Out of Town: Duck Season Opening Day

November 18, 2020 By Florida Sportsman

Out of Town: Duck Season Opening Day

Florida Sportsman member: Delta Duckman

Opening season in this slice of Georgia went off with a bang.

On November 14th, we were met with warm temperatures, a tide slightly above normal, and a slight breeze. We hit the marsh for another opening day of big duck season. We had guys in three different blinds on the duck lease. I hunted with my son and one of his friends and it started rather slow, but it was steady with some shots for us. I enjoyed letting the youngsters shoot, as I was the monkey in the middle hitting the duck call, trying to get ducks to work. We shot a mixed bag of greys, teal, one pintail, redheads and dos gris. We hunted until 9:00 and the three of us shot a total of 17. One of the other blinds shot a two man limit of twelve and the other blind shot six. We had a rookie in the group who shot his first duck. It's always nice to see that happen.

We just don't have opening days like we used to with a lot of ducks in the sky. I know those days are over, but there is always hope.

Some of my friends hunted other areas and did well, while others struggled. Location, location is king.

The second day of the opening weekend was a blue bird day, with the tide a little higher than Saturday and very little wind. Usually, there is a big drop off after opening day and this year was no different. We had guys in two blinds. Two of us in my blind shot four ducks and the other blind shot six.

Click here to respond to the Louisiana duck hunting report.

Latest from Georgia

Florida Sportsman member: mossyhorn9 & Missed

We've gotten two reports out of Georgia within the last month. Forum member, mossyhorn9, shoots a video of the first and second deer taken on his new property, as well as some unexpected wildlife.

The second deer taken on mossyhorn9's new plot in Georgia.

Forum member, Missed, also made a trip to Georgia and reports good action in the field. After seeing many bucks, does, and a few random gobblers while hunting with his father, they only take three deer and missed on one. See the full report for all of the details of the hunt.

Click here to respond to Missed's report.

Click here to respond to mossyhorn9's report.

Seven Minute Buck

Florida Sportsman member: 4WARD

Our fun time around here has been pretty scarce for the last few months. There's just been too much work, but that happens sometimes. Yesterday afternoon we had a little down time, so we took advantage of it. I'll just tell you our conversation as it happened.

Thirty minutes later.

Seven minutes later... YES! Just seven minutes.

Forum member gator4ever comments, "In my opinion, that is the best shot on a whitetail 1/4 away. Hits all the vitals and no meat loss."

Sometimes everything just comes together. QUICKLY.

I try not to brag, but sometimes I give in to being just too dang proud of my boys. Maybe it will inspire someone else to get their kids outdoors. It pays off.

Getting little gator meat, so the venison won't be lonely in the freezer.

A little over a week before this report, 4WARD got out on the water for a gator hunt, linked here.

They let the boys take the lead and they got it done. Life is good.

Click here to reply to 4WARD's hunting report.

Courtesy and Karma

Florida Sportsman member: creekgeek

I hunted Friday evening, but got lazy. I sat out in a big pine flat only 500 yards from the truck. I saw a box turtle at five yards, but he winded me and headed for deep cover at full turtle speed. Although the hunt was unproductive, I did enjoy a heck of a sunset that night.

I hunted morning or evening every day last week and only saw two deer. I was feeling a bit dejected. I slept in Saturday, which was a beautiful morning, of course. By noon, I was wishing I had hunted. I asked my girls if they wanted to hunt hogs at a private land feeder where it's hogs only. That didn't quite work out. Fine, I'm taking the bow for one more deer hunt. I took a speed shower, tossed my crap in the truck for deer and hit the road at 3:45. A bit late. I got to my spot and parked about 4:20. Dang it, late.

I slip through a narrow cypress strand and out into some pines, still about 1000 yards to go, but I hear a grunt and look up to see another hunter in his climber. I nod, he nods. I back out as quietly as possible. There are no vehicles anywhere near, us so I assume someone dropped him off.

Now what? Back to the truck. About 500 yards to the south, there is an oak hammock I hunted Tuesday evening, but it was a bit flooded. I did have a deer coming in heavy palms, but the wind was swirling and the deer ran off without blowing and I never saw it. I get into the oaks through the water. I know my big water oak is not dropping anything this year, but there are others. I look around quickly and hear an acorn drop, then another. I ease south 40 yards... green acorns and tracks galore. This is the spot. There's a wide open cypress tree right across a pretty deep ditch, but I crossed it Tuesday and the water is down 4 inches now. That's my tree. I get across and setup at 5:00PM. About 20 minutes in and squirrels are all over me and at least three water oaks within 20 yards are all raining acorns.

At least three water oaks within 20 yards from me are all raining acorns.

I catch a glimpse of a of deer through palm fronds at 60 yards looking right passed a tree I have put my nephew in before. I know the trail is there and now I'm a bit peeved I didn't sit up there. I didn't see the head, but I texted my buddy and said I saw a big body and it looked reddish brown. Maybe a small buck.

Then, 45 minutes of nothing until I see, just for a split second, a deer in that same direction now coming toward the acorns I saw to my north.

I stand, bow in hand. I'm thinking, "Okay, just come right there in the wide open for a snack at 20 yards." It's coming right to the spot. One more palm and I draw and it steps out...with horns. Now, it's after 6 and had drizzled just a bit and still cloudy. It's dark as hell in those oaks and I'm trying to size this buck up through my peep sight. I see antlers well above the ears and rounded out and multiple points, but his nose is on the ground. I'm holding on the kill zone. He turns further away. I'm up 25 feet holding high behind his ribs, trying to decide about tines and main beam and ....there's a lot going on!!! Thwack!!! I did it. Took the shot. Smacked his fanny.

He ran 25 yards and bashed a palm tree and a sapling and all is silent. I know he's dead right there. I pack up get down cross the ditch pick up my arrow and walk right to him. The moment of truth... no brow tines. But he's much longer than the six point I killed two weeks ago. Clearly beyond 10 inches and I'm estimating 12 to 13 at least. Here he is: fully legal and logged in. But I'll let you look him over and take some guesses about main beam. Courtesy and karma. I hope I didn't mess up the guy I walked in on. Without him, I would not harvested this buck. Thank you, sir.

Interestingly, the arrow in the picture is not the one I shot him with. That arrow was broken by a doe I killed there two years ago and I had just stuck the shaft in the dirt. And he died right there. I couldn't resist the picture. He weighed 110.

To see the entry and exit and respond to the report, click here.

Eight Point Down

Florida Sportsman member: mossyhorn9

https://youtu.be/M9sPWS8Nn0o

A video of mossyhorn9's archery hunting success on South Florida public land. An interesting addition to the hunt, these guys use electric bicycles to haul the game cart back to the house. They hang it up to be cleaned and explain how they like to process their deer, while documenting the steps on camera. It's a pretty graphic process, so watch at your discretion. But if you have a problem with it, you may be in the wrong place.

Click here to respond to mossyhorn9's report.

Latest Turkey Tales

Florida Sportsman member: various

The hunt for protein for the freezer has been on and the turkey haven't gotten the memo. Here's a few of the latest stories of some birds whose futures consist of meals and mounts.

Click here to read turkeyman's report.

Click here to read Ruff One's report.

Click here to read gottheitch22's report.

Click here to read turkeyman's previous report.

Birds Down

Florida Sportsman member: bluewater_fever, duckmanJR & micci_man

A few duck hunting reports have been made recently. One consisted of a fishing and hunting trip in east central Florida, the other covers some recent youth hunt opportunities in T.M. Goodwin. See the full reports below.

Click here to read the casting and blasting report.

Click here to read the youth hunting report.

