Richloam WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Richloam WMA sets 2 deer seasons (archery and general gun); archery is on October 17-November 15. The area is 56,920 acres of public hunting land in Sumter, Hernando, Pasco and Lake counties, a wildlife management area in FWC's northeast region. Around it, FWC estimates 1,973 deer were taken in DMU B1 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 Richloam 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.

Source: FWC Richloam 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 Richloam WMA need?

• General Gun (first 9 days) - 900, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). Spring Turkey (first 9 days) - 250, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed).

What rules apply on Richloam WMA?

Dogs

• Hunting deer with dogs is prohibited, except during general gun season.
• Any dog may be used to hunt small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) and non-protected birds during the small game season.
• Hunting wild hog with dogs is prohibited, except during the wild hog-dog season.
• The taking or pursuing 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.
• 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.

Hunters, harvest reporting and other area rules

• During the spring turkey season and the first 9 days of general gun season, during periods when the check station is staffed, hunters must check all wildlife harvested at the check station before leaving the area.
• In addition to checking all game at the check station, 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 archery equipment or guns is prohibited on or from rights-of-way of all paved roads, Clay Sink Road or Lacoochee Road.
• Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited (see raccoon and wild hog-dog seasons for exceptions).
• 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.
• Persons operating vehicles must enter and exit only at a designated entrance.
• Vehicles may be operated on named or numbered roads shown on the map only, except for individuals who qualify for AMP or SUV permits. For more information visit the ADA for Hunters web page.
• 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

• The Florida Forest Service regulates camping and a fee is required. Hunt camps also require a permit for reserved camping. For more information and dates hunt camps are open to the public, telephone the Withlacoochee Visitor Center at 352-797-4140. Sale of available reserved hunt campsites begins the first Thursday after Labor Day.
• Camping is allowed at all campgrounds during general gun season and only at Pless Place campground during archery, wild hog-dog, small game and spring turkey seasons.
• A hunt camp reservation (permit) is required at all times, except a limited number of overnight campsites are available at Pless Place for a daily fee during the archery, general gun, wild hog-dog, small game and spring turkey seasons.

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 - See statewide bag 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 Richloam regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.

How many deer are taken around Richloam WMA?

FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Richloam WMA lies in DMU B1 and DMU C4. FWC estimates 1,973 deer (1,359 bucks, 614 does) in DMU B1 in the 2023-24 season, 601 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 Richloam 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 Richloam WMA?

Highways through the area: FL 471 and FL 50. Nearest towns: Webster (4 miles), Mascotte (6 miles), Center Hill (6 miles) and Dade City (7 miles). FWC's page for the area: Richloam.

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Green Swamp WMA (next to it), Richloam WMA (Baird Unit) (next to it), Green Swamp West Unit (next to it) and Croom WMA (1.9 miles).

Questions hunters ask

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

Archery Season: October 17-November 15; General Gun Season: November 21-29, November 30-January 17. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Richloam 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, by FWC's brochure. Antlerless deer only where and when a season says so.

Can you hunt deer with dogs on Richloam WMA?

Hunting deer with dogs is prohibited, except during general gun season.

Do you need a quota permit for Richloam WMA?

General Gun (first 9 days) - 900, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). Spring Turkey (first 9 days) - 250, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed).

What county is Richloam WMA in?

Sumter County (30,526 acres), Hernando County (14,901 acres), Pasco County (6,968 acres) and Lake County (4,524 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.

Florida hunting All Florida WMAs DMU B1 deer harvest