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I am pleased to announce the 50th Florida Hawking Fraternity Winter Meet.

 This year’s meet will be at the same location in Palatka. 

Here is the information on the Winter Meet with special thanks to Timothy O'Neill this year’s meet coordinator and Dan McCook for lining up WMA areas.

 Location: Quality Inn and Suites Riverfront Palatka 201 N 1st Street Palatka, FL 32177 (386) 328-3481 

Florida Hawking Fraternity group will be arriving on 1/9/2026 at the Quality Inn.

 Below is the online link for ordering your room we have a 10 room block at this price first come first served. 

Link = https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/QG03R1 

Dining: 

Dinner this year will be at Velchoff's Corner 105 N 2nd St Ste. D, Palatka, FL 32177 Six minutes from the hotel. 

It is open menu no banquet. The menu is extensive from Fish & Grits to Ribeye to Raw Oysters. 

Informal Itinerary:

 Friday January 9th late afternoon meet and greet in lobby.

 Saturday January 10th 7:00 am - 8:00 am Meeting in the parking lot in front so that members can meet and greet and plan hunting groups. 

6:30 pm Dinner and Raffle in the Velchoff's Corner s Banquet room. Sunday January 11th 

Check out, egress.

 Check with fellow falconers. Usually, a brave few squeeze in a Sunday morning hunt before heading home.

 Join us if you can! Hunting:

 Here is a link to the Bayard WMA brochure - https://ocean.floridamarine.org/HGMSearch/BrochureDetails.aspx?sb=Specific%20Area&srctype=pfs&title=J.P.%20Hall%20Bayard%20Point  

Below is copied and pasted from the Bayard J.P. Hall WMA brochure. 

The gates to this WMA will be locked, but if we can have a meeting Friday evening we can point out areas with good access from the road and where to park.

 Small Game Seasons December 12 - January 25 (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only) Permit, Stamp and License Requirements 

- Hunting license, management area permit, migratory bird permit (if hunting migratory birds), and state waterfowl permit and federal duck stamp (if hunting waterfowl). 

Legal to Hunt - Wild hog, gray squirrel, quail, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, armadillo, beaver, coyote, skunk, nutria, migratory birds in season, and non-protected birds. 

Bobcat and otter beginning December 12. WMA Permit: Please purchase Annual Management Area Permit - $26.50. 

This covers all WMA for a year. You can see all the nearby WMA and natural areas by using this website and entering the zip code 32177 distance 25 miles: ·

 If you are actively beating the brush then you will need a hunting license. 

· I have been at a lot of FHF meets and have never been questioned by FWS but the hunting laws are opened to individual officer interpretation 

and you could end up with a ticket if your beating the brush actively and don`t have a license especially in a WMD area. 

Trespassing on agricultural land is now a third- degree felony. Posted or not posted FHF President 

All current FHF Members will be invoiced for dues via email only by January 15th.
 The deadline for receipt of dues payment is February 15th annually.

 

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