Florida Administrative Code › 68 - FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION › 68A - Freshwater Fish and Wildlife › Chapter 68A-12 - RULES RELATING TO GAME › Section 68A-12.003 - Protection of Certain Deer and Turkey; Tagging of Deer, Bear, and Turkey; Deer and Wild Turkey Harvest Reporting; Evidence of Legal Harvest or Sex Required

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) Wild Turkey:
(a) It is unlawful for any person to take or
				possess any beardless wild turkey hen during any season that allows gobblers or
				bearded hens to be taken within the state unless authorized by Division 68A,
				F.A.C. For any harvested wild turkey during any season when taking a beardless
				wild turkey hen is prohibited, positive evidence of legal harvest must be
				possessed, and the identifying information of the harvester must be provided,
				as described herein. For any harvested wild turkey during any season when a
				beardless wild turkey hen is legal to take, the identifying information of the
				harvester must be provided as described herein. For the purposes of subsection
				(1), positive evidence of legal harvest is the head, and if applicable, the
				beard, and the identifying information of the harvester is their first and last
				name and either their Commission-issued customer identification number or their
				harvest reporting confirmation number.
(b) Harvested wild turkey may be transferred
				whole or divided and transferred in portions or parts from the harvester to
				other persons in the field or camp. If transferred whole, the possessor must
				retain positive evidence of legal harvest and provide the identifying
				information of the harvester. If transferred in portions or parts, the
				harvester must retain positive evidence of legal harvest and any possessor of
				the portions or parts must provide the identifying information of the
				harvester. If the harvester retains the whole harvested wild turkey in their
				possession, then they must possess positive evidence of legal harvest and
				provide their identifying information. Positive evidence of legal harvest and
				the identifying information of the harvester must be retained until a harvested
				wild turkey arrives at a meat processor, taxidermist, the domicile of its
				possessor, or has been cooked, and must be provided upon request by Law
				Enforcement.
(c) Harvest reporting
				requirements shall apply to any person who harvests a wild turkey. Wild turkeys
				harvested out of state, under permits issued pursuant to Chapter 68A-9, F.A.C.,
				and captive-reared turkeys harvested on licensed Game Farms and Hunting
				Preserves shall be exempt from harvest reporting requirements.
1. All wild turkeys harvested shall be
				recorded in a harvest log and reported to the Commission's harvest reporting
				system within 24 hours of harvest and prior to final processing, prior to any
				parts of the turkey being transferred to any meat processor or taxidermist, or
				prior to leaving the state, whichever occurs first.
2. Prior to moving a wild turkey from the
				point of harvest, the person who harvested the wild turkey shall record in a
				harvest log: the first and last name of the person who harvested it; the date
				of harvest; the county or, if applicable, the name of the public hunting area
				where harvested; and the sex.
3. An
				FWC-issued customer number is required for reporting harvested wild
				turkeys.
4. The Commission's
				harvest reporting system will provide a confirmation number once harvest is
				reported and the confirmation number shall be immediately recorded in the
				harvest log of the person who harvested the wild turkey.
5. Once a harvested wild turkey is reported
				through the Commission's harvest reporting system and prior to that wild turkey
				being transferred to another party, the wild turkey, or portions or parts
				thereof, shall be labeled by the harvester with their first and last name and
				the harvest reporting confirmation number. Such labeling shall remain on the
				wild turkey, or portions or parts thereof, until final processing or until
				stored at the domicile of its possessor. A processor shall maintain the
				aforementioned labeling, or as an alternative to maintaining labeling, may use
				a log book and numbering or other tracking system. Said log book shall contain
				the same information required of the aforementioned label. If a log book is
				used, it shall be kept on the processor's premises for inspection by Law
				Enforcement Officers of the Commission.