Hog hunting

by Chance
(Ocala, FL USA)

QUESTION: Can I go hunting hogs without a license? Do you have to have a license to hunt hogs with dogs?

ANSWER: Per the Florida Wildlife Commission, wild pigs are legally defined as wildlife and are the second-most popular, large animal hunted in Florida (second only to the white-tailed deer).

On private property with landowner permission, wild pigs may be hunted year round using rifles, shotguns, crossbows, bows or pistols. There is no size or bag limit, and you may harvest either sex. Also, no hunting license is required.

On wildlife management areas (WMAs), hogs may be taken during most hunting seasons, except spring turkey. But, if it's during archery season, you must use a bow - during muzzleloading gun season, you can only use a muzzleloader. And, you do need a hunting license as well as management area permit and any other necessary permits to hunt wild pigs on WMAs - where on some, daily bag limits on wild pigs do apply, and on a few, there's even a minimum size limit on what you can take