Registered: Dec 2005
Location: Buncombe Il.
Posts: 177

Down here at east point staying on St. George Island with the family this week and was just curious what the hunting was like down here??? We drove through a refuge called Tate's Hell this morning, and it got me to thinking what the hunting might be like down here??? Everywhere I go I always wonder what the hunting is like and how many coonhunter are in the area.. If anybody would like to respond it would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks
Bryan Webb

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Registered: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 593

Tate's Hell can be rough. No really easy hunting in this state. Gotta work gor these coons

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Mark

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Todd, North Carolina
Posts: 254

I moved to Florida three years ago. Having hunted in virtually every state where coon hunting with hounds exists, I would rate Peninsular Florida to be on the very bottom of the list of places for a coon hunter to enjoy releasing the dogs. My reasons are this:

1. Coon hunting, at least enjoyable coon hunting, is only possible in the winter months.

2. Florida is in the tropics meaning vegetation grows at warp speed and in many cases is impenetrable.

3. It's incredibly hot and humid here in the summer time.

4. Alligators are thick as fleas on a dog's back and live in the same habitat that coons live. They will kill and eat your hounds.

5. Cottonmouth water moccasins are found anywhere there's water as well. Rattlesnakes, the big, eastern diamondbacks with heads as big as your fist, are found in the palmettos and cane breaks that exist on higher ground.

6. Private land on which to hunt is in extreme short supply. The ranches where one can drive from bay head to bay head to spot hunt as we would do in the woodlots of the Midwest are being sold at record speed to developers. Public lands largely consist of pine scrub and sand with few hardwoods along the tributaries. I've lived here three years and without friends that have access to some existing ranches here in central Florida I would not have anything but state land to hunt.

7. Training pups here is extremely difficult due to all of the above reasons.

Despite all of the above, being able to hunt, if you can find a place, is great when everyone up north is iced in and suffering cabin fever. I lived in Michigan for 23 years and much of my time is spent daydreaming about the awesome hunting I had up there.

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Last edited by Steve Fielder on 07-22-2016 at 02:00 PM

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Registered: May 2016
Location: Palatka, FL
Posts: 5106

Steve hit on a lot of valid points and I will echo this as Steve also pointed out. Each area of our Great Country has it's good points and bad points. I have lived in FL for 67 years and even when I was young and could get around the woods I never liked the mountains of TN, NC, etc. Swamps are hard but easier on me than any mountain hunting I did.
I think when we get into these conversations we tend to tell you about the worse spots no matter what state your talking about. Coon Hunters are a tough breed and do a lot in all States most other types of hunters wouldn't think of doing.

With that said, I feel I have some good places to hunt as long as the coon cooperate. When asked about coonhunting and what type of terrain you have to go through my answer has always been. You pull up to a spot and turn the dogs loose. They generally end up in the worse swamp or thickest woods the coon can find. Every now and then we tree one on the side of a road but not often.

What I love is year round hunting. Only exception is Spring Gobbler season. Still can find a few places to hunt as most of the rules are club based rules.

Where Mr. Webb is asking about they have some type of vine in that area that has claws like a cat and can rip most shirts to threads. I experienced it once back in the late 70's at the state hunt held in Chipley, FL Since then I have stayed on my side of the state.

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Last edited by Bruce m. Conkey on 07-22-2016 at 04:47 PM

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Registered: Jun 2012
Location: McRae Ar
Posts: 3701

I'm glad I live where I do. We have our own issues with snakes, mosquitoes and such but it’s tolerable. The winters are not bad. We have a good coon population on the entire east side of the state and great hunting. The best part is it's not hard to get permission and if you don’t feel like it we have beautiful public ground with coon that you can hunt 9 months of the year. Private ground is year round. I haven’t hunted everywhere but I have hunted several states and I have not seen better hunting then we have here.

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Registered: Jul 2016
Location: Marianna,Fl
Posts: 9

I live 100 miles north of where your at, Tates hell is pretty rough hunting we got some great woods to hunt but theres always a chance they gonna get where you dont want them to. I still go 4-5 nights a week and its not unusual to fill your boots up with water once a week.

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Registered: Dec 2005
Location: Buncombe Il.
Posts: 177

thanks for the replies.. We've been down the last couple of years and my family really likes the island.. I did actually pass several trucks with dog boxes on the way through the small towns on our way back to the interstate.. Good to see hunters still out hunting.. Some people would say that I live in a coon hunters paradise, but the part of Illinois I live in is actually hilly with a medium coon population compared to the rest of Illinois.. The crazy thing is we don't have many hunters left and deer hunting has gotten huge and the places to hunt are down to basically state or federal forest ground when deer season is in..

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Todd, North Carolina
Posts: 254

Much of the negativity in my reply can be attributed to the fact that I'll be 70 years old. In the 70,s I hunted in Florida with John Miller of Tampa and in the 80's with Bill Slaughter and Wayne Bowman around Land O' Lakes and don't recall complaining. I hunted in thick rattlesnake country in West Texas in '69 and '70. Things change with age. I can still beat you to the tree on most ground but the fire that once drove me to a fever pitch now warms me to the idea of staying home most of these torrid Florida summer nights.

