© 2026 WGCU News
News for all of Southwest Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Many hunting, fishing licenses at half price through the holidays

FWC
/
WGCU

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed an executive order directing the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to provide substantial discounts on select resident hunting and fishing licenses through Jan. 3, 2025.

Just in time for the holiday season, the executive order provides a 50% discount on the annual and five-year Gold Sportsman licenses, as well as Youth Lifetime Sportsman licenses (for ages 0-17).

Additionally, the annual freshwater/saltwater fishing combination license is reduced to only $5, making it easier than ever for families to enjoy fishing in Florida’s diverse aquatic environments.

“This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for Florida families to spend quality time outdoors and to connect with our state’s remarkable wildlife and ecosystems,” said FWC Executive Director Roger Young. “We’re excited to open the door for more residents to explore hunting and fishing in Florida and hope that it inspires Floridians to support conservation efforts across the state.”

Residents can purchase the discounted licenses online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, in person at their local tax collector’s office or through the Fish|Hunt FL App, available on Apple and Android devices. Additionally, the discounted one-year and five-year Gold Sportsman licenses can be purchased at any participating license agent, which can be found by going to GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, selecting “Purchase Recreational Licenses & Permits” and clicking on “Locate an Agent.”

Trusted by over 30,000 local subscribers

Local News, Right Sized for Your Morning

Quick briefs when you are busy, deeper explainers when it matters, delivered early morning and curated by WGCU editors.

  • Environment
  • Local politics
  • Health
  • And more

Free and local. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

More from WGCU
  • Suncoast Searchlight reviewed water-restriction complaints and enforcement records across Sarasota County during Southwest Florida’s most severe drought in nearly a decade and found municipalities are taking sharply different approaches to enforcement. While some jurisdictions actively patrol for violations and issue citations, others rely primarily on education and warnings and provide few clear ways for residents to report violations. We also examine how the drought has heightened public scrutiny over water use, with hundreds of residents filing complaints about sprinklers, lush lawns and suspected overwatering during the regional shortage.
  • Local officials thought a dispute over who would pay to collect a voter-approved school tax had been settled when Sarasota County commissioners agreed in a surprise vote this week to resume covering the millions of dollars withheld by Tax Collector Mike Moran. Turns out, the fight isn’t over. Behind the scenes, county, school and tax officials spent the next few days sparring over whether Tuesday’s commission vote actually restored the decades-old practice — or whether another formal vote would be required before the money could be released to the school district, according to emails obtained by Suncoast Searchlight.
  • A study shows that short movement breaks can offset damage done by sitting and looking at screens all day.