Personal Best Hog

Florida Sportsman member: erik-the-red

I got this big boy right at dark Friday night with a shotgun. This was at the Hoot 'n Holler club in Perry, Fl. There were many of hogs, but they are usually hard to find because it's so thick out there. Good thing I am a lazy hunter who hunts 100 yards from the road. I dragged him out the woods by myself without a game cart. I then had to load him in the back of the truck. If I was in a WMA without vehicle access, I don't know how I would have gotten him out. I can't imagine having to drag him a mile.

Click here to read the full report.

Big Comeback on Birds

Florida Sportsman member: Cast_N_Blast

I hit the road and made my way to west central Florida to get after the divers. It was everything you could hope for in a diver hunt. Redheads, Canvasbacks, Bluebills, Ringers, and a pair of whistling ducks. Another three man limit in the books of some really nice birds. The next morning we set off to do something that I rarely do, hunt wood ducks. With the help of Travis Thompson from the Cast and Blast Florida podcast, I shot my first limit of wood ducks. And if this weekend wasn't already shaping up to be one of the best of my twelve years of waterfowling, the first bird I picked up had some jewelry on it. I was over the moon. I said my goodbyes to my west coast friends and made my way back east where we would try to end the weekend with a Sunday afternoon Bluebill hunt. Well, my good luck followed me and we knocked down an eight man limit in about an hour.

Click here to read the full report.

Hooked on Hogs

Florida Sportsman member: bgeorge

The pig moved back off. He thought his one chance was gone. About ten minutes later, out came the pig and worked its way back in. He put the shot right on the shoulder and dropped him in his tracks. The pig actually flipped on his back and kicked a bit. What happened next made me chuckle...

Click here to read the full report.

Small Game Season

Florida Sportsman member: bicyclist

So far, our tally is at one pig, one rabbit (one missed rabbit), two dove, three quail (seven missed quail, about seven separate coveys) and we have had no opportunity for woodcock or snipe. Lots of seed ticks. It has been a lot of fun so far. Lots of walking, good friends and happy dogs.

Click here to read the full report.

Sweet Taste of Redemption

Florida Sportsman member: josh_scott84

With all the wind, I was not able to hear them until they were almost on top of me. I stay situated, but begin to now watch both the holler and stub field. A short time later a mature seven pointer comes out in a brisk stride headed diagonally across the stub field in the same direction as the previous three. I had just enough time to bring my rifle to my chest, turn to the right at the hips, and squeeze off a shot. With the buck quartering towards me at 30 yards, the bullet entered his chest at the right shoulder, hit him directly in the heart, and exited the left rib cage. Upon being hit, the buck did a 180, bounded once, and piled up at the tree line where he landed. Not bad for my first buck.

Click here to read the full report.

Pre-Thanksgiving Buck

Florida Sportsman member: paranoid.android

He showed up shortly after a doe and yearling came in and gave a 30 yard broadside shot. It looked to me like he made a good shot, but there was no blood. So we gave it some time, so as not to push it if it wasn't. We went back after about an hour, and he had not gone 50 yards. This is his first buck and I'm so proud of him.

Click here to read the full report.

First Hunt First Deer

Florida Sportsman member: turkeyman

There is a doe and a yearling less than ten yards walking to the feeder. He is breathing hard and shaking. After the deer get to the feeder, I tell him to ease his gun up. I grab the shooting stick he lays the gun across it and I'm steady whispering to him pick your spot take your time. He is holding his gun on the stick and the doe is staring straight at us. Gabriel says to me, "We are busted." The doe starts stomping her feet, staring at the blind. Then she turns and walks straight away from us. I tell him to shoot the yearling. He moves the gun to his left some and the gun goes off. I can tell he hit her good.

Click here to read the full report.

Too Big for Boots

Florida Sportsman member: bgeorge

He popped up and gave the boat a quick look at about 20 feet. He circled back out thru stumps to open water and we got a hook on him. He circled hard and wide and back to the woods. He felt confident and popped up five yards before the thick stuff and we put two more hooks up by the front shoulders. Then he went under the mat of weeds (...) His head broke the surface and the newbie drove the dart four inches deep in the neck. One more for good measure and a quick bangstick took the fight out of him. We pulled he boat out dragging the gator to a bit more open water. We managed to get him rolled in and tagged. Two done before dark and put the boat back on the trailer. Scroll down bgeorge's report for more gator hunt success stories.

Click here to read the full report.

Late Season Lizard

Florida Sportsman member: 4WARD

The boys had me looking at just eyes on this sneaky boy, until he finally popped his nose out after several minutes and we knew he would be a keeper. We made a 100 yard run on him and the kids kept track of the bubbles. They are really good at it, luckily. Owen nailed him on first cast. He made a pretty long run, then just quit. He came right up to the boat and my buddy harpooned him. Then, he woke up. We let him give us a ride for 15 minutes or so until we got a clean shot on him with the bangstick. He wound up being a healthy 10'4”.

Click here to read the full report.

Her First One

Florida Sportsman member: Hollywoodcorolla

Upon the third sighting, the same buck comes back out and we are ready this time. It was funny seeing us crossing a field to shooting range. Shooting sticks up, the deer is in range, but he walks away after some does. The fourth sighting must have been our lucky one. The same buck appears again following does. The does walked him right towards us, about 100 yards away. I told her when he is broadside shoot. Bang! Buck drops.

Click here to read the full report.

Out of State Teal Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Delta Duckman

A nice teal compilation from various hunting trips in the southeast Louisiana Mississippi River Delta. We had a slow start to our season, but we did well the last two hunts.

Click here to read the full report.

Bonus Bird

Florida Sportsman member: bowhunter4life

I was on a quota archery hunt Saturday morning. I didn't see a deer that morning, but had a hog ten yards from my tree that I let slide. I got down out of my stand around 10am and was walking back to the truck, and was just starting to turn a corner close to a cypress head and saw three toms picking through a sand pile about 60 yards in front of me. You never saw a fat 50 year old man dive down back towards that cypress head so fast! I have no idea how they didn't see me. I decided to just sit in my location for five minutes and hoped they fed my direction, otherwise I'd start to see if I could close the distance on them. About three minutes later I catch movement coming up the edge, when he clears the brush he is 25 yards and staring at be broadside. I figured it's now or never and I let one fly! My first fall gobbler down!

Click here to read the full forum report.

First Hunt of the Season

Florida Sportsman member: Jonsredfishin

I took my five year old, Wyatt, out for his first hunt of the season this afternoon. I started taking him last year. You'd think that he actually shot the ducks the way that he celebrates after the shots. I didn't think that it was possible, but he's more ate up with killing ducks than I am. He's getting to be more of a help in the boat getting decoys ready and blinding the boat up than the 64 year old that I usually take.

Click here to read the full forum reports.

Out of State Record Gator

Florida Sportsman member: N/A

"A Georgia man and his daughter may have caught the largest alligator in the state's history. It was Derrick Snelson's second time gator hunting and his daughter Shelby's first. The possibly record-setting occurred earlier this month in Lake Eufaula, nearly 200 miles southwest of Atlanta. The reptile measured nearly 14 feet 2 inches. The Snelson family has skinned the animal for the meat and will have the rest of the gator mounted, although they joke they may have to build a bigger house for it to fit." -CNN Newsource

Click here to read the full report.

