Sunshine state sprint

[Lostinthewoods]

Currently heading South East to finish off my 25-26 season with a bang.

February in the panhandle of Florida is a magical time because you get to chase rutting bucks while most other seasons have sunset.

I’ve had the pleasure of getting my teeth kicked in there for a few seasons as well as filling some tags!

Every now and then I’m extra lucky and draw a special lotto archery hunt on the 7SFG range. Now when I say special and lucky, I mean special and lucky.
Target rich environment with no shortage of deer and pigs.

These are usually four day hunts, but due to mission scheduling we are only authorized to hunt Saturday and Sunday.

So I’m driving 14 hours down, hunting two days, and driving 14 hours back. Normal right?


Well let me show you why I will always plug this into my schedule.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

The nice thing is every year I’ve drawn this special permit I’ve been selected with a great friend of mine. We have had so many great memories on this hunt that has us on the highest highs, tons of laughs, and great experiences.

One year he sat in a spot and shot two great bucks within a few minutes.





He also watched me (from a stand) walk in with a coffee in one hand, bow in another and a doe jumped because she heard me walking. I had time to put my coffee down, knock an arrow, drill her at 20 yards, and go back to drinking my coffee.

I also killed a nice buck from the ground on this hunt at 3 yards.


It’s something we look forward to every year we can go.



Alright, so here is the plan:
Have fun, shoot stuff, and make memories.

Maybe I’ll kill two bucks, maybe I’ll kill a buck and a doe, maybe I won’t kill anything. It doesn’t matter.


So if you’re bored feel free to follow along the next few days.

Or if I’ve pissed you off feel free to come in and wish failure! Whatever floats your boat!



Cheers!

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Some preliminary data for the unit I drew this season.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Sounds like im missing out! Good luck.

 

[F250]

What about snakes ?!?!?

 

[Rack Daniels]

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The nice thing is every year I’ve drawn this special permit I’ve been selected with a great friend of mine. We have had so many great memories on this hunt that has us on the highest highs, tons of laughs, and great experiences.

One year he sat in a spot and shot two great bucks within a few minutes.



View attachment 400697View attachment 400698View attachment 400699

He also watched me (from a stand) walk in with a coffee in one hand, bow in another and a doe jumped because she heard me walking. I had time to put my coffee down, knock an arrow, drill her at 20 yards, and go back to drinking my coffee.

I also killed a nice buck from the ground on this hunt at 3 yards.


It’s something we look forward to every year we can go.



Alright, so here is the plan:
Have fun, shoot stuff, and make memories.

Maybe I’ll kill two bucks, maybe I’ll kill a buck and a doe, maybe I won’t kill anything. It doesn’t matter.


So if you’re bored feel free to follow along the next few days.

Or if I’ve pissed you off feel free to come in and wish failure! Whatever floats your boat!



Cheers!

I couldn’t help but notice the loss of the Burmese Limb Dampener, or was that two different years? One of those hogs is YUGE! And the coffee shot is nuts. That sounds like a super fun hunt! I love Florida

 

[Lostinthewoods]

What about snakes ?!?!?

There are some rattlers, cottonmouths and coral snakes down here that I plan on staying far away from.

Honestly I’d rather fall in a bucket of snakes verse walk through all these banana spider webs…. (Being dramatic of course )

 

[Lostinthewoods]

I couldn’t help but notice the loss of the Burmese Limb Dampener, or was that two different years? One of those hogs is YUGE! And the coffee shot is nuts. That sounds like a super fun hunt! I love Florida

Good eye! I’m heartbroken that I lost that thing. My daughter gave it to me when she was probably…4? 5?
It made it on my season maybe a season or two and now it resides in some patch of timber or on the mountains. I’m unsure!!!

 

[Lostinthewoods]

I’m still on the road to Florida and my buddy hit a chunk of public today to pass time until our lotto hunt starts.

Well he just arrowed a nice 8 so today may involve some dragging and butchering later!

 

[Salmonchaser]

What the heck, I need to go to Florida to hunt!

 

[Nick87]

There are some rattlers, cottonmouths and coral snakes down here that I plan on staying far away from.

Hell to the nah.

 

[WNC2500]

@Lostinthewoods Great bucks. Thank you for sharing and good luck with your Sat/Sun hunt!

 

[gburk]

Good luck!
Something about the last deer hunt of the season, you appreciate it more! Especially in a place you’ve got history.

The snakes just add to the ambience.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

What the heck, I need to go to Florida to hunt!

Eglin AFB range is thousands of acres the public can purchase a permit for to get access.

You also have blackwater WMA.

Between these two spots in the panhandle you have over 100K acres to hunt.


Florida has a 10 day NR license that’s cheap and the eglin permit is cheap if you get the one for just a few days.

Ultimately your tag and access permits are under $200 I believe.



Airbnbs are so cheap around here because there are so many so if you get a few buddies it’s a cheap trip.

Plenty of campgrounds too.

Then if you want to break up the trip you can go inshore fishing.


Not a bad gig!

 

[Rack Daniels]

Eglin AFB range is thousands of acres the public can purchase a permit for to get access.

You also have blackwater WMA.

Between these two spots in the panhandle you have over 100K acres to hunt.


Florida has a 10 day NR license that’s cheap and the eglin permit is cheap if you get the one for just a few days.

Ultimately your tag and access permits are under $200 I believe.



Airbnbs are so cheap around here because there are so many so if you get a few buddies it’s a cheap trip.

Plenty of campgrounds too.

Then if you want to break up the trip you can go inshore fishing.


Not a bad gig!

Dang!? Even THIS brokeazz could pull that off! I want in! I ain’t scared of a snake or two. Honestly the thing I hate the most is when tree stands or cameras get covered in 11bajillion ants

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Dang!? Even THIS brokeazz could pull that off! I want in! I ain’t scared of a snake or two. Honestly the thing I hate the most is when tree stands or cameras get covered in 11bajillion ants

The banana spiders are what get me. They put their webs at a level that will be around the average man’s hip to forehead level. These webs are STRONG and camouflage very easy. Now add the 5-9” spider somewhere in there………


I’ve walked through a few here the years in the dark and my body turned inside out.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

Got a picture of the deer my friend shot. He came in with a doe and was working a scrape at 20 yards.

He’s going to start tracking soo.

I’m in TN and inching closer to Florida.

 

[WildWill]

Eglin AFB range is thousands of acres the public can purchase a permit for to get access.

You also have blackwater WMA.

Between these two spots in the panhandle you have over 100K acres to hunt.


Florida has a 10 day NR license that’s cheap and the eglin permit is cheap if you get the one for just a few days.

Ultimately your tag and access permits are under $200 I believe.



Airbnbs are so cheap around here because there are so many so if you get a few buddies it’s a cheap trip.

Plenty of campgrounds too.

Then if you want to break up the trip you can go inshore fishing.


Not a bad gig!

I'm gonna have to give this a go one winter. Sounds like a amazing way to extend my season. Goodluck looking forward to following along.

 

[Dave N]

Hell to the nah.

Taste like chicken

 

[Lostinthewoods]

I'm gonna have to give this a go one winter. Sounds like an amazing way to extend my season. Goodluck looking forward to following along.

The late season is a late primitive hunt so muzzys and bows during the rut.

There are some archery only areas too.


I remember how crazy it was when I lived in Florida.

Deer season goes from October to February where I was, turkey started in March, is travel to other states to hunt turkey in April and May, then start elk hunting in September.

So my only “off season” was June, July, and August. The “off season” was great fishing. So it wasn’t horrible.