Holey Land WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Holey Land WMA sets 4 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun-walk and general gun vehicle); archery is on August 8-30. The area is 34,616 acres of public hunting land in Palm Beach and Broward counties, 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 Holey Land WMA?

Legal deer: Antlered Deer having at least one antler five measuring inches or more in length with two or more points (each point being one inch or more in length).

Source: FWC Holey Land 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 Holey Land WMA need?

• General Gun-Vehicle - 5, no-cost, general gun-vehicle track permits with 1 antlered deer tag (no exemptions, non-transferable except that a general gun-vehicle permit and tag shall only be transferred in the field by Commission law enforcement supervisors or their designees when a tracked vehicle becomes inoperable and unable to be repaired while within the wildlife management area to which the tracked vehicle is assigned). A positive form of identification is required when using a non-transferable permit, except for a youth under 16 years of age. The sale or purchase of any quota permit or guest permit is prohibited. Note: This is the number of quota permits issued during the 2025-26 season. The total number of quota permits issued for the 2026-27 season may change based on population surveys, water levels, habitat conditions, and other variables. Please contact the South Region Office for rules of inspection and information on registration of track vehicles at 561-625-5122.

What rules apply on Holey Land WMA?

Dogs

• Hunting with dogs is allowed only during the general gun-vehicle season, except bird dogs and retrievers may be used to hunt snipe, waterfowl, and non-protected birds during snipe and waterfowl seasons, and any dog may be used to hunt gray squirrel, migratory birds in season, non-protected birds, quail, and rabbits during small game season.
• The taking or pursuing of deer, wild hog, fox, or coyote with dogs is prohibited unless each dog is equipped and monitored with devices that allow remote tracking and behavior correction.
• Dogs used for hunting may be taken onto the WMA after 8 a.m. the day before the opening of a season and shall be removed by 6 p.m. 1 day after the end of the 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.

Hunters, harvest reporting and other area rules

• Hunters shall enter and exit the area from the L-5 or Miami Canal levees only.
• During the general gun-vehicle season, all deer taken shall be tagged immediately with the antlered deer tag provided by the Commission.
• When check stations are staffed on weekends during the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun-walk, and general gun-vehicle seasons, no deer shall be quartered, dismembered, or removed from the area until checked at the check station located on the L-5 levee.
• Deer may be dismembered in the field or camp, after being registered at the check station on weekends, but each portion shall have a tag affixed to it identifying the name, address, and hunting license number of the person who killed it; the date and location at which it was taken; and shall be readily traceable to the skull plate with any attached antler.
• In addition to checking all game at an area check station, hunters must log each harvested deer prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any deer they harvest within 24 hours of recovery. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook or MyFWC.com for deer harvest reporting instructions.

Guns

• All boat ramps, parking areas, roads, camping areas, levees, and adjacent powerline pads are closed to hunting.
• Beginning the day after the last day of small game season through the second Sunday of April, the take of wildlife using centerfire rifles is prohibited.
• Hunting with a gun on, from, or across levees is prohibited.
• Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.

Access and vehicles

• Open to public access year-round.
• Persons must enter and exit the area from the L-5 or Miami Canal levees.
• Motorized vehicles are prohibited on all levees except the L-5 and Miami Canal levees.
• A general gun-vehicle permit (non-transferable) is required to operate a tracked vehicle during the general gun-vehicle season.
• Airboats are prohibited during the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun-walk, and general gun-vehicle seasons, except airboats may be used for the purpose of waterfowl hunting on days when waterfowl hunting is allowed.

Camping

• Camping equipment may be taken onto the WMA no earlier than 7 days prior to the archery season and all vehicles, camps, tents, and other camping equipment shall be removed by 6 p.m. 7 days after the close of general gun-vehicle season. During the remainder of the year, camping is allowed only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, but camps may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours.
• Each camper shall assure that his or her campsite is clean at all times.
• Camping is allowed only on the L-5 and Miami Canal Levees.

Bag limits

• Deer - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits. A. Area limits - Archery, muzzleloading gun, and general gun-walk seasons: Season limit 1 antlered deer. General gun-vehicle season: 1 antlered deer per antlered deer tag. 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.
• Turkey - Prohibited.
• Wild hog - No bag limits or size restrictions.

From FWC Holey Land regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

How many deer are taken around Holey Land WMA?

FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Holey Land WMA 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 Holey Land 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 Holey Land WMA?

Highways within 5 miles: FL 25 and US 27. Nearest towns: South Bay (17 miles), Belle Glade (18 miles), Weston (22 miles) and Clewiston (23 miles). FWC's page for the area: Holey Land.

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Everglades and Francis S. Taylor WMA (next to it), Rotenberger WMA (next to it), Big Cypress WMA (8.3 miles) and Dinner Island Ranch WMA (Caracara Unit) (12.1 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Holey Land WMA in 2026-27?

Archery Season: August 8-30; Muzzleloading Gun Season: September 5-13; General Gun-Walk Season: October 3-18; General Gun Vehicle Season: November 21-December 6. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Holey Land WMA?

Antlered Deer having at least one antler five measuring inches or more in length with two or more points (each point being one inch 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 Holey Land WMA?

The taking or pursuing of deer, wild hog, fox, or coyote with dogs is prohibited unless each dog is equipped and monitored with devices that allow remote tracking and behavior correction.

Do you need a quota permit for Holey Land WMA?

General Gun-Vehicle - 5, no-cost, general gun-vehicle track permits with 1 antlered deer tag (no exemptions, non-transferable except that a general gun-vehicle permit and tag shall only be transferred in the field by Commission law enforcement supervisors or their designees when a tracked vehicle becomes inoperable and unable to be repaired while within the wildlife management area to which the tracked vehicle is assigned). A positive form of identification is required when using a non-transferable permit, except for a youth under 16 years of age. The sale or purchase of any quota permit or guest permit is prohibited. Note: This is the number of quota permits issued during the 2025-26 season. The total number of quota permits issued for the 2026-27 season may change based on population surveys, water levels, habitat conditions, and other variables. Please contact the South Region Office for rules of inspection and information on registration of track vehicles at 561-625-5122.

What county is Holey Land WMA in?

Palm Beach County (34,323 acres) and Broward County (293 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.

Florida hunting All Florida WMAs Zone A deer harvest