Big Cypress Buck

Florida Sportsman member: Chris71404

I guessed he would be at 45 yards, give or take a yard. I pulled my bow back and grunted at him while he stepped into the lane. He stopped, looked my way, and stood perfectly broadside. I aimed between pins and let the arrow fly. I thought I missed, until I heard "SCHWACKKK!" and he took off running. I kept eyes on him and heard him stop in a cypress head about 100 yards in front of me. I caught a glimpse of brown bobbing back and forth and a final splash in the water. I gave him about 20 minutes and found him, just where I had last seen him. He was a six point with a broken tine; a buck I had on camera on 8/17.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Gator Hunting Reports

Florida Sportsman member: various

Although it seems reports on gator hunts this year have been sparse on the forum, we've got a few good reports in a single feed. What great stories! A couple real dinosaurs, as well. Click the link below for a few tips and some great reads, including the story of Masons first gator, pictured above. "Mason reeled, tugged, groaned and grinned as he fought the lizard up to the boat. I stood ready with another line on a harpoon and took the first opportunity I had to get another line in it. Once the second line was secured, the odds shifted heavily in our favor and we brought him alongside where a splitting headache was introduced. As the bang-stick sounded, the fight was over and Mason promptly told me he felt like he was about to throw-up and his arms wouldn't stop shaking."

Click here to read the full forum reports.

Best Backstrap Tricks

Florida Sportsman member: MCSHunter

Put a half of back strap in a vacuum bag, add some Dale's liquid marinate. Seal the bag and put in sous vide cooker for eight hours on 110 degrees. Heat the grill super hot and sear the outside. Let sit a few minutes and dig in. This was the most tender and tasty meat I've ever eaten. This with a caesar salad was restaurant quality.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Old Hog, New Tricks

Florida Sportsman member: bswiv

As a perfect start to the day, we removed the big old soil turner in the picture. And a bonus to his removal, beyond the safety of our trees and the fact that his rootings will no longer impede fires, is that Louann cooked part of him for dinner. She sliced the backstrap thin, pounded it a bit and then after rubbing it down with honey, rolled it in seasoned meal and fried it.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Missouri Turkey Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Ruff One

I now can see three hens in the trees on the side of the ridge. I start clucking and purring real soft, hoping they will fly toward my set up. I hear wing beats, right in front of my blind. It's a gobbler, he lands right in Judas's face. Caught me by surprise. My gun is still laying against my blind. I duck down, get my gun, and turn on the red dot. I look up and find the gobbler, who has now moved off to about 25 yards. His head is up. Center red dot and it's all over. Judas, has a smile on her face. Stats: ten inch beard, one inch in spurs, weight 23.8 lbs. Nice mature bird.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Silent Spring Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Ruff One

I am into day three and my butt is sore. It's nine o'clock and I am having serious considerations about giving up. I have been mixing my calls up, using excited yelping with cutting on the end. Also, doing loud lost calling. In between, some soft purring. Just putting out a lot of turkey talk. Still, there is no turkey sounds but me. It's getting frustrating. I look away from my decoy and start checking out the area for a few minutes. Then, the only sound I have heard and it sounds like spitting and drumming. Can it be? I slowly come back around to my decoy and there he is, strutting right up to the decoy, doing his dance. I turn my red dot on, ease the gun up and putt once. His head comes up. It's over.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Turkey Season Wrap

Florida Sportsman member: joekat46

No gobbles. No yelps. We did a lot of loud calling, getting no response. As sometimes happens, you are looking one way, look back, and somehow two jakes are now standing in the decoys. Never a gobble or jake cutt. It would have been normal for this pair to start pecking at the Funky Chicken decoy, but they kept looking back. They knew who was coming. We heard a distant gobble. Then more gobbles as he approached. Two hens had also joined the party, so when this gobbler ducked through a fence and entered the pasture he would have seen two live jakes, two live hens, and three decoys. Larry had seen him first and whispered, "There he is - he's a shooter." I was ready and popped him at 22 yards. We were done by 8:10 am. We had spent a lot of time scouting, listening, and checking trail cameras and it paid off.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Dads Ducks

Florida Sportsman member: Jonsredfishin

As legal light approached we were surrounded by wood ducks making their morning calls and had several flying over. “Shoot daddy! “Shoot daddy!” “Not yet.” At legal light we had four singles fly over the boat that I would of killed on any other day. I wanted Wyatt to see decoying birds. Finally, after a few minutes, two groups of five Woodrows start circling in on our decoys. The birds were calling and Wyatt was calling right back at them. “Daddy, they're coming”. His continuous calling seemed to of had them confused and they were making all sorts of strange chuckles right back at him. After about five loops around our decoys, I picked out a pretty drake at 15 yards and folded him up in Wyatt's decoys. “YOU GOT HIM DADDY! GREAT SHOT! LETS GO GET HIM!” and high fives all around! We had wood ducks calling and landing all around us. We had killed the perfect bird and it had shown my son everything that I wanted him to learn.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Annual Alabama Bucks

Florida Sportsman member: fla cracker

We are up in southeast Alabama for our annual deer hunt. This morning was our best single hunt. I shot a a old eight point, which was about 150 pounds. My son shot his best deer to date. An eight point weighing 196 pounds. Recovering my deer was extreme event! He ran a good, 200 yards or better and finished it off with a jump down a ravine in a fast moving creek. He got hung up on a branch. I had climb down and drag him out of the water and down the bank to keep him clear of the water. Eventually, we had to pull and push him up the embankment and the field, dress him to drag him a significant distance up hill to get close enough to winch the final distance. A definite challenge. Great memories made today!

Click here to read the full forum report.

Double Dipping in the Bayou

Florida Sportsman member: Delta Duckman

Our duck season has been way off of our regular pace this year in southeast Louisiana. Saving our season are Lesser Scaup, or "dosgris" in Louisiana, that have showed up by the thousands. They have done a similar thing the last few years late season. They roost in the marsh prairie and go the Mississippi river to the grain complexes to eat what falls in the river in the morning. Back and forth every day and we are in line with the flight path. Game on!

Click here to read the full forum report.

Big Tennessee Buck

Florida Sportsman member: ibhuntng

I've been getting pictures of this deer all summer. I waited until muzzleloader season opened to start hunting him. Tuesday morning, I was watching a doe when I saw a nice eight pointer coming to her. I was trying to video the eight when I looked back at the doe I saw the big deer with her. I laid down the camera and picked up my muzzleloader. I made the 40 yard shot and he ran off. After an hour, I got down and he didn't run 50 yards. He was the biggest deer I've ever hunted. 20 scoreable points, 20 inch inside spread and six inch bases.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Florida Whitetail Airgun Harvest

Florida Sportsman member: Florida Bullfrog

The gun she used is a .45 caliber. The load out was a 145 grain 45-70 bullet that I hand cast out of random tire weight lead. The speed of those bullets on the gun's current power level is roughly 1100fps or just a hair under. The shot distance was a bit over 50 yards. The deer took the hit, ran a circle in the thick and ended up crumpling about 35 yards from where she was shot.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Gigging in the Glades

Florida Sportsman member: EBOutdoors

We went out frogging last weekend and had a blast! The frogs were plentiful and so were the gators! We got in the water off 41, just past the casino and crossed the mud canal to the back square. It was definitely better frogging in the back.

Click here to read the full forum report.

2018 Turkey Season

Florida Sportsman member: brokeoff

After having two other successful hunts, things slowed dramatically as the weather and the birds just didn't work out right. I was finally able to get back in the game last week. I called up seven different birds that week, but was only able to connect with two of them. I got the first at 0720, then called in another that I killed at 0805. The next day, I had a bird at 20 yards, but it was so thick that I couldn't get a clear shot. I decided to save him for Saturday and took my son and he was able to connect.

Click here to read the full forum report.

