An Adventure to Canada
Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian
After a bit it stands and turns to sniff Kaitlyn’s bolt in the ground and gives me a broadside shot. The shot looks good and about ten seconds later and real close, it gives a death moan, followed by 2 others.
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Chasing Trophies
Florida Sportsman member: harbison
Off at a distance we spot three real trophy boars, but they give us absolutely no chance at a shot; they are on the run. Looks like they did not get that big by mistake, they have us patterned. Finally one monster stops and looks back, big, really big, mistake. The Marlin 45-70 put him down.
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Last Day Luck
Florida Sportsman member: omegafoo
He’s quartering away from me and I made up my mind the first clean shot I was going to stop him. He got 30-35 yards, I clucked, he stopped and picked that white noggin’ up high, BOOM!
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Private Land Success
Florida Sportsman member: Mackokid
He was able to get them to about 50 yards when the first one started strutting towards his decoys. Shortly after he had all 6 birds walking pretty towards him. The largest of the group started walking up and he nailed him at 30 yards.
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Ending the Season Right
Florida Sportsman member: floridacrackr
I closed the distance to about 50 yards and the ol Tom had enough, his head turned blue and his posture changed. He puffed up and started walking towards me. I knew it was about to go down! This bird got to about 20 yards and charged me and Butch at full speed ahead. He got to about 2 feet before he realized something wasn’t right and turned away and I let him have it at literally 5 feet!
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First Birds
Florida Sportsman member: duckhunter305
I quickly learned that turkey hunting and duck hunting are a completely different ball game and like most people I struck out my first season. After this duck season my friends and I decided that this season we would put the time in and get our birds.
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Making Memories
Florida Sportsman member: floridacrackr
We only had Saturday morning to get it done as I had church and Easter plans with the in laws. Well, it didn’t take long to get on a couple of gobbling birds and we had one down by 7:30. I can’t even explain the feeling of sharing this moment with my grandfather.
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Central Florida Success
Florida Sportsman member: down4dacount
Had a great week long hunt in central zone with family and friends. Hunted with an old buddy and took his kids out and got them on their first birds . Nothing like getting kids or new hunters on game.
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Spurless Gobbler
Florida Sportsman member: Florida Bullfrog
I was able to help my buddy get his first Florida gobbler this morning. The bird worked in all the way to 70 yards away and then ducked into some planted pines. I told my buddy that the bird was probably going to come out to our left and pop out right in front of us. That’s exactly what he did, but he hugged the line of palmettos the blind was in all the way to the blind’s window.
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Redemption
Florida Sportsman member: hoggator
When they got parallel to us, I ranged them at 65 yards. Every step after that, they were going to get further away. I called again, and they answered, but kept walking. Too far for my son to shoot! Some would argue that maybe too far for me as well! I leaned across my son, rested my elbow on his thigh, told him to cover his ears, and let the Mossberg 835 with 3.5” Longbeard XRs sing.
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Northwest Turkey
Florida Sportsman member: featherfanatic
Set up on a bird that was across a creek. Didn’t figure I could do anything with him and I was right. He flew down the other way. Next think I know 2 birds gobbling behind me. Get turned around and after 4 more gobbles here they are. My hevi-shot connected and my buddy that was with me missed.
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Layin’ em Down
Florida Sportsman member: Ruff One
No hen talk, but I did hear one gobble so I knew he was there. The hens started flying down with 12 finally settled in out in front of my blind. I yelp and he gobbles, so I just knew he was headed my way. I hear the drumming and he’s there, but guess what? He heading out to the hens in the field until he sees “Pretty Boy”. He changes direction and he on his way to the decoy where he runs into a load of number 5′s.
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Youth Turkey Success
Florida Sportsman member: hoggator
At 8am my friend had 8 hens walk by through the ferns on the edge on the cypress. All they could see, were just necks and heads sticking up past the ferns. At 8:10 here comes a second set in the same direction with 7 birds. Except this time, the last bird has some red on his head.
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Hogs in the Offseason
Florida Sportsman member: CaneDiver65
Been able to hunt some good hogs over in Chiefland this offseason. Trying to get these hogs thinned out on our property but it has been tough.
