October 29, 2007, Gander Mountain Store; 550 Belz Outlet Blvd.; St Augustine, Florida

o October 29, 2007, Gander Mountain Store; 550 Belz Outlet Blvd.; St Augustine, Floridao November 5, 2007. IGFA Hall of Fame; 300 Gulf Stream Way; Dania Beach, Florida o November 6, 2007, Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Academy; 75 College Dr.; Havana, Floridao November 15, 2007, Bass Pro Shops; 5156 International Drive; Orlando, Florida

Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup

PUBLIC INPUT WORKSHOPS

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Online Public Comment http://consensus.fsu.edu/FWC/quotahunt.htmlWorkshop Comment Forms

Workshop Evaluation





Public Input Workshop Objectives

•To Review Agenda, Process, and Participation Ground-Rules•To Hear an Overview of the Quota Hunt Workgroup’s Scope and Charge•To Hear an Overview of the Quota Hunt Workgroup’s Draft Recommendations•To Provide Comments on the Quota Hunt Workgroup’s Draft Recommendations•To Review Next Steps and Project Delivery Schedule

Florida Quota Hunt WorkgroupPUBLIC INPUT WORKSHOPS



Public Input Workshop Process

o Workgroup’s Recommendations will be reviewed by the facilitators

o Questions and Clarifications on the recommendations will be taken first

o Comments will be solicited on recommendations in turn




Public Input Workshop Processo Facilitators will serve as moderators and assist with Workshop process and

ground-rules.

o One person speaks at a time. Raise your hand to be recognized by the

facilitators.

o Limit your comment(s) and be concise. Do not read lengthy prepared

statements. Summarize and submit complete comment(s) text for the

Workshop report, and to ensure Workgroup can accurately evaluate your

comment(s).




Public Input Workshop Process

o Offer new points or state agreement with previous speakers; Please do

not repeat what has been stated.

o The Workgroup wants to hear all view points, and not repeats of the

same views.




Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup Timeline

December 2006 Release of Assessment Report by FCRC for FWCFebruary 2007 Appointment of Florida Quota Hunt Program WorkgroupApril 18 – 19Workgroup Meeting #1July 11-12 Workgroup Meeting #2August 15-16 Workgroup Meeting #3October 16 Workgroup Meeting #4October-November- Public Input Workshops- Round #1





December 18-19 Workgroup Meeting #5, Review Public CommentFebruary 6-7 2008 FWC Commission Meeting- Review of Draft Reccs. Feb. 27-28, 2008 Workgroup Meeting #6April 2-3 Workgroup Meeting #7April-May, 2008 Public Input Workshops- Round #2 May 28-29 Workgroup Meeting #8July, 2008 Delivery of Final Recommendations to the FWC.




NOTE: Any proposed changes to the current rules would be presented to the Commission for conceptual consideration in the fall of 2008 and would not become effective until the 2009 – 2010 hunting season.





Florida Quota Hunt Assessment- Fall, 2006

• FWC contracts with Florida Conflict Resolution Consortium, FSU to conduct an assessment with quota hunt stakeholders.• FCRC assessment includes interviews with hunters and hunter groups and review of agency practices, research and findings.




Florida Quota Hunt Assessment- Fall, 2006Central Finding:

A central finding of the assessment was that responding to issues as they arise in isolation has not been a successful strategy. Instead interviewees suggested that a comprehensive evaluation of the entire Program with all perspectives at the table is highly desirable. The stakeholders and the FWC staff indicated strong agreement that a representative group (workgroup) should be convened by the FWC to evaluate the system in a comprehensive manner and to develop consensus recommendations to the Commission.




Florida Quota Hunt Assessment- Fall, 2006Key Issues Identified

• A fair distribution of hunting opportunities;

• Recruitment and retention of program users

• Transferability of permits;

• Providing a quality hunting experience defined as sufficient wildlife and lack

of crowds; and

• Managing the resource and protecting the habitat.




Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup Convened by FWC

The Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup consists of nine members all of whom have extensive experience with the quota hunt program and all of whom are active and committed hunters. The members of the Workgroup represent the various interests/users of the quota hunt program and have agreed to consult with their constituent groups between meetings. The Workgroup meets every two months starting in April of 2007 and concluding in May of 2008.




Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup Members and Representation:• Newton Cook (water fowl hunters)• David Jones (mobility impaired hunters)• Bryon Maharrey (hunting advocate associations)• John Malloy (youth/elderly hunters)• Rusty McKeithen (dog hunters/large game)• David O’Keefe (non-WMA hunters/past WMA users)• Ronnie Weatherman (primitive weapons)• Brian Zielinski (biologist/scientist & modern weapons & and turkey hunters)• Larry Perrin (FWC)




Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup Mission

The Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup, representing diverse stakeholder interests from around the state, will provide advice and guidance to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and staff to improve the scope, efficiency, effectiveness, and fairness of Florida’s Quota Hunt Program. The Workgroup’s task will be to review, discuss and seek consensus on a package of recommendations for guidance and advice to the Commission for proposed refinements to Florida’s Quota Hunt Program.




Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup Consensus Process

o Workgroup process reviews, studies and refines options and draft recommendationso Public comment at each meeting, online public comment and 2 rounds of public input workshops to review the initial draft recommendations and draft final recommendations respectively.




Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup Consensus Process

All public comments will be compiled and submitted to the Workgroup for evaluation during the meeting(s) following the workshops. The public’s opportunities to provide input to the Workgroup are extensive and include public comment during meetings, written input on public comment forms provided at meetings, electronic feedback on the project webpage, and two rounds of public workshops each consisting of four regional locations.




Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup Consensus Process Principles

Principle 1: The overall purpose of the Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup is to serve as an advisory body to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regarding the Quota Hunt Program.

Principle 2: The Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup shall operate under clear, concise, consistent, and fair procedural protocols.





Principle 3: The Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup shall strive to achieve consensus on substantive recommendations made to the FWC.

Principle 4: The Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup shall serve as an accessible liaison between the Workgroup and their representative constituency groups to meet their mission.





Principle 5: The goal of the Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup is to develop a package of recommendations designed to ensure that the Florida Quota Hunt Program is fair, accessible, informed by science, encourages participation, promotes a sustainable harvest, and enhances resource and habitat protection for all citizens for all time.




I. Science as a Basis

for Quota Hunt

Program Design

and Management


Draft RecommendationsOctober, 2007



a. Adjustments Based on Data. To ensure a sustainable harvest, site specific collected data related to hunter use and demand, game populations, and habitat assessments should be used on an ongoing basis to establish and maintain quotas* for each WMA, as well as determining whether a quota is needed. In addition to site-specific collected data, the popularity of the WMA and the demand for hunting opportunities should be considered as a factor in making

management decisions.* Based on the Workgroup’s

recommendations adjustments to quotas will be made to accommodate for no-shows.

Florida Quota Hunt Workgroup Draft Recommendations

October, 2007

I. Science as a Basis for Quota Hunt Program Design and Management



b. Data Collection. Use check stations as a mechanism for collecting meaningful data for making ongoing decisions on the quota hunt program (i.e., hunter use information: how many hunters use their own quota permit, how many hunters use a transferred quota permit, hunter identification, and game

taken, etc.).

Florida Quota Hunt WorkgroupDraft Recommendations

October, 2007 I. Science as a Basis for Quota Hunt

Program Design

and Management



II. Achieving a Fair

Distribution of

Hunting Opportunities in

Florida

Florida Quota Hunt WorkgroupDraft Recommendations

October, 2007



a. Combine Hunts*. Combine the General Gun Quota Hunt type and Archery/Muzzleloading Quota Hunt type into one quota hunt type—General Quota**. This would allow each person to apply for any two (2) general quota hunts from a combined list of all archery, muzzle loading, and general gun hunts. Applicants will be eligible to receive up to two quota permits during the Phase 1 and Phase II*** drawing process for each hunt type. However, only 1 quota permit may be drawn per random selection cycle (pass), up to 2 permits total for the Phase 1 and Phase II drawings.


