Found Something Odd in the Woods Today.

[Kentucky Colonel]

For the record, I should always listen to Bob. 
He has never been wrong for me, yet. 

For the record, I did not listen this time.
And thus, the adventure of the Big Pig Camping trip began. 
I changed my plans and did not target the Marsh. 

(I will outfit myself with a life-vest next time. The terrain was treacherous.  
Way rougher than the nice State Park trails and camp grounds I have been 
using in Florida. Fortunately, I have spent a lot out time out doors so I was 
respectful of the land and did not let myself get into trouble. But, there was 
trouble to be had.)

But, I am ahead of myself. 

The plan was to get in as deeply with the truck as I could, pitch my tent, 
make my T-Bone on the camp fire. Check out the best places nearby to hit 
in the morning while making use of the afternoon.

Best laid plans...

I drove to the site... wrong. It should have taken an hour and 15. 
But, Bernie Sanders was speaking in Kissimmee. There was a big wreck. 
And, I had the wrong address so GPS sent me to a different nearby lake. 

I finally got there 4.5 hours later than I had anticipated. My primary 
camp site plan was unworkable. My back up site had been closed. I was 
SOL. ALL those campgrounds on the map required a boat to get to. That 
should have been mentioned some where, eh? (Bob is right, but there are 
other sites that state there is a way in.)

I called the nearest boat dock which was on Lake Hatchineha on Catfish Road. 
They had no camping. They had a bunk house and a pontoon boat I could rent. AND, 
they had a farm owner named Turtle who doubled as a pig hunting guide. 
I checked it out. 

There is no access to the Chain of Lakes hunting areas without a boat- preferably an air boat. 
The Bunk House had no canoes for rent. The pontoon would mean I would wade in the last few feet. 

So, I talked to Turtle. This guy wanted 100.00 for the hunt PLUS 400.00 if I took a pig. Any pig. 
Now, he does day feed these, but I felt I was being skinned and declined. I also was more interested in hunting rather than slaughtering. I was about to say forget it all and just go home. 

The Bunk House owner offered to air boat me to a hunt area. It was really only 500 yards away, but over water. He would drop me at sunrise and pick me up at 3 PM. So, I took my first airboat ride. VERY FUN. DO IT IF YOU GET THE CHANCE. Hold your hat. Mine went in the drink.

Did you know that air boats can travel across flat dry land? I didn't. They can. They can go ridiculous places.

The rest was a nice day out hunting. Walk, stop, look, listen. Lots of sign. I found everything except the bacon. Hair, prints, scat, rutting, beds. I saw two deer and lots of other wild life. I am glad I used the shorter CVA .50 Hawken. The terrain was challenging and there were times the vegetation hindered movement.

No Big Pig for me, but I enjoyed myself. And, had one more air boat ride on the way back.

 

[Old Smoke]

Awesome!  Great write up

 

[patocazador]

I'm proud of you for not getting fleeced by "Turtle". He saw you coming.

As you found out, what appears as 'land' on a map is not actually land. It just looks like it.

List of absolute necessities for that kind of hunting:
1) A boat - one with a Go-Devil type motor or an airboat. A canoe is possible if you are 18 yrs old and an Olympic class athlete.
2) Push-pole  -the telescoping type that has a 'duckbill' end. This is to turn the boat around when it gets stuck in vegetation or submerged trees.
3) Waders -either hip boots or chest waders- for obvious reasons.
4) Inflatable life vest for the above.
5) Thermacell insect repeller - this is absolutely mandatory for a semi-enjoyable experience .. especially with West Nile virus and Zika virus mosquitoes. (This should be number one on the list.)
6) Ear protectors if using airboat.
7) Knife
8 ) Gun or bow
9) Written permission to hunt if it is private land. It is a felony to be on someone's property with a weapon unless you have written permission.
10) GPS

I'm sure I've forgotten several things but this will get you started. (This is more involved than reloading, huh?)

Good luck!

 

[BigAl52]

Wow Huntin Floriduh seems like a real pain in the ass. It looks to me like it would be alot easier just to go to another state hunt and go back home. Time you strap all the stuff on and carry it to your spot you need about 10 people to go along just to carry all the essentials. Al

 

[patocazador]

It's the challenge, Al, you know that.
Can you imagine what it was like for the army fighting the Seminoles in the early 1800's? Disease, accidents, and vermin killed more of them than the Indians did.

 

[RonRC]

Wow! Like reading an adventure story in a magazine.
Glad to read that you weren't gobbled up by a giant alligator!
I don't mind snakes, even poisonous ones, but water moccasins scare the crap out of me.
Ron

 

[Old Smoke]

Remember the pics of the New Orleans area after the big hurricane 5 years ago?  They have water mocassins the size of tree logs.  Heck with that!