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Turkey Down
Florida Sportsman member: dilligaf84
With a gobble at about 40 yards my son turns around and says nature’s calling and he can’t hold it. When he turned back around the gobbler was 20 yards lined up perfect but caught the movement and took off. Realizing it was probably game over we answered nature’s call and set back up on the same spot. No more than a minute later this jake pitched down right where the previous bird spotted us and saved the day.
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Down South Success
Florida Sportsman member: floridacrackr
Forum member floridacrackr and friends had success with the turkeys opening weekend, going 3 for 3 on birds.
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Youth Gator Hunt Success
Florida Sportsman member: Gone_Fishing
My son took his first Alligator in the a YHPF Youth Hunt Saturday at Dupuis WMA. He lost two 8 footers and then harvested this 6’5″ gator. Those South Florida canals have some bad rock ledges. All 3 kids took gators and the kids did all of the casting and rod work and hit them with the bang stick.
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Wife’s First Pig
Florida Sportsman member: bgeorge
We slipped into the stand and she was enjoying the woods. Little cool and windy but just after six 3 pigs came down the swamp edge and she dropped one in its tracks. It was her first time that she shot at an animal and I think she is hooked.
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Taking Care of the Coyotes
Florida Sportsman member: ROGERSANCHEZ
Killed a female in the morning and a big male in the afternoon. I’ve killed lots of coyotes, but never two in one day!
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Coming Down to the End
Florida Sportsman member: FowlMouth824
We hunted till 11:45, and finished up with 14 birds for 3 hunters. A nice mixed bag with teal, shovelers, ring necks, scaup, and yes, a drake red head for my buddy. The drake was the last bird killed so it was a heck of a way to finish up the day.
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Good Dose of Ducks
Florida Sportsman member: down4dacount
forum member down4dacount shared some photos of some this seasons hunts. Nice!
After being in the stand just about an hour I stand up to stretch real slow and I look behind be and in about a 3 foot gap in to palms I see this buck standing there eating. I didn’t have much time to shoot but I knew he was a shooter so I pulled up the 30-30 and let it do the work.
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Great Ending to the Season
Florida Sportsman member: dolfan450r
After being in the stand just about an hour I stand up to stretch real slow and I look behind be and in about a 3 foot gap in to palms I see this buck standing there eating. I didn’t have much time to shoot but I knew he was a shooter so I pulled up the 30-30 and let it do the work.
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Flintlock Buck
Florida Sportsman member: bgeorge
Had made a quick trip to PA and came back with the Flintlock still loaded. Decided to take it out today and see what I could drum up. This guy came slipping by and stopped just perfect. Pulled the hammer back and squeezed it off. When the smoke cleared he had just dropped in his tracks.
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Persistence Pays
Florida Sportsman member: omegafoo
I saw one shooter on a lease in 2012. Biggest buck I saw was a small spike on public land during the 2013 season. Saw 11 different bucks hunting with a friend at his place in central ga this year, but nothing that met my age requirements. Finally, the day after Christmas one presents me with a shot!
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Weekend of Ducks
Florida Sportsman member: micci_man
Sunday afternoon was a different story. Pretty steady action from the git go. We knocked down 12 but lost 2 that dove and never came back up.
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8 Point Bow Buck
Florida Sportsman member: dolfan450r
I get off the phone with her and I’m texting my hunting partner to tell him, i thought to myself “I need to nock an arrow incase a big one is following her”, not 2 minutes later I see this buck coming down the same trail she was on and he’s at 30 yards. Luckily I just happened to still be in shooting position, I let him get to the 20 yard mark I pre-ranged, stopped him with a mouth grunt and let it fly…whack!
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Boar Down
Florida Sportsman member: Oakley
I started to feel discouraged since I didn’t get a shot off but I kept heading in and next thing I know I was 15 yards from a little boar. Needless to say I pulled the trigger on my old .410 and he instantly dropped.
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Hard to Get Hogs
Florida Sportsman member: Harbison
Suddenly a very respectable gray boar stops an looks back to check on us. He is so far away. Is a humane shot possible at that distance? Our especially equipped cart provides a very stable platform from which to shoot. Let’s try it; Brian agrees! I hold my breath and put the cross hairs just under the monster’s ear. Ever so slowly I gently touch the trigger. Bam! To my amazement the large boar falls.
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On the Retrieve
Florida Sportsman member: eorlando
Forum member eorlando posted some excellent retrieving photos from previous duck hunts. It looks like a good time was had by all, hunter and retriever.
