We’re once again less than one month away from November, which means two things for outdoor lovers in Florida—For the hikers, it’s time for trail maintenance to restore the Florida Trail for the thru hikers, and for hunters, it’s time to gear up for general gun season. Since many of the best places to hike in Central Florida are open to seasonal hunting, I’m once again posting below a list of all of the key hunting seasons for Central Florida sections of the Florida Trail, along with hunt dates in other nearby forests that are favorites for hikers.
As with my similar post last year, I’m listing only the dates for general gun and muzzleloading gun season (i.e., deer), hog, and turkey, but I’m omitting other seasons for archery, small game, raccoon, fox, and bobcat that tend to be less busy and less risky for hikers and backpackers. Because of their proximity, I’ve also included areas beyond Orange, Seminole, and Osceola Counties where Central Florida hikers like me often backpack, including the Eastern and Western Corridors of the Florida Trail north of the split near Three Lakes WMA and south of the 88 Store in the Ocala National Forest.
Eastern Corridor
Three Lakes WMA: Muzzleloading Gun: Oct. 30-Nov. 1 (2026). General Gun: Nov. 20-22 and 27-29 (2026). Wild Hog: Dec. 4-6 (2026) and Jan. 15-17, 29-31, and Feb. 26-28 (2027). Turkey: Mar. 12-15, 20-22 and Apr. 2-4, 16-18 (2026).
Bull Creek WMA: Muzzleloading Gun: Oct. 24-26 (2026). General Gun: Nov. 7-8 and Nov. 9 (2026) – Jan. 3 (2026). Turkey: Mar. 12-15 and Mar. 20 – Apr. 25 (2027).
Tosohatchee WMA: Muzzleloading Gun: Oct. 29-Nov. 1 and Nov. 5-8 (2026). General Gun: Nov. 19-22 and 27-29 (2026). Wild Hog-Dog: Jan. 15-17, 18-21 and Feb. 12-14 and 15-18 (2027). Turkey: Mar. 20-22 and Apr. 2-4, 16-18 (2027).
Seminole Ranch WMA: Muzzleloading Gun: Oct. 30-Nov. 1 and Nov. 6-8 (2026). General Gun: Nov. 30-33 (2026). Wild Hog-Dog: Jan. 30-Feb. 5 (2027). Turkey: Mar. 14-15, 21-23, and 27-29 and Apr. 3-5 and 17-19 (2026).
Bronson State Forest: Muzzleloading Gun: Oct. 30-Nov. 1 and Nov. 6-8 (2026). General Gun: Nov. 13-15, 20-22, and Dec. 4-6 (2026). Turkey: Mar. 12-15, 20-23, 26-29, and Apr. 2-5 (2027).
Little Big Econ WMA: Muzzleloading Gun: Nov. 6-8 and 13-15 (2026). General Gun: Nov. 20-22, 27-29, and Dec. 4-6 (2026). Turkey: Mar. 12-15, 20-23, 25-28 and Apr. 1-4 (2027).
[These hunt dates are only for the Kilbee and Yarborough Tracts of the Little Big Econ WMA–There is no hunting along the sections of the Florida Trail running through Little Big Econ State Forest.]
Seminole State Forest: General Gun: Oct. 23-25, Dec. 5-8, 9-13 (2026). Muzzleloading Gun: Oct. 30-Nov. 1 (2026). Turkey: Mar. 20-24 and 27-31 (2027).
Ocala National Forest (south of the 88 Store)
+ Pipeline Unit (SR 42 north to SR 40 + CR 314 north to CR 316): General Gun: Nov. 14 (2026) – Jan. 10 (2026). Turkey: Mar. 12-15, 25-28 and Apr. 1-4, 8-11, and 15-18 (2027).
+ Hopkins Prairie Unit (FR 46 north to CR 314): Muzzleloading Gun: Oct. 30-Nov. 1 (2026). General Gun: Nov. 14 (2026) – Jan. 10 (2026). Turkey: Mar. 12-15, 25-28 and Apr. 1-4, 8-11, and 15-18 (2027).
The link above also contains a link to the map of the Ocala National Forest’s hunting units (including the Lake Delancy Unit (north of CR 316) and Church Lake Unit (west of CR 314A)). No hunting is permitted in the Juniper Wilderness Area (between the Pipeline and Hopkins Prairie Units).
Western Corridor
Arbuckle Tract of Lake Wales Ridge WMA: Muzzleloading Gun: Dec. 12-20 (2026). Turkey: Mar. 12-15, 23-25, and Apr. 6-8 (2027).
Green Swamp East Tract: Wild Hog-Dog: Oct. 1-4, 8-11 (2026). General Gun: Dec. 5 (2026) – Jan. 31 (2027). Turkey: Mar. 12-15, Mar. 20 – Apr. 25 (2027).
Green Swamp West Tract: Wild Hog: Oct. 10-12 (2026). Wild Hog-Dog: Oct. 21-23 (2026). General Gun: Jan. 7-10, 21-24 and Feb. 4-7 (2027). Turkey: Mar. 20-23, Mar. 29 – Apr. 1, and Apr. 3-6, 12-15, and 17-20 (2027).
Richloam Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest: General Gun: Nov. 21-29 (2026), Nov. 30-Jan.17 (2027). Turkey: Mar. 12-15, 20-28 and Mar. 29 – Apr. 25 (2027).
[There are also hunt dates for Wild Hog in April, May, and June (2026), but only for portions of Richloam that are east of CR 471 (which are east of the Florida Trail and the three main hiking loops there).]
Croom Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest: Muzzleloading Gun: Oct. 24-26 (2026). General Gun: Nov. 7-29 (2026). Turkey: Mar. 20-22, Mar. 30 – Apr. 1, and Apr. 13-15 (2027).
Citrus Tract of Withlacoochee State Forest: Muzzleloading Gun: Dec. 4-6, 18-20 (2026). General Gun: Dec. 11-13 (2026) and Jan. 1-3 (2027). Turkey: Mar. 12-15 and 23-26 and Apr. 6-9 and 20-23 (2027).
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