So, if you were to tackle a public land Osceola gobbler, which WMAs seem to have the better bird population? Preferably those who do not require a quota permit.
Please pm any responses.
PM sent
Quote from: Fieldturkey on February 18, 2018, 11:17:51 AM
Please pm any responses.
For the nonresident that has never hunted in florida the reason for someone else saying PM any responses is because things said are here to be read for many years to come. And even if a place has a good population you add a few hundred more people after them, it will make a different. I'm from MN my first year down there was in 2009, and someone shot my decoy that year already. I been going down there every two years since and it has gotten worse. So after you go down there and see how crowed some of the places can get, you to will learn to keep your mouth shut, in respect for the residents that have to hunt there every year.
I completely understand the privacy aspect. Thanks for any info
Posted three hours ago (Read 107 times)
Quote from: howl on February 18, 2018, 02:59:15 PM
Posted three hours ago (Read 107 times)
Yup. I hate these threads.
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I grew up hunting Florida WMA's in the 60's through the early 90's. About the only thing I can say is I wish you could have experienced it then.
I think alot of hunters would want to hunt South Florida. Did not think it was that crowded though. Sounds like the local turkey hunters down there must take a Tom right quick!
OP I hope you find the info you are looking for. Didn't meant I sidetrack this thread. Just feel strongly about keeping this stuff in the PMs
It's real tuff down here , been so for decades .... the unknowing well meaning hunter would never have known
A long history of threads gone sideways from guys just looking for a pointer or two ....it's best that all hints and help be diverted to pm's ---otherwise the predictable ..some hurt feelings , blah..blah...blah
Anyways good luck --Shannon
Popcorn threads....
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Quote from: ddturkeyhunter on February 18, 2018, 11:58:37 AM
Quote from: Fieldturkey on February 18, 2018, 11:17:51 AM
Please pm any responses.
For the nonresident that has never hunted in florida the reason for someone else saying PM any responses is because things said are here to be read for many years to come. And even if a place has a good population you add a few hundred more people after them, it will make a different. I'm from MN my first year down there was in 2009, and someone shot my decoy that year already. I been going down there every two years since and it has gotten worse. So after you go down there and see how crowed some of the places can get, you to will learn to keep your mouth shut, in respect for the residents that have to hunt there every year.
Wish everyone did this. Some good public land is destroyed by online posts now. I suggest everyone pm help comments.
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I went down last year to a popular wma and was astonished by the number of hunters and the poor quality land. If you want an Osceola save your money for a couple years and pay an outfitter that can put you on private land.
I do quite well on romp and stomp WMA's every spring, but then I also have the luxury of hunting multiple weekends.
I live in Fl, and I am down to just hunting weekdays anymore. I stay away on the weekends if at all possible.
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Quote from: djrcm7 on February 21, 2018, 09:01:49 PM
I went down last year to a popular wma and was astonished by the number of hunters and the poor quality land. If you want an Osceola save your money for a couple years and pay an outfitter that can put you on private land.
If your only goal is to say you GOT an osceola then it MIGHT be cheeper going with a guide sometimes. Because in my case it took me two trips down to get my first bird. Nonresidents get ten days on there license tag to seal the deal, but that is only hunting till one o'clock each day, where on private land you can hunt till dark. That is one negitive thing to me of Florida public land turkey hunting. But in them afternoons I walked and checked out every corner and every Island I could figure out how to get on and into every day I was there. And during my scouting in mid day I could have shot multiple birds, but I learned there habits. And I say I learned THERE habits because I mean just that. I learned how the hunters moved around, and how the turkey reacted to all that pressure. The first year down there, I missed my opportunity on my 10th day of hunting. The next year I had to go back down again because I now knew the land and shoot my first Osceola. I started out in the cheep in 2009 gaining any information I could on the WMA, sending a tent down early to a UPS store for in store pick up. Got on a plane flew down rented a small SUV (car's don't like florida sugar sand nor do small SUV's, more story's) drove out there put my tent on the ground and started to walk. So it cost me two trips down and two years of vacation days, where with a guide if you don't get your bird on private land in 3-10 days you got ripped off. I go back down every couple of years now, and the last time I went home with my two public land Osceola's. But I am going home with more then just a couple of Osceola turkeys (shot south of a line from Tampa to Orlando) they are hard hunted Public land birds. After the first year down there and I found out I didnt have to worry about them southern boys feeding this Yankee to the gators, and I made good friends. Now each night I have great southern stile cooking and terrfic stories around the camp fires , because of the good friendships I have made. It comes down to how much time we all have with every thing we do, so as long as there is public land to try to hunt on I will try the hard way first. Go for the ADVENTURE.
THANKS FOR SHARING THIS ddturkeyhunter
Best education there is , time spent in the woods .......
For what's there is left
Agree with all the comments. It's difficult enough to get a permit down here for the good WMA's but if you learn the romp and stomps you'll find it that much more rewarding.