Duck hunters, rejoice!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has announced it will re-open the Everglades and Francis S. Taylor, Holey Land, and Rotenberger wildlife management areas to duck hunters and froggers at 1 a.m. Friday, November 14. The executive order, signed by Ken Haddad, prohibits vehicles, airboats and other public access, except by special permit.  The order says duck hunters and froggers may operate vessels, but they must stay at least 100 yards from any tree island or surrounding levee.  That's because prolonged high water levels are stressing out deer and concentrating them on high ground.  The general gun-vehicle season and the second general-gun walk season are cancelled.  Conservation Area 2A-- from the L-35B levee north to the east-west airboat trail -- remains open.  This is great news for duck hunters who were worried that keeping the Everglades closed for the upcoming migratory bird season would send hundreds of hunters over to the STAs, which are already in high demand.