Florida · Rabbit · 2026 Edition
Florida Rabbit Season 2026: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | Statewide, general/private land (WMAs set their own dates) | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 12 |
|---|---|
| Possession | 24 |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (January 1, 2026) 06:52 — 18:14
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset — FWC's single rule for hunting game, whose only exceptions are spring wild turkey and migratory game birds. Individual Wildlife Management Areas can set their own shooting hours, so check that WMA's brochure. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Florida sun times for any other date.
04 — License
Rabbit hunters in Florida need a Florida hunting license — Hunting a WMA requires an additional Management Area Permit on top of the standard hunting license, and individual WMAs may run shorter, WMA-specific rabbit seasons instead of the year-round general-land rule.
Florida hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Florida — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does rabbit season start in Florida?
Florida runs rabbit season year-round — there's no opening day to wait for.
When does rabbit season end in Florida?
It doesn't — Florida has no closed season on rabbit, per Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Is there a closed season on rabbit in Florida?
No — rabbit can be hunted in Florida every day of the year, subject to the bag limit and legal shooting hours above.
How many rabbits can you shoot in Florida per day?
2026 bag limits: Daily — 12. Possession — 24. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
Can I hunt rabbits on my own land in Florida without a license?
Florida's exemption is narrower than 'any land you own' — it only covers hunting (or freshwater fishing) on your own homestead property, or that of your spouse or minor child. Whether deer, turkey, or waterfowl permits are still required on a homestead-exempt hunt isn't spelled out in the statute — check with FWC directly before relying on it.
Verified · Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission · Last verified 2026-08-14
Publisher's note. Official FWC season-dates page, fetched directly. Under 'Gray squirrels, rabbits, wild hogs, raccoons, opossums, skunks, beaver, & coyotes' the page states rabbits 'may be taken year round' on general/private land — no opener or closing date, confirmed verbatim. Bag/possession limits (12 daily, 24 possession) are also verbatim from the same page. The year-round rule applies to general/private land only — the same page notes that 'seasons, dates and bag limits do not apply to wildlife management areas,' each of which sets its own rabbit season in its own WMA brochure (myfwc.com/hunting/wma-brochures). Shooting hours were not found to have a rabbit-specific exception; Florida's general statewide rule (already on file for this state) is used as fallback. The full 2026-2027 Florida Hunting Regulations PDF was not opened to cross-check word-for-word — treat that PDF as the authoritative fallback if anything here needs a second check.