Florida tactics?

[SwampApe]

Anybody want to talk Florida tactics? I hunt central and south west Florida public land non quota areas. I have read quite a few articles on here and know you guys are dynamite when it comes to Florida. I like hunting swamps a lot and have found that in a cypress head if you find an area where it funnels down then opens back up is a hot spot. I have only found one good bedding area in my years of hunting, and it was behind a pond which makes a great pinch for the deer to get in and out of. But, I think my best success by far has been finding a barb wire fence, and walking it until I find a break in the fence or a spot under that has washed out. It seems to me like this concentrates all the deer to that spot if they have a reason to cross. I found one that was an absolute hot spot with private property being 100 yds away and I believed the deer were bedding on public. They used that crossing almost everyday. I have since moved away from that area of public land, and don’t make the 3 hour drive often to hunt that area. I was wondering has anybody else noticed an area like this? Was this just a lucky set up? I had bucks and does moving through almost 7 days a week November thru February before I pulled my camera. What works best for you guys?

[Ghost Hunter]

You a few that will show up with time. I have nothing to offer. I would be like a fish out of water there.

[SwampApe]

You a few that will show up with time. I have nothing to offer. I would be like a fish out of water there.

It’s all good man! I have been reading up on some previous threads. Just looking to see what everybody has found success with! Thanks for the input.

[Tribute80]

I live in north east Florida but don’t hunt in state much. I have killed a lot of doe and a few younger bucks. Shot two good bucks but couldn’t find them. Hunting public around here is rough. Most of the property around me is quota only. One opens November 15th or so when gun season starts. I can see where the fence would work like a funnel to concentrate the sign. I hunted private property where the deer had about a foot deep trench worn under the fence. The biggest bucks would cross about 75 yards down where the thickest spot was. The approach I have in Florida is to fine where they are feeding then follow the trails to the nastiest swamp I can find. Sit on the edge of the swamp and try to catch we’re they are coming out. Depending on how thick the swamp is I’ll work through it with wind in my favor. I have had better luck early in September and after the afternoon thunderstorm.

[SwampApe]

I live in north east Florida but don’t hunt in state much. I have killed a lot of doe and a few younger bucks. Shot two good bucks but couldn’t find them. Hunting public around here is rough. Most of the property around me is quota only. One opens November 15th or so when gun season starts. I can see where the fence would work like a funnel to concentrate the sign. I hunted private property where the deer had about a foot deep trench worn under the fence. The biggest bucks would cross about 75 yards down where the thickest spot was. The approach I have in Florida is to fine where they are feeding then follow the trails to the nastiest swamp I can find. Sit on the edge of the swamp and try to catch we’re they are coming out. Depending on how thick the swamp is I’ll work through it with wind in my favor. I have had better luck early in September and after the afternoon thunderstorm.

I like hunting thick swamp as well but I normally like to sit about 20 or 30 yards inside the swamp. I have caught bucks staying inside the swamp before dark where I would not have seen them if I was sitting outside of it. On this fence I was on, the only good place to cross was where a tree fell on it during Hurricane Irma. If they didn’t cross there they would have to jump over it. That seemed to really push deer to cross there. I rarely hunted that spot because I didn’t want to mess it up. I did get a basket rack 8 pt there but that was it. I haven’t been back since, but I am thinking about making the drive late season this year!

[Tribute80]

Around here the swamps are more open then the land around the swamp. While the deer walk through the swamps they seem to be laying on the transition more often. If they were laid up in the swamp as soon as I would step foot into the swamp i would get busted. When I hunted Florida regularly I never put any effort into buck hunting just deer hunting. What are you calling west Florida? Like Pensacola area?

[SwampApe]

I am talking about central and south west Florida how it’s broken into sections on the FWC map. Around here though the swamps are usually thicker than the surrounding land. So it would make sense that the deer bed on the transition where you are. They are probably bedded with their back to the swamp and looking over the open land where you are. Here the swamp is thick and wet with high spots in it. I think they bed down on those high spots in the swamp. It is crazy how much different Florida can be depending on where you are in the state. I just concentrate on hunting deer as well, but I’d like to learn more on finding and hunting bigger bucks in our state. There are some big ones out here!

[Tribute80]

Yea that’s true about being different. Out west towards the panhandle is awesome some rolling hills with some big oaks. I think Florida will get better now that there is a 5 deer limit and the bucks have to have 3 on one side.

[SwampApe]

Yea that’s true about being different. Out west towards the panhandle is awesome some rolling hills with some big oaks. I think Florida will get better now that there is a 5 deer limit and the bucks have to have 3 on one side.