Out of State Hunts

Florida Sportsman member: omegafoo

Day one was the best weather of the trip. Mild, sunny and an overall beautiful day! It ended with 7 miles on the boots, 20K+ steps and 85 floors climbed. I got lucky with a HEAVY Kentucky gobbler! I wish I had a scale to be able to weigh his fat behind, but we didn't. We happened to sit down in the right spot around the corner from him. From the time he gobbled, until the time he was within range was maybe 3-5 minutes. The problem is that he came in behind some stuff and I couldn't initially see him. He made his presence known because he started putting, presumably because he wasn't seeing the hen that he expected. As he started moving up one of the mining slopes to the next bench. I finally got a glimpse, but he was hugging the back edge and quickly disappeared. I started purring at him and when he stepped back up close enough to the edge, I let the 20ga bark and quickly had my Kentucky bird down.

Click here to read the full forum report.

First Gobbler

Florida Sportsman member: KayakMacGyver

I stuck to my game plan of playing hard to get, but the Tom was doing the same. He seemed content to solo dancing 300 yards out and in my mind I was beginning to draft my excuses. Around 7:45 a beardless wrench pitched down out of the tree behind us and split our difference. The hen watched the gobbler strut for five or so minutes and then casually went to feeding paying no more mind. The live bait clearly worked as the gobbler began working his way in our direction, but I figured that it would only prove to tease. The hen was 150 yards out and obviously he would join her and off they would go. As the hen slowly fed parallel to us toward a cypress head, the gobbler paraded onward. When the cut ran out of seeing room the hen disappeared but for whatever reason the Tom kept coming to the serenade of my pot call Henrietta. From 150 to 50 he closed the gap FAST. As he gained a trot, Alicia and I both enjoyed watching the 4k slow motion pendulum swing of his beard in seemingly perfect cadence with our heartbeats.. I had the perfect shot every step of the way but we were waiting on him to make a 90 degree right turn for Alicia to get the shot within 40 yards. At 30 yards he went into full strut, spit and drum then hung a fully scripted right turn. At this point, Alicia was 100% green light and she let him dance a little longer before dropping the hammer at 20 yards. 10" beard and 1.5" spurs.

Click here to read the full forum report.

First Youth Turkey Season

Florida Sportsman member: omegafoo

A couple minutes go by and a crow has him gobbling, back around 50 yards. I hit him hard again with both calls and I'm immediately cut off before I go silent again. Again minutes go by and a crow makes him gobble again, this time CLOSE! I turn to my little window to see behind us and see him in full strut in the pine row next to us. He's guaranteed to be strutting into our pine row, which is mostly open, at any point. It was at this point that I went into scramble mode! Closing my camp chair and putting it to the side. Grabbing the shooting stick, grabbing the gun, watching the bird, getting lil 'foo around and to the back, whispering to him about what's about to happen and what I'm about to do. I get him around, gun cocked and on the stick. I've got one of the bungees unstrapped. I've got the door buckle in my hand and telling him that when I open it he needs to find the turkeys head and shoot, quickly. As I unclick the buckle I turned it just right to have the strap fall out of the buckle and the bottom of the door drop straight to the ground! I watched him go from strut to upright, in a perfect shooting pose, although not completely alerted (his head was still red/white/blue and had not gone to alert red). I'm whispering "shoot him". I'm looking at him out the window and I can clearly see his head and it's PERFECT for the shot - straight up high! "You need to hurry up and shoot him...shoot him!" *Boom* and the turkey goes to flopping! The biggest sense of relief followed by the biggest sense of joy finally comes washing over me. I open the door completely and let him loose to go do the obligatory stand on his head moment! I quickly followed him out the door to congratulate him on his mighty accomplishment at his age!

Click here to read the 3/22 report.

Second Week Recap

Florida Sportsman member: Baccala

Paul is doing some very light calling and at one point we are both texting when he hits me in the leg and goes, "Strutter". There he is, in full strut and contemplating kicking the decoys butt. He has a hen with him that he was following and is trying to make a decision as to what to do. Paul takes over and calms the hen down while I tell him I need the bird to come left more, as I could not see him. Paul focuses his calling, the bird takes a few steps left and lights out. Second bird down for the day and he's a wall hanger.

Click here to read the 3/12 report.

Opening Morning Turkey

Florida Sportsman member: gritsnhuntin1

Opening morning was a success for forum member gritsnhuntin1. He landed a nice bird on public land and reported seeing three gobblers all in close range.

Click here to check the full forum report.

Guana Youth Hunt 2018

Florida Sportsman member: Cast_N_Blast

The annual Guana Youth Hunt was another success this year, check out the photos in the full report below.

Click here to check the full forum report.

Scouting Surprise

Florida Sportsman member: jball

Went to scout a new spot for an upcoming hunt and ran across a few coveys in the process! No limits, but not too bad for a quick trip close to the house. Public land targeting sandhill habitats with regular fire. Saw quite a few fox squirrels as well.

Click here to check the full forum report.

Castin' and Blastin'

Florida Sportsman member: Cast&Blast

Stef and I took off to the Gulf Friday morning to chase some redheads and do some camping in the Big Bend region. It was really refreshing to have a productive hunt without 15 bozos setting up right on top of us for once. From there, we headed back towards North Florida to one of my favorite lakes to meet up with our good friends, Justin and Madison. Justin and I went out for the morning hunt while the ladies slept in and then swapped out or guns for our crappie rods. Well after doing a good bit of traveling for these fish in the last two years and hearing about these epic bites, it finally happened for us! We fished for about three hours and caught 30+ fish, with ten being 12" or more in the 1.6 lb to 1.8 lb range. Madison was the big winner with an absolute trophy that was 15" and 2.1 lbs!

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First Thermo Imaging Wild Hog

Florida Sportsman member: jimglass

My trail camera was showing hog in the bait at 7:00 PM so I set up at 6:15 PM for an ambush. At 7:00 PM I scanned the jungle and spotted a hog in the brush. I shot several minutes of video waiting for a clear shot at the hog. By this time I couldn't keep my leg from shaking. Finally the hog just left. I had a gut feeling it would return, an hour later 8:00 pm, I scanned the brush and saw two hogs headed for my bait pile. When I had a clear shot at the lead hog I fired, the hog flinched and took off running. I'm thinking, "Crap, did I miss again?" At least I had a video and could replay it to see what happened. Well, I made a good shot if the scope was dialed in. At 67, alone in the jungle I was not going to hunt for the downed hog that might not exist. Next day I take the 9mm for a walk in the jungle and found the hog. The shot I made was an angular shot instead of a shot broad side.

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Brooks County Buck

Florida Sportsman member: rrbgtt

She has a stand in a thick river bottom that is a great travel lane, but it's thick and difficult to get a shot. She saw the buck around 9:00 circling her, but couldn't tell how big he was. He stopped one time with his antlers behind a tree. She didn't take the shot, because she had seen a small 6 point earlier and wasn't sure which buck it was. She accidentally made a noise when she took her head back up to watch him and he started running in circles and left. Less than an hour later, he comes running back through grunting and she made a loud noise to get him to stop. It worked, the buck stopped quartering away from her at less than 30 yards. I got a call after hearing the shot and she said, " I just rolled a beast, come running!"

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The Boys Michigan Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Ol Mucky

Around 7:50, about 400 yards away, I spot a deer at the backside of the potatoe field. Then another. Then a BEAST of another. Wasn't any question, at this distance they were all good deer. I told him to get his gun, keep his scope on that front one, because they are going to walk right to us and pass in the grassy transition to get into the corn. And that's what they did. It was approx 8:07 and getting low light. The first deer is now 70 yards or so and stops at the edge of the properties near the grassy spot. I said, "Son, that deer is ok to shoot now. When you are comfortable, and he presents the shot, do it" He never really said much more. I just reminded him again, "he's not going anywhere, take him when your ready, exhale, and shoot." 8:10 BOOM!

