STA Waterfowl Hunting
The FWC works in partnership with the South Florida Water Management District to offer and manage hunting opportunities at stormwater treatment areas (STAs) as part of Florida’s wildlife management area system.
New Process for Issuing STA Waterfowl Standby Opportunities
Starting with the 2023-24 season, waterfowl hunting opportunities created by permit holders who don’t show up for morning STA hunts will be issued as a Waterfowl Standby Opportunity. These standby opportunities will be available weekly via an application and lottery. Hunters may obtain a maximum of one opportunity per hunt day (one for Friday, one for Saturday, and one for Sunday) during each weekly issuance period.
- Remember, being awarded a standby opportunity does not guarantee a person on a standby list will get the opportunity to participate in the specified STA morning hunt.
- Those issued a standby opportunity will be provided a document with information about their place on the standby list so they can evaluate the likelihood of replacing a no-show hunter. Recipients can access this document by logging into their GoOutdoorsFlorida.com account, similar to limited entry/quota permits.
- Standby hunters on the posted list who show up on the morning of the hunt but are not needed to replace a no-show permittee may stay at the check station and replace hunting parties as they leave the area.
Note: Standby opportunities will not be available for return/reissue.
The weekly random lottery application for standby opportunities will open the Saturday prior to the hunt at 12 p.m. and will close the following Tuesday at 12 p.m. The lottery draw will be conducted following the close of each application period. To apply, login to your account at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
Note: Standby opportunities will not be available for return/reissue.
Process for Checking Ordered Results for STA Hunts
During the 2023-2024 season, those issued a waterfowl permit or standby opportunity at an STA can check their place in line by logging into their account at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com and reviewing the document. Ordered lists are no longer posted on this webpage.
See information under "STA News and Updates" regarding new access requirements.
STA News and Updates
A-1 FEB
- Due to ongoing construction, the following portions of A-1 FEB are closed to all public access until further notice:
- Northwest levee
- All of western levee (including two boat ramps)
- The designated entrance has been moved to the southeast corner of the area (mile marker 53).
STAs
- Hunters must enter AND exit the marsh directly from their assigned parking spot.
- Hunters may access the marsh on either side of the levee if the cells on both sides are open to hunting, except for STA 1 West, where there are designated parking spots on both sides of the levees wherever both cells are open to hunting.
- Those participating in the STA afternoon hunts will now have until 1.5 hours after sunset to check out at the check station instead of 1 hour.
- The South Florida Water Management District's major construction project at STA 2 is ongoing. Similar to last year, this will result in a reduced number of permits, though additional access will be available in Cell 4, 5,and 6, resulting in 5 more permits per hunt (15) as compared with 2022-23.
- Given this construction, all STA 2 hunts and scouting days will occur on Sundays for the 2023-24 hunting season.
- Due to increased traffic and operational considerations, the designed entrance for STA 2 has been moved back to the original location. Those participating in hunts must now enter at the US 27 Bridge (3 miles north of Palm Beach/Broward County line) and travel northwest on the levee to the check station.
- Due to habitat conditions, the number of permits at STA 5-6 will be reduced from 20 to 15 per hunt.
NOTE: Please visit the links below for regulations brochures, parking maps, and other notices regarding specific areas open to hunting at the STAs during the upcoming season.
FAQs
Waterfowl permit holders checking in after 4:30 a.m. will forfeit their permits and those on the standby list who arrive after 5 a.m. will forfeit their opportunity. However, permit holders and those on standby who arrive after their respective check-in times and forfeit their permit/opportunity can still be selected to enter the area to hunt on a first-come, first-served basis under the following conditions: 1) the quota has not been met when the standby process concludes at 5 a.m. or 2) as a replacement hunter if another hunter leaves the area early.
The check-in period for morning STA waterfowl permit holders runs from 4 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. The check-in period for standby opportunity holders runs from 4:30 a.m. to 5 a.m.
The afternoon check-in period runs from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. There are no standby opportunities issued for afternoon hunts. Afternoon hunts use an on-site, walk-in lottery to reissue forfeited permits.
Egyptian geese may be harvested at A-1 FEB and the STAs in accordance with each area’s season dates and allowed methods of harvest. Egyptian geese are a non-protected species and therefore have no bag limit.