it then turns west along S.R. 50 to its intersection with U.S. 19 and then due east to the coast.

C4 –The western boundary beginning in High Springs and going south along U.S. 41 to Brooksville and S.R. 50. The northern boundary begins in High Springs and follows U.S. 441 to Gainesville, then east along Hawthorne Rd/S.R. 20 to Palatka, then along U.S. 17 to S.R. 20/S.R. 100 through Bunnell and to the coast. The eastern boundary is the coast. The southern boundary beginning in Brooksville goes east along S.R. 50 to U.S. 1; south on U.S. 1 to the Bennett Causeway/S.R. 528 and Canaveral Barge Canal east to the coast.

C5 –The western boundary is U.S. 27. The northern boundary is the Florida/Georgia line. The eastern boundary follows Interstate 75. The southern boundary begins in Tallahassee on U.S. 19/27 to Perry where it follows U.S. 27 to High Springs then follows U.S. 441 to Interstate 75.

C6 –The western boundary is Interstate 75. The northern boundary is the Florida/Georgia line. The eastern boundary is the Atlantic Ocean. The southern boundary beginning at the intersection of Interstate 75 and U.S. 441 follows U.S. 441 to Gainesville, then continues east along Hawthorne Rd/S.R. 20 to Palatka, then goes along U.S. 17 to S.R. 20/S.R. 100 through Bunnell and to the coast.

D1 –The western boundary is the Florida/Alabama line. The northern boundary is Interstate 10. The eastern boundary is S.R. 61 south to U.S. 319 to U.S Hwy 98, east along U.S. 98 to the Wakulla River, south along the west shore of the river to the west shore of the St. Marks River and on to the coast. The southern boundary is the coast.

D2 –The western and northern boundary is the Florida/Alabama line. The eastern boundary is U.S. 27. The southern boundary is Interstate 10.

DMU1 & DMU2 Zone