Game Animals
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected in Florida. 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).
An Executive Order has been issued, which contains additional information affecting captive game farms, hunt preserves, and rehabilitators.
For additional information regarding CWD and the CWD event in Florida, visit our CWD page.
Game animals as regulated by the Captive Wildlife Office are defined as:
- Game mammals: animals in the families Cervidae (such as deer and elk), Suidae (hog), and Bovidae (such as buffalo and antelope)
- Game birds: wild turkey, quail, rails, snipe, woodcock, ducks, geese, brant, dove, coot, common gallinule, and non-native species generally considered game such as pheasant, chukar partridge, and coturnix quail
A permit or license is needed to possess game animals in captivity in most cases. A license is not required in the following situations:
- Possession, protection, propagation, raising, or production or bison for commercial purposes
- Protection, propagation, raising, or production of 100 or fewer live bobwhite quail or nonnative game birds (except nonnative ducks and geese) for personal use, consumption, education, dog training, or other not-for-sale or exhibition purpose
- Purchasing or receiving eggs for personal use, consumption, education, or other not-for-sale or exhibition purpose
Activities
A permit or license is required to possess game animals in most cases. Follow the links below for more information about licensing for different activities:
Contact Information
If you have any questions, please contact the Captive Wildlife Office.
Phone: (850) 488-6253
Email: CWApps@myFWC.com
Mail: Captive Wildlife Office, 620 S Meridian Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399