What an honor living a lifetime in this Tropical Wonderland we call Florida. To many Southern folks fishing and hunting is not just a pastime, but a way of life. Few today would believe what fishing was like in the early fifties in Tampa Bay. Trout, Mackerel, Redfish, Cobia, and Tarpon fishing defied the imagination. And then there was hunting. Florida was mostly open range. You could hunt almost anywhere. A hot on the trail Beagle's howl was music to the ears:
For hog hunting most consider the Beagle to be too small and too slow. There are many very good breeds that are much bigger, much faster. One of the best is the Redbone hound. The American Kennel Club standard says, "The Redbone mingles handsome look and an even temperament with a confident air and fine hunting talents." The Redbone, one of my favorites, has been registered with the United Kennel Club since 1902.
My hog hunting career began decades ago at the:
My hound of choice... The Redbone:
The hogs were big, fast, and ever so mean. But, more often than not, they were no match for our Redbones.
Next up Elk hunting in New Mexico, and deer hunting in the high, snow covered, mountains of Maine. The shots were often very long. My BAR 7mm Magnum was perfect for shooting from one mountain to another. With a good scope shot placement was not a problem. Although the distances were great, the target was still:
Elk and deer hunting in heavy snow were experiences never to be forgotten. Regardless, the challenge of hunting the beast with the nose remained my passion. But where? While visiting in Tennessee I decided to try high fence. Mr. Joe Meeks, Tellico, Tennessee
offered guaranteed hog hunting. Would it be like shooting hogs in a...
After mountain climbing for hours, it was obvious that this was not going to be all that easy. Finally, my extremely powerful BAR 7mm Mag does its thing:
Back in Florida the 50+ thousand acre Aucilla Wildlife Management Area is considered very good for hog hunting.
It was! My wife and I hunted Perry, Florida's, Aucilla for ten years.
Organized hunting clubs offer the serious hunter much better chances for success with less pressure.
Madison, Florida's, Buck & Boar, was, is, known as one of the best:
And for good reason. The hog and turkey hunting is outstanding. In addition, B&B, due to proper management, is home to an ever increasing deer heard.
Sights like this are common:
My wife, Thelma, and I were members of Buck & Boar for twenty years. Cancer took her shortly after our last hunt.
The thought of hunting alone was terrifying.
After a couple of years I once again felt the urge, I wanted to pull that trigger. Turning 75 age was catching up with me. I could no longer do things as easily as I once did. Tellico, Tennessee, was a very good experience. Let's try high fence again. Both Aucilla and Buck & Boar are close to Perry, Florida. This quaint little town is a mixture of Florida yesterday & today.
In Perry, differently from most media, publisher Aaron Portwood's News-Herald Taco brings you only the real, worth printing, news. It's my pleasure to consider Mr. Portwood a dear friend, a friend with a daughter he can be very proud of:
