Three Lakes WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
FWC's 2026-27 brochure for Three Lakes WMA sets 5 deer seasons (archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun mobility-impaired, general gun and general gun dog); archery is on September 19-20, September 21-October 18. The area is 53,902 acres of public hunting land in Osceola County, a wildlife management area in FWC's northeast region. Around it, FWC estimates 2,859 deer were taken in DMU C2 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.
Three Lakes WMAOther FWC WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 53,902 acres, measured on FWC's boundary |
|---|---|
| County | Osceola |
| Deer management unit | DMU C2 |
| Deer seasons | Archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun mobility-impaired, general gun and general gun dog |
| Archery | September 19-20, September 21-October 18 |
| General gun | November 7-8, November 9-January 3 |
| Spring turkey | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 20-April 25 |
| 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 |
| Deer dogs | Allowed in a dog season or area (rules below) |
| Also on the area | Small game, deer dogs, camping, horseback riding, hiking trails, fishing and night raccoon hunting |
| Nearest towns | St. Cloud (17 mi), Palm Bay (20 mi) and Hillcrest Heights (21 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Three Lakes WMA?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Archery Season | September 19-20, September 21-October 18 |
| Muzzleloading Gun Season | October 24-26 |
| General Gun Mobility-Impaired Season | October 30-November 1 (East of Canoe Creek Road) |
| General Gun Season | November 7-8, November 9-January 3 |
| General Gun Dog Season | December 10-13, December 31-January 3 |
| Spring Turkey Season | Youth Turkey: March 12-15; Spring Turkey: March 20-April 25 |
| Small Game Season | January 4-March 7 |
| Raccoon Season | January 15-17, 29-31, February 12-14 (only in that area between the Florida Turnpike and U.S. 441 and only 1½ hours before sunset on Friday until 1½ hours after sunrise on Sunday) |
| Trapping | Prohibited. |
| Fishing and Frogging | Allowed year round. |
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 Three Lakes 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 Three Lakes WMA need?
- Archery (first 2 days) - 625, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). Archery (after the first 2 days) - 625, no-cost daily quota permits are available first-come, first-served at the check station each day of the season. Muzzleloading Gun - 625, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). General Gun (first 2 days) - 625, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). General Gun (after the first 2 days) - 625, no-cost, daily quota permits are available first-come, first-served at the check station each day of the season. General Gun-Dog (east of the Florida Turnpike) - 100, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. General Gun-Dog (west of the Florida Turnpike, no deer dogs allowed) - 100, no-cost, daily quota permits are available first-come, first-served at the check station each day of the season. During the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun (except the general gun-dog and general gun mobility-impaired hunts), small game, raccoon and spring turkey seasons, the quota of hunters that will be admitted daily is as follows: U.S. 441 check station - 375, Canoe Creek check station - 50 and State Road 60 check station - 200.
What rules apply on Three Lakes WMA?
Dogs
- 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.
- A WMA Deer-dog Hunting Permit is required to hunt deer with the aid of dogs.
- Hunting with dogs, other than bird dogs and retrievers, is prohibited except dogs may be used for deer hunting east of the Florida Turnpike during the general gun-dog season; dogs may be used to hunt small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) and non-protected birds during the small game season; and dogs may be used to hunt raccoon during the raccoon season.
- 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
- When the check station(s) are staffed, hunters (except permitted alligator hunters and during designated raccoon hunts) must check in at a check station upon entering and check out upon leaving the area and check all wildlife harvested.
- When the check station(s) are staffed, no deer or wild hog shall be dismembered until it has been checked and tagged at a check station.
- Check station hours are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time and 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. during Eastern Standard Time.
- Hunting quail in the Quail Enhancement Area (see map) is prohibited except during the quail season.
- In addition to checking all game at the check station when staffed, hunters must log each harvested deer or turkey prior to moving it from the point of recovery and report any harvested deer or turkey they harvest within 24 hours of recovery. See the Florida Hunting Regulations handbook or MyFWC.com for deer and turkey harvest reporting instructions.
Guns
- Hunting with a firearm or archery equipment on or from the rights-of-way of all paved roads is prohibited.