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Doe Down
Florida Sportsman member: Lc-Hunter86
Forum member Lc-Hunter86 wife dropped a nice doe last week. That’s some good eats!
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Ducks for All
Florida Sportsman member: down4dacount
After some coaching he got the hang of it . He had an awesome day . Getting a new shotty and killing a Hen Canvasback . All of us got to kill at least one trophy bird .
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Duck Hunting with the Boys
Florida Sportsman member: ecueagle
I had a great morning hunt Saturday with a friend and our youngins. We ended up taking 1 Gadwall, 1 Shoveler, 5 GWT, 4 BWT.
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Opening Day
Florida Sportsman member: Cast&Blast
Well that was fun! Had my limit in 20 minutes. Could have had it in 5 but i was being “patient” waiting on something other than teal.
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Last Minute Success
Florida Sportsman member: If_it_flies_it_dies
He’s standing behind some grapevines so I still cant see the headgear real well, but at this point I don’t care. I have a clear shot at his chest and it’s a legal buck on my last hunt. Bad day to be him. I take aim at his chest, take my time and BOOM goes the slug gun.
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Neighborhood Pests
Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian
Five minutes later the one that walked past me appeared right in front of me and I turned the green light on, covering the beam to diminish the light beam, I estimated it was at 20 yards and brought the crossbow up holding the green light under the crossbow. As the illuminated red reticle sight got right behind the hog’s shoulder I opened my hand to make the beam stronger and let er rip.
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Another One Down
Florida Sportsman member: Lc-hunter86
He appeared to have a little better head gear so I told her to hit her grunt call and estrus bleat to see if he will come in…what do ya know? He starts making a beeline for us! He presented me with a perfect 22 yard broadside shot and the rest is history!
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Awesome Youth Deer Hunt
Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian
one girl had deer hunted with her father for 3 years but had yet to get a deer and also Aliyah, who had never hunted before but was so proud of taking her first deer. Of the eleven youth hunters that participated, nine of them got a deer!
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South Georgia Fun
Florida Sportsman member: rrbgtt
Tori’s boyfriend, Dean took out one the cull bucks we have on the “to be disposed of” wall and Toni shot, what she thought was a doe at about 200 yards. It ended up being a button buck, but that happens to the best of us.
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Muzzleloader Buck
Florida Sportsman member: relicshunter
The smoke cleared the opposite way he ran so I saw most of the exit and heard a great big crash. Upon retrieval I found him to be a nice 7 point, 132 pounds, check station estimated him at 3.5 years old.
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Season in Review
Florida Sportsman member: creekgeek
The big buck left a good blood trail and was pretty easy to find even in water but he only went about 15 yards. The two smaller bucks left no blood at all in the first few yards. The first of the smaller ones was also in a swamp and completely covered himself with mud.
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Vacation Buck
Florida Sportsman member: HuntnFL
He finally stopped 200 yards away and I was able to get a shot and put him down. I thought he was just a nice 8 but when I walked up I realized he was a 13 pointer. Needless to say, it made up for my unsuccessful bow hunt.
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A Couple Nice Bucks on a Windy Weekend
Florida Sportsman member: Lc-hunter86
The second morning she managed to whack a very nice 7 point about 45 minutes after daylight. He was very run down, probably from chasing does. Even so he still weighed in at 136 pounds.
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Youngest’s First Deer
Florida Sportsman member: huntmstr
“Emma, get the gun. It’s a buck for sure,” I whispered. I stuck the barrel out the window and Emma laid across my lap as she trained the scope on the deer’s torso.
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A Great Weekend
Florida Sportsman member: Lc-hunter86
He was only able to hunt one day of the permit so we had to make something happen from one evening of scouting and one day of sitting. Well we got it done opening morning!
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Public Land Stud
Florida Sportsman member: FloridaBoy
I let my buddy decide where to hunt the first afternoon and he decided to make a clutch move and try the area one more time and guess what? It worked out!
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New Personal Best
Florida Sportsman member: HookandStick
I took my best bow buck Friday evening. He is a typical 10 point, I believe he’s pretty old as well. At last light he appeared and gave me a 25 yard forward quartering shot.
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Making it Happen
Florida Sportsman member: Git-R-Dunn
I watched the does and Turkey,which were only 20 yards away,and I just happened to look to my left. Here comes a nice 8 point. I wake up quickly,as I was running on 4 hours of sleep.
