| Author | Message | ||
| turkeypicker |
Guys: 16 more days until I begin my first Osceola hunt, and I'm pumped. Then I'll fly back home the day before season begins here. Can you guys with Osceola experience give me some pointers please? I've been told to hang in the swamps and oak hammocks to find the birds? How does gobbling activity compare with Easterns given your experience? Help me out Freddy, GN, and others. | ||
| TScottW99
|
wish i could help ya'... all i could do is wish ya' luck and be very very jealous  make sure you bring back pictures!!!! | ||
| turkeypicker |
OK Scott. Thanks. I hope I have something to take pictures of...lol. It's a longshot hunt, but I'm sure I'll enjoy whether I bag a bird or not. | ||
| GN |
TP I have hunted in northern Fla, but not in the area where you are sure to be on pure Florida strain birds. So I would be passing on heresay, at best. Are you free-lancing , drawn for a public areaa on a restricted permit, or do you have some private land access. I think some of the cattle country operations south of Orlando offer the same kind of field edge stuff you would see in the coastal parts of SC...they come out of the swamp and work the field edges. Great luck to you. | ||
| Freddy McGuire (Vaturkey)
|
Hey TP... I have never hunted Osceola birds. I have heard the same as GN though... they roost in the swamps and head for the pastures to strut and feed with the ladies... There is a good article titled "King Osceloa" I think in Turkey & Turkey Hunting or Turkey Call this month. There was some good information in there. Good luck! Can't wait to see the pics... | ||
| Ryan Tucker
|
I have been down there and hunted them a few times, and the best advice I can give is hunt the pastures around the Oak hammocks. You also can't really move a lot on these birds. You'll spook them! The biggest thing to remember is no matter how windy it gets sit still and call loudly. They deal with that wind all of the time, and you'll be surprised how far away they hear calls in the wind. Take a good pair of binoculars, and again limit your movement. | ||
| Big Bird |
That King Osceola article is worth reading. Hey Turkeypicker, I am going to be down there on the 23rd of this month, in and around Polk County. Where are you going to be? Good luck with your hunt. Does anybody know of any decent public land opportunities down there for Osceola's? | ||
| turkeypicker |
Thanks for advice guys. My wife is from Hernando County. I'll be staying with her parents. My main mission is to try to help my brother-in-law bag his first bird. He is a deer and hog hunter, but hasn't done much turkey hunting. I have permission to hunt 2 private land parcels, one a mix of fields and oaks, the other is a small horse farm (75% pastures bordered by oaks). Unfortunately I did not get drawn on any of the quota hunts. The private tracts aren't as large as I would like, but are reported to have lots of birds. I am also hoping to hook up with an ex-employee from work to hunt on his farm for a day or 2, but that's up in the air. If that works out I'll feel much better about the trip. So GN I guess my trip could best be described as having a bit of planning, but freelancing and improvision may likely sneak in the picture. And if the tukey hunting fails it won't be hard to talk my way into some fabulous fishing. Bro-in-law is an awesome angler. Big Bird, I'll be 2 counties northwest from Polk. I have been looking into the "non-quota" WMA areas (there aren't many). I talked with a Florida turkey biologist today. The WMA's that aren't quota are apparently swamped with hunting pressure. My brother-in-law tells me that it's next to impossible to work a vocal bird on non-quota areas without lots of interference, but I've been doing some homework on the WMA's just to have a plan-B. Go to http://wld.fwc.state.fl.us/hunting/default.html to get information on the management areas. Most are quota though. He says the Richloam WMA is good, but the first 9 days is quota only. So beginning on the 25th you can hunt it without quota. | ||
| Big Bird |
I kind of figured that was the case. Thanks for the info and have a blast!! |