White-tailed Deer Management Program
Help Keep CWD from Spreading in Florida!
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been found in Florida. The FWC is working to reduce the risk of CWD spreading in this state with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, hunters, captive cervid owners, landowners, and the public. If you see a sick or abnormally thin deer or deer dead of unknown causes, please report its location to the CWD hotline: (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282).
Hunting outside of Florida? Check out this video and infographic to learn about the new rules that prohibit possessing or importing deer, elk, moose or caribou carcasses or high risk parts from anywhere outside of Florida.
Hunting in Zone D? Check out this infographic to learn about the new rules that prohibit exporting deer, elk, moose or caribou carcasses or high risk parts from the CWD Management Zone, and learn more about the new hunting regulations for Zone D.
Quick Links
Hunter's Toolbox
View harvest reporting data organized by county, WMA, date of harvest, and more.
Hunting Resources
- Get Started
- Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
- Limited Entry/Quota Hunts
- Youth Deer Hunt Weekend
- Hunter Safety Courses
- Subscribe to "FWC Hunting News" for Deer Management Updates
- Buck Registry
- Buck Registry Interactive Map
- Statewide Rut Map
- Statewide Deer Harvest Reports
- WMA Harvest Reports
- Deer Dog Registration
- WMA Finder
- Log and Report Harvested Deer
- FAQs About Deer Hunting Rules
- How DMUs Were Developed
About White-tailed Deer in Florida
White-tailed deer are the most popular game species in Florida. In addition to being valued by hunters, deer are appreciated by hikers, wildlife photographers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
FWC’s Hunting and Game Management Division applies scientific expertise to manage Florida’s hunting activities and associated wildlife resources, ensuring that conservation objectives are met and hunting opportunities are sustainable. FWC also provides training and information to encourage safe, responsible hunting.
Private Lands Deer Management
Research Projects
The South Florida Deer Research Project, one of the largest white-tailed deer studies conducted in the country, is now complete. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission worked with University of Georgia, Virginia Tech, Jones Center at Ichauway, and several other partners to learn more about how water levels, predation and hunting impact deer populations in south Florida. Learn about South Florida Deer Research Project findings.
Deer Breeding Chronology Study
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) has been collecting biological data since 2009 from white-tailed deer to estimate the breeding dates for deer across the state. These data have been used to inform management decisions regarding hunting season dates and location of zonal lines. In addition, the data provides local information on peak breeding, something that is of interest to white-tail enthusiasts. In the northern U.S., the duration of the breeding season (or rut) is short and there is little variation from area to area. Breeding occurs in the fall, and fawning occurs in the spring. In the southeast, with mild winters and long growing season, the timing of fawning is not as critical and deer breeding activity is more variable.
However, Florida has more variability in breeding than any other state -- from July in southern Florida to February in northwest Florida. During this ongoing study, FWC biologists have documented breeding to occur in every single month except May. FWC will continue to collect breeding chronology data as needed. Maps are updated as additional information is collected.