Need advice on Florida hunting

johnnyblaze · Jan 13, 2011

I am going to Florida to get away from this miserable weather in New England for a couple of months.
My concern is the poisonous snakes/ animals in the warmer climate..
Im not really concerned about me but i have a little Jack Russell Terrorist that i take hunting with me everywhere.He gets into everything exploring and i would be concerned if he did see a snake or something he would be right on it..I love this pooch more than i love myself......
What precautions can i take for him and for myself..
John

leatherneck · Jan 18, 2011

Please don't take your dog into the woods with you. It is winter and the snakes should be in hibernation but,,,, when it gets warm they will come out sometimes for food. You also need to think about the gators, fire ants, raccoons and eagles. Eagles will pick up a small dog for lunch.. I have seen dogs walk right over a rattle snake and not know it's there. I have hunted mostly on the beaches and found nothing but junk. Most of your historic sites are protected. Find a metal detector club and join. They will be able to help you find places that are legal to hunt. Hope this helps.

Woodland Detectors · Jan 18, 2011

It depends on what part of Florida you plan on hunting. I used to have a wild bunch of friends I would hang out with in the Everglades of South Fl. Water Moccasins, pigmy rattlers, Wild hogs, etc.....frequent the Southern part of the state even most of the winter months. We would see them all the time. Contact Dale a.k.a. bigcypresshunter here on t-net. He knows what going on down there these days. COOL DOG!

White Feather · Jan 19, 2011

Hey, if you love your little dog so much, leave him home. Don't go out in the wilderness areas of Florida with him. Gators will have him for a snack and eagles will swoop down in a heartbeat. People bring all sorts of pets down and then get upset when Fluffy the cat turns up on the dinner menu at Gator's Restaurant. I have a Congo African Gray parrot and have to be very careful. He only goes outside in his travel cage and even then I watch the sky. Going from the boat to the car he is caged. Sitting in the wheelhouse I watch the local eagles and hawks. Even falling into the water can be fatal. The fish here can be dangerous to a small land animal. so do yourself a favor and leave the cute little dogie home when you hunt. You will both be happier for it. 8)

Woodland Detectors · Jan 19, 2011

White Feather said:
Hey, if you love your little dog so much, leave him home. Don't go out in the wilderness areas of Florida with him. Gators will have him for a snack and eagles will swoop down in a heartbeat. People bring all sorts of pets down and then get upset when Fluffy the cat turns up on the dinner menu at Gator's Restaurant. I have a Congo African Gray parrot and have to be very careful. He only goes outside in his travel cage and even then I watch the sky. Going from the boat to the car he is caged. Sitting in the wheelhouse I watch the local eagles and hawks. Even falling into the water can be fatal. The fish here can be dangerous to a small land animal. so do yourself a favor and leave the cute little dogie home when you hunt. You will both be happier for it. 8)

And don't forget those stealthy Osprey's

But those Jack Russel's are tough, tough dogs!

smittyw · Jan 19, 2011

Lived Fla since 1955. Ditto all above. Sister had 6' rattler in front yard last week and she lives in a built up area just east of Tampa. Plenty of vets to board the pet for a short or long time in this area so you can hunt if you wish to bring the dog down. Rules on hunting, especially in this county (Hillsborough) are mean. No parks is a real stinker, and there are probably others that I don't really want to look up. Not that ignorance will be any help. Poison Ivy is another concern. I always wear gloves on both hands when hunting and just cut the thumb off the right one so I can work the detector well. See Osprey mainly in this area. At least it is warmer this week than last, but hey, it's Florida, that will change in a minute.

johnnyblaze · Jan 19, 2011

smittyw said:
Lived Fla since 1955. Ditto all above. Sister had 6' rattler in front yard last week and she lives in a built up area just east of Tampa. Plenty of vets to board the pet for a short or long time in this area so you can hunt if you wish to bring the dog down. Rules on hunting, especially in this county (Hillsborough) are mean. No parks is a real stinker, and there are probably others that I don't really want to look up. Not that ignorance will be any help. Poison Ivy is another concern. I always wear gloves on both hands when hunting and just cut the thumb off the right one so I can work the detector well. See Osprey mainly in this area. At least it is warmer this week than last, but hey, it's Florida, that will change in a minute.

I thought you could get your dog vaccinated for venomous reptiles/spiders..

Blaze

S.S.Tupperware · Jan 19, 2011

No only anti venom... lived here my whole life... In the woods ya might come across a small pond and a gator will have um for lunch...