October, 2007 II. Achieving a Fair Distribution of Hunting Opportunities in Florida



a. Combine Hunts*. This means that each applicant would be eligible to receive two General Quota permits of either type during Phase I and Phase II – 2 General Gun permits or 2 Archery/Muzzleloading permits or a combination of 1 General Gun permit and 1 Archery/Muzzleloading permit.* The general quota (general gun, archery and muzzle loading), spring turkey, and mobility impaired hunts remain separate quota permit selection processes (draws).** The spring turkey quota permit application process will not change with this recommendation, and will continue to operate as it currently does.

*** Phase II is only available for those who did not receive a permit in Phase I.





b. Create an Expanded Preference System.

o Create an expanded preference system for General Quota (general gun, archery and muzzleloading), Spring Turkey Quota, and Mobility Impaired Quota for Phase I applicants only.

o Applicants would be awarded a preference point (by quota type) for each year that they apply during Phase I if they did not receive a permit in one of the Phase I random drawings.

o The Phase I random drawings will consist of the Preference Drawing

and the Non-Preference Drawing.





b. Create an Expanded Preference System, continued

o In the Preference Drawing, applicants with the highest number of preference points would be selected first.

o Applicants with the next highest preference points would be selected next and so forth.

o Only 1 quota permit may be drawn per random selection cycle (pass). Preference points may only be used for the first permit drawn.

o Unused preference points would be retained by the applicant and

would be available for use in applications

in subsequent years.





c. Transferability. Permits will remain transferable, except for the permits issued in the Phase 1* drawings . The permits issued during the Phase I drawings** would be non-transferable. This proposed change will mean that many of the more high-demand hunts will have non-transferable quota permits since many of the quota hunt permits are drawn during the first phase.* Phase 1 is comprised of two random drawings: Preference and Non-preference.** The Phase I quota permit drawing process occurs during the initial quota permit application periods, generally June 1 -11 for archery, muzzleloading, and general gun quota hunts, and November 1 – 11 for spring turkey quota hunts.





d. Mobility Impaired Quota*. Change the Phase III process for mobility impaired, from a first-come first-served process, to a random drawing, in which each individual can draw multiple permits; however, only 1 permit can be drawn per random selection cycle (pass). Only one application per person is allowed.

* For the Mobility Impaired Quota , each applicant will be eligible to receive up to two quota permits during the Phase 1 drawings and the Phase II first-come, first-served process.





e. Exemptions. The only proposed change to current quota hunt program exemptions would be to allow hunt buddies for disabled hunters with mobility impaired certification to share a quota permit. The hunt buddy must be in the presence of the mobility impaired hunter and share their bag limit.





III. Recruiting and

Retaining Hunters


Draft RecommendationsOctober, 2007



a. Recruitment and Retention of Hunters. The Workgroup supports the Commission’s (FWC) efforts to implement additional family quota hunts.


October, 2007 III. Recruiting and Retaining Hunters




December 2006 Release of Assessment Report by FCRC for FWCFebruary 2007 Appointment of Florida Quota Hunt Program WorkgroupApril 18 – 19Workgroup Meeting #1July 11-12 Workgroup Meeting #2August 15-16 Workgroup Meeting #3October 16 Workgroup Meeting #4October-November- Public Input Workshops- Round #1





December 18-19 Workgroup Meeting #5, Review Public CommentFebruary 6-7 2008 FWC Commission Meeting- Review of Draft Reccs. Feb. 27-28, 2008 Workgroup Meeting #6April 2-3 Workgroup Meeting #7April-May, 2008 Public Input Workshops- Round #2 May 28-29 Workgroup Meeting #8July, 2008 Delivery of Final Recommendations to the FWC.




Online Public Comment http://consensus.fsu.edu/FWC/quotahunt.htmlWorkshop Comment Forms

Workshop Evaluation





Documents

October 29, 2007, Gander Mountain Store; 550 Belz Outlet Blvd.; St Augustine, Florida