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Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Fayetteville.Ga
Posts: 2167

I talked ro MR. B last night and he filled me in on a few things. Is everything still going your way. H L

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Registered: May 2016
Location: Palatka, FL
Posts: 5106

Steve, I didn't see much negativity in your post. Kind of told it like it is. You have hunted around the country 100 times more than most of us have and seen about all of it.

You didn't even mention the swamp roads you have to drive down here and the number of trucks they tear up.

Steve two summers ago I was only 65 and hunted about 5 nights a week through the summer. This year after some heath issues that I feel I am starting to use more for excuses I am down to one maybe two nights a week. Good news is fall is just around the corner.

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Al
Posts: 3070

Neither of yawl mentioned the Black Berry Briers down here lol but hey that's where the coons are so we go there Iv lived all my life in the North West Fla Area, we hunt mostly Branches and big creeks, I like to hunt the open swamps cause they are easier to get around in but the races aren't that long in the open swamps ! I hunt summer and winter and have never really had an issue with the snakes or Gators but I know they are there !
Pick your turnouts carefully and you can have some good hunts ! and bring plenty of Ice water cause its show nuff hot down here

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Well Stanley,this looks like another fine mess you've gotten us into

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Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Iowa
Posts: 2961

Sounds like a good senior cast with me on it. Will turn the big 7...0 next Feb. Come on up to Iowa before winter & enjoy some good cornfield races!!! Was miserable last week with your humidity, but cool air & 60's tonight, so just might have to go tree a couple tonight. Take care, Ron

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Registered: Nov 2015
Location: st. augustine Fl
Posts: 311

I went last night 11 pm sweating bullets training young dog's i hunt public land and just getting to a spot to hunt is hard for the roads tore up clubs are expensive here around 1800 $ a year and still don't have the best of roads 3 day's ago Annabelle got snake bit by a ground rattler i carry a book bag with benadryl and bandages quite a few bear too only had one issue with a gator but i cleaned him main thing is the heat its miserable and I've been here all my life but i still hunt it eventually I'll get to hunt some farmlands up north but I'm not big on snow either .

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: monroeville OH
Posts: 2685

Florida!! ha that's just a place old folk go!! After they retire!! and all they do is sit around and complain about the weather!!like a bunch old ladies!! Yadkintar should join you all down there!! OOOhell no you guys have enough winers!!that would just add to it!!!lmao

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C.JONES

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Registered: Jun 2014
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 3370

I sure am glad I don't have to hunt in Florida with those gators and snakes and swamps and mosquitoes.

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Registered: Dec 2006
Location: Springfield, Ga.
Posts: 4254

quote:

---

Originally posted by Steve Fielder
I moved to Florida three years ago. Having hunted in virtually every state where coon hunting with hounds exists, I would rate Peninsular Florida to be on the very bottom of the list of places for a coon hunter to enjoy releasing the dogs. My reasons are this:

1. Coon hunting, at least enjoyable coon hunting, is only possible in the winter months.

2. Florida is in the tropics meaning vegetation grows at warp speed and in many cases is impenetrable.

3. It's incredibly hot and humid here in the summer time.

4. Alligators are thick as fleas on a dog's back and live in the same habitat that coons live. They will kill and eat your hounds.

5. Cottonmouth water moccasins are found anywhere there's water as well. Rattlesnakes, the big, eastern diamondbacks with heads as big as your fist, are found in the palmettos and cane breaks that exist on higher ground.

6. Private land on which to hunt is in extreme short supply. The ranches where one can drive from bay head to bay head to spot hunt as we would do in the woodlots of the Midwest are being sold at record speed to developers. Public lands largely consist of pine scrub and sand with few hardwoods along the tributaries. I've lived here three years and without friends that have access to some existing ranches here in central Florida I would not have anything but state land to hunt.

7. Training pups here is extremely difficult due to all of the above reasons.

Despite all of the above, being able to hunt, if you can find a place, is great when everyone up north is iced in and suffering cabin fever. I lived in Michigan for 23 years and much of my time is spent daydreaming about the awesome hunting I had up there.

---

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1513

I lived in Orlando area for a year and soon said see you later to florida. I can hunt way into winter most years. I enjoy the ice over sometimes just to get to see the hounds have to hunt out further to try and get a coon going.

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Registered: Jul 2004
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 2765

Rattlesnakes with heads as big as your fist,every kind of poisonous snake and spider god put on the continent and a bunch more he didn't,man/dog eatin gators.

Where do I sign Lmao

Bruce anaconda pond all yours buddy your a better man then I am. I'll stick to having to wear snow shoes couple months a year.

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Al
Posts: 3070

If you cant take the Heat Stay out of the Kitchen, cause its cookin right down here LOL. Im sure anyplace on the Gulf coast is pretty steamy right now , an it will be until mid October probably Morning Hunting is the best if you don't have to work ...

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Well Stanley,this looks like another fine mess you've gotten us into

Ray Hudson

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