When there bowed up like that look out. This one lives in a small pond where we camp. Snakes can be a problem... but I had a Brittany that would follow me on my dirt bike thru the woods. One day we came back she couldn't stand up, and the vet said likely a poison frog or lizard. We have a lot more invasive exotic species here now more than ever before...

johnnyblaze · Jan 19, 2011

I guess there is one good thing about Rhode Island is there is not any animal or reptile that can hurt
you..

Blaze..

wildman4910 · Jan 20, 2011

Here in Florida any body of water can have gators in it, even salt water rivers/lagoons.

Gators favorite snack is fearless little doggies. :'(

Keep him home and happy.

Other than that keep an eye out for snakes and have fun!

~~Happy Hunting~~

LM · Jan 30, 2011

My property in FL has gators pretty regular and snakes *galore*- including rattlers so big they look like they came out of the prehistoric age- and Moccasins meaner than a Moccasin. Last time we were down, there was a rattler crossing the road that was every bit of 6 feet if it was an inch. I am a dog lover, but I don't bring my dog with me. If you're planning on exploring these areas, I'd suggest the same. The wildlife in Florida is different than in other places. Everything either bites, stings, scratches, mauls and/or is poisonous.

My favorite snake medicine is the 54" Sjambok by Cold Steel. Here's a video where the somewhat goofy and awkward owner of the company demos them.

They will kill a snake graveyard dead- without the baggage associated with discharging a firearm, not to mention that actually hitting a fast moving snake with a bullet in a high stress situation is a lot easier said than done. With 54" reach and a bit of familiarization, you won't miss with a Sjambok. You will have to get just close enough to the snake to raise hairs on the back of your neck, but you will be outside their striking range. It has the added advantage of being able to cut down tall grass, turn back a bad dog who might want to attack your good dog, etc. It's a great companion to have in Floridas woods.

Treasure_Hunter · Jan 30, 2011

LSMorgan said:
The wildlife in Florida is different than in other places. Everything either bites, stings, scratches, mauls and/or is poisonous.

.........and those are just the northern tourists.

johnnyblaze · Jan 30, 2011

Treasure_Hunter said:
LSMorgan said:

The wildlife in Florida is different than in other places. Everything either bites, stings, scratches, mauls and/or is poisonous.

Click to expand...

.........and those are just the northern tourists.

Yeah i lived in Florida three times..
Floridians dont like northerners because we work fast and hard..
Instead of slow and lazy... :laughing9:

Which is why that state is dominated and owned by the Spanish >:(

davest · Jan 30, 2011

I asked around and nobody misses you. Said they had to fix everything you worked fast and hard at. Why not stay in roadisland instead of bashing a state you moved to?

Oh, about the dog, what everyone else said.

johnnyblaze · Jan 30, 2011

davest said:
I asked around and nobody misses you. Said they had to fix everything you worked fast and hard at. Why not stay in roadisland instead of bashing a state you moved to?

Oh, about the dog, what everyone else said.

There is more white trash in Florida than a dumpster behind a paper plate factory... :laughing9:

mlayers · Jan 30, 2011

Hey johnnyblaze you say that you lived in FL 3 times so why are you asking how to take care of your dog. You should know what to do if you lived there before......Matt

johnnyblaze · Jan 30, 2011

mlayers said:
Hey johnnyblaze you say that you lived in FL 3 times so why are you asking how to take care of your dog. You should know what to do if you lived there before......Matt

Hey Matt i never had a dog when i lived there...Last in 2003..I never wandered off in the woods neither except on my dirtbike...Alot of dangerous insects/reptiles/animals in Florida..Around here there is nothing really dangerous..Our ancestors wiped them all out years ago.Im just having fun with you Floridians...Nothing personal :3some:

Blaze...

davest · Jan 30, 2011

oh, I see. Your mommy is bringing you to disney again :laughing9:

I apologize, it's just all these posts asking "I'm visiting Rhode Island, where does one hunt" that flabbergast me. :laughing7:

ssssssseeeeerrrrrriiiiiiiiooooouuuusssssslllllly, is Cinderella still your favorite?

centfladigger · Jan 31, 2011

I didnt find bashing Floridians funny at all, you can find white trash in any state, my family has been here since the 1860`s and we got our by busting our humps. Leave your dog at home. You`ll get alot more done and more observant of your surroundings without having to worry about a pet. I wouldnt worry too much about gators. I dive all the time with them in the water. This isnt some wild state run out of control with crazy man eating animals. Just be prepared and have some kind of plan and get out there and find your thing. There are some big snakes here and there, this one came up on me while I was digging and I got him with my shovel. I take my son digging in the swamp all the time, Im not worried at all but then again Im used to it, I know what to look for