JGFLHunter

Anyone regulars on this site deer hunt in Florida. Would love to get more information and add to my research knowledge.

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I used to hunt Escambia and Okaloosa counties when I was stationed out there. I had private property in Okaloosa I could hunt and I always pulled quota tags for Perdido River MWA on the FL/AL line. I especially liked Perdido River because it was only 2 miles from my house and I could do afternoon hunts easily. I usually took 2 bucks a year, nothing huge just meat bucks. For a few years I got permits for Eglin AFB but never hunted it. Tried to get the Sambar hunt a few time on the NWR but never drew it.

Alpine_Archer

i've been pounding the wma's for about 10 years now just now starting to figure things out a little. get on the FWC website and do some research plenty of good info there of where to start. then put in some legwork and scout some areas.

MaineRida

I am in the same position as you, I am trying to learn about wma's by reading all the info possible. I will have a license for next year and align my vacation to get a couple of weeks of archery hunting in. I will be in fl in a couple of weeks and will driive to two locations to get a feel for the area. I will be back in the spring then hunt next fall.

JGFLHunter

I have private land I hunt, I am in a hunt club in northeast Florida. Really this thread I made for is for learning. Finding out the best way to hunt, how to scout better, when the rut is, etc. I have been hunting WMAs as well and did that for about 5-6 years. Last year I was done with it and didn't hunt. I found a club to get in this year and enjoying hunting and being out there again. Florida WMAs are ridiculously hard to hunt, maybe it was me. I don't know. I did harvest a couple deer on them but man tough tough hunting in my opinion.

MaineRida

How many wma's did you hunt? Do all wma's get a lot of pressure? I started viewing this sight to help my next hunting experience which is hunting fl. Since you are close to ga, is that state any better?

JGFLHunter

I mainly hunted Camp Blanding and Osceola National Forest. There is a lot of pressure, but usually if you can get the early start and learn the area you want to hunt it can be ok,but it is still hard. You can't feed or do food plots on WMAs. Yes, GA is close and the hunting is way better in my opinion. I used to hunt near Homerville a long ago. The amount of money you'll spend is up to you but I can't afford going there. 300 dollar license, gas, food, camper/tent, etc. I'll stick to my hunt club I just got in. If you can get in a club Florida isn't too bad of a place to hunt. The Panhandle has good deer and so does Gainesville.

MaineRida

I am in Levy county and have several WMA's around me. I will try and learn them over the next few years but will look at a club when I am in the area permanently. For now it is pay the money and blunder about....
Have booked a hog hunt for Saturday.

jhall01

I am in levy county as well. Have you had any luck getting info on a club to join? devils hammock has a good hog population. I also see a lot of nice bucks come out of gothe every year during archery. the north gate in gothe use to be the best spot but it has been clear cut recently. There is still a lot of good sign there still though. I am hoping to get out there saturday afternoon and do some scouting for my gun quota.

Brandon_SPC

I hunt the WMA of Santa Rosa County and Okaloosa county. The rut around here is mid January all the way till March. During bow season I will find peanut field and sit about 300 yards from a peanut field in evenings or do the same with private property. If I am not doing that I will find acorns to hunt over. During December I don't do much deer hunting because it is the Lull so I spend time coyote and squirrel hunting. When January roles around I tend to focus most of my time towards the out skirts of planted pines, planted pines meeting clear cuts, or just outside of thick creek bottoms. Generally during that time the bucks like to travel through the creek bottom or the out skirts. I shot an 8pt and 6pt last year hunting a dirt road that out skirted some planted pines. I shot another 6 pt that came from some planted pines to a clear cut. Stopped him on a dirt road. Then I shot a doe sitting on the outside of a creek bottom. The year before I shot a 6 pt coming from a creek. I was sitting about 40 yards from it. The 5 pt I shot a few days after I caught him chasing a doe from planted pines to a clear cut. So during the rut all my focus is on planted pines, clear cuts, and creek bottoms. I stay away from private property or anything that doesn't have those three. Actually all the bucks I have shot during rifle season except a cowhorn I shot last year was near some planted pines, a creek bottom, or a clear cut. The cow horn I was just hunting some really thick stuff. Also I have had really good luck using the primos can I have called in more than a few with it.