Hog Hunting in South Florida

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spider 69

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I haven't hunted in a long time, but Flintknapper's saga has inspired me to help do something about them here where I live. we've got too many invasives here already, pythons, monitor lizards, iguanas, hogs etc. I know I can't solve the problem but one less is one less.

The hunts I've seen offered around here by the local outfitters seem pretty "canned" and I wonder if anyone could steer me toward a more natural experience.
 
Spider, if you have any orange groves around where you want to hunt, go talk to the owners/manager of the grove. Most of them would be more than happy to let you take as many hogs as you can off their place. AND I have heard that the meat from a hog that has been feeding heavily off of oranges is dern hard to beat for taste.
 
Where Oh Where and With What?

FF, thanks for the suggestion. Did a quick search on groves in my area and will be following up. As they're mostly u-pick I'm thinking I'll wait for the end of their season. Maybe they'd let me in when they're fallow.

Right now I'm leaning toward my model 70 in 30-06, but am reserving the decision until I know what kind of country and what ranges I'd be shooting. Could be I'd need something more handy. A lever gun in .44 mag or .45 colt might be right. Either way I'm thinking to pack a sidearm (got both cal) in case I need to follow one into the brush.

I think there's no bag limit on private land here so I'd be fine with taking more than one, but I've always believed in eating what you kill and there can be a lot of meat on a hog.
 
I haven't hunted in a long time, but Flintknapper's saga has inspired me to help do something about them here where I live. we've got too many invasives here already, pythons, monitor lizards, iguanas, hogs etc. I know I can't solve the problem but one less is one less.
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I think y'all have more laws concerning hog hunting than we do in Texas. Hopefully I am in error on that, but I seem to recall more restrictions (maybe just WMA restrictions?).

I see where since 2010, you have a specific python season. You could have some very interesting hunts!
 
Double Naught Spy said:
I think y'all have more laws concerning hog hunting than we do in Texas. Hopefully I am in error on that, but I seem to recall more restrictions (maybe just WMA restrictions?).

I see where since 2010, you have a specific python season. You could have some very interesting hunts!
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Don't know Texas, but here any legal hunting weapon anytime on private land with permission. On public lands during hunting season anytime with season appropriate weapon, i.e. bow, muzzleloader etc
with season license.
 
Pythons

Our python season was not very successful, less than thirty taken state wide. Plus one had to buy a license without much hope of seeing one. I think they should be "shoot on sight", no license, but nobody asked me.
 
did you find a place to hunt ?

I saw this thread and jumped in because I live in south Florida also ! Most landowners down here are more worried about getting sued than they are about the hogs ! The ones that allow hunting have mostly turned it into a "canned hunt " sorta thing . They often trap hogs on adjacent properties and release them on the hunt areas . that is why the hogs are not much of problem to most farmers , they can get most of them removed for free !
We have hunted at one operation up north of Okeechobee that offer hunting from a tree stand or ground blind , they use feeders to attract the hogs to gun range and release hogs on the property . It is up to you to set the terms of your hunt and decide how you want to hunt and talk to the hunt outfitter ! The cover is often so thick that you won't see a hog unless the dogs find it for you . There is public land hunting available but only during normal big game seasons . Private land can be hunted anytime of the year with no limits on the number or size of the hogs . Good luck
 
SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE said:
I saw this thread and jumped in because I live in south Florida also ! Most landowners down here are more worried about getting sued than they are about the hogs ! The ones that allow hunting have mostly turned it into a "canned hunt " sorta thing . They often trap hogs on adjacent properties and release them on the hunt areas . that is why the hogs are not much of problem to most farmers , they can get most of them removed for free !
We have hunted at one operation up north of Okeechobee that offer hunting from a tree stand or ground blind , they use feeders to attract the hogs to gun range and release hogs on the property . It is up to you to set the terms of your hunt and decide how you want to hunt and talk to the hunt outfitter ! The cover is often so thick that you won't see a hog unless the dogs find it for you . There is public land hunting available but only during normal big game seasons . Private land can be hunted anytime of the year with no limits on the number or size of the hogs . Good luck
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Hi SILAN

You're so right. Everybody's litigation happy around here. Not to mention that the area's flat, so nothing to stop bullets if you miss.