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Hunting "Surf and Turf"

Florida Sportsman member: 4WARD

Saturday morning we had good low wind and were in the right spot to just get it done. We had a 7'10 and a 8'3 gator in less than an hour. This morning, with plans to fire up the smoker at 5AM, I was informed that my youngest was past due on deer hunting. We headed to the stand at 6:45 and young Cody got his first buck at about 7:30. Blood trailed for 200 yards to where it jumped a fence, we backed out and called the neighbor and FWC just to cover our butts. Never heard from anyone, so after two hours, I went in. We trailed a stand up blood line for more than 600 yards, but we found him.

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Putnam County Whitetail

Florida Sportsman: Brandon Moore

As I sat, waiting on daylight in a big oak hammock, I could hear stuff walking all around me. Pretty soon it got light enough for me to see outlines of four deer coming down the lane towards the corn pile. They stopped for a second and kept walking. Right after they left, here comes a doe with a buck that I made out as a seven point. They hung out for a few minutes, and left. The doe made a circle and came back. I heard a grunt and looked over to where she came from and there was this pretty beast. He came in broadside at 22 yards. I got ready to shoot and look behind him and here comes a little basket rack 6 point. It was now or never, before he runs that buck off. I squeezed the trigger on my crossbow and heard the hit. He ran about 30 yards and I heard him crashing in the bushes.

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Clay County 10pt Deer Down

Florida Sportsman: Zach Cox

A rainy Tuesday afternoon hunt turned into a hunt of a lifetime! The hunt started out a little overcast. The deer started moving earlier than normal. By 7:00pm, I had two does and four yearlings feeding in front of me. A young four point came in shortly after, and began chasing the two does. Around that time, the clouds and rain started rolling in. I got rained on for about ten minutes straight, and all the deer headed back towards the swamp bottom. With no cover, I was debating on getting down and calling it a night, however the rain shortly subsided. After the rain passed through, I continued to use my grunt call. At approximately 7:20pm, a doe and a yearling started walking to me from the opposite side of the swamp bottom. I could see a deer following them in the distance, however I couldn't tell what it was. The doe and yearling came in and began to feed. As the deer in the distance got closer, I could tell it was a small buck. At about 50 yards out, the buck walked into a block of woods to the left of my stand. The doe and yearling continued to feed, and eventually walked away. The rest of the hunt I studied the block of woods where I last saw that buck enter. Around 7:25pm, I could see a silhouette a deer emerging from the block of woods. I knew it had to be that buck I saw earlier. The deer stopped just before breaking the wood line. A few minutes went by, and the deer still didn't move. All of a sudden, I could hear what sounded like another deer walking through the woods. In between me and the deer I was watching, another deer broke through the wood line. All I could see was antlers. This definitely wasn't the same buck I saw earlier. All I could tell was he was definitely a shooter! He stopped about 40 yards out, in a wide open cut we made earlier this season with our tractor. As I was reaching to move my pin to my 40 yard mark, he started walking right towards me. At about 20 yards out, he walked behind some small brush. Being that I didn't have cover, I figured this would be my best opportunity to draw on him. Once I came to full draw, he heard my arrow slide against my whisker biscuit and stopped dead in his tracks. I stood at full draw for about a minute or two, which felt like forever. He took three more steps and continued walking. I grunted twice and he stopped, giving me a perfect 20 yard broadside shot. My Mathews ZXT and Rage 2.0” broadhead did the rest! He is by far the best Florida deer I have ever harvested!

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A True Dinosaur

Florida Sportsmen member: KayakMacGyver

"After a lot of years of gator hunting, several missed opportunities and hundreds of hours spent on the water, we finally got ‘the man'." We can't even begin to summarize this report from KayakMacGyver and his wife, but it sure is a must-read.

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Gator Hunts

Florida Sportsmen member: KayakMacGyver

I focused on getting the gator to surface with the single snatch hook while Alicia got the crossbow ready for a shot. When the gator finally popped up, Alicia made an incredible shot, putting the bolt right into the eye. Not ideal shot placement, but at three feet away it did the trick. And what a shot it was. The battle ended shortly thereafter with a .44 mag detonating just below the water, which almost blew out my eardrum.

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First Gator Catch & Cook

Florida Sportsmen member: landshark

We probably hooked up to eight gators, ranging from five to ten feet in length, with many of them being pulled hooks. We used a giant treble hook, hooked straight to a Bimini section of 40 pound braid on one of my nine foot snook rods. After a few hours, we harvested two male gators at 8'2" and 8'4". No giants, but we didn't see many bigger, except the one ten footer that managed to break free after a short fight.

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Kissimmee River Giant

Florida Sportsmen member: campertop

Hunters Chris Bishop, Shane Milstead, Hal Camp Jr. bagged a giant, 13-foot gator, weighing in over 700-pounds recently on the Kissimmee River."We were running up river and as we came around a corner it jumped off the bank. It left a bubble trail as it was swimming along the bottom and I was able to snag it. It ran out into the middle of the river and we got a second hook in it. Even with two rods in it we weren't able to move it off the bottom. I threw the bridge gaff up current of it and got that in it as well. Eventually I was able to pull it up to the boat where we harpooned it. It ran across the river taking almost all the rope. We were able to pull it back up to the boat and bang stick it. We pulled it over to the bank and it took over an hour for the three of us to get it in the boat," said Bishop.

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Six Days and One Arrow Later

Florida Sportsman: Melanie Flower

Here is Melanie Flower's prize kill from this weekend. She hunted for six days in the same stand for over 35 hours when this guy finally made an appearance. On our trail cameras we named him "Tall Tines". She shot him on her hunting lease in Highlands County in Zone A on her second weekend of archery with her excalibur crossbow. When she shot, he took three steps, then toppled over. "It was a very exhilarating morning!"

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Checking the Trail Cams

Florida Sportsman member: Panhandler80

Typically, this time of year, I have almost all bucks and very few does. In fact, I almost always have my best bucks on film after the first week. Anyway, this year week one had just a few little scrub bucks and a bunch of does. One camera was on a high traffic area over a plot and the other back in the woods, with some scattered corn. The only thing that's changed between this year and the prior two seasons, would be the summer plots that I put in this year. The landscape changed big time with cutting three years ago, but that had no real effect on what deer I saw, where or when.

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Hogs in the Salt Marsh

Florida Sportsman member: DJW

I found some hogs rooting in the salt marsh area of some land I hunt. I found them feeding at 7:30 pm. I had previously focused on the various, low, fresh water areas of the property and largely ignored the salt marsh.

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Out of State: Kansas Turkey Hunting

Florida Sportsman member: omegafoo

My first bird of the week was probably 20-22 pounds and a double beard and subsequently my first Rio and my first double beard. My second bird was a stud at 22 pounds, 10 1/4" beard and 1 3/8" spurs! The other birds were all 20+ pounds and had varying beards from 9 3/4" up to 11 1/4" with the other spurs all around 1 - 1 1/8"

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Two Hogs, One Arrow

Florida Sportsman member: 22donk

I knew there was a group of 40-60 pound hogs frequenting the feeder, so I was hopeful they would show up before dark. Long story short, they came in and one sow gave me a shot, so I drew and anchored. As I settled my pin, a larger boar hog stepped in line with the sow. I could have either let down to wait for a clear shot, or go for the double. I obviously went with option two! I recovered the first hog in about 30 yards with a liver/slight offside single lung hit, the second went about 100 yards with a liver and lengthwise skewered lung. I used my Mathews Heli-M 420 grain Gold Tip Arrow with a QAD Exodus Swept broadhead.

