Florida Weather

[Swampstalk]

Scouting our WMA for opening weekend hunt. As Joey says, it warm and no rain. Beautiful Still sunrise. Heard two bunches gobbling in a area we took a tom last year. A bit cooler next weekend.

Getting pumped.

[timbrhuntr]

Good luck hobbes ! I'm sure you will have a riot. The first year I went it was a hot dry year and I had to walk an extra 3 miles just do get to the swamp. The next year I got soaked just getting out of the truck in the parking lot LOL

[joey46]

Forecast for the area you will be hunting is excellent. It has been dry for at least 10 days with temperatures slowly creeping up. A slight cold front may cause a Thursday sprinkle but cool things down into the high 70s for Saturday's March 20th opener. Wind always the wild card but probably be okay. We're hunting all day Saturday then taking two days off returning Tuesday. I'll be out tomorrow morning by 6:45am hoping to hear a few. They have not been talkative but show up on the cameras so we know they're around. Very quiet this year. Good luck.

[Hobbes_mobile]

Thanks. I'm looking forward to it. I'm a little on edge about the planned hunt because I don't have the amount of control over the hunt that I'm accustomed to. I do have a list of WMAs that I can hunt without a quota permit and I've got this one last shot at one of the reissues. Regardless, we'll enjoy our time in Florida.

It would be really nice to get lucky and kill a bird right off so I could fulfill some family and friends expectations and not be an ass all week. However, my preference would be to start hunting Saturday and not stop until Thursday and be on my own hunting the whole time.

[joey46]

Scouted this morning and probably heard a 100 roost gobbles. Checked cameras on way out. Got a decent picture of the big mouths. There are 5 in that picture and it should have been close to flydown about 7:15am. BTW - the mosquitos were as bad as ever. Bring a head net.

[Hobbes_mobile]

I've got the headnet, deet and thermacell ready.

[Swampstalk]

We don’t go in the swamps without our BugTamer jackets. These are mesh fabric with a liner mesh that prevents the little devil’s beaks or whatever you call them from getting to your skin. Has a mesh hood attached. Mine must be 10 to 12 years old and has held up well. Camo or plan green. The game wardens in Africa use the plain ones when going after poachers. BassPro used to carry them, but now have their cheap alternative that I don’t care for. Not sure rather than on line where one can be bought. I fella here in Miami I know was a regional distributor. Haven’t been able to find him in a while.

Shane, anyway fire that Thermacell up when leaving the vehicle as it takes about 20 minutes for it to really get cooking to fend off the swamp angels. Good thing is after the sun gets up they usually thin out except in vegetation in heavy shade. Luck with the gobblers!

[joey46]

The forecast for Saturday will be cool and probably breezy. Bugs won't be a problem but quiet birds may be. Hate to see a breezy dawn. I'll take the mosquitoes if they're talking. I will say my last scouting trip Tuesday found the mosquitoes memorable. Good luck to all.