Buck Lake WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Buck Lake WMA sets 3 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun); archery is on September 26-October 4, October 10-16. The area is 9,212 acres of public hunting land in Brevard and Volusia counties, a wildlife management area in FWC's northeast region. Around it, FWC estimates 7,079 deer were taken in DMU C4 in the 2023-24 season.

Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: FWC's 2026-27 regulations summary for the area. Harvest: FWC's statewide deer harvest survey by DMU, 2023-24.

When are the 2026-27 seasons on Buck Lake WMA?

Legal deer: Deer with at least 1 antler having 3 or more points (each point 1-inch or more in length) OR a main beam length of 10 inches or more, antlerless deer (which includes does and bucks with antlers less than 5 inches in length, but not spotted fawn).

Source: FWC Buck Lake regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, read October 2026. The brochure and FWC's rules are the final word.

What quota permits does Buck Lake WMA need?

• Archery - 40, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 40, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 40, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Spring Turkey - 20, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed) for each of 2 hunts.

What rules apply on Buck Lake WMA?

Dogs

• Hunting deer, bear or wild hog with dogs is prohibited.
• Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except dogs may be used for hunting small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) and non-protected birds during the small game season.
• No person shall allow any dog to pursue or molest any wildlife during any period in which the taking of wildlife by the use of dogs is prohibited.
• Dogs on leashes may be used for trailing wounded game, including bear.
• Dogs are allowed during periods or in areas closed to hunting with dogs but must be kept under physical restraint at all times.

Hunters, harvest reporting and other area rules

• Hunters must enter and exit the area at a designated entrance.
• Hunters will use the gate lock combination provided on their quota permit for motor vehicle access through designated entrance gates during quota hunts. Hunters must close and lock the gates behind themselves when entering and exiting the WMA.
• Hunters must log each harvested deer or turkey prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any deer or turkey they harvest within 24 hours of recovery. See the Florida Hunting Regulations Handbook or MyFWC.com for deer and turkey harvest reporting instructions.
• Hunters must physically attach the provided bear harvest tag to their harvested bear prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report the bear they harvest within 24 hours of recovery. See the Florida Bear Hunting Guidebook or MyFWC.com for bear harvest reporting instructions.

Guns

• The discharge of a firearm outside of periods open to hunting or in areas closed to hunting is prohibited per s. 790.15 FS.
• Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.
• Muzzleloading guns used for taking deer or bear must be .30 caliber or larger if firing a single bullet or be 20 gauge or larger if firing 2 or more balls.
• Hunting deer or bear with rimfire or non-expanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited.

Access and vehicles

• Open to public access year-round by foot, horseback or bicycle.
• Vehicle access is prohibited, except persons participating in a hunt are allowed vehicle access from 4 a.m. until 1.5 hours after sunset only, during the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun and spring turkey hunts and 1 day prior to and 1 day after each respective hunt in which they are participating. Hunters will use the gate lock combination provided on their quota permit for motor vehicle access through designated entrance gates during quota hunts. Hunters should always close and lock the gates behind themselves when entering and exiting the WMA. Access for the small game and wild hog hunts will be walk-in only (by foot, horseback or bicycle).
• Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate or firelane and may be parked only in designated parking areas or within 25 feet of a named or numbered road.
• Motor vehicles may be operated only on named or numbered roads shown on the brochure map, except for individuals who qualify for AMP or SUV permits. For more information visit FWC's ADA for Hunters webpage.
• No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.

Camping

• Camping is prohibited during periods open to hunting.
• During non-hunting periods, camping is regulated by the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), 386-329-4401. Reservations can be made at https://www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/camping/ and should be made in advance of when you want to camp.

Bag limits

• A guest hunter must share the host’s bag limit for deer, turkey, bear and quail, except when these bag limits are specified as per person. The host is responsible for violations that exceed the bag limit.
• Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits. A. Area Limits - Archery season: 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer per quota permit. Muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons: 2 antlered deer per quota permit, but only 1 per person. B. Statewide Limits - Annual limit 5 deer (only 2 of which may be antlerless), daily limit 2, possession limit 4. C. As part of the statewide annual deer limit, youth less than 16 years of age may harvest 1 deer annually not meeting antler point requirements but having at least 1 antler 5 inches or more in length.
• Wild hog - No size or bag limit.

From FWC Buck Lake regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

How many deer are taken around Buck Lake WMA?

FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Buck Lake WMA lies in DMU C4. FWC estimates 7,079 deer (4,969 bucks, 2,110 does) in DMU C4 in the 2023-24 season, 2,046 of them on public land.

Source: FWC 2023-24 Harvest Survey Results. FWC's per-area harvest figures are in its WMA harvest reports tool.

Which county is Buck Lake WMA in?

Measured by FilledTag on FWC Wildlife Management Areas Florida (open data) and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries.

How do you get to Buck Lake WMA?

Highways within 5 miles: I-95, FL 5, US 1 and FL 46. Nearest towns: Titusville (8 miles), Oviedo (11 miles), Oak Hill (12 miles) and Winter Springs (15 miles). FWC's page for the area: Buck Lake.

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Little Big Econ WMA (next to it), Salt Lake WMA (next to it), Charles H. Bronson WMA (1.7 miles) and Seminole Ranch WMA (3.9 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Buck Lake WMA in 2026-27?

Archery Season: September 26-October 4, October 10-16; Muzzleloading Gun Season: October 30-November 1; General Gun Season: November 14-17, 19-23. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Buck Lake WMA?

Deer with at least 1 antler having 3 or more points (each point 1-inch or more in length) OR a main beam length of 10 inches or more, antlerless deer (which includes does and bucks with antlers less than 5 inches in length, but not spotted fawn), by FWC's brochure. Antlerless deer only where and when a season says so.

Can you hunt deer with dogs on Buck Lake WMA?

Hunting deer, bear or wild hog with dogs is prohibited.

Do you need a quota permit for Buck Lake WMA?

Archery - 40, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 40, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 40, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Spring Turkey - 20, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed) for each of 2 hunts.

What county is Buck Lake WMA in?

Brevard County (6,725 acres) and Volusia County (2,487 acres), measured on FWC's boundary.

You need a hunting license, a management area permit and any quota permit the area lists, plus deer and turkey permits as FWC requires. Statewide WMA basics. FilledTag is not part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; seasons and rules are copied from FWC's brochure, maps from FWC's WMA layer, each with its source above.

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