Where and When to Hunt
Alligator harvest permits provide two types of opportunities. One is for a particular county and the other is for a specific harvest unit.
Countywide Units
You can apply for a countywide alligator harvest permits in 65 of Florida’s 67 counties. Countywide permits are not available for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. It’s important to know where you’re going to hunt before you apply for a countywide permit. If you are issued this type of permit, it will allow you to hunt alligators in most public bodies of water within that particular county. Public waterbodies can be accessed by public boat landings/launches. With this type of license, you may also hunt private ponds or lakes within that county if you have landowner permission. A countywide alligator harvest permit does not allow you to hunt in any of the specific harvest units.
Harvest Units
There are also 63 harvest units you can apply for. If you obtain one of these harvest permits, you may only hunt within that particular lake, impoundment or section of river.
Maps
- Map and list of harvest units
- Harvest unit descriptions
- Harvest units 101 - 112
- Harvest units 115 - 306
- Harvest units 402 - 416
- Harvest units 500 - 515
- Harvest units 516 - 545
- Harvest units 546 - 721
- Harvest units 722 - 751
- Alachua - Brevard
- Broward - Clay
- Collier - Duval
- Escambia - Gilchrist
- Glades - Hendry
- Hernando - Indian River
- Jackson - Lee
- Leon - Manatee
- Marion - Okeechobee
- Orange - Pinellas
- Polk - Seminole
- St. Johns - Taylor
- Union - Washington
STA Information
If you're hunting a stormwater treatment area (STA) or A-1 FEB, please review this important STA information before you go.
The statewide recreational alligator hunting season runs from Aug. 15 through Nov. 8 each year. Depending on which harvest period you draw, you will be allowed to hunt one of the first 4 weeks. If you don’t harvest both of your alligators during your assigned harvest week, you may hunt during the 7-week open period, which runs from Sept. 12 through Nov. 8.
Alligator Hunting Season Dates
Harvest Period 1
- Aug. 15 - 21
- Sept. 12 - Nov. 8
Harvest Period 2
- Aug. 22 - 28
- Sept. 12 - Nov. 8
Harvest Period 3
- Aug. 29 - Sept. 4
- Sept. 12 - Nov. 8
Harvest Period 4
- Sept. 5 - 11
- Sept. 12 - Nov. 8
NOTE: All stormwater treatment area (STA) harvest units and A-1 FEB are weekend-only hunts, and hunting hours are between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. the next morning, except as otherwise provided in the harvest permit. Find more information about hunting alligators at STAs.
During the statewide alligator harvest, alligator hunting is allowed 24 hours a day on most areas.
- Hunting hours begin at midnight on the first day of each harvest period and end at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of each harvest period.
- However, hunting hours at the STAs and A-1 FEB are 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. each day during the harvest period except as otherwise provided in the harvest permit.
- Hunting hours at Loxahatchee NWR are from 1 hour before sunset until 1 hour after sunrise each day during the harvest period except as otherwise provided in the harvest permit. Please carefully review your harvest permit for details.
- NOTE: All STA harvest units and A-1 FEB are weekend-only hunts.
You may scout for alligators at any time on most areas. But if you are scouting during nonhunting hours or during a day or in an area you are not licensed to hunt, you must keep any and all alligator hunting equipment disassembled and stowed away or leave it at home.