General gun season, also known as deer season, is in full swing across many parts of Florida starting in November and continuing into early January, especially in the heart of backpacker territory, the Ocala National Forest.
Every year, we get asked about how to hike safely in the woods during hunting season. As hunting is a well-established traditional use of our forests in Florida – thinning the deer population and putting dinner in people’s freezers – it’s up to us as hikers to respect our fellow venturers in the outdoors and how they practice their craft. Remember, hunters who walk through the woods to follow their targets – or to get to a remote deer stand – are hikers, too.
- Wear a bright orange vest or shirt, as hunters do (you can get vests cheap at Wal-Mart)
- Use courtesy when walking past deer stands or hunt camps
- Walk softly but if you’re with folks, talk so hunters know where you are.
- Don’t intentionally spook wildlife when you’re around hunters
- Be friendly in your interactions
Show respect, and you’ll receive respect in return.
If you’re uncomfortable with hunting as a sport, or uncomfortable about sharing the woods with hunters, there are plenty of other places you can play in Florida’s forests during hunting season. With rare exceptions, most Florida State Parks and county parks with trails do not allow any hunting at any time of year. Neither does the Cross Florida Greenway or the Florida Trail around Lake Okeechobee. See our #OptOutside page for more suggested hiking destinations where hunting is now allowed.
General gun season along the Florida Trail in the Ocala National Forest continues through January 8. If you browse through our information for all sections of the Florida Trail, you’ll find information about hunting season dates in the sidebars of each section.
Keep in mind that on some public lands, like ALL of the National Forests in Florida (Apalachicola, Osceola, and Ocala) your camping options and / or access are restricted during general gun season.
For information on specific hunt dates and other hunting seasons throughout the year, see the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission website.
In general, county parks, city parks, and county natural lands are not open to hunting. Use the Parks page to find these trails near you.
You might consider wearing an orange hat, too, and putting an orange flag or kerchief on the back of your pack. Yep, I’m a little paranoid. Several hikers have been killed by hunters in recent years where I live in Washington State.
I’m not sure that Walmart should be advertised for the orange vests. There are lots of other reasonably priced stores that would like to sell their orange hunting vests also.
Jack, we’d love people to patronize our outfitters throughout Florida, but in this case it’s better to have an orange vest than have trouble finding one, hence the reference. Thanks!