Florida’s 60-day duck hunting season ended last week, but many Lakeland residents living near lakes didn’t know it was happening.
During the season, which ran Nov. 22–30 and Dec. 6–Jan. 25, scores of people called police to report “shots fired,” while neighborhood message boards lit up with posts asking whether anyone else had heard gunfire.
City commissioners acknowledged Friday that the city could have done a better job of educating residents — and agreed that next year will be different.
Confusion, not complaints
Commissioner Terry Coney raised the issue at the end of an agenda study session, saying he recently attended a meeting of the Lakeshore Neighborhood Association, where residents shared confusion and concern about duck hunting near Lake Parker.
Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley said this was the third season in which she heard concerns from residents startled by early-morning gunfire.
“This isn’t people complaining,” McCarley said. “It’s people not understanding what’s happening.”
“We had a lot of ‘shots fired’ calls,” City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said.
Education, QR codes and choices
Commissioners agreed that communication before the season starts is important.
Ideas included placing temporary signs around lakes — particularly Lake Hollingsworth — listing hunting dates and linking to more information via QR codes, along with broader outreach through the city’s website and social media.
Commissioner Ashley Troutman said if people know duck season is underway, they can choose to walk elsewhere — perhaps away from lakes with public boat ramps.
Coney said one woman he spoke with assumed hunters were using high-powered rifles. In reality, he said, duck hunting uses shotguns with much smaller ammunition — because anything more powerful would destroy the bird.
“That misunderstanding is part of why people are scared,” he said.
Safety, not just noise
Some commissioners likened duck season to other loud annual events, such as the Orange Cup Regatta on Lake Hollingsworth or Sun ’n Fun, but others said the concern goes beyond sound.
McCarley said many Lakeland residents did not grow up around firearms or hunting.
“You’ve got five-year-olds on scooters going around that lake,” she said, referring to Lake Hollingsworth. In that context, hearing gunfire can be unsettling.
Sherrouse said the calls the city received reflected fear rather than irritation.
“These weren’t noise complaints,” he said. “They were fear-based calls.”
Restricted lakes? A discussion — but no decision
City Attorney Palmer Davis said municipalities can ask the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to designate certain lakes as restricted hunting areas (RHAs) — a process that would require a public hearing, likely in July.
Commissioner Mike Musick said he was interested in learning more. Even if the commission ultimately decided not to pursue restrictions, he said, having the discussion would still be worthwhile.
However, Commissioner Stephanie Madden cautioned that any actions perceived as taking away long-standing rights could backfire by drawing more hunting activity to urban lakes.
“Hunters, when they feel like it’s threatened, that makes them want to go prove a point,” she said, adding that the city should avoid sending the message that “Lakeland hates duck hunters.”
As Florida continues to grow rapidly, she said, longtime hunters fear losing wildlife, conservation land and places to hunt, while some neighbors experience genuine fear when they hear gunfire near their homes.
“We’re not taking sides,” Madden said. “It’s not our job to advocate for right or left policy, but for policies that have been established — that people fought for.”
How duck hunting works in Florida
Duck hunting in Florida is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and limited to specific dates and rules.
Hunters must carry a valid hunting license, Florida waterfowl permit, federal duck stamp and migratory bird permit. Daily bag limits apply.
Duck hunting is allowed
- On private property with landowner permission or on water bodies with a public boat ramp
- From one-half hour before sunrise until sunset
- Using shotguns designed for bird hunting
What is not allowed
- Baiting waterfowl or hunting areas that are baited
- Using recorded or electrically amplified bird calls
- Using high-powered rifles or automatic weapons
Looking ahead
By the end of the discussion, commissioners agreed the city’s focus should be on education first, with outreach beginning weeks before the next season starts.
“If we do a better job explaining it ahead of time,” McCarley said, “we can avoid a lot of confusion next year.”
Cindy Glover is a reporter for LkldNow, a nonprofit newsroom providing independent local news for Lakeland. Read at LkldNow.com.
