Steinhatchee Springs WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map

FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Steinhatchee Springs WMA sets 3 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun and general gun); archery is on September 26-October 25. The area is 21,113 acres of public hunting land in Lafayette, Dixie and Taylor counties, a wildlife management area in FWC's north central region. Around it, FWC estimates 14,293 deer were taken in DMU C3 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 Steinhatchee Springs 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 Steinhatchee Springs 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 Steinhatchee Springs WMA need?

• Muzzleloading Gun - 220, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun (first 9 days) - 220, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Wild Hog-Dog - 55, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions), for each of 3 hunts. Spring Turkey (first 9 days) - 88, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions), for each of 2 hunts.

What rules apply on Steinhatchee Springs WMA?

27 of the area's rules on dogs, guns, check stations, access, camping and bag limits are word for word the same as on Big Bend WMA (Spring Creek Unit), and are listed there. The rules below are the ones that differ.

Dogs

• Hunting with dogs other than waterfowl retrievers or bird dogs is prohibited, except as follows: A. Wild hog-dog season - any dog may be used for hunting wild hog. B. Small game season - any dog may be used for hunting small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel, migratory birds, and non-protected birds); and any dog may be used by persons in possession of a SUA from the SRWMD for hunting raccoon or opossum at night. C. Raccoon Season - any dog may be used by persons in possession of a SUA from the SRWMD for hunting raccoon or opossum at night.
• 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.

Hunters, harvest reporting and other area rules

• Hunters must log their 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 on or from the rights-of-way of U.S. Highway 19, State Road 51 or County Road 357 is prohibited.
• Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited (see exception for wild hog-dog and small game seasons).

Access and vehicles

• Open to public access year round but only from 1½ hours before sunrise until 1½ hours after sunset, unless participating in the April or June wild hog-dog season hunts or in possession of a Special Use Authorization (SUA) for Steinhatchee Springs WMA from the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD, 386-362-1001), except during the youth turkey hunt when public access is limited to individuals participating in the hunt.
• Motorized vehicles may be operated only on named or numbered roads, except for individuals who qualify for AMP or SUV permits. For more information visit the ADA for Hunters web page.
• The use of airboats, ATVs, tracked vehicles and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles is prohibited.
• Horses are allowed only on designated roads and trails.
• No motor vehicle shall be operated in areas designated as closed to vehicular traffic.

Bag limits

• A guest hunter must share the host’s bag limit for deer, turkey, and quail, except when these bag limits specified as per person. The host is responsible for violations that exceed the bag limit.

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

How many deer are taken around Steinhatchee Springs WMA?

FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Steinhatchee Springs WMA lies in DMU C3. FWC estimates 14,293 deer (9,798 bucks, 4,495 does) in DMU C3 in the 2023-24 season, 2,268 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 Steinhatchee Springs 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 Steinhatchee Springs WMA?

Highways through the area: FL 51. Nearest towns: Mayo (8 miles), Cross City (14 miles), Branford (17 miles) and Perry (18 miles). FWC's page for the area: Steinhatchee Springs.

The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Mallory Swamp WMA (4.3 miles), Big Bend WMA (Tide Swamp Unit) (7.1 miles), Big Bend WMA (Jena Unit) (8.1 miles) and Lafayette Forest WEA (12.7 miles).

Questions hunters ask

When is deer season on Steinhatchee Springs WMA in 2026-27?

Archery Season: September 26-October 25; Muzzleloading Gun Season: October 30-November 1; General Gun Season: November 7-15, November 16-December 4, January 11-24. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.

What deer are legal on Steinhatchee Springs 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 Steinhatchee Springs WMA?

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.

Do you need a quota permit for Steinhatchee Springs WMA?

Muzzleloading Gun - 220, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). General Gun (first 9 days) - 220, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Wild Hog-Dog - 55, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions), for each of 3 hunts. Spring Turkey (first 9 days) - 88, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions), for each of 2 hunts.

What county is Steinhatchee Springs WMA in?

Lafayette County (18,898 acres), Dixie County (1,944 acres) and Taylor County (270 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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