Lake Talquin State Forest

Lake Talquin State Forest is composed of ten main tracts and several smaller tracts of land for a total of 17,491 acres, most of it around the eastern shores of Lake Talquin. All of the properties are located just west of Tallahassee, most of them adjoining Lake Talquin and the Ochlockonee River. Lake Talquin State Forest has been managed by the Florida Division of Forestry since 1977 with the aim of balancing recreational and resource usage needs with environmental needs and concerns. The primary emphasis of the management plan is on reforestation, restoration of the ecosystem and then on outdoor recreation.

More than 50% of the forest is covered with pines and hardwoods, including longleaf pine, loblolly pine, slash pine and sweetgum, laurel oak, water oak, live oak, red maple, mockernut hickory, swamp tupelo, sweetbay, dogwood, turkey oak and bald cypress. Other natural communities found on the forest include swamps, sandhills, flatwoods and rolling uplands.

Wildlife is plentiful and includes osprey, wild turkey, bald eagle, mourning dove, fox squirrel, coyote, gopher tortoise, red-shouldered hawk, bobcat and white-tailed deer.

Prescribed burning is a regular management tool used on the Lake Talquin State Forest. Different portions of the forest are burned on a 3-to-5 year rotation.

The Joe Budd, Ochlockonee and Talquin Wildlife Management Areas are open for hunting in the appropriate seasons. All other sections of Lake Talquin State Forest are closed to hunting.