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Unconventional Spring Turkey Hunts

Florida Sportsman member: Ruff One

I rearrange my decoy, and start some aggressive calling. At 9:00, I see a head bobbing up an down. It's a hen. I look behind her and there are two red heads following her. They are a little to far, so I start some cutting and the gobblers drop out of strut and run right to me.

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Lil' Turkey Hunter

Florida Sportsman member: Yoder409

On our youth day this past Saturday morning, she took a 30 yard shot and was rewarded with a good one with 10 3/4" beard and 1 1/4" spurs!

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Turkey Hunt Success

Florida Sportsman member: micci_man

We heard eight different birds gobbling and two were only a couple hundred yards away. He beat the quickest hunt time. Ten to twelve minutes after the first call, bird down. Nine and a half inch beard .75" spurs.

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North Georgia Public Land Turkey

Florida Sportsman member: Glenn

The next 30 minutes was a textbook turkey hunt. I called very softly and then would do some yelps on the box call. Before I knew it, I could see the bird moving up the pine ridge to me and closing fast. He got to 40 yards and I dropped him with the 20 gauge.

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Turkey Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: shemp

He puffed up to strut or gobble again, gave me a shot window, put his head up when I finalized my aim, and he went down stone cold.

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Hog Hunting

Florida Sportsman member: bswiv

We have had a growing hog problem at the farm. We just plated a bunch of new trees ( 120,000 ) and the hogs immediately showed a desire to mess with them. We had to get serious.

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Turkey Youth Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Baccala

Ten and 3/4 inch beard and best to date, as of right now. It's going on the wall, unless my wife or other son beats him.

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Guana Youth Hunt Success

Florida Sportsman member: JaxQuack

Saturday was a great time for those at Guana. Mother Nature made sure to let the kids know that she was in charge, as she graced them with winds out of the north, 20-22mph. In all, a handful of ducks were harvested, which included a crack-shot 15-year-old getting her limit of green-winged teal.

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Small Game Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: creekgeek

More recently, I've had both my girls in the woods for some tree rat fun. Marina, the older one likes to shoot the .22, but she has not wanted to shoot anything other than pinecones or the stray beer can. Sophia just likes the woods and is not a shooter yet. They certainly are not shy of wild game harvest however.

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Florida Buck on Call

Florida Sportsman member: Panhandler80

Hunted most of the day, and this was the first deer I saw. This was the first Florida buck that I've ever called in. He was long gone when I caught him in the binoculars. I gave the grunt call pure hell and he did 270 degree turn and came to me on a rope.

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Ducks for Days

Florida Sportsman member: Cast&Blast

I have been logging some miles the last few weeks and have been able to have a couple really good hunts with some new friends. My freezer is looking great at this point.

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World Record 47 Point Buck!

Florida Sportsman member: emaxwell

Stephen Tucker of Gallatin, Tennessee took down a world record 47-point buck with his muzzleloader. The buck is a contender to be the world's largest hunter-taken whitetail of all time. The antlers could be worth more than $100,000. Tucker's estimated 3.5 year old deer weighed in at 150 pounds.

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140" Stud Buck Three Years in the Making

Florida Sportsman member: omegafoo

I catch movement at 30 yards through the brush. He throws his head up and looks dead at me, and I'm already frozen, and seemingly looks through me. When he threw his head up all I could see was mass in these main beams that were outside his ears.

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First Gadsden County Doe

Florida Sportsman member: bottomtime

As he lowered his head back to the scope, the lead doe saw the movement and perked up in an alert stance. I whispered to him that he had to take the shot now or never and I saw his finger move to the trigger. Just as my eyes got back on the doe, I heard the shot and watched her roll over and lunge into the brush. Mason looked up, looked at me and screamed, "I got her!"

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Solid Archery Sow

Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian

I had a group of five hogs coming in regularly. Here was the opportunity I was looking for with a 20 yard stand I put up not too long ago. Got a 140 lb sow and a selfie.

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Out of State Kansas Buck

Florida Sportsman member: gottheitch22

What's really crazy is I had four bucks all the same size in front of me. Got this one with a Savage 300wm in Kansas last week.

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Family Duck Hunting

Florida Sportsman member: Cast&Blast

I finally got my little brother out to a spot where he'd actually be able to pull the trigger and dropped his first duck on a killer pass shot. It was a stud green winged teal! I also got my first Pintail during that hunt. We both were pretty pumped.

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Duck Dog Boat Training

Florida Sportsman member: BodieDrake

Forum member BodieDrake put together a quick video with some helpful tips to teach your duck dog proper boat etiquette.

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Missouri Buck with Remington

Florida Sportsman member: Ruff One

Finally on Monday morning at the crack of dawn, a buck chases a doe by me. He stops and gives me an opening and that little old .243 goes off and he disappears over the hill. I walk to where I saw him go, and there he is laying behind the tree. He was a nice mature 10 pt, with a live weight of 245lbs.

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Brooks County Buck

Florida Sportsman member: Fletch

Not the one I really wanted, but this was a buck I had not seen before and I just couldn't pass him up. Just shy of a 20 inch spread and G2's approaching 11 inches.

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Illinois Bow Buck

Florida Sportsman member: Panhandler80

I was knocked and prepared to stand up if he went past and behind me. Instead, he hung his right and crossed me at what I thought was 25 yards. It was actually about 20. Anyway, I let it fly and he never heard/saw/felt it coming. Thank goodness.

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South Carolina Bow Buck

Florida Sportsman member: Shine

Took this bruiser Sunday morning near Ridgeland, SC. I had a 17 yard shot that looked like a direct hit in the gear box. Arrow had made a perfect hit on the heart/lung section. About 120", 148 lbs, about five and a half years old. Cause of death: died of a broken heart.

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Jacksonville Hog Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: BAJAOKLA

On that first evening I told Matt that the hogs should show up at the igloo stand around 6:00 pm. And they did. He watched them for a while, picked out a nice young boar and put it down with a shot to the head. It ended up weighing 112 lbs, a good eating size.

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Big Buck with a Bow

Florida Sportsman member: hunter27

I got my first Florida buck and my first buck with a bow! Chasing does right after first light, first week of October, 180 pounds and almost 16" wide.

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First Florida Buck

Florida Sportsman member: Lucky Hook II

I was invited to hunt a Northern Florida WMA this past weekend and it turned out to be an awesome hunt! Between my buddy and I, we saw 22 deer of which two were shooters. I was able to harvest a nice eight pointer that weighed 122 pounds.

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Father and Son Deer Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Baccala

We started our walk and didn't even round the corner and had a few does in our site, but wanted to move into better range and cover. We crawled up on a big bush with this one in our sites at about 75 yards. Now we are set up perfect wind in our face and all the cover we need, my son has the rifle on the bi-pod and the deer is broad side.

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Air Rifle Squirrel Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Florida Bullfrog

I love the early squirrel season we've been having for a few years now and that we can now also use air guns. This is a .30 airgun I'm using that is shooting 50 grain pellets at 890fps.

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Deer Hunt: Redemption

Florida Sportsman member: bluefieldbowhunter

I decided that if he lifted his head again I would draw and try to get a good look for a shot and as if on cue he lifted his head up and away from me and I drew, quickly settled my pin and squeezed the trigger. I heard and saw it thump him and he ran through the brush and heard him crashing through a flag pond where I thought I heard him pile up.

