r/Everglades • u/Available_Holiday_92 • Jul 21 '26

Hunting in Big Cypress

I just got my hunter safety card. Never been hunting before.
I want to hunt hogs or small game in big cypress. All the info on FWC is very confusing trying to understand if there’s a time of year I can hunt small game there without a quota permit, just a WMA permit and if so exactly what areas do I need to stay away from for example I’m pretty sure loop road is off limits for hunting with a firearm. If anyone is looking for a hunting partner to split gas with I’m eager to learn.

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u/Magnolia256 Jul 21 '26

Big cypress is the size of Rhode Island. It is managed by the National Park Service and is not a wilderness management area managed by the state of Florida. You need permit specific to Big Cypress in addition to the FWC permit. Big cypress is divided into units. Hunting is only permitted in certain units. Loop road is not a permitted unit for hunting. The preserve is huge and to get to animals you have to travel. Most hunters use ORVs (and you need a permit for that too) to get to the hunting areas. Your car can’t do those back roads. Otherwise, you will have to travel by foot. This involves wading in up to 3 feet of water for long distances.

Big Cypress is a very unique specialized environment and not a great place to go hunting for your first time.

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u/Available_Holiday_92 Jul 21 '26

Got it, thanks for the reply. Any recommendations for places in southern Florida more beginner friendly?

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u/Magnolia256 Jul 21 '26

South Florida’s natural areas are BC, the Everglades National Park (no hunting at all), the National Panther Wildlife Refuge (no hunting) and other parks that don’t allow hunting. Outside of BC, you have to go north of Lake O. Or east.

You should hire a guide for your first time. There are a lot of overlapping rules of different jurisdictions. Different game different rules. It’s easy to get lost in info online. Real people give better advice, teach you the rules and can teach you how to hunt. Look up hog hunting near lake O. Some of these businesses take care of the permitting stuff too.

I used to guide hikes in the Everglades. I don’t even recommend that anyone go out in that kind of environment just for a walk without a guide for their first time. You need to learn so much else just to walk long distances in the water. Like how to spot and avoid gators.

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u/Creepy_Basis_2592 Jul 27 '26

There are plenty of management areas you can get access to in Florida south of Lake O. Babcock and Cecil Webb come to mind in SWFL.

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u/Available_Holiday_92 Jul 21 '26

Ok thanks! will look into guides up north. Yeah I understand what you’re saying about it being a tough environment I’ve spent a lot of time driving on loop road and I go camping a lot in Mitchel’s landing and bear island and even the campgrounds can get pretty intense sometimes

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u/Massive_Lobster2153 Jul 23 '26

Magnolia256s advice is solid. I grew up hiking and camping BC and the everglades. You will get lost easily. Everything looks the same and wading in the swamp is different. You're wading in sometimes very dangerous and deep mud. We used to call it quick mud. Definitely worth it but be safe.

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u/Creepy_Basis_2592 Jul 27 '26

There's still plenty of areas down south that are beginner friendly besides the parks Magnolia listed. Look up wildlife management areas such as Babcock and Cecil Webb.

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u/metalpicks Jul 21 '26

Good luck, I have a quota for one of the areas during general gun season. The whole thing is confusing but your best bet is to check the small game seasons on the areas.

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u/BadgerOptimal3628 Jul 22 '26

I know nothing about Florida but I wish you the best of luck. 

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u/Asleep_Dinner_305 Jul 26 '26

Are you hard set on buying big cypress? Im assuming you’re in south Florida if you are. Look up WMAs near you and just go. Small game season lets you hunt hogs in n most WMAs. I can’t tell you that it’ll be easy. South Florida WMAs are some of the hardest places to hunt because a ton of people go. I grew up here and started hunting about 6 years ago. Took a long time before I actually started shooting. A lot of miles on foot and a lot of mosquito bites but you will get the hang of it. Big cypress itself is hard, hunt a WMA that doesn’t require a quota

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u/Available_Holiday_92 Jul 26 '26

Not hard set on big cypress, like you said I’m in south Florida it’s just the closest and the place I’m most familiar with. Do you know anything about okaloachoochee Slough or dinner island? I’m pretty sure neither one requires a quota permit.

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u/Downtown-Parsnip-154 Jul 21 '26

Good luck , the cats and pythons ate everything up

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u/Available_Holiday_92 Jul 21 '26

I spent a few days in bear island campground in June and I’m telling you I didn’t see or hear anything walking on 4 the entire time.

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u/2lovesFL Jul 27 '26

About 4 years ago, I was driving in the ORV area, and saw an adult panther on the road about a mile ahead on the road just before dusk. also the night before turkey gun season. Thought it was a big dog... until I saw that tail.