"We added two parcels that the Division of Forestry purchased," Spratt explains. "Now it's 49,042 acres, after the additions. That took place prior to last hunting season, so the two additional parcels have been hunted two years now."

Although the area is mostly sandhill habitat, it's not all uniform, which makes it more interesting to both hunters and deer than it would be as a monoculture.

"There are oak hammocks scattered here and there," Spratt describes. "There are some edges that hunters might want to check out, and several lakes."

In fact, although Bull Sink, Mansfield Pond and Five Mile Pond are quite small, Stage Pond and Horse Lake -- both located at the southern end of the WMA -- are pretty decent-sized bodies of water.

"The habitat is actually really diverse," Donaway notes. "Some areas are hardwoods with very large oaks and a lot of acorns. Other parts of it have a lot of longleaf pine. The sandhills give it a hilly terrain. There are several ponds but no wetlands."

Biologists do a good bit of management on the Citrus WMA for both deer and other species of wildlife.

"We plant iron and clay peas in the summertime, and winter rye in late winter," Spratt says. "The winter rye is primarily for turkeys, but the deer also utilize it. There are about 70 acres of food plots -- approximately 35 two-acre food plots. Not all of them get planted every year, but they are in existence."

In addition, the Division of Forestry, which owns the tract and is responsible for its management, conducts prescribed burns on the area on a regular basis.

"We do some exotic-plant control, including cogon grass," Spratt says. "We also do some timber stand improvement. That means we remove encroaching oaks that have gotten too far above the kill zone for fire. They've gotten so tall that a regular prescribed fire won't kill them. We use chain saws or tree cutters to bring them down."

Trends indicate that the land which makes up the Citrus WMA is going to be under increasing pressure in the future.

"The area around the WMA is becoming more and more developed," Spratt says. "That area is becoming more and more of an island. Citrus County is growing and growing. We had actually experienced a decline in the numbers of deer since 1999. We've just had a little upswing recently, which we think is partly related to protecting does on the WMA."

Spratt does not foresee any changes in hunting seasons as a result of the increased human population in the area.

"We won't make any changes as long as protecting the does has the effect that we want it to," he adds. "And it appears that it is having the effect of increasing the population index. But if the population index starts to significantly decline, then we may have to regulate the hunting season further."

During general gun, muzzleloading and archery seasons, hunters also may take hogs if they like. According to Spratt, there are no size or bag limits on hogs on the area.

Access to the Citrus WMA is easy for hunters. The area is located 14 miles north of Brooksville, one mile west of Inverness, and 8 miles east of Crystal River. State Route 44 is on the north, SR 480 on the south, SR 491 to the west, and SR 581 on the east.

"The area is wide open," Spratt acknowledges. "There are 15 designated entrances. There's one check station, and hunters need to go there to check all deer or hogs taken on the area."

There are a number of both improved and unimproved roads on the area, as well as many foot trails that hunters can traverse.

Camping is permitted in the Citrus WMA in designated campsites only. The Division of Forestry regulates camping, and a daily fee is required. Hunters can set up hunt camps 14 days prior to the opening of archery season. Hunt camps must be removed by 6 p.m., six days after the end of small game season. A daily campsite fee is required whether the camp is occupied or not. A permit is available for archery and small game seasons in lieu of the daily fee. For more information, contact the Withlacoochee Forestry Center in Brooksville by calling (352) 754-6896.