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Deer Hunt: Unique Buck

Florida Sportsman member: Reel Teal

I shot this unique 8 point yesterday. This buck I got a shot on last year but my arrow practically bounced right off of him and he ran off. He showed up again this year and gave me another chance. This time he only went 40 yards.

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Gator Hunts: Teach the Next Generation

Florida Sportsman member: bgeorge

Passing on our outdoor activities to the next generations is so important to us. Here are a few pics so far of gators from the public water hunts. Just a little over a month left and still have many more to fill.

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STA Teal

Florida Sportsman member: boneheadhunting

The key for us was the 2 mojos we had out. The guys to our right didn't have any and another group of guys 100 yards to our left didn't either and neither of them shot any. We didn't take a shot more than 15 yards, all decoying ducks.

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A Great Start

Florida Sportsman member: dilligaf84

My first sit of the season was very uneventful until this guy showed up last minute. He isn't a monster but great way to start the season!

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Public Land Stud

Florida Sportsman member:dolfan450r

Finally was able to get a quota for a place I've tried several years in a row and it paid off. I got this guy this morning, it was nice after having a no buck year last year.

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First of the Season

Florida Sportsman member:down4dacount

At 8:20 heard a deer coming from in front. I could see a nose and a rack. Oh yeah, right at 20 yards too. As soon as he turned, I drew back, put the 20 yard pin on him and squeezed trigger.

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Filling Tags

Florida Sportsman member: bswiv

To make it harder there was a good bit of wind which relegated our efforts to a very small area. Fortunately everybody else was to smart to go gator hunting in such weather so we were unmolested.

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Pork for Dinner

Florida Sportsman member: BAJAOKLA

We got in the stand about 4:30 pm and soon saw three "scout pigs" come to the edge of the feeder area. The real activity started about 7:30 pm we watched two separate sounders of hogs come to the feeder. One sounder had sixteen hogs and the other had over a dozen. They weren't big hogs but just the right size for the smoker.

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Summertime Hogs

Florida Sportsman member: BAJAOKLA

The hogs were right on time and came into the new feeder at 8:18 pm. We watched them feed for about ten minutes and then picked out one that looked like it would make a nice batch of bratwurst. Andy nailed his hog right behind the ear with the .270 and it went down like a rock.

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Frog Gigging Fun

Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian

This past Friday my 15 yr old daughter & I were fortunate enough to have a good friend named Winfield who took us frog gigging on one of his local lakes.

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Big Pig

Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian

Facing away from us the whole time it never did turn sideways but it did turn its head to look in our direction two times. On the second time Kaitlyn took the shot at the base of the ear with the lil' 5.56/223 black rifle and the big pig just dropped.

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A Trip out West

Florida Sportsman member: gottheitch22

The first one took about 15 minutes to kill, we knew where the bird would be. We heard him when we got to the spot, ended up setting up in a cattle pen and called him in from about 400 yards. The bird came in on a dead run and was killed at 30 yards.

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Orange County Turkeys

Florida Sportsman member: BCSAILS

The gobbler gets to the same decoy set as I had and jumps on the jake. No shot yet and I'm thinking what the hell? Then boom, a miss! The boy loads another shell in his pump gun, bird jumps up, but stays and re-attacks, then boom again and he jelly heads him!

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Tagged Out

Florida Sportsman member: Glenn

The next couple of minutes go by quickly as he is looking for a hen and moving around in the tall grass. He finally stops and gives me a clean shot and I laid him out with the Stevens 20 gauge with Federal Heavyweight #6's.

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Good Season so Far

Florida Sportsman member: down4dacount

It's been a good season with lot's of encounters. Youth hunt with my daughter,friend and his son the birds never got closer than 50 yards, but the kids had fun. Also they got the privilege to see four panthers, a big female with three big kitties.

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Playing Guide for the Day

Florida Sportsman member: DUCKWHACKER

At 7:30, he spots two hens followed by a gobbler 80 to 100 yards out, but he shows no interest in leaving the girls. At 8:25 I hear a gobbler cluck to our right followed by a bird walking off the end of the tram and slipping through the hardwoods. Dad says he can make the shot and flips the bird onto his back, graveyard dead at 44 yards.

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Dad Bags a Good One

Florida Sportsman member: Glenn

My dad said he was able to set up about 70 yards from him on the roost and the bird stayed in the tree till 8:00am. Once he dropped out of the tree like batman it took him about 20 minutes to get within range of my dad.

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Bird Down

Florida Sportsman member: surfman

Frustrated we decided to go to another spot we had luck at in the past and finally we hear a turkey gobble. Yippie that is great. Finally a single gobbler comes in and my buddy gets to take the shot. Success!

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Opening Day Success

Florida Sportsman member: FloridaHunter1

We got set up and the first call I did on the box a bird gobbled, we couldn't believe it! and for the next half hour before legal light we had about five birds on the roost gobbling their heads off. Then for two hours straight I had them gobbling all around us, not five minutes went by that four or five didn't gobble.

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Weekend Quail Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian

Two weekends ago, I and five other adult Boy Scout leaders (from Geezer Patrol) got together to share a little bonding time at the Broomsage Quail Plantation in Callahan. Here's our trip as seen through the eyes of a lens.

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Hogs at the Camp

Florida Sportsman member: swamp munky

We went out yesterday late afternoon and had some good daylight success. My lease is located in central Florida. They were on a feeder when we pulled up to fill it and the picture kind of says the rest.

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Birthday Quail Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian

Last weekend for my son Casey's 17th birthday I took him and his good friend Harrison out for a quail hunt at Broomsage Quail Plantation in Callahan FL. Casey graciously allowed his sister to come too. Having hunted quail, partridge, woodcock and pheasants with my Brittany as a child I wanted to pass on the joy of watching bird dogs work.

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Youth Hunt Fun

Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian

There was no way we were gonna get back to the ramp if we hit open water to make it to a favorite spot. So we stayed close and stayed in the interior. Ended up with quite a few ducks in the dekes. There was teal, coots, tons of scaup (bluebills), had a pintail work us plus a shoveler and a pair of big ducks I didn't identify.

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Ending the Season Right

Florida Sportsman member: Cast&Blast

We put out about 50 decoys and got into the blind and within minutes we had a beautiful drake redhead lit up in the setting sun drop in with his landing gear down right in front of me. Instant success!

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Meat in the Freezer

Florida Sportsman member: BAJAOKLA

The weather didn't look good Friday morning but it looked like there might be a break for a few hours Friday afternoon so my friend Chip and I decided to go hog hunting, i'm glad we did. Chip saw three doe under his tree stand about 4:30pm and about thirty minutes later four hogs showed up at the feeder in front of the box blind where I was sitting.

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First of the Year

Florida Sportsman member: 22donk

Got it done Sunday night with the Mathews! Just got onto a new area in town. People called me in cause they're getting over run. Anyways, set a feeder last Thursday, hogs showed up instantly. This guy showed up at last light and I sent the Rage Hypodermic right through both lungs, and went 40 yards with decent blood.

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Weekend Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: Blue Thunder

Forum member Blue Thunder got into some ducks this weekend. With the fronts pushing through, he believes this has more ducks moving south. He was able to put his nephew on a limit this past Saturday. Nice work!

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A Lucky Day

Florida Sportsman member: omegafoo

I spent the evening reading until 5:30 and I lost too much light. At 6 I looked down the pine row and there was movement. I picked up the binos and when he picked his head up all I could see was the beams outside the ears swinging every time he turned his head. I took my time and took the shot to drop him in his tracks.

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Successful Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: swamp munky

I spent last weekend at camp with my wife and nephew, it was his first time ever camping. The weekend concluded with this nine point on the ground. I'd been hunting him specifically since bow season, I could never get his pattern but saw him on camera regularly enough to get lucky.

