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Topic Title: Winter Wilds in Florida
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Created On: 02/22/2017 04:54 PM
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 02/22/2017 04:54 PM
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Cole

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..or February summer.













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 02/23/2017 06:30 AM
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stokedpanda

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Awesome shots!

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 02/25/2017 11:59 PM
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Thaumaturgist

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Great shots.
Where is this?
 02/26/2017 04:15 PM
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Cole

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Kissimmee Prairie Preserve. The bottom two are way down a gated dirt road near Lake Cypress.

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 02/26/2017 04:21 PM
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Cole

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The closeup alligator freaked me out because it didn't move when I came up on it.

Turns out she was watching over a group of these.



She crawled into a culvert a few feet away from the mud hole with the babies. I pity the critter that thinks they are an easy meal.

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 03/01/2017 08:13 PM
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ww

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Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park and the more easily accessible Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area are both well worth visiting.  I'm amazed at Cole's wildlife photos.  There's orchids and whatnot, too.

 03/03/2017 07:23 AM
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Cole

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I searched for one of my favorite orchids in a slough at KPP and couldn't find it, the dryer than normal weather must have withered it into looking like an air plant.

I was at the Disney Preserve yesterday and the water was lower than I've ever seen it. It looks like the population explosion in the Poinciana area is taking it's toll.

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 03/03/2017 07:56 AM
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Cole

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Speaking of low water, they have rerouted the mid part of the Kissimmee river and a large swath of the floodplain is now complete dry. The airboat trails are now nice grass covered paths that crisscross one of the most remote parts of south Central Florida.

The area is called Hickory Hammock and it is one of the most prized deer hunting areas in Florida. The manager at the small campground says 30 to 40 deer come in to feed every evening and I've seen bobcats, turkey, 8 point bucks, a weasel looking thing, snakes of all manner, birds galore, too many wild hogs and prehistoric sized alligators. The game trails across the plain look like something out of Africa. All the pictures I take are from when I'm working during the day, I bet mornings and long light evenings would make for some awesome pictures.

All of this ends and the place becomes a nightmare when the water returns - mosquitoes, muck, burrs, brambles and relentless heat, but the next month or two will be perfect for the area.

If anyone is interested in remote camping and Florida wildlife, here is the info: Hickory Hammock Equestrian Center 1-866-433-6312.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Hickory+Hammock+Equestria+Center&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=Hickory+Hammock+Equestrian+Center&*

P.S. The country story up the road in Lorida has a good breakfast.

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 03/07/2017 02:07 PM
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stokedpanda

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Originally posted by: Cole

Speaking of low water, they have rerouted the mid part of the Kissimmee river and a large swath of the floodplain is now complete dry. The airboat trails are now nice grass covered paths that crisscross one of the most remote parts of south Central Florida.



The area is called Hickory Hammock and it is one of the most prized deer hunting areas in Florida. The manager at the small campground says 30 to 40 deer come in to feed every evening and I've seen bobcats, turkey, 8 point bucks, a weasel looking thing, snakes of all manner, birds galore, too many wild hogs and prehistoric sized alligators. The game trails across the plain look like something out of Africa. All the pictures I take are from when I'm working during the day, I bet mornings and long light evenings would make for some awesome pictures.



All of this ends and the place becomes a nightmare when the water returns - mosquitoes, muck, burrs, brambles and relentless heat, but the next month or two will be perfect for the area.



If anyone is interested in remote camping and Florida wildlife, here is the info: Hickory Hammock Equestrian Center 1-866-433-6312.



https://www.google.com/search?q=Hickory+Hammock+Equestria+Center&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=Hickory+Hammock+Equestrian+Center&*



P.S. The country story up the road in Lorida has a good breakfast.


awesome thanks for sharing



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 03/08/2017 05:35 PM
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Cole

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I was out there today and the water has all but dried up. We found one deep hole about the size of the parking lot at 2nd Light and it was coated in alligators. I counted 23 - two or three in the 10 foot range. The pond was also filled with a million gar fish and tilapia. The fish freaked when the gators took to the water and skipped out in panic. The fish freaking caused the alligators to get fired up and they started snapping at the fish, so the fish freaked more and ended up jumping onto dry land. Pretty cool for a day at work.

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 03/08/2017 06:12 PM
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theglide

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Nice shots Cole.

Do you spray your pants with Permanone or something to keep the ticks at bay?
 03/09/2017 06:49 AM
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tom

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From the "wilds" of the ditch out back...

mama

 



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add a signature since I'm here in profile anyway

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 03/10/2017 05:25 AM
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Cole

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Originally posted by: theglide

Nice shots Cole.



Do you spray your pants with Permanone or something to keep the ticks at bay?


I avoid the game trails. It makes for a rougher going, but seems to do the trick.

I've only had two on me in more than ten years and luckily they were Lone Stars, which are so large you can feel them crawling on you.





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I was right.
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