Lafayette Creek WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Lafayette Creek WMA sets 5 deer seasons (archery, family hunt, muzzleloading gun, general gun and archery/muzzleloading gun); archery is on October 24-30, October 31-November 8. The area is 3,163 acres of public hunting land in Walton County, a wildlife management area in FWC's northwest region. Around it, FWC estimates 18,958 deer were taken in DMU D1 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 Lafayette Creek WMA?

Legal deer: Deer with at least 1 antler having 2 or more points (each point 1 inch or more in length) and having at least 1 antler 5 inches or more in length, antlerless deer (which includes does and bucks with antlers less than 5 inches in length, but not spotted fawn).

Source: FWC Lafayette Creek 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 Lafayette Creek WMA need?

• Archery - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Family Hunt - 7, no-cost, hunt quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Archery/Muzzleloading Gun - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Youth Turkey - 5, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 5, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 6 hunts.

What rules apply on Lafayette Creek WMA?

Dogs

• Hunting with dogs, other than bird dogs or retrievers, is prohibited, except any dog may be used for hunting small game (quail, rabbits, gray squirrel, and migratory birds in season) and non-protected birds during small game season. The take of deer, furbearers, and wild hog 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 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

• During non-quota hunts and outside hunting seasons, public access is allowed during daylight hours only, except for individuals participating in non-quota hunts. During quota hunts, public access is prohibited, except persons participating in the hunts may access the area at any time and through hikers on the Florida Trail may access the area during daylight hours.
• Motorized vehicles are prohibited, except street-legal vehicles may be operated on named or numbered roads from three days prior to the first day of archery season until three days after the last day of spring turkey season.
• All persons shall enter and exit the area at a designated entrance, except through hikers may enter via the Florida Trail.
• Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate or firelane.
• All-terrain vehicles are prohibited.

Camping

• Camping is allowed only at the designated campsites along the Florida Trail (provided that access into the management area is by the Florida Trail) or by permit from the Northwest Florida Water Management District (850-539-5999).

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 - During the family hunt, the bag limit for antlerless deer is one per quota permit. Otherwise, see statewide limits below. 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 Lafayette Creek regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

How many deer are taken around Lafayette Creek WMA?

FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Lafayette Creek WMA lies in DMU D1. FWC estimates 18,958 deer (12,789 bucks, 6,169 does) in DMU D1 in the 2023-24 season, 4,694 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 Lafayette Creek 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 Lafayette Creek WMA?

Highways within 5 miles: FL 20, FL 83, US 331 and FL 81. Nearest towns: Freeport (3 miles), Ebro (9 miles), DeFuniak Springs (11 miles) and Ponce de Leon (14 miles). FWC's page for the area: Lafayette Creek.

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Choctawhatchee River WMA (4.9 miles), Pine Log WMA (8.9 miles), Point Washington WMA (10.2 miles) and Econfina Creek WMA (Fitzhugh Carter Tract) (17.7 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Lafayette Creek WMA in 2026-27?

Archery Season: October 24-30, October 31-November 8; Family Hunt: November 26-29; Muzzleloading Gun Season: December 5-7; General Gun Season: January 23-26, 27-31; Archery/Muzzleloading Gun Season: February 13-15. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Lafayette Creek WMA?

Deer with at least 1 antler having 2 or more points (each point 1 inch or more in length) and having at least 1 antler 5 inches or more in length, 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 Lafayette Creek WMA?

Hunting with dogs, other than bird dogs or retrievers, is prohibited, except any dog may be used for hunting small game (quail, rabbits, gray squirrel, and migratory birds in season) and non-protected birds during small game season. The take of deer, furbearers, and wild hog with dogs is prohibited.

Do you need a quota permit for Lafayette Creek WMA?

Archery - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Family Hunt - 7, no-cost, hunt quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Archery/Muzzleloading Gun - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Youth Turkey - 5, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 5, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 6 hunts.

What county is Lafayette Creek WMA in?

Walton 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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