Florida Hog Hunting

Sea Buck · May 18, 2014, 12:08 PM

I am retiring this fall and will snow bird it to Florida Jan -Apr. I would like to do some hog hunting while there.We are looking at central fla. I am being told that hog hunting is very expensive in Fla. I guess I need to get educated. Can any one fill me in about contacts, where to go, web sites,etc. Thanks in advance.

YARDDOG(1) · May 18, 2014, 01:02 PM

Look for Ocala natoinal forest,,You should be able to hunt hogs durring small game season.

should only cost for licence & management area stamp, there is alot of acerage to cover,, kind of a "Do it yourself" deal ; )
Y/D

fdf · May 18, 2014, 01:33 PM

goggle The Hunting Report.

Art Eatman · May 18, 2014, 07:47 PM

Small town seed'n'feed stores and gunshops are good places to ask around.

Doyle · May 18, 2014, 08:22 PM

Hog hunting there can be quite cheap - if you can find the right land owner willing to let you hunt. In central Fl, make friends with the orange growers and cattle ranchers.

dogrunner · May 18, 2014, 11:23 PM

If you intend to hog hunt the Ocala you'll find that the pickin's are slim to nothing in most of the area. Stick near the St. Johns river swamps or near the Oklawaha & you'll locate some.

Forest svc considers the things trespass livestock and wants them gone. Have not seen or heard of any kills in the center of the forest.........bombing range area for 25 years......go south near rt 42 & you MIGHT stumble on some...best bet tho is near the rivers.

globemaster3 · May 20, 2014, 07:09 AM

Central Florida covers a pretty broad area. Can you narrow down the county or city? Would be easier to help recommend locations.

For instance, a person near Ocala probably wouldn't drive to Bull Creek or Three Lakes since they are hours apart, but it's all "Central Florida".

Sea Buck · May 20, 2014, 09:03 AM

Globemaster: We are hopefully locating in the Winter Haven area. If you have any recommendations I would appreciate them. I'll be in Fla. for Turkey season also, if you have any info, have at it. Snowbirding, Jan-May. Another question: Is there a range in that area?

nc-oldfart · May 20, 2014, 03:30 PM

I grew up down south in florida but things have changed. We use to ride down the road , see hogs , shotum owners happy. Different today.

You will almost have to find a club to join or pay for a hunt as some much of the land has people that run management hunts year round or winter season to try to maintain the hogs or the leases offer the chance to learn the land but run in to the higher dollars but may pay off in the long run as it can be a years round hunting?? You use to able to get some pay to hunt trips for 50 to 75 bucks now its 250 and still have to be a group hunt. Internet can show you a thousand place or ways to try out.

Just rut around for a best deal with what you have. 4x4 , boat , need access and transport??

http://goodhunt.blogs.theledger.com/...of-lakes-area/

Art Eatman · May 20, 2014, 06:05 PM

http://www.woodsnwater.net/ is a good magazine. Hunt club ads as well as a lot of general info about Florida game laws and regulations.

Also, the fish/game agency has a website. Online license buying, among other things.

globemaster3 · May 20, 2014, 07:31 PM

Sea Buck, take a look at Three Lakes WMA and Bull Creek. I am very familiar with Bull Creek, and a little familiar with Three Lakes. Both used to hold good populations of Turkeys.

As for Hogs, check out the hunting regs for Florida's WMAs. I understand they changed within the last few years and may be more restrictive as to when you can hunt. On most WMAs, you could only hunt hogs during deer season. If either Bull Creek or Three Lakes will work for you, let me know and I'll talk you onto a couple places to try.

If you were there in the fall, quota hunts would be available for rifle, muzzleloader, and bow, but January knocks you out of those options.

If you are looking for guided hunts, I watched a Babe Winkleman episode where they were hunting hogs with kids through Osceola Outfitters. They seemed like a good organization, and are located just east of Bull Creek.

You are a little further West of where I used to run around. I was in Indian River county, but ran around Brevard, Okeechobee, and St Lucie counties a lot.

Good leases in Florida are big $$$. Just warning you!

As for gaining access to private land, I can PM you with my thoughts.

captneil19 · May 24, 2014, 11:30 AM

well if u would retire in the state of ms. there are no regulations as to hunting hogs, anything goes, just a state lic., weapon of your choice,an how many ever you want to kill,there is no season,night or day,folks here only hunt them in the fall through winter, not when its hot weather
I normally don't hunt anymore,but there are some needy folks here,an i'll shoot a hog for them an a couple of us will put in to have it butchered imeaditly so it don't have a chance to spoil when its warm weather,besides I was taught don't kill for the heck of it!!!!!!!!!! if you kill it you better be eating it or you was going to get a butt whipping,my pawpaw was strong about that lol

SO EAT WHAT YOU SHOOT OR SHOOT WITH YOUR CAMERA

May 18, 2014, 12:08 PM	#1
Sea Buck Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: New England,Florida Snow Bird Posts: 312	Florida Hog Hunting I am retiring this fall and will snow bird it to Florida Jan -Apr. I would like to do some hog hunting while there.We are looking at central fla. I am being told that hog hunting is very expensive in Fla. I guess I need to get educated. Can any one fill me in about contacts, where to go, web sites,etc. Thanks in advance.