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Big Eight Down
Florida Sportsman member: dilligaf84
This buck had been cruising roughly 700 acres based on trail pics so it was anyone’s guess where he would show up. He came in checking for does at last light. Haven’t put a tape on him yet but looks like he may break 100 inches.
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Buck in the Swamp
Florida Sportsman member: away
Around 6:15 I hear what sounds like a deer creeping through the water and can barely make out feet in the distance before he makes a turn and starts angling toward me. Stopped him at about 28 yards quartering to me. Passed right through and he piled up 30 yards away.
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Buck Down
Florida Sportsman member: roachbuster
With the woods being wet from rain overnight this deer snuck up on me, looked over and he was 15 yards away. when he got behind a tree I stood up pulled back and shot him. I hit him perfect but arrow didn’t come out other shoulder.
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Filling the Freezer
Florida Sportsman member: rrbgtt
I dropped her off and turned the tractor around headed back to the clubhouse. Before I made it back, she called and said to turn around. She had shot a doe. She said they came out into the plot just as the tractor pulled away. This time one made the mistake of getting within range.
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Quick Kill
Florida Sportsman member: jhandyman
We launched the boat and had a gator on the line in 5 minutes. 30 minutes later, the boats back on the trailer and we’re headed home. 7’5″ and about 2 inches missing from the tail.
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Central Florida Nine Point
Florida Sportsman member: Gone_Fishing
Took this 9 pt Wednesday morning at 7:20am following a doe. No official weight, estimated at 135 to 140 pounds. 47 yard shot with a 100 grain RamCat. This buck didn’t have much width but he had some nice mass and interesting character to the rack.
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Bucks and Bacon
Florida Sportsman member: jnicholson1437
Finally this archery season I told him I am sitting with him in his blind, and bringing all my gear and making this thing happen. And happen it did!
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Public Land Buck
Florida Sportsman member: zack&drake
My plan was to let anything walk until the last evening unless it was a monster. I get a text at 7:35 that says 6 point, down come get me! I call my buddy and he was so excited he could barely talk.
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First Bow Kill
Florida Sportsman member: Rebel998
I see the path hes going and set up a shot as he walks into my shooting lane. 20 yards out I release my arrow with a toxic broadhead and I hear that sound for the first time “thwack”! He’s hit! I watch him
run and crash and continue running.
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Double Does Down
Florida Sportsman member: maq attaq
Danny dropped his first doe on Saturday at 130 yds and his second on Sunday at around 120 yds. They both dropped in their tracks. We had a great time hanging out, exploring and enjoying our pup Gunner. He got his first taste of deer blood. Watching Danny hunt is so much more rewarding than squeezing the trigger myself.
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Rainy Day 10 Point
Florida Sportsman member: Killingtime1
At about 8 I caught this guy trying to slip through one of my shooting lanes at 35 yards, so I gave him a grunt to stop him and I sent a slick trick on its way, the shot was farther back than I hoped for. After a sparse blood trail of 50 yards I backed out and called a buddy with best tracking dog (Rascal) that I have ever seen. It only took Rascal 10 minutes to retrieve my kill.
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Buck Down
Florida Sportsman member: FloridaBoy
After a soggy sit Saturday, I was happy to see clear skies Sunday. Had deer out all day in the fields Saturday, Sunday morning I had a buck walk by my stand before shooting light. About 8am I saw this buck out in the field and grunted him in to 30 yards. Close enough. Thwack. Smoked em.
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Opening Day Deer
Florida Sportsman member: BowtechGen3
We got quite a surprise when arrived at our tree that morning as turkey’s were roosted in our tree despite not having any pictures of them in the preceding weeks they scared the crap out of us when they flushed. But we were able to get set up and ready with plenty of time to wait for daylight.
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First Bow Buck
Florida Sportsman member: Lc-hunter86
Well my girl and I decided to try hunting a romp n stomp WMA I’ve never hunted before this year. After a lot of scouting and a rough opening day, she was able to score her first ever archery buck. It’s not her largest buck she’s ever killed, but I’d say it’s probably her biggest hunting accomplishment to date! A nice little 4 point to start the season off right!
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Taggin’ Out
Florida Sportsman member: mr300s
We had a ball we and ended up tagging out, four heroes took four gators, mine was 10 feet 2 inches as well another and two smaller ones. We hunted area 540 in Melbourne out of air boats.
