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Duck Hunting Fl, Hunting Fl, iOutdoors Blog
Ducks in Florida
Lake Okeechobee is considered to be the best place for duck hunting in Florida. It has shallow waters and an abundance of water plant species and fish. This makes it a favorite destination for migratory ducks. Thus, during duck hunting season, you’ll be able to bag several duck species but take note of the limits set for each species.
Get this Right
- Mallard (limit: 4) The male has a grey body and an iridescent green head while the female and juvenile have a mottled brown body.
- Green-winged teal (limit: 2) This duck has a brown body with a small yellowish tail stripe, and an iridescent green patch with a white stripe on its wings.
- Blue-winged teal (limit: 2) A small duck, has a brown or grey body and large light blue patches located on the front of its wings. Males of this species have a white crescent face.
- Wood duck (limit: 3) This is a colorful medium-sized duck with a crest on its head, white patches in the face and neck, and a long tail.
- Mottled duck (limit: 1) It has a dark brown body while its neck and head are light browns. It has white underwing linings.
- Black duck (limit: 1) This large duck has a dark black-brown body but its head and neck are light browns. It has red legs and feet and has white underwing linings. It also has an olive green or greenish bill.
- Greater and Lesser Scaup (limit: 2) These two species have a round head but the Lesser Scaup has a slight bump at the back of its head. Males of both species have a black chest, head, and rear ends while the females are dull brown.
Other duck species that you can hunt in Florida include the Fulvous whistling duck (limit: 1), Redheads (limit: 2), Scoters (limit: 4), Pintail (limit: 1), and Canvasback (limit: 1).
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Deer Hunting Fl, Hunting Fl, iOutdoors Blog
Venison- Delish
There are plenty of ways to enjoy venison – grilled, steak, sausage, meatballs, salami, roast, meatloaf, burgers, and many others. When preparing food, you can even mix and match different cooking styles to produce a hearty feast.
Venison Steak
4 Venison Steaks
2 Medium-sized onions
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tsp. Accent
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Season one side of each of the steaks with Accent, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat frying pan over medium heat and place butter to melt. Put onions in pan and cook onion sections separately. Arrange venison on top of the onions, season side down. Then, season the top of the steaks with more Accent, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook on each side for 5-10 minutes and serve immediately.
Venison Cup Cake
1 lb Ground Venison
BBQ Sauce
Pepper
Butter
Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
Big Country Biscuits
Cupcake Pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown venison in butter in skillet, then, add BBQ sauce and hot pepper to taste. Grease cupcake pan. Flatten each biscuit inside the cupcake pan and fill with meat mixture and cover with shredded cheese. Bake until biscuits are done.
Venison Sausage
4-5 lbs. Venison
1 1/2 lbs. pork (salted)
1/4 tsp. Ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1-2 tsp. red peppers (crushed)
1-2 tsp. cayenne pepper (ground)
2 Tbls. fennel seed
Trim fat and scrap from venison, then, grind along with the salted pork. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add spices to meat mixture. Mix well. Divide into appropriate portions, wrap, and freeze.
Hog Hunting Fl, Hunting Fl, iOutdoors Blog
Florida Hogs
Florida is a well-known haven of adventure where you can go hunting for various animal species, including wild boars. Hunting in the wild will give you many surprises, including what animal you just might found. Still, there are certain species that are known to inhabit certain areas in the state so that when hunting in a certain area, you’ll have a general knowledge of what to expect.
When hunting for hogs in Florida, you will most likely encounter the feral hog, Sus scrofa, a wild swine species that belongs to the Suidae family. This species is not native to Florida and is thought to have been brought by early Spanish explorers in as early as the 1500s.
A feral pig has a gestation period of 115 days and quickly grows, reaching full size in 12 months. It produces about 10 piglets per litter and has about 2 litters in a year. It grows a tusk, has good hearing, and an excellent sense of smell but has poor eyesight. This species has a very lean body, long snout, and forward pointed or upright ears.
Another species found in Florida is the Russian wild boar or sometimes called European wild boar. This species also has a long snout, pointy ears, and long tusks. It has a tufted straight tail and could range in color from tan to gray to almost black. Its face also has grizzled hair.
Since these species are found in the wild and are not controlled, many of them interbreed to produce hybrids. These hybrids can resemble either parent and would surely have a tusk, long snout, and upright or pointy ears.
Hunting Fl, iOutdoors Blog, Turkey Hunting
Gobble, Gobble- The Turkey’s Gotta Eat
Before a hunt, most wild turkey hunters concentrate on their weapons, decoys and turkey calls. Little do they know that learning more about how turkeys behave in the wild will lead to better chances of finding them! Their feeding habits, along with their social and mating behaviors, will definitely give away clues on the best time of the day to find them and their locations as well.
Wild turkeys feed more commonly during early mornings and late afternoons, thus, making these times the best period to hunt them. Also take note that they prefer wide open areas as their feeding grounds. Majority of their food sources can be found in theses open places especially during the summer months. Therefore, it would not be amiss to determine these places in your hunting grounds before the actual hunt.
