Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge sets 4 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun, family hunt and general gun); archery is on October 17-23, November 7-15. The area is 1,460 acres of public hunting land in Polk County, a wildlife management area in FWC's southwest region. Around it, FWC estimates 1,973 deer were taken in DMU B1 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.
Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife RefugeOther FWC WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,460 acres, measured on FWC's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Polk |
| Deer management unit | DMU B1 |
| Deer seasons | Archery, muzzleloading gun, family hunt and general gun |
| Archery | October 17-23, November 7-15 |
| General gun | January 22-24, 28-31 |
| Spring turkey | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 25-28, March 31-April 4 |
| 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) |
| Deer dogs | No deer dog season on FWC's summary |
| Also on the area | Small game, family hunts, horseback riding and fishing |
| Nearest towns | Dundee (7 mi), Lake Wales (8 mi) and Lake Hamilton (8 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Archery Season | October 17-23, November 7-15 |
| Muzzleloading Gun Season | November 27-29 |
| Family Hunt | December 25-27 |
| General Gun Season | January 22-24, 28-31 |
| Spring Turkey Season | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 25-28, March 31-April 4 |
| Small Game Season | February 6-March 3 |
| Trapping | Prohibited. |
| Fishing and Frogging | Allowed year round. |
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 Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge 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 Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge need?
- Archery - 6, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 6, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Family Hunt - 3, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 6, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 3, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 3, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts.
What rules apply on Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge?
Dogs
- Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except bird dogs and retrievers may be used for hunting small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds), African collared-dove, Eurasian collared-dove, common pigeon, Egyptian goose, house sparrow, and common starling and any dog may be used to take small game during the small game season.
- The take of wild hogs with dogs is prohibited.
- 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.
- 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 shall enter and exit the area at designated entrances.
- All hunters must log each harvested deer or turkey prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any harvested 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.
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 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 with rimfire or non-expanding, full metal jacket (military ball) ammunition is prohibited.
Access and vehicles
- Open to public access year round with the following exceptions: from 0.5 hours after sunset until 0.5 hours before sunrise when only individuals authorized to participate in a hunt may access the area during periods open to hunting and during the family and youth turkey hunts when one non-hunting guest per quota may also access the area.
- Vehicular access is prohibited except persons participating in a hunt are allowed vehicle access during archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, family hunt, small game and spring turkey seasons and 3 days prior to and 3 days after each of these seasons. At all other times, public access other than by foot, horseback or bicycle is prohibited.
- Persons shall enter and exit the area at designated entrances.
- Motor vehicles shall be operated only on named and or numbered roads.
- Horses may only be ridden on named or numbered roads and designated horse trails.
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 - Archery season: 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer per quota permit. Muzzleloading gun, family hunt and general gun seasons: 2 antlered deer per quota permit. 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.
How many deer are taken around Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge?
FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge lies in DMU B1. FWC estimates 1,973 deer (1,359 bucks, 614 does) in DMU B1 in the 2023-24 season, 601 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 Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge in?
| County | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| Polk County | 1,460 |
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 Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge?
Nearest towns: Dundee (7 miles), Lake Wales (8 miles), Lake Hamilton (8 miles) and Haines City (10 miles). FWC's page for the area: Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge.
The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Creek Ranch WMA (next to it), Kissimmee Chain of Lakes WMA (1.1 miles), Lake Marion Creek WMA (4.7 miles) and Walk-in-the-Water WMA (10.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge in 2026-27?
Archery Season: October 17-23, November 7-15; Muzzleloading Gun Season: November 27-29; Family Hunt: December 25-27; General Gun Season: January 22-24, 28-31. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.
What deer are legal on Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge?
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 Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge?
FWC's summary lists no deer dog season for Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge.
Do you need a quota permit for Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge?
Archery - 6, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 6, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Family Hunt - 3, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 6, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 3, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 3, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts.
What county is Hatchineha Unit of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge in?
Polk County, measured on FWC's boundary.
Get a Florida hunt plan when they open
Florida plans are not open yet. They are coming soon. Join the waiting list; the first 50 hunters get one plan free.
Use the map while you wait for your plan.
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.