Outdoors

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering a free hunter safety Internet-completion course in Levy County. 

Instruction is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 9. Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.

The location for this class will be given to those who register in advance by calling the regional office at 386-758-0525 or going to MyFWC.com/HunterSafety.

The prespawn period for Florida largemouth bass can produce some of the most exciting fishing of the year, and 2011 has certainly started out exciting. Because bass tune into environmental triggers such as day length, lunar cycle and water temperature, timing of the actual spawn can vary. Generally, once water temperatures rise above 58 degrees, the bedding process begins and may continue until temperatures are in the mid to upper 70s.

A high school art student at Circle Christian School in Winter Park captured top honors in the 2011-2012 manatee decal art contest sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Bekah Scoville, 14, created an image of two manatees swimming in water painted in pastel blues and greens.

By MIKE CAPSHAW

sports@chieflandcitizen.com

Citing the political climate, issues involving exempt hunters and complaints from large landowners, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has tabled a proposal that would have required hunters to tag and report harvested deer.