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Trophy Gator
Florida Sportsman member: mike923
We got a good one we last Friday night. Measured and weighed at central florida trophy hunts at 13′ 1″ and weighed 836 pounds.
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Patience Pays Off
Florida Sportsman member: trg03
Within 20 minutes he had snapped my rod in two places. I grabbed my baitcaster, set another hook in him and he proceeded to blow out the anti reverse and release the treble. At this point he was sitting on the bottom and not moving so I was able to cut the braid on the broken rod and transfer the line to the 6500 with no anti reverse.
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STA Gators
Florida Sportsman member: floridacrackr
Forum member floridacrackr got into some big gators this weekend. Hunting out at STA 5, the gators measured 11’9″ and 9’8″. Nice lizards!
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Filling Tags
Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian
Unlike my gator hunting where I’ve baited gators using “well-fermented” (rancid) sheep lungs we would be using rod and reels and snatch hooks adorned with a small cyalume chemlight so you can see where you’re casting. Gear would be strong spinning reels with stout rods, 60 pound braid, two feet of 80 pound leader on which the cyalume is attached and a weighted treble hook.
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Getting the Gators
Florida Sportsman member: BowtechGen3
Well this year I was not fortunate enough to be drawn for a gator tag but luckily I have a couple of friends that drew a few Tags. We filled 2 of the 4 tags we had for the first phase this weekend and with a little luck hopefully we will fill the other 2 this week!
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Opening Day Success
Florida Sportsman member: conchobrady
Forum member conchobrady got out on opening morning of bow season and took a respectable buck. Congrats!
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Turkey Down
Florida Sportsman member: down4dacount
Forum member down4dacount put together a great video of his son taking a turkey this season. That’s the way to do it! Nice Bird.
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Big Hog Down
Florida Sportsman member: CatchDog
Forum member CatchDog got ahold of a big barred hog recently, with 3 inch cutters on him!The video shows how it went down. Nice Pig!
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Giggin’ For Dinner
Florida Sportsman member: roachbuster
Forum member roachbuster got a chance to get out and do some gigging recently, loading up on some big frogs. Great fun and a good meal! Nice work.
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Team “Spur Me” in Missouri
Florida Sportsman member: Ruff One
Opening morning found me sitting in a small food plot down from the ridge. No gobbling! No sounds any where. Really an unusual morning. Decided to just sit back, make a yelp here and there. Just enjoy the morning. Right at seven o’clock I hear that familiar sound that you just love to hear. A drumming gobbler!! He’s behind me and working his way right by me headed to my brand new Avain decoy. He didn’t make it.
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Night Time Pig and Recipe
Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian
After sunset I heard a deer snorting in the distance and about 30 minutes later I heard a pig “woof”. Ten minutes and a few hog grunts later, a single black hog works through the palmettoes. Turning on the green hog light I see her moving through the palmettoes and with a clear shot she drops. It’s more pork chops to play with!
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Like Father, Like Son
Florida Sportsman member: cetchdawg
Forum member cetchdawg shared some great photos of him and his son with some nice hogs. There’s nothing better than being in the outdoors and making memories that will last a lifetime!
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A Turkey Surprise
Florida Sportsman member: Iggy7
I was out hog hunting right near the end of turkey season. I knew the property I was hunting had a good number of turkeys but I was simply trying to get some hog sausage for the freezer.
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Pork Chops, it’s what’s for Dinner
Florida Sportsman member: Big Bend Brian
We sat for almost 3 hours in light rain when four piggies came out of the palmettos. By then we couldn’t really see them well enough for a good shot so Casey turned on the hog light. The green light didn’t even phase them. While Casey was turning on the lighted red reticle on the red dot I asked him not to shoot the largest one, as I was pretty certain it was a boar hog. One shot and the second largest hog dropped and the three others tore out of there.
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A Solid Season
Florida Sportsman member: hooksetter
Forum member hooksetter has had a great turkey season this year. Not only hunting in Florida, But throughout Georgia and South Carolina as well. Great Work!
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Laying Down Her First Bird
Florida Sportsman member: Longhaul
Forum member Longhaul put his 8 year old daughter on this beautiful bird the opening weekend of youth turkey season. She took the bird with her 410, Congrats to both of you!
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Turkey Season Recap
Florida Sportsman member: triplehelix
A week later after t