IHUNT Plate Sales Support Florida Hunting

Press Release FWC



Florida is home to nearly a quarter-million hunters who utilize more than 34 million acres of wild lands, from the rolling hills of the Panhandle with its hardwood hammocks and pine forests to the vast cypress swamps of the Everglades.

Hunting success in the Sunshine State depends to a large degree on having well-managed game populations, access to public lands, education, and enforcement of laws. The Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida now has a license tag dedicated to help ensure today's sportsmen, and future generations, will continue to enjoy Florida's unique hunting opportunities.

Revenues generated by sales will be made available throughout Florida to support public hunting through grants awarded by the foundation, with the help of their citizens review board.

The Wildlife Foundation of Florida Deer/hunting Tag has already funded 16 grants for $78,372, including:

* $2,500 to the FWC for the Game Cleaning Stations on the Tate's Hell Wildlife Management area

* $2,500 to Future of Hunting in Florida for the Future of Hunting in Florida Youth Hunt Camp.

“We ask all avid hunters to do their part and buy our new IHUNT plate. Help us make sure that hunting always has future in Florida,” said Foundation Chairman Rodney Barreto. “Florida is like no other place on earth, and working together we can keep it that way.”

The new plate is now available for purchase at tax collectors' offices throughout the state. If you love hunting, buy the plate! Go to www.Buyaplate.comfor more information.

Some highlights of Florida hunting, courtesy Tony Young, FWC Media Relations Coordinator for the Division of Hunting and Game Management:

>Florida has nearly 6 million acres of public hunting land, giving the state one of the largest wildlife management area systems in the country. Hunters can try their luck on any one of these 167 public hunting areas, or choose to lease hunting property from a private landowner. Another option is to contract with a professional guide service that has the ability to put you in contact with quality game.

>White-tailed deer and wild hogs are the state's two big game animals. And here, hunters have the chance at bagging two subspecies of wild turkey – the Eastern which is found in the northern part of the state, and the Osceola, found nowhere else in the world except for the Florida peninsula. There are only a few states that offer alligator hunting, and it's as good in Florida as it is anywhere with nearly 10,000 gators harvested each year.

>Wing shooters have their choice of bobwhite quail, dove and snipe, while duck hunters have a variety of waterfowl species to aim for including blue-winged teals, wood ducks and ringed-necks. And for the small-game hunter, there is an abundance of gray squirrel, rabbit and raccoon.

“Whether its upland forests, flatwoods or swampy bottomland, Florida has the species and terrain you're looking for in a great hunting experience,” said Young.