- Jackie Otto

Some people just have a stronger natural instinct of predator versus prey than others. I personally am blessed to be among those who benefit from my predator instincts, (I live to hunt and fish). I think that Florida hunters must have the highest level of this instinct. You really have to be dedicated to your hunting to go in Florida's hot, humid weather and to endure the millions of mosquitoes and other stinging bugs and fauna. The need to hunt and the feeling of accomplishment that it provides is hard to explain in words, you just have to feel the exuberant beating of your heart just before that trigger gets pulled and the weak-in-the-knees feeling after your prey has fallen. This feeling is what pushes a Florida hunter to endure the heat, bug bites and hard work it takes to hunt in Florida's swamps and thick underbrush.

At my age, I have done my share of "hard" hunting, but I now truly enjoy riding my four wheeler to my tower stand and then sitting in a soft swivel office chair and picking which deer I want to put on the dinner plate. Some people may say that this is not hunting, but I still must possess the skill to know which deer to take and to place my shot for an ethical kill. I feel like I've paid my dues and I deserve what I have, but I still feel very fortunate to have it. Every now and then I get the chance to get down and dirty and recall my hunting roots; which were in the swamps and palmetto flats of Florida. Our son hunts Florida in and around Myakka, which is filled with palmetto, swamp and oak hammocks. I think every mosquito in Florida calls this area home. At times in Florida you have to crawl on your hands and knees, walk through rattlesnake infested palmetto flats and brush and briars so thick that you wind up looking like you were in a knife fight. As I said earlier, it takes a special person to hunt in Florida. In a palmetto flat, you often can't see anything below your waist and the potential for stepping on a diamond back or spooking a boar hog can really make your hair stand on end. (Just thinking of it makes me squirm).

Just the other day, I got the chance to go back in time and hunt the old fashioned hard way. Despite the potential for hardship, the invitation from my son was not declined. Just to get there, we had to walk our way through mud so thick that it wanted to keep our boots, palmettos so thick that we couldn't see in front of us and only occaisionally any kind of a visable trail. We had to be especially conscious of the wind direction because we had so much bug spray on and we didn't want to spook the game. It was so hot and we were sweating so profusely that the mix of sweat and bug spray had our eyes burning. This was all worth it just for the predator instinct. My hat is truly off to those that endure all of this for the success of the hunt. As we continued through the brush, we found ourselves walking past hog wallows, (places that hogs roll around and lay in the cool wet mud) and hog rooting, (areas that the hogs have plowed up with their noses to eat soft moist roots) knowing that any minute we are going to walk up on a hog. You don't have to be on private property to get a chance at a nice trophy boar hog or a plump tasty sow hog. Florida's management areas are great places for a chance to bag and tag a hog. There are special hog-hunt applications and areas set aside just for hog hunting. Check myfwc.com on the web for these areas, seasons and bag limits. Three Lakes, Green Swamp and Big Cypress are just a few management areas where I have taken hogs. Private property allows year round hog hunting, management areas have designated dates so know your regulations.

After walking, sweating and swatting for a mile or two, I am drenched with sweat and a bit worn out…don't forget this old gal is just that….OLD. We, (my son and I) finally came upon a nice trail that was wide enough to drive on and made for easy walking, yahoo! Wouldn't you know it, when we looked up the road there was a huge boar hog with cutters long enough to see with the naked eye. By the time I got my gun up and the crosshairs on the hog, half of his body was into the palmettos. I wasn't going to take a bad shot so while we were a bit disappointed, we continued to walk our way back to the truck. At least it was easy walking. Suddenly out popped a nice hog, right into the middle of the road…well that's my story and I'm sticking to it. You can see from the picture it was a success story, pork back strap, hams and shoulders for the table. I bet you thought I was done with telling how hard it is to hunt in the heat and mosquitoes. The story doesn't end after the shot; there was a lot of work to be done. A hog is one of the hardest animals to clean. Their hide is so thick it will dull the best of knives, so keep a sharpener with you when gutting a hog. Once the innards (I don't think that's a word, but it fits) are out and the skin is off cooling this meat right away is a must. I'm always careful to take good care of meat from wild game and cooling it immediately is a must in hot weather. A cooler with two or three bags of ice kept in the truck while you hunt is a plus; you can always buy more ice on your way home if needed. It took two ThermaCELLs and a can of Off to keep the skeeters off of us while we butchered the hog. It was night by the time we got the truck and the hog to a suitable area to clean it.

Keeping yourself hydrated is also an important part of hot weather hunting. I believe I drank more than a gallon of water while butchering the hog and I still had leg cramps all night long. I had not hydrated enough during our trek through the woods. Having the right equipment with you including safety items like a first aid kit, cell phone and a partner helps to keep you safe because you never know what's going to happen. It's always better to be safe than sorry. While cleaning and butchering you should wear plastic gloves, always know which direction your knife is pointing when two people are butchering and enjoy the excitement of the kill, you deserve it.

Hunting in Florida is hard work but when it pays off, it pays off big. Remember to know your regulations and especially be safe while hunting.