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Here I sit scouting in Florida.
- Thread starter Bogle
- Start date
shwacker
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2018
- Messages
- 984
Yep, I have some friends in Tampa. These marsh areas are some of the better Florida hunting I think. Easier to locate beds, pattern deer, glass for activity, etc. Much rather walk a marsh than a damn palmetto glade!
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Yea, I hear ya. It certainly cuts down on foot traffic! I get over to Flagler county to hunt every once in and while as I have a lifelong friend that runs a big lease over there. They put some deer on the ground over there.
Yea, I dont blame you. I hunt GA quite a bit as well. Its just so much better than what we have down here. The amount of effort for the reward down here is tough! Think I may head out to the mid-west next year and look around.
shwacker
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2018
- Messages
- 984
GA is a step up, Midwest is a giant leap up. GA has great deer, and I’ve killed a nice 130s there. Midwest is loaded with 2.5 yo 100-110 type deer with a lot more opportunity for 120+. No giants around each tree as often said, but for us FL boys it’s awesome. And more than just deer size is the actual activity that you see during rut. Closer to 1 to 1 ratios and strong rutting that we just don’t see much in the south due to doe densities and thick cover
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Yea, I like Hunting GA and the quality of deer is so much better. Going to do the midwest thing so I can experience something different. Good luck this season, keep me posted
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Scott F
Well-Known Member
You guys need to bring me to GA...
I'm fairly new to Florida and plan to hit some of the WMAs (Croom and Upper Hillsborough) along with Green Swamp because I don't have private land to roam.
I'm watching every post about Florida hunting on a number of forums to learn how to hunt these dadgum swamps!
I'm fairly new to Florida and plan to hit some of the WMAs (Croom and Upper Hillsborough) along with Green Swamp because I don't have private land to roam.
I'm watching every post about Florida hunting on a number of forums to learn how to hunt these dadgum swamps!
shwacker
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2018
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- 984
You will work long and hard for every public FL buck. Best chances are on acorns in archery season, which may or may not have a little rut action depending on rut time in your area. Best of luck!
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I think the weather here in Florida is the hardest part about hunting public land. Hard to know if the area your planning on hunting will even be huntable after a hurricane. I've always got a high ground area in my backup plan....but you never know if the storm isn't going to knock over all the trees in there at that spot.....I've been unlucky with some of my quota hunts falling a week or two after a storm. Clearing trees from road systems on public ground is low priority......my 1 mile planned hike just turned into a 18 mile hike with just 1 fallen tree.....you have to be good at hunting on the fly in totally unknown areas semi or totally storm damaged..... Tip of the day is if your going into a wma affected by hurricanes carry a chainsaw and you can save yours and other guys hunts.
Yep, I prefer early season.
Nice. Those WMA's are close to home so that's an added bonus when it comes to scouting. GA is like the "promise land" compared to Florida. Deer actually do what they are supposed to do in GA -LOL.
Tip 2 of the day is to waterproof and protect the wire connections at your starter on your truck. ....limestone puddle water has some fine silt that always seems to make my truck have starting issues do to the fine silt not allowing good contact. Easy to fix but always a bad feeling having your truck not start.
Interesting, I've never heard that before. Thanks for the tip in case it does happen!
shwacker
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2018
- Messages
- 984
I have killed a few dozen deer in Florida, half or more bucks. I really haven’t hunted public WMA land that much and haven’t killed one on FL pub ground. I have killed a handful on sovereign land here (intercostal islands and marshes). Killed my biggest chasing a doe and missed opportunity on what would have been my biggest chasing a doe. Killed a few running dogs with friends and a few on or near corn on private ground. Any way you do it in FL is tough but def hardest on a WMA. I have killed several on 3 different public WMAs in GA and missed a pope and young on one of those GA WMAs. I’ve quit GA the past few years, trying to refocus on some close to home deer and my main focus is going north each year to the Midwest. Best and most fun hunting I’ve ever done
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