Public Land: Hunting and Fishing in Florida

The Sunshine state may not be at the top of the list when it comes to public hunting opportunities, but 26 percent of the state is publicly-owned. And, of course, there’s no shortage of excellent fishing areas with good access options as well.

Ocala National Forest

• Southernmost National Forest in the U.S. and totals 383,000 acres

• 85 miles of ATV trails

• Deer hunting, turkey hunting (Osceolas) and fishing on more than 600 lakes

Osceola National Forest

• 200,000 acres

• Excellent turkey hunting (despite the Forest’s name, the turkeys found there are Easterns and not Osceolas)

• Abundant fishing opportunities on ponds, lakes, rivers and streams

Jennings State Forest

• 24,033 acres in Northeast Florida

• Excellent fishing opportunities for bream and bass on ponds, lakes, and streams

• Good whitetail hunting

Big Cypress National Preserve

• 720,000 acres in southeast Florida

• Abundant fishing opportunities and deer, turkey, and pig hunting

• Expansive ORV trail system

More Links

Tide Charts

Public Boat Ramp Finder

Statewide WMAs

Find more public land access opportunities with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Hunt Planner.

Photo: Big Cypress National Preserve

Photo credit: Guide of Travels