May 18, 2014, 01:02 PM	#2
YARDDOG(1) Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2008 Location: GATOR COUNTRY HA HA HA! Posts: 721	Look for Ocala natoinal forest,,You should be able to hunt hogs durring small game season. should only cost for licence & management area stamp, there is alot of acerage to cover,, kind of a "Do it yourself" deal ; ) Y/D __________________ There's a GATOR in the bushes & She's Callin my name >Molly Hatchett<

May 20, 2014, 07:09 AM	#7
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Central Florida covers a pretty broad area. Can you narrow down the county or city? Would be easier to help recommend locations. For instance, a person near Ocala probably wouldn't drive to Bull Creek or Three Lakes since they are hours apart, but it's all "Central Florida". __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

May 20, 2014, 07:31 PM	#11
globemaster3 Senior Member Join Date: January 28, 2006 Posts: 1,482	Sea Buck, take a look at Three Lakes WMA and Bull Creek. I am very familiar with Bull Creek, and a little familiar with Three Lakes. Both used to hold good populations of Turkeys. As for Hogs, check out the hunting regs for Florida's WMAs. I understand they changed within the last few years and may be more restrictive as to when you can hunt. On most WMAs, you could only hunt hogs during deer season. If either Bull Creek or Three Lakes will work for you, let me know and I'll talk you onto a couple places to try. If you were there in the fall, quota hunts would be available for rifle, muzzleloader, and bow, but January knocks you out of those options. If you are looking for guided hunts, I watched a Babe Winkleman episode where they were hunting hogs with kids through Osceola Outfitters. They seemed like a good organization, and are located just east of Bull Creek. You are a little further West of where I used to run around. I was in Indian River county, but ran around Brevard, Okeechobee, and St Lucie counties a lot. Good leases in Florida are big $$$. Just warning you! As for gaining access to private land, I can PM you with my thoughts. __________________ NRA Life Member "We have enough gun control. What we need is idiot control."

May 24, 2014, 11:30 AM	#12
captneil19 Member Join Date: April 23, 2014 Location: poplarville,ms. Posts: 78	hog hunting well if u would retire in the state of ms. there are no regulations as to hunting hogs, anything goes, just a state lic., weapon of your choice,an how many ever you want to kill,there is no season,night or day,folks here only hunt them in the fall through winter, not when its hot weather I normally don't hunt anymore,but there are some needy folks here,an i'll shoot a hog for them an a couple of us will put in to have it butchered imeaditly so it don't have a chance to spoil when its warm weather,besides I was taught don't kill for the heck of it!!!!!!!!!! if you kill it you better be eating it or you was going to get a butt whipping,my pawpaw was strong about that lol SO EAT WHAT YOU SHOOT OR SHOOT WITH YOUR CAMERA

May 18, 2014, 01:33 PM	#3
fdf Senior Member Join Date: August 27, 2013 Posts: 117	goggle The Hunting Report.

May 18, 2014, 07:47 PM	#4
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Small town seed'n'feed stores and gunshops are good places to ask around.

May 18, 2014, 08:22 PM	#5
Doyle Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2007 Location: Rainbow City, Alabama Posts: 7,167	Hog hunting there can be quite cheap - if you can find the right land owner willing to let you hunt. In central Fl, make friends with the orange growers and cattle ranchers.

May 18, 2014, 11:23 PM	#6
dogrunner Junior member Join Date: June 22, 2009 Location: E/Cntrl Fla. Posts: 98	If you intend to hog hunt the Ocala you'll find that the pickin's are slim to nothing in most of the area. Stick near the St. Johns river swamps or near the Oklawaha & you'll locate some. Forest svc considers the things trespass livestock and wants them gone. Have not seen or heard of any kills in the center of the forest.........bombing range area for 25 years......go south near rt 42 & you MIGHT stumble on some...best bet tho is near the rivers.

May 20, 2014, 09:03 AM	#8
Sea Buck Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: New England,Florida Snow Bird Posts: 312	Globemaster: We are hopefully locating in the Winter Haven area. If you have any recommendations I would appreciate them. I'll be in Fla. for Turkey season also, if you have any info, have at it. Snowbirding, Jan-May. Another question: Is there a range in that area?

May 20, 2014, 03:30 PM	#9
nc-oldfart Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2014 Posts: 155	I grew up down south in florida but things have changed. We use to ride down the road , see hogs , shotum owners happy. Different today. You will almost have to find a club to join or pay for a hunt as some much of the land has people that run management hunts year round or winter season to try to maintain the hogs or the leases offer the chance to learn the land but run in to the higher dollars but may pay off in the long run as it can be a years round hunting?? You use to able to get some pay to hunt trips for 50 to 75 bucks now its 250 and still have to be a group hunt. Internet can show you a thousand place or ways to try out. Just rut around for a best deal with what you have. 4x4 , boat , need access and transport?? http://goodhunt.blogs.theledger.com/...of-lakes-area/

May 20, 2014, 06:05 PM	#10
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	http://www.woodsnwater.net/ is a good magazine. Hunt club ads as well as a lot of general info about Florida game laws and regulations. Also, the fish/game agency has a website. Online license buying, among other things.