Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area

U.S. Geological Survey 2018 map of Dinner Island

Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a public property of more than 21,000 acres (8,500 ha)[1] in Hendry County, Florida.[2] Wildlife viewing, camping, hiking, off-road cycling, horseback riding trails, fishing, and hunting are offered. The trails and unpaved roads are also used for viewing wildflower, butterfly, bird, and other wildlife.[3] It is part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.

Polites vibex at Dinner Island WMA
1944 U.S. Geological Survey map of Dinner Island
Red-shouldered hawk at Dinner Island WMA

Once inhabited by tribes, it was once part of the Everglades watershed. It was drained and developed for cattle ranching, citrus, and sugarcane production by the Hilliard family.[4] It was acquired for the public in 2003.[5]

Wildlife include deer, hawks such as the red-shouldered hawk, alligators, crested caracara, pileated woodpecker, ibises, sandhill crane, belted kingfisher, and wood stork. Wild pig hunts are done during small game season.[6]

Burrowing owl stowaways on a cruise ship that crossed the Atlantic Ocean to Soain from Florida were returned and released at the WMA.[7]

A correspondent for the Lakeland Ledger wrote about his deer hunt at Dinner Island.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area". floridabirdingtrail.com. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Dinner Island". Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  3. ↑ "Things to Do". Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  4. ↑ Conard, Kristin (July 7, 2026). "Sandwiched Between Fort Myers And Fort Lauderdale Is Florida's Once-Thriving Ranch That's Now A Nature Preserve". Islands.
  5. ↑ "History". Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission.
  6. ↑ Howard, Willie. "Paucity of pigs at Dinner Island: Small-game season harvest seems to have reduced the management area's wild boar population, but a recent hunt was still rewarding". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023.
  7. ↑ Gomez-Misserian, Gabriela (March 19, 2026). "A Happy Ending for Burrowing Owls Who Accidentally Took a Cruise Ship Across the Atlantic".
  8. ↑ Nance, Ian. "Ian Nance: Flexibility is key when deer hunting in Florida". The Ledger.
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