Yes I love the panhandle, but have never hunted it. I think it will get better as well, I hope they come up with an easier system this year though. And I hope they start issuing actual tags instead of making us carry around a pen and paper. Hopefully it will improve the deer hunting over the next 5-10 years. I guess only time will tell.

[PK_]

The best tactic I know of is to drive North until you cross a few state lines.

As far as killing bucks in FL, hit each area when you have your best odds. Style your hunt according to the terrain and the timing of the rut and the pressure etc...

It’s really a lot to unpack trying to talk about the entire state or even the season as a whole. I hunt from the everglades to the panhandle from Early Aug thru late Feb. There are just so many variables to consider.

But if I had to boil it down it is the same as anywhere. Figure out how bucks can survive the season in that landscape (or IF enough are surviving for it to be worth your time) and figure out if there is a way for you to exploit it. Not all places are equal. When you find a piece of public that you can manipulate, you need to capitalize on it. You said you found a spot that worked for you but you quit hunting it cause it’s 3 hours away. I fully appreciate the value of time and the cost of fuel but I have driven close to 3 hours just for a morning or afternoon hunt and I often will do it for a full days hunt. That may seem excessive but when I have a spot I am confident in and I get the feeling that the timing will be right you gotta be there, even if it’s just to find out that you were wrong, lol.

[Sailfish_WC]

Yea that’s true about being different. Out west towards the panhandle is awesome some rolling hills with some big oaks. I think Florida will get better now that there is a 5 deer limit and the bucks have to have 3 on one side.

Yes I love the panhandle, but have never hunted it. I think it will get better as well, I hope they come up with an easier system this year though. And I hope they start issuing actual tags instead of making us carry around a pen and paper. Hopefully it will improve the deer hunting over the next 5-10 years. I guess only time will tell.

They are getting bigger racks.

This was a Wierd year up there.
Our property is usually good for 4-6 bucks. 1 or 2 of those will be decent.
This year, we didn’t kill a single deer. Not one
In fact between the 3 of us I don’t believe we saw a single, legal buck!
Everyone around us said the same thing.

10-15 miles away my friends dad....he was covered in deer. More deer and big racked bucks than he’s ever had

So the APR are bringing in more larger racks, I just Hope last year was an anomaly for us!

[SwampApe]

The best tactic I know of is to drive North until you cross a few state lines.

As far as killing bucks in FL, hit each area when you have your best odds. Style your hunt according to the terrain and the timing of the rut and the pressure etc...

It’s really a lot to unpack trying to talk about the entire state or even the season as a whole. I hunt from the everglades to the panhandle from Early Aug thru late Feb. There are just so many variables to consider.

But if I had to boil it down it is the same as anywhere. Figure out how bucks can survive the season in that landscape (or IF enough are surviving for it to be worth your time) and figure out if there is a way for you to exploit it. Not all places are equal. When you find a piece of public that you can manipulate, you need to capitalize on it. You said you found a spot that worked for you but you quit hunting it cause it’s 3 hours away. I fully appreciate the value of time and the cost of fuel but I have driven close to 3 hours just for a morning or afternoon hunt and I often will do it for a full days hunt. That may seem excessive but when I have a spot I am confident in and I get the feeling that the timing will be right you gotta be there, even if it’s just to find out that you were wrong, lol.

I plan to hunt it when I can! But, it is hard to justify to the wife on a 6 hour drive when there are other public land areas to hunt that are closer. I have 2 small kids right now, so it’s hard enough to get away for a few hours to hunt. Hopefully when my youngest goes to school this year it will be easier to get out and hunt.

[SwampApe]

Yea that’s true about being different. Out west towards the panhandle is awesome some rolling hills with some big oaks. I think Florida will get better now that there is a 5 deer limit and the bucks have to have 3 on one side.

Yes I love the panhandle, but have never hunted it. I think it will get better as well, I hope they come up with an easier system this year though. And I hope they start issuing actual tags instead of making us carry around a pen and paper. Hopefully it will improve the deer hunting over the next 5-10 years. I guess only time will tell.

They are getting bigger racks.

This was a Wierd year up there.
Our property is usually good for 4-6 bucks. 1 or 2 of those will be decent.
This year, we didn’t kill a single deer. Not one
In fact between the 3 of us I don’t believe we saw a single, legal buck!
Everyone around us said the same thing.

10-15 miles away my friends dad....he was covered in deer. More deer and big racked bucks than he’s ever had

So the APR are bringing in more larger racks, I just Hope last year was an anomaly for us!

Did you guys get affected hard by that last hurricane? That has messed up my spots in the past by changing the landscape and deer start using the property differently.

[Sailfish_WC]

Nope. You woulda never known.