Toby Benoit

Every year, during this time of the year, wildlife rescues, our Florida Wildlife Commission, and even I, receive emails and phone calls concerning lost or abandoned fawns. It’s really frustrating, because in too many of those calls, the person has already picked up the fawn and is taking it home to, “help” it. Ninety percent, or more, of the time, that fawn is perfectly fine. Just this year, I’m aware of a half dozen local fawns that were unintentionally abducted from the wilds. We’re in the midst of fawning season and please, keep an eye out for them, but keep your hands off of them.

Matthew Kogo of the FWC Python Eradication Team with an Everglades python. [Courtesy photo]

I love early-season deer hunting. It’s time to begin planning your hunts and I’m definitely on it. Our early archer season will be opening on August 3rd, down in the southernmost portion of our state. Now, the heat can be torture during the long hours in the blind, but you don’t have to be bothered by the army of bowhunters staying home for their comfort. There’s an easy-going, low-pressure vibe to the first few weeks because you’ve mostly got the woods to yourself and the entire fall in front of you, with plenty of time to fill your freezer.

Fall turkey hunting begins with the arrival of archery season in the southernmost parts of our state on August 3rd. Now, for the most part, the fall turkeys get killed as a target of opportunity; spring is where it’s at for turkey hunting. And getting folks to give the fall birds a real shot is usually a lost cause. But I’m going to try anyway, on the grounds that working birds now will make you far more lethal next March. This might seem like a stretch, but the reality of turkey hunting is that the more you understand the communications and habits of individual birds and flocks, the better you’ll be during the spring. The more you peek behind the curtain, the more you realize that turkeys have a reason for everything.

I’ve been taking to the woods a lot lately, especially the local public lands, and thought maybe I might stay with you some of what I found. I’ll tell you this week, about my forecast for the archery season in the Chassahowitzka WMA. It’s going to be a good season.

Last week, I told y’all about my scouting trips out to the Chassahowitzka WMA on our most western edge of the county. Today, I want to tell you about my trips out to visit the WMA along our Eastern edge. The Richloam Wildlife Management Area. Now, we here in Hernando County don’t have exclusive rights to this fifty-eight thousand acre plus property as we share it with Sumter, Pasco and Lake Counties, but it surely is worth a ride out there for a hunt.

As a born and bred Florida Cracker, I was raised on the gospel of deer hunting swamps. Grandpa solemnly preached the benefits of hunting the wet, nasty swamps. When the water levels are high, the smart deer take advantage of it and seek out the tiny islands for sanctuary.

Readying the truck and my crew for night number four of this year’s Florida Python challenge. So far, it’s been a great time: two Burmese pythons in two days and an unexpected bonus catch of a green anaconda. That was awesome….the joker tried to bite my thumb off!

Sean Cummins, with daughter Bristol and his first ever Burmese Python caught during the Florida Python Challenge, while hunting with Toby. [Photo by Toby Benoit]

Bristol Cummins and her very first hog, after a trapping adventure with her daddy Sean and Ol' Uncle Toby in Istachatta. [Photo by Toby Benoit]Bristol Cummins and her very first hog, after a trapping adventure with her daddy Sean and Ol' Uncle Toby in Istachatta. [Photo by Toby Benoit]