J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
FWC's 2026-27 brochure for J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA sets 4 deer seasons (archery, family hunt, muzzleloading gun and general gun); archery is on September 26-October 11, November 14-22. The area is 9,874 acres of public hunting land in Clay County, a wildlife management area in FWC's north central region. Around it, FWC estimates 8,975 deer were taken in DMU C6 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.
J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMAOther FWC WMAsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 9,874 acres, measured on FWC's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Clay |
| Deer management unit | DMU C6 |
| Deer seasons | Archery, family hunt, muzzleloading gun and general gun |
| Archery | September 26-October 11, November 14-22 |
| General gun | November 26-29 |
| Spring turkey | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 20-22, April 2-4, 16-18 |
| 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, camping, hog hunting, horseback riding and fishing |
| Nearest towns | Green Cove Springs (2 mi), Penney Farms (8 mi) and Orange Park (14 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Archery Season | September 26-October 11, November 14-22 |
| Family Hunt | November 7-8 |
| Muzzleloading Gun Season | October 24-November 1 |
| General Gun Season | November 26-29 |
| Spring Turkey Season | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 20-22, April 2-4, 16-18 |
| Small Game Season | December 18-January 31 (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only) |
| Trapping | Prohibited. |
| Wild Hog-Still Season | 2026 hunt dates: May 29-31 2027 hunt dates: May 28-30 |
| 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 J.P. Hall Bayard Point 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 J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA need?
- Archery - 32, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 32, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Family Hunt - 15, no cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 20, no-cost quota permits (no exemptions). Wild Hog-Still - 20, no-cost quota permits (no exemptions). Youth Turkey - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.
What rules apply on J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA?
Dogs
- Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except any dog may be used to hunt small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel, migratory birds, and non-protected birds) 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.
- Taking bear with the aid of dogs is prohibited.
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 turkey or migratory birds) with air guns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
Access and vehicles
- Open to public access year round.
- Vehicular access is prohibited during small game seasons and periods closed to hunting. Vehicular access is allowed during archery, muzzleoading gun, general gun, wild hog-still and spring turkey season and on the weekend and the day before each archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, and wild hog-still hunt and the day before each spring turkey hunt.
- For vehicle access onto Area 3 roads (CR 226 entrances), persons in possession of a valid quota permit may use the lock combination (found on their quota permit) to unlock entrance gates only on days when motorized vehicles are allowed on the area.
- Roads accessible from CR 226 flood frequently and may be posted as closed to vehicle use following rains.
- Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate or firelane.
Camping
- Only tent camping is allowed (no trailers).
- Camping is allowed year-round, but only at designated campsites in Areas 1 and 3, except that during periods open to hunting, only individuals authorized to participate in a hunt may camp in Area 3 and during the youth turkey hunt when one non-hunting guest per quota permit may also camp in Area 3.
Bag limits
- A guest hunter must share the host’s bag limit for deer, bear, 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 or antlerless deer per person, but no more than 2 deer per quota permit. Muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons - 1 antlered deer per person, but no more than 2 deer per quota permit. Family Hunt - 1 antlered and 1 antlerless 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 bag or size limit.
From FWC J.P. Hall Bayard Point regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
How many deer are taken around J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA?
FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA lies in DMU C6. FWC estimates 8,975 deer (5,636 bucks, 3,339 does) in DMU C6 in the 2023-24 season, 1,298 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 J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| Clay County | 9,874 |
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 J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: FL 15, US 17, FL 16 and FL 13. Nearest towns: Green Cove Springs (2 miles), Penney Farms (8 miles), Orange Park (14 miles) and Palatka (16 miles). FWC's page for the area: J.P. Hall Bayard Point.
The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Belmore WMA (9.9 miles), Etoniah Creek WMA (11.3 miles), Camp Blanding WMA (12.6 miles) and Guana River WMA (15.6 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA in 2026-27?
Archery Season: September 26-October 11, November 14-22; Family Hunt: November 7-8; Muzzleloading Gun Season: October 24-November 1; General Gun Season: November 26-29. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.
What deer are legal on J.P. Hall Bayard Point 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 J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA?
FWC's summary lists no deer dog season for J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA.
Do you need a quota permit for J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA?
Archery - 32, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 32, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Family Hunt - 15, no cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 20, no-cost quota permits (no exemptions). Wild Hog-Still - 20, no-cost quota permits (no exemptions). Youth Turkey - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.
What county is J.P. Hall Bayard Point WMA in?
Clay County, measured on FWC's boundary.
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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.