I've been hunting private land for the last 10+ yrs. I've got 1 buddy that I have hunted with the whole time. We've changed leases quite a few times looking for that perfect place. Over the years we've met and become good friends with a few guys but have gone our seperate ways when hunting season comes.
For the last 3 yrs we've been doing the St. Vincent hunt so that we could camp, hunt and hangout around a campfire together again. We decided to try to do the same thing with the quota hunts. Last season we got the Homosassa hog hunt and had a good time and got some hogs. This year we're putting in as 2 seperate 5 man groups with the idea to guest off each other on whatever hunts we get. Each group put in different picks based on locations and dates that worked for most of us.
Because we all have private land to hunt it's not that big of a deal where we end up hunting so there is no pressure to get one of the high demand spots. What's more important to us is a good spot to camp and that we can all make it there. Obviously we'll never build up any preference points this way but if we get just 1 or 2 hunts that's ok with all of us. One of our picks is almost a lock and we always have the island hunt too. I'm just curious if anyone else does something like this? Or as a group do you guys still apply individually and hope a few of you get the same hunt? Then return the quota's you're not going to use to build up your points? Just trying to get a feel for what every one else is doing with the apps. Thanks for any info guys.
I only apply for WMA's on the 1st phase that are the quality hunts, with low hunter numbers. I do a group with my son. If we get picked great, if not we get what we can in 2nd and 3rd phase. I try to make my primary hunts on WMA's good ones. I don't waste the preference points on a lesser quality hunt during 1st phase......
We do group/buddy hunts too, a few have been permit draws, it was easier to do that back in the transferable permit days...
