Spring time in Florida, to local and out of state hunters, only means one thing, turkey season! Here in South Florida we have the highly-prized Osceola, the crown jewel of the grand slam for turkey hunters nationwide.
While Osceola’s can be found statewide, to get a true Osceola most hunters favor hunting mid to South Florida to guarantee they’re not a hybrid or Eastern strain turkey. Success on an Osceola hunt is earned at every step. While many hunters opt for a public land do-it-yourself hunt on wildlife management areas, few are successful. While it is a very rewarding hunt if you bag one, the odds just are not in their favor.
That’s where local guides such as myself come into play. Local hunting guides and outfitters play a huge role in a successful hunt. From knocking on doors of private landowners and securing hunting rights to countless hours in the field scouting. Using a local guide doesn’t guarantee you a successful hunt, but greatly increases the hunter’s odds in bagging a trophy bird. Prices range from $1000-$3000 depending on outfitters you hunt with, what they offer- such as lodging and meals, and landowner fees. Make sure to ask plenty of questions when choosing outfitters: how long have they been hunting? success rates? how many hunts do they conduct yearly? how much property do they have access to? what do they offer? And references?. More money does not always mean a better hunt.
I myself guarantee an opportunity at a true Osceola on your hunt, but that doesn’t mean you will harvest one, it simply means you will see or hear turkeys, but it’s still up to you the hunter to coax them into range! Most outfitters offer to call the birds for you or let you do it yourself, this is entirely up to the hunter’s discretion. Most guides know their turkeys and what they’ll respond to thus getting them into range for their clients. Florida is one of the few states that allows about any type of hunting method for turkey, from rifles and shotguns to black powder, pistols, bows, and crossbows and seasons generally run from the first weekend of March through April 24 the for South and Central zones.
Time for me to hit the woods, stay safe out there! For questions or advice, I can be reached at waynenichols75@gmail.com RedEyeSafaris.com or Red Eye Safaris on Facebook, 863-990-7650.