I've been looking into an outfitter named Chappy's over by Lake Ochochobee that has stand hunting
Have you heard of them?
 
Jumping in here too. I have a hunt set up the 11th/12th at Hog Heaven Ranch in Muse, (northwest of Labelle, a bit) and near the Cecil Webb Mgmt area. This will be my first, however the group I'm going with it will be their seventh trip they like it so much.

You can select a blind, tree stand, or stalk. If you want a guaranteed kill, they will give you one of those. Prices are reasonable.

Like you, I would really like to be able to go out on property and attempt to eliminate the hog infestation, but as others have said, owners are afraid of lawsuits, property being abused, and their own animals being killed by irresponsible (hunters?).

As far as the snake hunts, I think you'd have to be with someone that knows the glades pretty well to get off the beaten path. Saying that, a few years back before the problem was announced, I was on a dirt road in the glades about 6 miles off US41 and saw a pretty good size snake cross the road maybe 200-300 yards ahead. By time I reached that point it was gone into heavy brush and along the canal. By the mark left in the dirt on the road it looked to be about 3-4 inches in diameter.

If you find a place to hunt and want company, PM me and I'll do likewise.
 
florida Hog hunt

Good luck on your Hog hunt ! We hunted on the Little Lake lodge and killed hogs with good success ! We stayed overnight and hunted from stands near feeders in the evening and the mornings ! If you didnt get a hog then you could hunt from the buggy using dogs ! I prefer the stand hunts ,but the buggy hunts were an experience ! One of our group made a nice shot on a hog from about 110 yards from the top of the stopped buggy ! he just stayed onthe hog that flushed and waited for him to stop and offer a shot ! kevin
 
Well the hunt went well. I got two with one shot from about 30 yards. It was super cold and windy so the hogs were tucked away in the thickest stuff they could find. We tried stands but nothing was moving so we got into the brush and palmetto groves looking for them. I didn't even see the second one, she was hidden by the black one. Then black one dropped immediately, the tan one twisted around then dropped.

Our group of 16, took 17 hogs, with one guy not getting anything. One other guy took two with a bow on Saturday. The largest was a nice boar at 215 lbs, followed by a large sow at 200 lbs.

Photo is my guide with the two I shot.
 

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Would you guys be comfortable taking your Winchester '92 in .357 mag on one of these hog hunts?
 
Here is a nice sow I took a few months back on a buddy's orange grove outside of LaBelle. The scale read 240 which at first I scoffed at until upon dissection where I found 1.5" of bacon on the belly and fat between the ribs, not to mention trying to lift this bi*ch into the trailer. She was a nice one for sure and has eaten great. I got one shoulder left to save for a good occasion.
As far as hunting other's property...good luck. Lawsuits abound everywhere and I don't blame the land owners at all. You just got to befriend one.
2011Pig.gif
Here is a decent pic of the sow being skinned with belly shown
2011Pig5.jpg
 
This past weekend was my first time in the Labelle area and I find it both intriguing and awesome at the same time. So many possibilities and so many hogs. Looking at the open areas and seeing all the destruction the hogs are doing to the properties makes me wonder why more owners aren't seeking out hunters or trappers.
 
I tried google first off. The web pages for many outfitters sound great, but when you look onto them further some have problems, like advertising a tracked swamp buggy that turns out to be an ordinary F-150. Not that there's anything wrong with pickups, but what else might not be what they say?

That's why I appreciate the first hand accounts I've been getting, particularly with pictures. Gives a clear idea of what's going on as to terrain and ranges. Showed me the hunts could change on the fly, so I'm picking up a Rossi Rio Grande in 45/70 to compliment my 30-06. I'll let you guys know how it shoots when I can get some range time.

I'm South of wpb, so I'm looking for an outfit down this way. My work keeps me within four hours of Boca.
 
Thanks again for your replies. Besides the pictures posted by Well Now and 03shadowbob I found some youtube videos that seem to show the country by Labelle has heavy brush. With that in mind I decided to pick up a 45/70 levergun, rossi's rio grande. Out of the box it looks pretty good, with good fit to the stocks and no tool marks to the metal. I've ordered some Hornady Leverevolution 325 grain and will be taking it to the range to sight in when it gets here.
 
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