by Wayne Nichols
This is the time of year where all sportsman can find plenty of opportunities to get outdoors. Here at Red Eye we had close to 30 Osceola’s taken this Spring and did multiple combination hunts…turkey, gator, and hogs. As always hogs are open year-round down here. Getting into the woods, chasing wild hogs is always a great time and a good way to put some meat in the freezer. Then there’s also our favorite, alligator hunting! On private land, our season runs year-round and we’ve got plenty of tags again this year. This is an exciting hunt for all ages! During daylight hours, we’re virtually unlimited on how we can hunt them. Any type of firearms, muzzleloader, pistols, crossbow, bow, harpoon/spear, bait lines…etc. Hunts are conducted day and night depending on your preferred method. Night hunts are a great way to beat the Florida heat, but mosquitos can get terrible so make sure to grab a ThermaCell or some repellent.
Work with the area’s best Captain’s is a great way to experience more of what South Florida has to offer by booking one of our “Cast n Blast” deals. Combo hunting/fishing for 3-4 days for Gators and hogs, then spend a day inshore or offshore fishing. This is one of the best times of the year to chase big gators. Big bulls are traveling looking for mates and are a lot more aggressive this time of year. This is something to remember when out with pets and children around any freshwater. The past few years has seen many more reports of attacks on people and pets, so be very cautious with your surroundings.
Recently had a hunt with some Canadian folks looking to escape some cold temperatures and wanted to warm up in our famous sunshine. We ventured into a cypress swamp, on foot, stalking Gators sunning through the broken timber. Once we located a large gator sunning in some cypress stumps, we set up and waited….and waited…after a few hours the gator finally moved some, presenting my hunter with a clear headshot, which is vital in these conditions so you don’t lose it. A well-placed shot and it was all over, a great finish to a very patient hunter. The other hunter with him wanted a more open water type hunt, so we headed to the glades on one of our big sugar cane places. We located a big gator swimming in a large canal and he went under. After several attempts with the hand line treble hook, he snagged him and the fight was on! He got him in close enough to get a shot on him, pretty wild with water n lily pads flying through the air and death-rolling, while he was trying to get a shot off!
Y’all feel free to call anytime with questions about anything we offer, 863-990-7650. We’re getting back to Regulatn’, stay safe.