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Striking Luck

Florida Sportsman member: relicshunter

The whole area is mixed palms and inkberry or gallberry. I thought maybe a pig was feeding out of sight. Then a long stretch of no noise, so I pulled out the grunt tube and did a few. A short time later I saw his face looking my way a good 50 yards away by the sweetgums. Had I not been studying the area so thoroughly I would have missed his face in the shrubs.

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Good Season so Far

Florida Sportsman member: Flredbones

So far have had a pretty good season, can't kill anything with hooves and fur but thankfully the wing hunts have been different. Our first hunt was almost TV perfect with three of us.

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Solo Hunt Success

Florida Sportsman member: micci_man

Five minutes later I get home and before I pulled in the drive the front door was opening. She was ready to look for her deer. We go to the plot and she shows me where he exited the plot. We take up the blood trail that she showed me and 45 yards later we found her deer.

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Ga Bucks

Florida Sportsman member: etohprn

The deer were moving good two weeks ago and then started to shut down again. They were coming out during the daylight following does and the switched right back to coming out just before dark.

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Central Florida Eight

Florida Sportsman member: ROGERSANCHEZ

I killed this buck on my lease in Hillsborough County yesterday. He was chasing a doe throughout the swamp I was hunting. A few grunt calls got his attention for a second and I dropped him with my 20 gauge slug gun.

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WMA Ten

Florida Sportsman member: tarpontamer2007

While I'm scanning all the open areas 100 to 200 yards out I catch movement. The buck is at 40 yards and I have no clue where he came from. I instantly noticed he is a shooter and focus on the shot. He is quartering too me so I take to shot right through the front shoulder. buck runs off 40 yards and piles up.

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A Great Season

Florida Sportsman member: Catalina26

Neither me or the wife were able to pull permits but i did have some very lucky family and friends. With a total of 5 permits all for the same area i really had my work cut out for me.

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Idaho Mulees

Florida Sportsman member: shallowexpectations

A lot of hunters joined us on the first two days of a 7 day hunt. On day 4 though I was able to place my dad in front of a quality 3 point with great mass.

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Making Memories

Florida Sportsman member: bottomtime

I said a little prayer that he might be rewarded with a deer sighting for being so patient. About 2 minutes later, I looked to our left and saw a deer headed our way. Turned out to be a little (165 pound) six point buck. I whispered for him to sit very still and he whispered back,"are you going to shoot it?" I whispered, "do you want me to?" He said yes and I made thunder again.

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First Buck

Florida Sportsman member: publiclandhunter12

My buddy could not make with me on Sunday so I went solo. With the wind blowing perfect, and conditions to be perfect I went for it. I set up on the edge of the swamp in my climber, as soon as the sun came up the monster stood up at 100 yards!

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Bear Hunt Success

Florida Sportsman member: Mackokid

As we hit the first side trail we heard what sounded like something falling out of a tree? We stopped and listened to see which direction it came from. After a minute or so we saw some movement roughly 30 yards off the trails into the brush and it was headed our way!

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The Best Birthday Present

Florida Sportsman member: floridacrackr

My two boys, who are 3 and 4 were extremely upset because I couldn't take them and I promised them i would take them before the season was over. Well, my 3 yr old didn't let me forget about that promise. He told me that's all he wanted for his birthday was to go alligator hunting. Since I work 3 Saturdays a month this past weekend was going to be our best opportunity.

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Dream Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: maq attaq

We spent all of the next two days searching high and low for Danny's bull. We rode 40 to 50 miles each day on the four wheelers all over the mountain to no avail. Finally,on the last morning, at first light, the stars aligned and Danny had a bull moose dead in his sights at 115 yards. He took it down with one shot from his .308.

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First of Many

Florida Sportsman member: down4dacount

Forum member down4dacount's son recently took his first buck. As you can tell from the picture, it was big smiles all around! Nice work!

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Great Start to the Season

Florida Sportsman member: dilligaf84

Forum member dilligaf84 has recently taken two nice bucks on private land. He was able to harvest these animals with a rifle thanks to FWC's weapon of choice program. Nice work!

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Finishing Strong

Florida Sportsman member: grennie-slayer

He went down and right next to where he went down a big gator popped up. I wasn't gonna miss twice in a row and snagged him. Two hours later we got him to the boat. He wouldn't give up and managed to bend my spear when the tape wouldn't break.

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Great Start to the Season

Florida Sportsman member: tarpontamer2007

About 150 yards out I see movement and it is a buck jumping through the grass straight at me. The deer eventually gets to 30 yards and I make a perfect shot on him. He makes it about 150 yards and piles up, perfectly symmetrical 10 point.

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Lake Okeechobee Lizards

Florida Sportsman member: bobert421

With one night left before I had to return to work and my dad had to fly home we decided to call in pro and went with a guide. We called up Alligator Inc. and they had Phil and his wife Tammy available to take us out. Phil did a great job and we ended putting a pair of nice size gators on the boat filling our tags before dark.

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Glades Buck

Florida Sportsman member: hooksetter

Forum member hooksetter took this good buck out in the Glades, opening weekend of season. The arrow connected at 45 yards, to have the deer down only 70 yards away. Nice work!

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Father and Son Hunt

Florida Sportsman member: bgeorge

Took my son out to fill his tags. Rain made it tough to hunt daylight last night, so we left the water and went back this morning. Two done by 8:30. Much easier to sort through them in the daylight. 10' 5" and 8' 3".

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Filling the Tags

Florida Sportsman member: bgeorge

Put the boat up on plane and made a run at him. Visually marked him with a wind shear line on the water and he went down with 150 yards to go. Shut the boat down as we got close and with a few casts from the crew we had him on the 12/0. Worked him for a little while and got another rod on him. My dad who is 72 shot him with our double trouble dart mounted to the spear gun.

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The Girls Bag a Good One

Florida Sportsman member: trg03

The treble quickly sank and was stuck in the mud so I passed off the rod and grabbed another. After three more failed attempts with the second rod, the passed off rod started peeling off drag and our 5'2" 90 pound permit holder was fighting a 10'9" 270 pound dinosaur.

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An Adventure to Canada

Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian

After a bit it stands and turns to sniff Kaitlyn's bolt in the ground and gives me a broadside shot. The shot looks good and about ten seconds later and real close, it gives a death moan, followed by 2 others.

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Chasing Trophies

Florida Sportsman member: harbison

Off at a distance we spot three real trophy boars, but they give us absolutely no chance at a shot; they are on the run. Looks like they did not get that big by mistake, they have us patterned. Finally one monster stops and looks back, big, really big, mistake. The Marlin 45-70 put him down.

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Last Day Luck

Florida Sportsman member: omegafoo

He's quartering away from me and I made up my mind the first clean shot I was going to stop him. He got 30-35 yards, I clucked, he stopped and picked that white noggin' up high, BOOM!

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Private Land Success

Florida Sportsman member: Mackokid

He was able to get them to about 50 yards when the first one started strutting towards his decoys. Shortly after he had all 6 birds walking pretty towards him. The largest of the group started walking up and he nailed him at 30 yards.

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Ending the Season Right

Florida Sportsman member: floridacrackr

I closed the distance to about 50 yards and the ol Tom had enough, his head turned blue and his posture changed. He puffed up and started walking towards me. I knew it was about to go down! This bird got to about 20 yards and charged me and Butch at full speed ahead. He got to about 2 feet before he realized something wasn't right and turned away and I let him have it at literally 5 feet!

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First Birds

Florida Sportsman member: duckhunter305