Point Washington WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Point Washington WMA sets 5 deer seasons (archery, family hunt, general gun, muzzleloading gun and archery/muzzleloading gun); archery is on October 24-November 22. The area is 12,310 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 Point Washington 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 Point Washington 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 Point Washington WMA need?

• Family Hunt - 50, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun (first 9 days and last 17 days) - 150, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions).

What rules apply on Point Washington 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 the small game and general gun seasons and to hunt raccoon and opossum during the raccoon season. Taking furbearers with dogs is prohibited, except during the raccoon season.
• The take of deer and wild hog with dogs is prohibited.
• Bird dogs may be trained throughout the year except during spring turkey season. A quota permit is required if training during any hunting period in which a quota permit is required.
• 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.

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 with a gun or archery equipment is prohibited on or from the rights-of-way of all named or numbered roads.
• Hunting with a gun at night is prohibited (see exception for raccoon season).
• Taking wildlife at night with a gun equipped with a thermal or night-vision device 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.

Access and vehicles

• Open to public access year round.
• Only street-legal vehicles are allowed. The use of airboats, tracked vehicles, swamp buggies or other off-highway vehicles (including all-terrain vehicles, side-by-sides, and off-highway motorcycles) is prohibited, except by permit from the Florida Forest Service.
• Street-legal motor vehicles may be operated only on roads shown on the brochure map and must enter and exit the area only at designated entrances. Exceptions apply for individuals who qualify for AMP permits. For more information visit the ADA for Hunters web page.
• The use of all-terrain vehicles is prohibited.
• Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate or firelane.

Camping

• Camping is allowed at the Eastern Lake primitive campsites by reservation only.

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 Point Washington regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

How many deer are taken around Point Washington WMA?

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

Highways through the area: US 98, FL 83 and US 331. Nearest towns: Freeport (8 miles), Panama City Beach (12 miles), Ebro (13 miles) and Destin (15 miles). FWC's page for the area: Point Washington.

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Choctawhatchee River WMA (next to it), Lafayette Creek WMA (10.2 miles), Pine Log WMA (10.4 miles) and Econfina Creek WMA (23.7 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Point Washington WMA in 2026-27?

Archery Season: October 24-November 22; Family Hunt: November 26-29; General Gun Season: December 12-February 3; Muzzleloading Gun Season: December 5-7; Archery/Muzzleloading Gun Season: February 4-14. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Point Washington 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 Point Washington WMA?

The take of deer and wild hog with dogs is prohibited.

Do you need a quota permit for Point Washington WMA?

Family Hunt - 50, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun (first 9 days and last 17 days) - 150, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed) for each of 2 hunts. Youth Turkey - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions).

What county is Point Washington 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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