This is my first year hunting Hopkins Prairie. I’ve been hunting a few hundred yards from that newer clear cut off 50 without realizing it. When you said where it was I just started laughing lol. This is where a couple weekends ago I saw 6 different Bears in one day all within a mile & a half. This is also where one of my stands got vandalized. From what I understand they hunted from it and then busted it up. If someone finds one of my stands I really don’t mind if they use it. I would rather they didn’t, but if they do. . . at least respect it. Kudos to the hunters that respect other hunters, the forests and especially the animals ;)
I have been trying to finish a video on Google Scouting Goethe (like the one I did on Green Swamp), if you haven't subscribed, please do and you will get an email when it goes up.
Subscribed and liked! Great video. I am new to Florida hunting and am used to hunting fields and meadows. Does hunting those in Florida ever seem to produce? Thanks
It is not that they will never produce, the deer do quickly learn to avoid such areas during daylight especially on high pressured public land (private can be a different story). There is so much cover in FL that deer can move about in the daytime and not ever be seen. I talk about post season scouting of just following miles of deer runs. With enough boots of the ground, and some luck of course, you can find some areas that open up with lots of deer activity. Good places to look are the areas between clear cuts. Forestry takes a bulldozer through to mark off the areas for logging. These areas tend to to fill up and the deer (and bears) will use them as travel corridors.
I’ve been hunting ocala wma many years we actually have a cabin out there that our family built back in the 40s. A tool like this is a great idea I’ve never thought about it so thank you very much. Also I never really talk to other hunters so I’m gonna ask, I know you can only hunt bucks in Ocala wma so how often do you think you normally see them.. just curious.
Like fishing, you can go to a spot one weekend and see deer, go the next weekend and see nothing. Last year I only saw one nice buck and didn't get a shot. My friend Roy and I have said, in a weekend of hunting, you are lucky to get one shot at a deer. Even if you scout a great spot, you have to have some luck to be in the stand when the buck goes by.
Hey we have a hunt club with a cabin in the wma and hunt up there all the time but for some reason I could not find the rut this year... we’re going back up the 26th but I was wondering when you normally see the rut up there? Love to hear from other who hunt here.
Typically the rut hits around the mid Nov time frame. I have seen bucks chasing does late into Dec though. I think there are more does than bucks so this causes a second rut about a month later. There is a lot of talk about this on some of the podcasts. This year I didn't seem much chasing into Nov/Dec. It seemed like an odd year for things.
Yea it did seem kind of odd, I also had a couple big bucks working big scrapes on camera out there on the 7th of January the day after the season so I left my cameras on and I’m going back up in a few weeks to see if they still are. Also what podcast?
@@garretthammond9412 Wire to Hunt and MSU Deer Lab are my two favorite podcasts. I will also listen to Public Land Hunting. You can search for "hunting" Whitetail Deer", etc to see all that are out there.
Hi Gavin, This time of year the rut should be in full swing. Hunting around doe bedding areas is good, bucks will be checking them for hot does. It is also worth doing all day or at least long morning sits (sit till noon or so). This Friday is a big cold front and this may get the deer up and moving all day. Other than that, look for deer signs, watch my video on Tracks, I give some tips about assessing deer movement.
I have never seen a hog in Ocala but that doesn't mean there aren't any. I tend to be in the higher/dryer areas where you aren't going to see hogs. I would try at the north end of the Lake Delancy area. I know there are plenty of hogs across the river in Caravelle Ranch.
I got the quota for Ocala pipeline hunt I was wondering if it was any good and if I heard was right. I heard you can run dogs. I was just wondering if you could help me out by any chance.
The Pipeline Unit of Ocala is a 'dog hunt' area during general gun season. Having a permit does allow you to hunt there but I assume there is some etiquette of still hunting in a dog hunt area. This being shooting a deer someone's dogs were in chase of would likely be frowned upon. I have never dog hunted so I am not even sure how they handle who is hunting what area with dogs. I do know that the area has a lot of people running dogs in it and this is why FWC issued permits so they could track the number of hunters. With that all being said, the Lake Delancy and Hopkins Prairie Units do not require permits for gen gun so it would be easiest to avoid any hassle by hunting in one of those areas. I was just out scouting this past week and found some untouched area holding lots of deer sign. As I mention in my videos, find where there are no hunters and you will likely find some good deer activity. The hard part is not busting them out of the area with your movement into the area. Good Luck!!!!
