Orange Hammock WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Orange Hammock WMA sets 4 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun mobility-impaired and general gun); archery is on September 25-27, October 2-4, 9-11. The area is 5,778 acres of public hunting land in Sarasota County, a wildlife management area in FWC's southwest region. Around it, FWC estimates 4,506 deer were taken in DMU C1 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 Orange Hammock WMA?

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, but not spotted fawn).

Source: FWC Orange Hammock 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 Orange Hammock WMA need?

• Archery - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun Mobility - Impaired - 8, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 5, no- cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 5, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.

What rules apply on Orange Hammock WMA?

Dogs

• Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except any dog may be used for hunting small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) and non-protected birds during the 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.

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 air guns is allowed. See Florida Hunting Regulations handbook for details.

Access and vehicles

• Open to public access year round but only from 1½ hours before sunrise to 1½ hours after sunset, except during the youth turkey hunt when public access is limited to only individuals participating in the hunt.
• All persons must enter and exit the area at the designated entrance.
• Public access other than by foot, horseback, or bicycle is prohibited, except vehicle access is allowed only on that portion of the Main Grade between the designated entrance and WMA Gate 1.
• Persons participating in a quota hunt (and one additional non-hunting guest per quota permit during the mobility-impaired hunt and the youth turkey hunt) may operate vehicles on Main Grade south of WMA Gate 1 from 1½ hours before sunrise to 1½ hours after sunset one day prior to and during each archery, muzzleloading gun, mobility-impaired hunt, general gun hunt; and from 4:30 a.m. until 1½ hours after sunset during spring turkey hunts.
• The use of tracked vehicles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs), or unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles is prohibited, except ATVs and ROVs may be used only by certified mobility-impaired hunters during the general gun mobility-impaired season. Additional vehicle access may be identified during the required mobility pre-hunt meeting if conditions allow.

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 or 1 antlerless deer per quota permit. Muzzleloading gun and general gun seasons: 1 antlered deer per quota permit. General gun mobility-impaired season: 1 antlered or 1 antlerless deer per quota permit. Only mobility-impaired hunters may harvest antlerless deer during the general gun mobility-impaired season. 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 Orange Hammock regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

How many deer are taken around Orange Hammock WMA?

FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Orange Hammock WMA lies in DMU C1. FWC estimates 4,506 deer (3,179 bucks, 1,327 does) in DMU C1 in the 2023-24 season, 1,239 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 Orange Hammock 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 Orange Hammock WMA?

Highways within 5 miles: I-75 and FL 93. Nearest towns: North Port (6 miles), Punta Gorda (12 miles), Arcadia (14 miles) and Venice (19 miles). FWC's page for the area: Orange Hammock.

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Babcock/Webb WMA (10.8 miles), Babcock/Webb WMA (Yucca Pens Unit) (17.6 miles), Fisheating Creek WMA (37.6 miles) and Lake Wales Ridge WMA (Royce Unit) (46.5 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Orange Hammock WMA in 2026-27?

Archery Season: September 25-27, October 2-4, 9-11; Muzzleloading Gun Season: October 30-November 1; General Gun Mobility-Impaired Season: November 7-8; General Gun Season: November 13-15, 27-29. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Orange Hammock 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, 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 Orange Hammock WMA?

FWC's summary lists no deer dog season for Orange Hammock WMA.

Do you need a quota permit for Orange Hammock WMA?

Archery - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts. Muzzleloading Gun - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun Mobility - Impaired - 8, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 5, no- cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 5, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.

What county is Orange Hammock WMA in?

Sarasota 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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