Florida 2011 Season

[longbeard.386]

Hey, gobbler hunters.
There's about 75 days until the start of th spring 2011 season. I know that it's on my mind pretty constantly. Let's get some postings and conversations going. How are you holding up as you await this season?
Longbeard.386
"Remember, you're never too old to have a happy childhood."

[SpurHuntinHillbilly]

Right up here on the border in GA and I cant wait for these bad boys to crank up here! Question...how far into FL do I have to go for an Osceola? Just got stationed here in the Coast Guard and would love to fill a life long dream of getting just one of em in my life.

[longbeard.386]

SputHuntinHillbilly,
To my understanding there is not a county line, highway, etc. that's a dividing line to keep Easterns on one side and Osceolas on the other. I would suggest that you come far enough south to be sure that you're in "Osceola Country". Central Florida will sure do it. Do you have a spot for Easterns picked out yet? Is it public land? Would you be willing to trade weekend a public land hunt for an Osceola for a public land hunt for an Eastern?
Longbeard.386
"Remember, you're never too old to have a happy childhood."

[SpurHuntinHillbilly]

Longbeard,

I have a few places here (public land) that I have been hunting these last few months that are holding quite a few turkeys. I will be scouting quite hard come mid Feb to see where the birds are staying. This geography and vegetation down here is a whole new world to me so I am looking forward to the challenge come this spring. I kicked up about 30 birds back in November during a hog hunt in this cypress/oak bottom and I am sure hoping that they stay there this winter. As far as a trade hunt I would trade my own mama (joking!) to have an opportunity and take an Osceola! LOL!!![:D] If you would like to come up to S.E. Georgia for an Eastern drop me a PM in a couple of weeks and we will set it up. Us turkey hunters are a different breed and anything I can do to help out a fellow one would be my pleasure.


Mack

[longbeard.386]

SpurHuntin Hillbilly,
Contact me at <jerrymayes@cfl.rr.com> for PM.
Longbeard.386
"Remember, your never too old to have a happy childhood."

[Dixie Belle]

I did a little research and found that  acording to Florida wildlife and the NWTF turkeys taken in Duval, Bradford and those counties that follow that general line across the state and of course those counties south of that line could be considered an Osceola. A guess is that up here in Duval and Bradford they are most likely crosses at best. The ones near my place sure are long, tall birds with the predominant black bars and broken white on the wing feathers. So, who knows. Like longbeard.386 said turkeys don't know anything about county lines.

[turkeyman]

In response to longbeard.386 I too have turkey on the brain. I live in Southern Utah and it's still dang cold and snowy here. However, I will be headed to Florida for the fourth year in a row come mid March and I can't wait. I love coming down there in March and hearing a gobbler sound of on a beautiful spring morning and just knowing it's freezing back home. I love getting my season started a month earlier than I could back home. This year I will be hunting Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. I would love to hear what every one else is doing also. I guess I just need some more fuel for the fire!