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Hunters and local leaders press FWC for meeting after tickets, say brochure map is wrong
Summary
Members of local hunting groups and municipal leaders told the Levy County delegation that an FWC brochure map used in enforcement does not reflect long-standing road access on a management area; speakers said citations have been issued, many entered as deferred prosecution, and asked the delegation to facilitate a face-to-face meeting with FWC.
Representatives of local hunting clubs and management areas urged the delegation to help resolve disputes with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission over maps and enforcement.
A speaker for the All Hammock Hunters Association said the FWC brochure map is incorrect and that new signage and enforcement have effectively limited access for club members who have used interior roads for years. "The brochure is the rule bible," the speaker told the delegation, and the group asked the delegation to encourage FWC to meet face to face to find common ground and restore trust.
Rep. Chad Johnson reported he had spoken with FWC deputies and that the citations issued this year were moved to deferred prosecution by the state attorney's office. Johnson told the audience he would help facilitate meetings between local hunters and FWC leadership. He and others noted the maps control enforcement and said prior informal understandings by past officers had not been properly conveyed to new leadership.
Delegation members did not change FWC policy at the hearing but pledged to help broker meetings and follow up with agency leadership and state attorney staff to discuss how to reduce conflict and clarify maps used for enforcement.
