Florida rut???
 

when exactly is the florida rut and what's the best way to hunt it. this is my first year deer hunting in florida. i know it comes usually about january or late december. how do ya'll hunt it. i've heard that rattling doesn't usually work in the south so..... any help would be appreciated.

RE: Florida rut???
 

i'm not big on rattling, but it has worked for me in the past. as far as the rut goes, it's at different times throughout the state. i believe the rut is over here in the central part of the state. when i shot by buck this last november, he was chasing doe's...but i think it was a post rut. his neck wasn't swollen but his tarsal's were jet black and stunk. he was also still hit'n scrapes on a regular basis. below is a picture of that buck with me and my dad..

RE: Florida rut???
 

that's a nice looking buck!!!! where'd you get him??? looks like ocala.

RE: Florida rut???
 

not ocala my friend, if we hunt together i'll tell ya...but for right now, if i told ya i'd have to kill ya.....lol

naw, i don't wanna say on here because everyone local will be putting in for this area next year.

RE: Florida rut???
 

Hey nice buck Cop! Congrat's!

HA! HA!:D:D:DLooks like Three Lakes or Lake Wales!

RE: Florida rut???
 

Nice buck.It sure isn't my area.

RE: Florida rut???
 

well i guess we'll have to go hunting then. i'm actually planning on going out to richloam this weekend. they have some pretty nice deer out there. pretty impressive to say the least.

RE: Florida rut???
 

right now i'm working week ends...which sucks.

RE: Florida rut???
 

in my area , north central around the mouth of the Suwannee River the rut is in full swing around the last of Oct.
as for rattling, it works great for me.they say you have to have the buck to doe about 1 to 1 or 1 to 3 ,somewhere there about.that may be , but not where I hunt.we sat Saturday morning (3 of us)and saw 39 head of does and a few nub bucks. nothing with horns.that is about right for a good morning when there feeding in the morning.
every year durning the B/P season I rattle in several shooter bucks.this year I took 3 durning B/P season while rattling.
I rattled in a nice 5 pt. for my wife the second weekend of gun season.
the rut is about over for us. there will be a few does that will come around again that didn't get breed the first time.saw a few fresh scraps last week.

try rattling,can't hurt anything.just don't do it like they show on TV; you'll scare away our deer with that kinda banging.you just want to (as I call it tickle the horns)enough so they can hear you for 100 yards.thats not hard.
when you see a deer ,buck or doe,try it and watch them.if they look your way, then they heasrd you.if they don't look , do it a little harder,then you will know how hard to do it.

good luck, and welcome to the world of huntinh in the swamps.

RE: Florida rut???
 

thanks treeclimber. i've lived in florida all of my life but i had never hunted deer here so i've been kinda lost. i may try some rattling this weekend. does it work back in the swamps back in standing water and such??? it seems like the deer would be looking for water movement. for the archery season when you can shoot does have you every tried doing fawn bleats to bring in does??? i've done it in ky and thought it might work here since i'm not comepletely worried about antlers when i can take does.

RE: Florida rut???
 

Hunter, the fawn bleat is Doe killer!

RE: Florida rut???
 

i guess i'll have to try that out next year.

RE: Florida rut???
 

The rut is on in Richloam and Greenswamp now..a little 8pt was chasing a doe about 35yds. behind me in Greenswamp two days ago. Last tues. in there I had two chances at a state registry class buck in there. He was cruising for does hitting the feeding areas..steady walk..they will be doing that till the end of the season in there.
Once 8:30am he was about 175yds. and I couldn't get my crosshairs on his chest like I wanted..(was using 14" 7-30Waters Contender handgun and just had 5 heart by-passes 6wks. ago at the time) That afternoon he came in where I was setup in climber and stopped broadside at 5 steps. I had the crosshairs right behind his shoulders and my gun locked in on a monopod rest..pulled the trigger and it just snapped. Had it set for rim-fire barrels instead of center-fire. I re-live the event about every 5 minutes and will for many yrs...that's how good of a buck he is.

RE: Florida rut???
 

do you know any good spots in green swamp to hunt. i've never been down in there but would like to.

RE: Florida rut???
 