Hi there, I have ATT and get very poor service. I know there are other carries that have good service in that area. I was thinking of getting a prepaid phone that has service up in Ocala N F for this years season.
Florida Public Land Hunting good idea, this will be my first time hunting so I’m apprehensive to go out there without cell service just Incase. Where do hunters usually park? Can I dress and butcher from my truck hitch on the road?
If you are hunting Ocala, the area is divided into a few units. Churchlake unit is fairly populated and is a permit only unit. Pipeline unit is the dog hunt area during gun season, no issues hunting archery in that unit during that season should you choose to. The other units, Hopkins Prairie and Lake Delancy, are still hunt units. In all these areas you can pretty much park any where on the side of the road or trial if you go that far into the wooded areas. There are areas posted 'no vehicle access', I know people ignore this, don't know if anyone has been cited for it. It is good to have the map of the area with you when you are there. I just clean my deer from my hitch as well but typically not right where I was hunting. The remains attract the bears and coyotes and they can end up hanging around the area afterwards looking for more free handouts. Once I had a mom and cub follow the trail from where I gutted the deer at the road back to where I shot it and saw them the rest of that weekend (and thus saw no other deer because of that). Good Luck out there!!
This is my first year hunting Hopkins Prairie. I’ve been hunting a few hundred yards from that newer clear cut off 50 without realizing it. When you said where it was I just started laughing lol. This is where a couple weekends ago I saw 6 different Bears in one day all within a mile & a half. This is also where one of my stands got vandalized. From what I understand they hunted from it and then busted it up. If someone finds one of my stands I really don’t mind if they use it. I would rather they didn’t, but if they do. . .
at least respect it. Kudos to the hunters that respect other hunters, the forests and especially the animals ;)
Right there with you, 1.15 miles this years spot. At least the trail is fairly easy walking, I cleared the downed trees.
Nice video good luck this year.
Thanks, it has been a rough start so far this year. Hurricane messed up a few of my spots.
Thanks for posting. I hunt Lochloosa, Goethe, Hatcket Creek, and others. This and other videos you posted have great info.
I have been trying to finish a video on Google Scouting Goethe (like the one I did on Green Swamp), if you haven't subscribed, please do and you will get an email when it goes up.
That would be great. Subscribed and thanks.
I hunt ocala and used google earth to find our honey hole. Great tool but my walk to my stand is lil over a mile lol
Subscribed and liked! Great video. I am new to Florida hunting and am used to hunting fields and meadows. Does hunting those in Florida ever seem to produce? Thanks
It is not that they will never produce, the deer do quickly learn to avoid such areas during daylight especially on high pressured public land (private can be a different story). There is so much cover in FL that deer can move about in the daytime and not ever be seen. I talk about post season scouting of just following miles of deer runs. With enough boots of the ground, and some luck of course, you can find some areas that open up with lots of deer activity. Good places to look are the areas between clear cuts. Forestry takes a bulldozer through to mark off the areas for logging. These areas tend to to fill up and the deer (and bears) will use them as travel corridors.
I’ve been hunting ocala wma many years we actually have a cabin out there that our family built back in the 40s. A tool like this is a great idea I’ve never thought about it so thank you very much. Also I never really talk to other hunters so I’m gonna ask, I know you can only hunt bucks in Ocala wma so how often do you think you normally see them.. just curious.
Like fishing, you can go to a spot one weekend and see deer, go the next weekend and see nothing. Last year I only saw one nice buck and didn't get a shot. My friend Roy and I have said, in a weekend of hunting, you are lucky to get one shot at a deer. Even if you scout a great spot, you have to have some luck to be in the stand when the buck goes by.
