Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit): 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit) sets 5 deer seasons (archery, general gun still, muzzleloading gun, general gun dog and archery/muzzleloading gun); archery is on October 24-November 1. The area is 13,819 acres of public hunting land in Franklin, Liberty and Wakulla counties, 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.
Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit)Other FWC WMAsNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 13,819 acres, measured on FWC's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin, Liberty, Wakulla |
| Deer management unit | DMU D1 |
| Deer seasons | Archery, general gun still, muzzleloading gun, general gun dog and archery/muzzleloading gun |
| Archery | October 24-November 1 |
| General gun | November 26-29, December 12-20 |
| Spring turkey | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 20-23, April 1-4, 8-11 |
| Legal deer | Antlered deer with at least 1 antler having 3 or more points (each point 1 inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 10 inches or more in length, antlerless deer (which includes does, and bucks with antlers less than 5 inches in length, but not spotted fawn) |
| Deer dogs | Allowed in a dog season or area (rules below) |
| Also on the area | Small game, hog dogs, deer dogs, camping, horseback riding, fishing, hog hunting and night raccoon hunting |
| Nearest towns | Sopchoppy (4 mi), Carrabelle (6 mi) and St. Marks (22 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit)?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Archery Season | October 24-November 1 |
| General Gun Still Season | November 26-29, December 12-20 |
| Muzzleloading Gun Season | December 5-7 |
| General Gun Dog Season | December 24-January 5 |
| Archery/Muzzleloading Gun Season | January 22-24 |
| Spring Turkey Season | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 20-23, April 1-4, 8-11 |
| Small Game Season | November 14-March 7 |
| Wild Hog-Dog Season | January 6-18 |
| Trapping | February 1-March 1 |
| Fishing and Frogging | Allowed year round. |
Legal deer: Antlered deer with at least 1 antler having 3 or more points (each point 1 inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 10 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 Tate's Hell - Womack Creek Unit 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 Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit) need?
- Archery - 70, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). General Gun-Still Hunt - 70, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). Muzzleloading Gun - 70, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). General Gun-Dog Hunt - 70, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). Archery/Muzzleloading Gun - 70, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Youth Turkey - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.
What rules apply on Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit)?
31 of the area's rules on dogs, guns, check stations, access, camping and bag limits are word for word the same as on Apalachicola WMA (Bradwell Unit), and are listed there. The rules below are the ones that differ.
Dogs
- Hunting with dogs, other than bird dogs and retrievers, is prohibited, except any dog may be used to hunt during the general gun-dog and wild hog-dog seasons and any dog may be used to hunt small game during small game season dates that do not overlap with an area deer season (see small game season regulations for specific dates). The take of deer and furbearers with dogs is prohibited, except during the general gun-dog season. The take of wild hog with dogs is prohibited, except during the general gun-dog and wild hog-dog seasons.
- A valid WMA deer-dog hunting permit is required to hunt deer with the aid of dogs.
Guns
- Hunting with a gun or archery equipment is prohibited on or from the rights-of-way of County Road 67 and Jeff Sanders Road from Rock Landing Road south ½ mile to SFR 174.
- Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited.
- Hunting turkey with airguns is prohibited, except PCP airguns propelling a bolt or arrow are allowed.
Access and vehicles
- Motor vehicles shall be operated only on roads shown on the brochure map, except for individuals who qualify for AMP permits. For more information visit the ADA for Hunters web page.
- The use of airboats, tracked vehicles and all-terrain vehicles is prohibited.
- Florida traffic laws relating to vehicles and vehicle operators apply on this area. The operation of an unregistered or unlicensed vehicle is prohibited.
Camping
- Camping is allowed only in designated campsites indicated on the hunt map and shall be limited to tents, trailers or self-propelled camping vehicles only.
Bag limits
- 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.
- Turkey - No person shall exceed statewide bag limits. A. Area limits - Daily limit 1. Youth turkey - 1 per youth turkey quota permit. B. Statewide limits - All fall seasons combined limit 2, spring season limit 2, daily limit 2, possession limit 2.
From FWC Tate's Hell - Womack Creek Unit regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
How many deer are taken around Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit)?
FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit) 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 Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit) in?
| County | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| Franklin County | 10,559 |
| Liberty County | 3,212 |
| Wakulla County | 48 |
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 Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit)?
Highways within 5 miles: US 319, FL 377, FL 30 and US 98. Nearest towns: Sopchoppy (4 miles), Carrabelle (6 miles), St. Marks (22 miles) and Apalachicola (26 miles). FWC's page for the area: Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit).
The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Apalachicola WMA (next to it), Tate's Hell WMA (next to it), Tate's Hell WMA (St. James Island Unit) (1.2 miles) and Apalachicola River WEA (15.6 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit) in 2026-27?
Archery Season: October 24-November 1; General Gun Still Season: November 26-29, December 12-20; Muzzleloading Gun Season: December 5-7; General Gun Dog Season: December 24-January 5; Archery/Muzzleloading Gun Season: January 22-24. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.
What deer are legal on Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit)?
Antlered deer with at least 1 antler having 3 or more points (each point 1 inch or more in length) OR a main beam of 10 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 Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit)?
Hunting with dogs, other than bird dogs and retrievers, is prohibited, except any dog may be used to hunt during the general gun-dog and wild hog-dog seasons and any dog may be used to hunt small game during small game season dates that do not overlap with an area deer season (see small game season regulations for specific dates). The take of deer and furbearers with dogs is prohibited, except during the general gun-dog season. The take of wild hog with dogs is prohibited, except during the general gun-dog and wild hog-dog seasons.
Do you need a quota permit for Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit)?
Archery - 70, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). General Gun-Still Hunt - 70, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). Muzzleloading Gun - 70, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). General Gun-Dog Hunt - 70, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). Archery/Muzzleloading Gun - 70, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Youth Turkey - 10, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions). Spring Turkey - 15, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 3 hunts.
What county is Tate's Hell WMA (Womack Creek Unit) in?
Franklin County (10,559 acres), Liberty County (3,212 acres) and Wakulla County (48 acres), measured on FWC's boundary.
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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.