I've read that in the state of Florida the rut can be different by up to 3 months in areas within 50 miles of each other. I have to say, Ive seen that come true as well. I have video of a buck I killed two weeks ago knocking down trees and making rubs and scrapesin September. He was chasing does when I shot him and it was December. Florida has the widest range for a rut of any state in the US. It can be 6 months difference from down south to up north in the panhandle. The best answer I have heard is that, as long as there are does still going into heat, he is still gonna be puffed up and ready to go. I guess it all depends on your area. INTEL is the key down here!!

RE: Florida rut???
 

bigboar, you're right on the money with that last response. Hunter06, in my opinion, everywhere in green swamp is a good spot. you'll just have to show up and scout as you hunt. green swamp is a first come first serve management area but this late in the year you should be able to get in anytime of the day. i would get there earlier to make sure.

RE: Florida rut???
 

Go in from the Rockridge Rd. side check station and hunt along the river. Look for live oak acorns on the ground and there will be does coming to them and bucks checking on the does.
The only time Greenswamp might fill up with hunters is Thanksgiving and Xmas.
Deer kills are way down in there so don't expect much. I think Richloam has more deer now..if you can deal with the dog hunters in there..I can't.
Also they are trapping the hogs out of Greenswamp..this is the first yr. since I've hunted the place I haven't even seen a hog..heard one grunt one time. I don't shoot them most of the time anyway and could care less if I never saw one..but don't like the idea of our game department depleting the game hunt.
I don't know what happened to all the deer in Greenswamp..they didn't get killed out legally but they are disappearing fast.

RE: Florida rut???
 

[quote]ORIGINAL: Ifly


Green Swamp is controlled by the "SWFWMD" SW FL Water Management Distric. They use to offer a Spring Hog hunt, cause the hogs were changing the flood water run off and causing flooding. I went to the first Spring Hog hunt offered in May of 1995 and had to leave before noon cause the heat and the skeeters weremiserable!
Don't know if it is still offered!

RE: Florida rut???
 

richloam has had quite a few deer killed out of there this year. that's kinda surprising to hear that green swamp has less deer than richloam. it seems that having the dog hunters would push them into green swamp. i can put up with the dog hunters to a point. i am glad they were there yesterday. i had to get one of them to pull me out after i got stuck. is green swamp as muddy and water filled as richloam???

RE: Florida rut???
 

Most of the game take refuge on the Overstreet Ranch that's on the South side of the Green Swamp border fence. I have mentioned this many times! Also have mentioned that at Green Swamp, hunt the Green Swamp/Richloom fence on the North side.The dogsthat are allowed in Richloom will drive the deer into Green Swamp!

RE: Florida rut???
 

For you fellows who don't know wher ethe Over Street Ranch is....It's on Tran about 1 mile east of levi road past the power lines. Problem is overstreet is ovedr crowded. It does look good though, Tran is not the easiest road to be on. Just wide enough for one vehicle. It's eassier to hunt than bay heads. It's the Withalachochee River.

RE: Florida rut???
 

After you leave the check station go down Main Grade to Stand Hammock Road and park your vehicle in the aurthorized parking area and walk South to the Withlachoochee and the Green Swamp fence, which is also the Overstreet Ranch Fence,or you can follow Tram Grade to Ellis Grade, or follow Mian Grade to Ellis Grade that will run-in to Tram Grade,this is where Sumter County,Lake County and Polk County meet. Hunt all the area South of Tram Grade. Stay out of the Overstreet Ranch, don't jump the fence! It's private property!!!!

Another area that is good for deer is the Triangle between Tanic Grade and Three-Run-Grade off the Richloom fence!:)

Green Swamp

RE: Florida rut???
 

Sorry Chuck, that's not right!;)

RE: Florida rut???
 

how are the roads in the green swamp??? the majority of the non grades in richloam are really bad. is that the same way as there??? has anyone hunted in the area where the river makes a big loop right near powder grade just south of the florida trail???

RE: Florida rut???
 

You are right Reb. I just checked the map.It is Tran. I've hunted the area I just get the names Tanic and Tram messed up.
Chuck7

RE: Florida rut???
 