Wild turkeys are omnivores, being able to feed on both plants and animals. They can be found either foraging the ground or mounting small trees and shrubs to find food. Among their desired foods include nuts, acorns, berries, roots, grasses and seeds. They also feed on small insects and occasionally, small amphibians and reptiles like newts. Because of their ability to feed on different kinds of foods, they can reach quite a considerable number even in small areas. Know when and where these food sources are rich in your hunting grounds as they may be the perfect location for the hunt.
Other than knowing when and where best to find them, learning about their feeding pattern will also help one to prepare more effective gear and equipments for the turkey hunt. For instance, knowing their feeding grounds will allow the hunter to wear attires and use gears that are aptly camouflaged to conceal them.
Never ignore the importance of knowing turkey eating habits since they could serve as clues to you. Although most hunters think that in hunting, only brawns rule, it wouldn’t hurt to use the brain sometimes. Knowing more about turkeys’ habits will allow you to understand your prey them and thus allow you to predict their behavior better. Strategize your hunt with research, and soon you’ll make wild turkey hunting an easy chore.
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Hog Hunting Fl, Hunting Fl, iOutdoors Blog
The Florida wild boar or hog is often referred to as feral hogs or swine. There are three general types of feral hogs including free-ranging swine, Eurasian wild boar, and hybrids between the two former types. Wild hogs are now predominant in Florida and can be found in every county as well as at least 35 states and Canadian provinces.
The highest density of feral hogs in Florida can be found north and west of Lake Okeechobee and in areas with large forested tracts, dense understory vegetation, and limited public access.
History of the Florida Wild Boar
The Florida wild boar is not native to America. There are many theories surrounding the origins of the wild boar. One popular theory is that the wild boars are descendants of the swine that Spanish explorers brought from Spain to the state of Florida.
Wild Boar Facts
The Florida wild boar has an average gestation of 115 days, an average of 2 litters per year with about 10 piglets with every litter. Young pigs grow quite fast and can reach 100 pounds in 12 months. This creature is omnivorous and is known to eat all kinds of food ranging from plants to small animals.
Problems Caused by the Florida Wild Boar
Wild hogs bear an opportunistic and omnivorous tendency which leads to many conflicts with people and wildlife. The presence of wild boar and their preferred food directly compete with many popular game animals such as deer, turkey, and squirrels. Wild boars are also known to eat the nests and young of many reptiles, ground-nesting birds, and mammals.
They have also been observed to consume young domestic livestock. Other than their food choices, some wild hog behaviors also pose a threat to the environment. Their rooting activities can destabilize soil surfaces and lead to erosion and many other ecological problems.
Dealing with the Florida Wild Boar
In an effort to preserve the number of popular game animals as well as the young of many reptiles, mammals, and other livestock, necessary measures have been put into place. One of these methods is hunting. This is an important population control method for wild hogs because it is inexpensive, provides recreational opportunities, and is useful in reducing adult hog numbers.
Trapping is also another method of controlling the number of Florida wild boars. This can offer more success especially because the hog is nocturnally active. Lastly, hogs can be controlled using the excluding method which makes use of fencing. This option, however, is quite expensive, especially for large areas.
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Alligator Hunting Fl, Hunting Fl, iOutdoors Blog
Fried Alligator Tail- Yummo!
Some people think that alligators are just good for their skin to make leather. They’re wrong. Little do they know that their meat is delicious! Alligator meat is a lump of exotic meat like ostrich meat and venison since they are not available in plenty of countries, and they are not normally found in markets and grocery stores. Such meats can only be acquired after gator hunts or purchased from small commercial alligator farms.
Alligator can be quite exotically tasty. Because it is not among the readily available staple meats though, only a minor few eat it and even fewer know how to cook it. The internet is the richest source of information on recipes using alligator meat. Among these are the usual recipe sharing websites and websites that provide information in preparing game meats.
Most recipes using alligator meat would normally make use of the tail part. In fact, the tail of the alligator, which is the most common part being sold, is considered as its tastiest and most tender portion. To those who do not have yet much experience in preparing alligator meat, you can always choose recipes that are the easiest to prepare like fried alligator tail.
Fried alligator tail is easy to prepare – just like cooking fried chicken. Prepare the alligator tail, cutting them into 2-inch squares. Mix a batter using two eggs and a cup of flour. Also add a teaspoon of lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste, and blend the ingredients together until no lumps appear before adding half a teaspoon of baking powder. In a skillet, pour cooking oil and allow it to heat to around 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Then fry the meat until golden brown.
As soon as you get accustomed to its preparation, you can endeavor to try more tricky recipes like soups, steaks and more. Not only is this exotic meat deliciously good, but it also has low fat and cholesterol content, making it a healthier substitute for beef and pork, and is even considered as a healthier option to chicken. The next time you hunt alligators or visit an alligator farm, try to grab some gator meat and prepare your own homemade exotic alligator dish at home.
