Emerald Coast Outdoors

Youth hunts for quail, turkey available at Babcock Ranch Preserve
Applications for youth hunts at Babcock Ranch Preserve in Charlotte County are now available online from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The agency will choose 10 lucky applicants for each of the two quail hunts and seven for each of the two spring turkey hunts. The FWC will choose all hunters through a random drawing. All hunts are three-day events. To be eligible for these hunts, applicants must be at least 12 years old by the first day of the hunt they are applying for and under 16 years old on the last day of the hunt for which they apply. Each permit allows only one youth to hunt, and that youth must be accompanied by an adult supervisor who is 18 or older. The accompanying adult is not permitted to hunt. No license or permit is required of the supervising adult, unless the adult desires to assist in calling on the turkey hunts. Permitted youth and adults will be guided during the hunts. The youth and adult are required to attend and participate in all the Youth Hunting Program of Florida orientation and training events the Friday evening before the scheduled Saturday and Sunday hunts. All members of the hunting party are required to stay with the group from Friday evening until noon on Sunday. The FWC will assign primitive campsites for selectees. Quail hunt applications may be submitted from 10 a.m. EST, Dec. 23, 2009, through 11:59 p.m. EST, Jan. 17, 2010. Quail hunts will occur from Feb. 19 to 21 and from Feb. 26 to 28. Spring turkey hunt applications may be submitted from 10 a.m. EST, Jan. 28, 2010, through 11:59 p.m. EST, Feb. 12, 2010. Turkey hunts will occur from March 19 to 21 and March 26 to 28.
Online applications can be obtained and submitted by visiting MyFWC.com/YHPF, then following the links for the Babcock Ranch Youth Hunts.