Hey we have a hunt club with a cabin in the wma and hunt up there all the time but for some reason I could not find the rut this year... we’re going back up the 26th but I was wondering when you normally see the rut up there? Love to hear from other who hunt here.
Typically the rut hits around the mid Nov time frame. I have seen bucks chasing does late into Dec though. I think there are more does than bucks so this causes a second rut about a month later. There is a lot of talk about this on some of the podcasts. This year I didn't seem much chasing into Nov/Dec. It seemed like an odd year for things.
Yea it did seem kind of odd, I also had a couple big bucks working big scrapes on camera out there on the 7th of January the day after the season so I left my cameras on and I’m going back up in a few weeks to see if they still are. Also what podcast?
@@garretthammond9412 Wire to Hunt and MSU Deer Lab are my two favorite podcasts. I will also listen to Public Land Hunting. You can search for "hunting" Whitetail Deer", etc to see all that are out there.
Any tips for hunting Ocala this winter?
Hi Gavin, This time of year the rut should be in full swing. Hunting around doe bedding areas is good, bucks will be checking them for hot does. It is also worth doing all day or at least long morning sits (sit till noon or so). This Friday is a big cold front and this may get the deer up and moving all day. Other than that, look for deer signs, watch my video on Tracks, I give some tips about assessing deer movement.
Where the best place to hunt hogs
What the best place to find hogs Lake Delancy or Hopkins Prairie
I have never seen a hog in Ocala but that doesn't mean there aren't any. I tend to be in the higher/dryer areas where you aren't going to see hogs. I would try at the north end of the Lake Delancy area. I know there are plenty of hogs across the river in Caravelle Ranch.
Where do you hunt in florida
Ocala and Tiger Bay mostly. Sometimes I get drawn for permits at the WMAs that have quota hunts.
I got the quota for Ocala pipeline hunt I was wondering if it was any good and if I heard was right. I heard you can run dogs. I was just wondering if you could help me out by any chance.
The Pipeline Unit of Ocala is a 'dog hunt' area during general gun season. Having a permit does allow you to hunt there but I assume there is some etiquette of still hunting in a dog hunt area. This being shooting a deer someone's dogs were in chase of would likely be frowned upon. I have never dog hunted so I am not even sure how they handle who is hunting what area with dogs. I do know that the area has a lot of people running dogs in it and this is why FWC issued permits so they could track the number of hunters. With that all being said, the Lake Delancy and Hopkins Prairie Units do not require permits for gen gun so it would be easiest to avoid any hassle by hunting in one of those areas. I was just out scouting this past week and found some untouched area holding lots of deer sign. As I mention in my videos, find where there are no hunters and you will likely find some good deer activity. The hard part is not busting them out of the area with your movement into the area. Good Luck!!!!
Do you guys get cellular service out there?
Hi there, I have ATT and get very poor service. I know there are other carries that have good service in that area. I was thinking of getting a prepaid phone that has service up in Ocala N F for this years season.
Florida Public Land Hunting good idea, this will be my first time hunting so I’m apprehensive to go out there without cell service just Incase. Where do hunters usually park? Can I dress and butcher from my truck hitch on the road?
If you are hunting Ocala, the area is divided into a few units. Churchlake unit is fairly populated and is a permit only unit. Pipeline unit is the dog hunt area during gun season, no issues hunting archery in that unit during that season should you choose to. The other units, Hopkins Prairie and Lake Delancy, are still hunt units. In all these areas you can pretty much park any where on the side of the road or trial if you go that far into the wooded areas. There are areas posted 'no vehicle access', I know people ignore this, don't know if anyone has been cited for it. It is good to have the map of the area with you when you are there.
I just clean my deer from my hitch as well but typically not right where I was hunting. The remains attract the bears and coyotes and they can end up hanging around the area afterwards looking for more free handouts. Once I had a mom and cub follow the trail from where I gutted the deer at the road back to where I shot it and saw them the rest of that weekend (and thus saw no other deer because of that). Good Luck out there!!
Great video , Thanks.