Main....no problem
Powder...no problem

They are the only ones I've been on this year. However; although the roads are good it's hard to find a good place to pull over if you only got 2 wheel drive. Once wyou are parked you will be in water.

RE: Florida rut???
 

Hey, if you get an ATV, you'll out hunt most guy's!:)
I have'nt been to Green Swamp since 1997, so I can't tell you much about how the roasds are now!

RE: Florida rut???
 

well i do drive a 2 wheel drive vehicle but i'm working on getting some serious mud tires for my rear wheels. do you know if there are out and out holes on the other roads??? if so is it gooey mud or is it water over a sand bottom???

RE: Florida rut???
 

Tram has deep holes. Pulled the muffler off my truck last year. That road may have some pot holes with water. Also very narrow road. Powder is fine. Main is fine. Three mile will be sanding and wet. I plan to go tues, and Wednesday to Powder.
Chcuk7

RE: Florida rut???
 

chuck is your explorer 4 wheel drive??? hopefully i'll be getting some serious mud-terrain tires for my rear wheels so i should be able to get through most things as long as it isn't a really gooey bottom.

RE: Florida rut???
 

No..I do not have 4 wheel drive. I understand the roads are much better than Richloam. They are solid hard roads , at least Powder and Main. Three Mile Run is sandy in spots and Tram is narrow with pot holes. Because of all the recent rains be careful pulling off the road. when parking your vehicle.
Chuck7

RE: Florida rut???
 

yeah if i see you out there i'll definately say hi. that'ld be nice to have someone to go out there with that know's the area too.

RE: Florida rut???
 

I wish I could help ya score. Like most have said...the game is everywhere. I was out there today. The main roads are fine and there are places to pull over. I walked about 1 mile off the main road that borders a farm. I heard stuff but saw nothing. There are a few differnet ranches that surround the Green Swamp. I did see a legal spike buck jump a fence off of Rock ridge about 1/2 mile before the Green Swamp gate. 5:00AM LOL. I'm actually still learning myself. This is only my forth year out there. I only hunt during the week to advoid the crowds.
Chuck

For me...Powder Grade is the best but TOO WET right now; so I'm hunting on the south side of the 3 bridges past the check in station off of Rockridge. I know that area real good. However; when it's not so wet Powder is my spot.

RE: Florida rut???
 

what do you mean by wet when it comes to powder??? like standing water or holes or what??? i'm planning on coming out there sometime after the first of the year.

RE: Florida rut???
 

Hunter,when I hunted Green Swamp, Powder Grade use to be a real sandy road and when it rained, it got real messy!!!

RE: Florida rut???
 

is it sugar sand???

RE: Florida rut???
 

It use to be, don't know now!

RE: Florida rut???
 

"what do you mean by wet when it comes to powder??? like standing water or holes or what??? i'm planning on coming out there sometime after the first of the year. "

When you come off main unto Powder...it is hard and solid. The road is kind of narrow. Two vehicles can juuuust get by. When you continue to drive about 3 miles up powder and around it begins getting very sanding.{ Fine white sand 6" high ,}I will not drive it. It continues to go into a big circle turning into 3 mile run and then Tanic where it meets up with Main again. So POwder is one big circle about 6 miles.I mostly hunt the very 1st 2 miles of Powder. The road is fine there and plenty of hogs and deer. the trick...finding them;)The wetness. The area there is very flat and with the much rain the water just lays there. Water is mostly about 6"-12" deep. I've got nice Lacrosse rubber boots and my feet stay dry. However ...the hogs and deer will be in the bayheads. Tha twater is over my boots easy.{ The reason I'm not hunting it}SO far today since the last week of Sept. 10 deer killed and 49 hogs. Very sad.
Chuck7

RE: Florida rut???
 

Nice deer, looks like around Flying Eagle or around Henando, Pasco co by the trees LOL but could be anywhere in cent' fla :p

RE: Florida rut???
 

I went to the Green Swamp today. I can't give away all of my secrets but I walked until I found hogs,Two miles...great signs and a bunch tore the palmettoes getting away from me. Here are some pictures. The last will be a nice fresh trail. My stand and I will be there tomorrow. Takes 40 min. to get there on foot.:(I took a picture of the "Wetness"