I am retired and bored as hell now. I hunted deer for many years back up in Missouri and want to try it again down here. I still have all my gear and hunting license but I do not know the various laws. Things like where is it legal to hunt? Are there firearm specific laws to deal with? Where should I avoid?
Any info and advice would be appreciated.

Myfwc.com

MyFWC.com or stop by a local WM to get a free copy of the rules.  What part of FL are you in?
I took many deer at the conservation are across from Francis Howell HS (St. Charls County, MO)  they were much larger than the deer on the FL panhandle.  But, they are still fun to hunt and tasty here.

Depending on where you are in Florida you just might be better off joining a hunt club or lease in Florida or somewhere in southern Georgia.

While Florida has an abundance of wildlife management areas that offer public access hunting, you can imagine the pressure and crowds that visit many of the wildlife management areas. Granted there are some lesser known wildlife management areas or wildlife management areas that are difficult to access, and those most likely offer the best chance at success.

You will need to go to MyFWC.com And research the wildlife management areas that are within the distance you are willing to drive and or camp at. Note they all have rules specific to that wildlife management area so read the pamphlet carefully.

Generally speaking around June you submit for your quota application that is how Florida regulates and limits are access to many of the wildlife management areas, especially the first nine days of general gun season.

The biggest problem you will find hunting deer in Florida Is the heat, humidity, mosquitoes, and chiggers, a.k.a. red bugs.

Where in Florida are you located?

ETA- Also you will notice that Florida has three seasons generally speaking that is archery then muzzle loader then General gun.

I’ll refer you to my answer on Public Land Hunting in Florida in the Hog Hunting thread a few doors down.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/Hometown/Hog-hunting/10-658287/

Rough synapsis of Florida’s public lands.

Private Clubs are controlled, better managed, probably a good bit safer, and friendlier.

And very expensive, and hard to get in.

I have hunted here since boyhood in the seventies , primarily on public land, and while I don’t kill as many deer as someone with access to public land, I have killed quite a few over the years and consider myself a successful hunter.

I’ll be happy to answer any specific questions you might have about hunting public lands in Florida.

I graduated from Francis Howell in 1982 so yeah, I know the area


I have been doing some reading and it seem the rules vary quite a bit depending on the area. Trying to decipher what is what now.
Looks like we might be able to at least try some hog hunting this weekend but not completely sure yet. Looks like deer hunting might have to wait until January but not real sure yet.
Oh, Bradenton/Sarasota now.

Ok, looks like we are going to try for Babcock-Webb or Myakka state forest PSGHA. We have hunting licenses. What else do we need? We will be using shotguns. My friend will be after squirrel and bunnies, I will let him take them and hold out for a hog myself. Yes, in the OP I said deer but it looks like that will come around in January. Might as well get our feet wet with what we can.
What else do I need to know? Do we just show up and get the card to fill out? Any more paperwork than the license? Do we check harvest online or at a station? Will I have to process a hog myself or are there places to do this?
ETA;
What does it take to camp there? I see online where to reserve a campsite. Is that all it takes? Finding an open time and filling out the form?
What is a Management Area Permit? Is that the one that costs 26 on the FWC license renewal page or is it something else?

You need a Managment Area Permit if hunting Florida’s Public Lands. About $25.
This is the price of admission to public land, and will allow you to participate in lotteries for public land quota hunts. The quota hunt lottery kicks off in June.

Private land you only need a hunting license.

https://myfwc.com/hunting/deer/faqs/

https://myfwc.com/hunting/wild-hog/

ETA: Did a quick scan of theBabcock/Webb
Brochure , looks like their deer hunts have passed and their small game season has started. Doesn’t look like wild hogs are on the menu for small game season there.

Myyaka also has completed their deer season and begun small game, Hogs are legal at Myyaka during small game season, so that might be your best choice.


Useful Tool

Talked to the folk at Babcock-Web and you are right. Plans are now to be at Myakka State Forest this Saturday and Sunday.
This will be a first for me. Killed many deer in Missouri but never hunted anything in Florida until now. The "woods" are a lot different down here.

Hogs can be found anywhere, but the best bet for walking up on one in daylight is the edge of the swamp. They really like the soft mud and wet areas. They root for grubs and roots with their snout, it's easier where the ground is soft. Plus, they like to roll around in mud holes to slather their fur and skin with mud to keep the bugs off.

Look for areas where Oak Hammocks (islands of oak trees, not necessarily in water) meet cypress heads, then hunt the edges, where it breaks from one terrain to the other. Oaks are dropping lots of acorns this time of year, a staple in everyone's diet out there. If you find an area that looks loke a tractor tilled it, you're in the right neighborhood. Trails are often marked with black mud on small trees 15"- 2 feet off the ground. Mr piggy rolls in the mud, then scrapes it off on a tree on his way to dinner or on the way home. I have caught piggies sleeping in the daytime in a mudhole right in the edge of the Cypress swamp, or on a little island in the swamp.

Friend of mine saw a back and ears sticking up above a palmetto clump on a little island in a cypress swamp, took aim where he thought the vitals would be and shot with his 30-06. Pig didn't move. He had expected it to drop when he shot, as it was about 2 feet high, about the standard height for a standing pig. So, he shot again. Nothing. No movement. So, he eased over for a look. Thats when he realized he had a problem. The pig was lying down when he shot it. We got up to 385 on our camp scale before we ran out of room, head and one shoulder still on the ground.

Lucky for him, that happened on a private club, we were able to back a swamp buggy up to the pig and roll it onto a hitch hauler. Would have been an impossible drag on public land.

One last thing; Pigs are often black with long fur. Bears are black with long fur. They share the same habitat, and similar diets. One is legal game, the other big trouble. Be sure.

Good luck.