Florida Whitetails

[Trigger50]

Nice pics !

 

[3855WIN]

I'll be stationed at Hurlburt Field. So I plan on hunting the Eglin range, Blackwater, and Yellow River WMA.
I've already got a house in Fort Walton Beach ready to go!

Lost, I've got an uncle down there that is pushing 80. He kills multiple bucks every year in the very places you listed. The great thing about Eglin is that the Federal control keeps the outlaw factor to a minimum.
Great Granddad ran a sawmill down around what is today Mary Ester. The got mail once a week on a mail boat from Pensacola. My Granddad told the story of hunting with his dad when he was young. He tapped his dad on the shoulder to point out three bucks. By the time the old man got on them, they were on the run. He dropped all three with a semi-auto rifle. .401 Winchester, as I recall. Granddad said that was a long drag home!
Granddad hunted Eglin when they first opened it back up for deer hunting in the 50's. Dad still has the impressive rack from that hunt. The dog hunting party killed five bucks the first day and five bucks the second.

Make sure you are ready to hunt late into January and February. That is usually when the run kicks in.

 

[Mudranger1]

picture number 2 is from Blackwater ...lots of deer

 

[Lostinthewoods]

picture number 2 is from Blackwater ...lots of deer

Very good to know. Based off the size of all the areas I listed, I believe I'll be able to find some deer.
Congrats on that deer and thanks for sharing!

Lost, I've got an uncle down there that is pushing 80. He kills multiple bucks every year in the very places you listed. The great thing about Eglin is that the Federal control keeps the outlaw factor to a minimum.
Great Granddad ran a sawmill down around what is today Mary Ester. The got mail once a week on a mail boat from Pensacola. My Granddad told the story of hunting with his dad when he was young. He tapped his dad on the shoulder to point out three bucks. By the time the old man got on them, they were on the run. He dropped all three with a semi-auto rifle. .401 Winchester, as I recall. Granddad said that was a long drag home!
Granddad hunted Eglin when they first opened it back up for deer hunting in the 50's. Dad still has the impressive rack from that hunt. The dog hunting party killed five bucks the first day and five bucks the second.

Make sure you are ready to hunt late into January and February. That is usually when the run kicks in.

Sounds like you have some great history and a long span of memories made down there! That is awesome and I hope to soon make my own.
As far as being able to hunt two extra months out the year....you wont have to twist my arm too much
I'm from up north originally, so cold doesn't bother me! I just need to figure out how to let me wife know I'll be hunting extra this year.



Mudranger1 & 3855WIN, does it get pretty crowded there at time? I mainly bow hunt so I've been focusing more on bow only areas.
However with there being that much land, I think I could probably find some nice spots in other areas that will still keep me away from the crowd. Would you agree?


I will also do some rifle hunting, but I just love shooting a deer with a bow!

 

[Mudranger1]

Honestly we never hunted there early season so Im not sure for that. Januar is the Rut...I know they changed a lot of the regulations the year I moved but the used to have a muzzleloader season that ran the entire month of February.. I know gun season on the weekend can be but still plenty of room

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Thanks Mudranger1