Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA sets 4 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun and family hunt); archery is on September 19-22, 26-29, October 3-6, 10-13. The area is 5,326 acres of public hunting land in Okeechobee County, a wildlife management area in FWC's south region. Around it, FWC estimates 2,859 deer were taken in DMU C2 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.
Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMAOther FWC WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 5,326 acres, measured on FWC's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Okeechobee |
| Deer management unit | DMU C2 |
| Deer seasons | Archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun and family hunt |
| Archery | September 19-22, 26-29, October 3-6, 10-13 |
| General gun | November 7-9, 14-16 |
| Spring turkey | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 20-22, 27-29, April 3-5 |
| Legal deer | Antlered deer having at least one antler with three or more points (each point being one inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 10 inches or more in length |
| Deer dogs | No deer dog season on FWC's summary |
| Also on the area | Family hunts, small game, fishing and horseback riding |
| Nearest towns | Sebring (21 mi), Okeechobee (22 mi) and Lake Placid (22 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Archery Season | September 19-22, 26-29, October 3-6, 10-13 |
| Muzzleloading Gun Season | October 24-26 |
| General Gun Season | November 7-9, 14-16 |
| Family Hunt | November 27-29 |
| Spring Turkey Season | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 20-22, 27-29, April 3-5 |
| Small Game Season | November 17-26, November 30-March 7 |
| Trapping | Prohibited. |
| Non-Native Reptiles | Allowed year round. |
Legal deer: Antlered deer having at least one antler with three or more points (each point being one inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 10 inches or more in length.
Source: FWC Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters 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 Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA need?
- Archery - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 4 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Family Hunt - 7, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 7, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 7, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.
What rules apply on Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA?
Dogs
- Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except 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 birds in season, quail, rabbits, 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.
- Dogs are allowed during periods or in areas closed to hunting with dogs, but must be kept under physical restraint at all times.
- Taking non-native reptiles with 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.
Guns
- 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.
- Hunting wildlife (other than migratory birds) with airguns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.
Access and vehicles
- Open to public recreational access year-round, with the following exceptions: from 0.5 hours after sunset until 0.5 hours before sunrise, only individuals who possess a valid camping permit and persons participating in hunts may access the area; during all quota hunts except the family and youth turkey hunts, only quota permit holders and their guests may access the area; during the family hunt, only the quota permit holder, up to 2 youth hunters, and 1 non-hunting guest may access the area; and during the youth turkey hunt, only the quota permit holder, 1 adult supervisor, and 1 non-hunting guest may access the area.
- All persons must enter and exit the area at a designated entrance.
- Motor vehicle access is prohibited, except individuals participating in hunts may operate street legal vehicles on designated roads and trails as indicated on the brochure map during archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun, family hunt, small game, youth turkey and spring turkey seasons and 3 days before and after each of these seasons as well as during any portions of the statewide dove and snipe seasons not covered by these dates. At all other times, public access other than by foot, horseback, or bicycle is prohibited.
- Motor vehicles may only be operated on roads, trails, and parking areas as designated on the brochure map.
- All-terrain vehicles (ATVs), recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs), and swamp buggies are prohibited, except during quota hunts when individuals possessing a valid quota permit and their guests may operate ATVs, ROVs (side-by-sides), and swamp buggies on designated roads as indicated on the brochure map.
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 family hunt when the bag limit is 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.
- Turkey - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits. A. Area limits - 1 gobbler or bearded turkey per archery, youth turkey, and spring turkey quota permit. B. Statewide limits - All fall seasons combined limit 2, spring season limit 2, daily limit 2, possession limit 2.
How many deer are taken around Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA?
FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA lies in DMU C2. FWC estimates 2,859 deer (1,984 bucks, 875 does) in DMU C2 in the 2023-24 season, 1,174 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 Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| Okeechobee County | 5,326 |
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 Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA?
Nearest towns: Sebring (21 miles), Okeechobee (22 miles), Lake Placid (22 miles) and Avon Park (25 miles). FWC's page for the area: Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters.
The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Kissimmee River PUA (3.5 miles), Hickory Hammock WMA (5.4 miles), KICCO WMA (7.4 miles) and Lake Wales Ridge WMA (Royce Unit) (16 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA in 2026-27?
Archery Season: September 19-22, 26-29, October 3-6, 10-13; Muzzleloading Gun Season: October 24-26; General Gun Season: November 7-9, 14-16; Family Hunt: November 27-29. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.
What deer are legal on Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA?
Antlered deer having at least one antler with three or more points (each point being one inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 10 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 Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA?
FWC's summary lists no deer dog season for Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA.
Do you need a quota permit for Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA?
Archery - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 4 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Family Hunt - 7, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 13, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 7, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 7, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.
What county is Kissimmee Bend Unit of the Everglades Headwaters WMA in?
Okeechobee 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.