Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit): 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit) sets 4 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun mobility-impaired and general gun); archery is on August 1-4, 8-11, 15-18, 22-25. The area is 17,229 acres of public hunting land in Hendry County, a wildlife management area in FWC's south region. Around it, FWC estimates 2,403 deer were taken in Zone A 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 Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit)?

Legal deer: Antlered deer having at least one antler with four or more points (each point being one inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 14 inches or more in length.

Source: FWC Dinner Island Ranch - Caracara Unit 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 Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit) need?

• Archery - 30, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 4 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 30, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun Mobility-Impaired - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 30, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts. Youth Turkey - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.

What rules apply on Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit)?

Dogs

• Hunting deer or wild hog with dogs is prohibited.
• Bird dogs and retrievers may be used for hunting migratory and non-protected birds during migratory bird seasons and any dog may be used to hunt gray squirrel, migratory and non-protected birds, quail, and rabbits during 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 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 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

• 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.
• Hunting wildlife (other than migratory birds) with airguns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.

Access and vehicles

• Open to public access year round, except during quota hunts, when only individuals possessing a valid quota permit and their guests may access the area.
• Motorized vehicles must enter and exit the area only at a designated entrance and may not be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.
• Motorized vehicles must be parked in a designated parking area as indicated on the hunt map, except for those vehicles operated by individuals participating in the mobility-impaired hunt. Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate, or firelane.
• Airboats, all-terrain vehicles, recreational off-highway vehicles, swamp buggies, tracked vehicles or unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles are prohibited, except during the general gun mobility-impaired season, when those authorized to participate in the hunt may operate ATVs and ROVs (side-by-sides) on the area.
• Horses are prohibited.

Camping

• Prohibited.

Bag limits

• A guest hunter must share the host’s bag limit for deer, turkey, 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 - 1 antlered deer per quota permit, except during the general gun mobility-impaired hunt, when the bag limit is 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer per quota permit, but only mobility-impaired hunters may take an antlerless deer. 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 Dinner Island Ranch - Caracara Unit regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

How many deer are taken around Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit)?

FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit) lies in Zone A. FWC estimates 2,403 deer (2,069 bucks, 334 does) in Zone A in the 2023-24 season, 1,270 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 Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit) 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 Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit)?

Nearest towns: Clewiston (10 miles), Moore Haven (15 miles), South Bay (16 miles) and Belle Glade (21 miles). FWC's page for the area: Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit).

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Dinner Island Ranch WMA (1.6 miles), Okaloacoochee Slough WMA (4 miles), Rotenberger WMA (7.5 miles) and Holey Land WMA (12.1 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit) in 2026-27?

Archery Season: August 1-4, 8-11, 15-18, 22-25; Muzzleloading Gun Season: September 5-7; General Gun Mobility-Impaired Season: September 19-20; General Gun Season: October 3-5, 10-12, 17-19. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit)?

Antlered deer having at least one antler with four or more points (each point being one inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 14 inches or more in length, by FWC's brochure. Antlerless deer only where and when a season says so.

Can you hunt deer with dogs on Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit)?

Hunting deer or wild hog with dogs is prohibited.

Do you need a quota permit for Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit)?

Archery - 30, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 4 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 30, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun Mobility-Impaired - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 30, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts. Youth Turkey - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.

What county is Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit) in?

Hendry County, 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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