Planning for Florida's Hunting Season

Florida Trail near Pat's Island, Ocala National Forest

In Florida, hiking and hunting seasons share the same time period due to the weather.  This can make some backpacking and hiking interesting, at least in scheduling times to quietly and safely pass through most trails in Florida without spooking game, angering hunters or spoiling their shots.

Florida Trail Hiking Vest

Blaze orange is the "in" color during this time of the year, and when hiking or backpacking, it should be worn where it can be seen from ALL directions around you.  An orange hat is also a good idea.  All Florida National Forests and most state lands are open for hunting.
There are some areas in the Sunshine state where you can hike or backpack during hunting season without hearing gunshots.  I reviewed them in this blog in 2013, and to my knowledge, these areas are still hunt-free.
My opinion is to avoid backpacking during hunting season weekends, to camp only in designated campsites then and to wear blaze orange.  Typically, during weekdays most trail areas are safe and clear of hunting parties.
The 2014 Hunting Season dates for Florida are:
General Gun Season Zones B & C (Central Florida) for deer run from 12/06/14 to 02/22/15.
Muzzle-loader, Bow or Crossbow for deer run from 09/13/14 to 12/05/14.
Turkey hunters hunt from 9/13/14 to 02/01/15 for bows through guns.
Quail & Squirrel run from now through 03/01/15.
Spring Turkey season runs from 02/28/15 to 05/26/15.
The online dates are posted online at http://myfla.com/hunting/season-dates for details.