Hunting in Florida: 4 Things to Know About Nuisance Animal Hunting in Cities and Suburbs

Humans often are one of the main causes of nuisance wildlife entering cities and suburbs. Failure to dispose of food properly draws in critters such as beaver, bobcat, rabbit, fox, and skunk, just to name a few.

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Nuisance wildlife is defined as wildlife that causes (or is about to cause) property damage, presents a threat to public safety, or causes an annoyance within, under or upon a building.

Nuisance hunting is regulated by the Florida Wildlife Commission and mandates what animals can be taken and where they can be taken.

Here’s what you should know about nuisance animal hunting in Florida:

1. Florida’s Administrative Code allows that nuisance wildlife may be taken using live traps, snares, or, where allowed per ordinance, firearm. Cities and residential areas maintain control over firearm discharge, so it is recommended hunters check with local authorities prior. Most communities have limitations on the distances a firearm can discharged from and the proximity it can be discharged from residential areas.

2. A hunting license is required, even when hunting nuisance wildlife. If the hunt will be taking place during the nighttime hours an additional “Gun and Light at Night Permit” is required. In special circumstances, the permit authorizes harassment and/or scaring of deer causing damage to crops with a gun and light at night.

The additional permit is not required to take wild hog, coyote, armadillo, black or Norway rat, and house mice.

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3. If preferred, hunters can trap the nuisance animal in lieu of killing it. This is a more likely scenario is an urban neighborhood where firearm use is not a possibility. Captured animals must be released on an area of 40 acres or more.

4. If the nuisance animal has been killed, hunters are to dispose of the carcass properly. This means that hunters cannot freeze or put the carcass alongside food that is to be consumed by humans, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Florida does not allow for endangered or protected species to be taken, even in the case of a nuisance. Hunters are asked to contact the FWC for more information on dealing with restricted species.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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