- The discharge of a firearm outside of periods open to hunting or in areas closed to hunting is prohibited per s. 790.15 FS.
- Hunting at night with a gun is prohibited. (See exception for raccoon season.) Taking wildlife 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.
- All users shall enter and exit the area through designated entrances except persons through-hiking on the Florida Trail.
- Vehicles may be operated only on named or numbered roads or named or numbered trails except vehicles used by persons participating in the general gun for mobility-impaired season. During the general gun dog season, only individuals participating in the hunt may operate vehicles on established firebreaks in that area east of the Florida Turnpike.
- Airboats, tracked vehicles and unlicensed and unregistered motorcycles are prohibited, except that airboats may be transported to and from Lake Jackson Public Boat Ramp and may be operated on that portion of Lake Jackson outside the area posted as restricted to airboat access for the protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
- Parked vehicles may not obstruct a road, gate or firelane.
Camping
- Camping is allowed BY PERMIT ONLY at designated campgrounds during periods in which hunting is allowed and throughout the year at designated campsites on the Florida National Scenic Trail, but only for persons hiking through on the Florida National Scenic Trail. Persons hiking through and camping on the Florida National Scenic Trail are exempt from the camping permit requirements. For more information or to get a camping permit please visit us at Camping on WMAs.
- Camping equipment may be taken onto the area after 8 a.m. 7 days prior to the opening of the archery season and shall be removed before 6 p.m. 7 days following the end of the spring turkey season.
- Camping shall be allowed from 8 a.m. 1 day prior to each season through 6 p.m. 1 day following each season.
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 limits below. General gun mobility-impaired season - the bag limit for antlerless deer is 1 per certified mobility-impaired hunter and only certified mobility-impaired hunters are allowed to take antlerless deer. 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 Three Lakes regulations summary, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
How many deer are taken around Three Lakes WMA?
FWC does not estimate harvest for each WMA in its statewide survey; it does for each deer management unit. Three Lakes WMA lies in DMU C2. FWC estimates 2,859 deer (1,984 bucks, 875 does) in DMU C2 in the 2023-24 season, 1,174 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 Three Lakes WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| Osceola County | 53,902 |
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 Three Lakes WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: FL 91, FL 15, US 441 and FL 60. Nearest towns: St. Cloud (17 miles), Palm Bay (20 miles), Hillcrest Heights (21 miles) and Frostproof (21 miles). FWC's page for the area: Three Lakes.
The closest other Florida WMAs with a page here: Three Lakes WMA (Prairie Lakes Unit) (next to it), Kissimmee Chain of Lakes WMA (next to it), Kissimmee River PUA (1 mile) and KICCO WMA (1 mile).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Three Lakes WMA in 2026-27?
Archery Season: September 19-20, September 21-October 18; Muzzleloading Gun Season: October 24-26; General Gun Mobility-Impaired Season: October 30-November 1 (East of Canoe Creek Road); General Gun Season: November 7-8, November 9-January 3; General Gun Dog Season: December 10-13, December 31-January 3. From FWC's 2026-27 brochure for the area.
What deer are legal on Three Lakes 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 Three Lakes 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 Three Lakes WMA?
Archery (first 2 days) - 625, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). Archery (after the first 2 days) - 625, no-cost daily quota permits are available first-come, first-served at the check station each day of the season. Muzzleloading Gun - 625, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). General Gun (first 2 days) - 625, no-cost, quota permits (exemptions allowed). General Gun (after the first 2 days) - 625, no-cost, daily quota permits are available first-come, first-served at the check station each day of the season. General Gun-Dog (east of the Florida Turnpike) - 100, no-cost, quota permits (no exemptions) for each of 2 hunts. General Gun-Dog (west of the Florida Turnpike, no deer dogs allowed) - 100, no-cost, daily quota permits are available first-come, first-served at the check station each day of the season. During the archery, muzzleloading gun, general gun (except the general gun-dog and general gun mobility-impaired hunts), small game, raccoon and spring turkey seasons, the quota of hunters that will be admitted daily is as follows: U.S. 441 check station - 375, Canoe Creek check station - 50 and State Road 60 check station - 200.
What county is Three Lakes WMA in?
Osceola County, 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.