Osceola WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Osceola WMA sets 3 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun); archery is on September 26-October 18. The area is 272,956 acres of public hunting land in Baker and Columbia counties, 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.

When are the 2026-27 seasons on Osceola 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 in length, but not spotted fawn).

Source: FWC Osceola 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 Osceola WMA need?

• General Gun (first 9 days in the dog hunt area) - 900, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed).

What rules apply on Osceola WMA?

Dogs

• Hunting deer and wild hog with dogs is allowed, but only in the dog hunt area (see map).
• The taking or pursing of deer, wild hog, fox or coyote with dogs (only as allowed during area seasons) is prohibited unless each dog is equipped and monitored with devices that allow remote tracking and behavior correction.
• Deer dogs and bear dogs may be trained from October 31 through November 9, from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset only, except in the Big Gun Swamp Wilderness and the still hunt area. During the deer and bear dog training season, deer and bear dogs may be allowed to run free for training purposes, but the take of wildlife with a gun while training deer or bear dogs is prohibited.
• Leashed or caged dogs may be kept at the East Tower hunt camp during general gun season.
• No person shall allow any dog to pursue or molest any wildlife during any period in which the hunting of wildlife by the use 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 on or from the rights-of-way of Interstate 10, and County Roads 250, 250A, 229, 127, 125, McCloskey Avenue and State Road 2 is prohibited.
• Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited (see exception for fox, raccoon, opossum and bobcat season).
• Taking wildlife at night with a gun equipped with a thermal or night-vision device is prohibited.
• Muzzleloading guns used for hunting 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.

Access and vehicles

• Open to public access year round.
• Motorized vehicles and bicycles are allowed only on designated, named or numbered roads and mixed-use roads, except all-terrain vehicles and unlicensed and unregistered vehicles (including motorcycles) are allowed only on designated motorized trails and mixed-use roads. See the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Motor Vehicle Use Map for Osceola National Forest at www.fs.usda.gov/osceola. All-terrain vehicles and unlicensed and unregistered vehicles are prohibited on John M. Bethea State Forest.
• It is prohibited to ride all-terrain vehicles on mixed used trails from sunset to sunrise.
• Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate or firelane.
• No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.

Camping

• On lands designated as Osceola National Forest, camping is allowed year round but only for a maximum of 14 days within any 30 day time period. During general gun season, camping is allowed only at designated campsites (see map).

Bag limits

• A guest hunter must share the host’s bag limit for deer, turkey, bear 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 - 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 bag or size limit.

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

How many deer are taken around Osceola WMA?

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

Highways through the area: FL 8, I-10, FL 2 and FL 10. Nearest towns: Lake City (2 miles), Glen St. Mary (8 miles), White Springs (9 miles) and Macclenny (9 miles). FWC's page for the area: Osceola.

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Cypress Creek WMA (1.3 miles), Big Shoals WMA (4.3 miles), Raiford WMA (10.9 miles) and Cary WMA (18.3 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Osceola WMA in 2026-27?

Archery Season: September 26-October 18; Muzzleloading Gun Season: October 24-31 (still hunt area and Big Gum Swamp Wilderness only); General Gun Season: November 14-January 10. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Osceola 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 Osceola WMA?

Hunting deer and wild hog with dogs is allowed, but only in the dog hunt area (see map).

Do you need a quota permit for Osceola WMA?

General Gun (first 9 days in the dog hunt area) - 900, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed).

What county is Osceola WMA in?

Baker County (160,406 acres) and Columbia County (112,543 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.

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