DMU C1, Florida
Unit info
- Game species
- Deer, Turkey, Hog
- Group
- Zone C
- Area
- 6,198 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 4,506
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for White-tailed Deer so far. Deer, Turkey, Hog also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedFlorida DMU C1 covers a broad swath of central Florida from Hernando County south through Polk, Hillsborough, and surrounding counties, encompassing pine flatwoods, hardwood swamps, scrub oak hammocks, and former citrus groves transitioning to mixed forest. The unit holds healthy populations of white-tailed deer and wild hog, with several large WMAs offering tens of thousands of acres of public hunting access. Hunters should note the unit's enhanced antler restrictions and limited antlerless opportunity, with quota permits required on most WMAs during gun and turkey seasons.
Central Florida pine flatwoods, hardwood swamps, oak hammocks (live oak, water oak, laurel oak), scrub oak ridges, and former citrus groves transitioning to mixed forest and palmetto prairie. Low-lying areas subject to seasonal flooding; deer concentrate on high ground oak hammocks during acorn drop and use swamp edges for cover. Elevation is low and generally flat throughout.
moderate
Annual bag limit: 5 deer total, only 2 may be antlerless. Antlered deer must have at least 3 antler points (each 1 inch or longer) on one side OR a main beam of 10 inches or more (hunters 16+). Youth 15 and under may take one deer with at least one antler 5 inches or longer not meeting point criteria. No antlerless permit required on private land within the bag limit; WMAs may impose additional restrictions.
DEER — Archery: Sept. 19–Oct. 18; Crossbow: Sept. 19–Oct. 23; Muzzleloader: Oct. 24–Nov. 6; General Gun: Nov. 21–29 (private land dates; WMA dates vary by individual brochure). Antlerless deer limited to 2 of the 5-deer annual bag. HOG — Wild hog hunting is generally open year-round on Florida WMAs with no bag limit; specific WMA rules apply. HOG hunting pressure is high and provides excellent opportunity throughout the unit. TURKEY (Osceola) — Spring season; dates vary by location within unit (north of S.R. 70: third Saturday of March through April; south of S.R. 70: first Saturday of March through April). Quota permits required on Green Swamp, Croom, and Richloam WMAs for opening weeks of turkey season. BEAR — Black bear hunting is not open in DMU C1; bear seasons are limited to DMU D1 and D2 in north Florida.
Large contiguous blocks of public land — Green Swamp and Richloam combined exceed 100,000 acres — provide genuine backcountry hunting opportunities rare in peninsular Florida. Wild hog hunting is effectively year-round on most WMAs. Osceola turkey hunting in classic flatwoods habitat is a regional draw. Oak hammock edges in the Green Swamp and Richloam units are top deer producers during the rut and acorn season.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about DMU C1— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about DMU C1.
Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).
Boundaries: FWC official Deer Management Units. Community info last updated 23d ago.