Florida Hunting

[newmonster]

Had a quick question to anybody who caches in Florida. Are there any problems with snakes, gators, spiders, anything that can bite or sting you there? Im from Mi which has about 2100 caches in the state and Fl has about 7100 so i will be excited to get started when i am dwon there. Thanks for the help.

[+treasure_hunter]

Every time I go on vacation in Florida I go caching also, I have found somewhere around 100 caches in Florida and I have learned that the thing that I always watch out for are large SPIDERS that seem to be quiet native to Florida, it seems that they are near every cache I go to, I havent ran in to any snakes or crocs but DO watch out for the spiders.

 

*Edited to say: I am an idiot, I totally forgot about Mosquitoes, wear the strongest amount of Deet possible I always get eat alive when I am near water especially.

 

Other than those things I think Florida is a great area to cache in.

Edited July 18, 2005 by treasure_hunter

[newmonster]

Thanks for the info. I will be sure to watch out for them! Maybe i will take a big can of Raid with me when i go! LOL just kidding. Once agian thanks for the help!

[+Team Cotati]

If it can bite...it lives in Florida.

Edited July 18, 2005 by Team Cotati

[+Road Rabbit]

We also have a variety of poisonous plants and critters that sting or give out strong smells. (Rabbits excluded, of course)

 

And, whatever you do, keep an eye out for the dreaded skunk ape!

[+edscott]

As a Northerner who has done some caches in Florida.

 

The mosquitos can totally destroy your concentration. They whine in you ears from daylight to dark unless you happen to be baking yourself in direct sunlight which they are usually smart enough to avoid. Deet works until you sweat it off.. usually at least .01 miles into your walk.. maybe .25 miles on a cool morning. Alligators? Never saw one except from a canoe, but the thought of them makes wading through a swamp to a cache much more interesting. Snakes? They don't really freak me out much. We have rattlesnakes and copperheads around here so I guess I am more realistic about the chance for a problem.. (only 15 deaths per year in the US .. Odds I can live with...) Spiders? Don't remember much except eating spider webs. They taste like chicken []

 

Seriously, there are some great caches in Florida. My trips have been in the Plant City, Tampa, Clearwater, and Marco Island areas in August which is hot and humid... But not any worse than Philadelphia.. or St Louis... that time of year.

 

Real Florida Caching is finding a tough cache on New Years Day without probing through a foot of snow with a walking stick..... priceless!!!

[magellan315]

Lived in Orlando, In three years of caching I never ran into snakes or gators. Mosquitos can be a real problem in swampy areas. The spiders I ran into are bannana spiders, they weave webs the size of serving platter and when you go off trail you'll walk right into them. I usually swung my hiking stick in front of me to break them.

 

Except for summers which are 90 degrees and 90% humudity for 4 months, Florida has some great Geocaching.

[+Isonzo Karst]

A common log you'll see this time of year in Florida says in part, "DEET or Die".... the Golden Silk Orb spiders are large and tend to weave webs across trail openings. As many as I've walked into, I've never been bitten. Bend over and they'll drop off. Gators only an issue if you cache with an off leash dog.

Once you get down here be sure and stop by www.floridacaching.com, everybody'll be glad to make you welcome.

Edited July 18, 2005 by Isonzo Karst

[+Team Cotati]

We also have a variety of poisonous plants and critters that sting or give out strong smells. (Rabbits excluded, of course)

 

And, whatever you do, keep an eye out for the dreaded skunk ape!

If it smells...it lives in Florida.

[+StressMaster]

Come on down.. like everything in life you just have to watch what you do. Snakes -yes we have seen a few but most just move out of your way. Spiders- we see many but as IK said they are more a pest than a danger. Gaters- not a issue unless you have pets on the trail or very small kids in the edge of the water, they tend to move away at the sound of people though. The biggest thing is buy stock in anythign with DEET or a spf 30 rating you will be using a bunch of both.

[newmonster]

What the heck is a skunk ape?! Should I take a gun, lol!

[+treasure_hunter]

What the heck is a skunk ape?! Should I take a gun, lol!

Your dang right, and make sure it has armor piercing rounds.

[magellan315]

What the heck is a skunk ape?! Should I take a gun, lol!

Skunk Apes are the Floirda version of bigfoot. Except they scruffy looking and smell real bad.

[+M&DofKJE]

I believe I qualify as a skunk ape. Anyway, invest in DEET, skin-so-soft, and a not-so-nice stick. You can wave the stick in front of you to clear the banana spider webs. Personally, I don't like being bit by them... it hurts. Mosquitos are the state bird. Gators are a concern... if you walk along the water's edge or actually go out into the water. However, the site of my kids scared one off. So where in Florida are you moving to? Each of the major areas has geocaching families, and of course we all have fun together!

[newmonster]

I will be in the New Port Richey area, closer to Hudson. Would like to hook up with some cachers down there. Thanks for the help!

[+briansnat]

We also have a variety of poisonous plants and critters that sting or give out strong smells.  (Rabbits excluded, of course)

 

And, whatever you do, keep an eye out for the dreaded skunk ape!

If it smells...it lives in Florida.

I thought that was NJ.

[magellan315]

Link for info on the Florida Skunk Ape.

[+M&DofKJE]

Linky to a picture of a banana spider and a Florida skunk ape.

[+Isonzo Karst]

Hey, New Port Richey! that's west central, IK's terrain. Just south of New Port Richey you get into Tarpon Springs and the Pinellas County caching. That's a real active community with lots of get togethers and some fine hiders. Just north of NPW is a big nature preserve Weeki Wachi - bear territory, and a number of nice hike/bike hides. A bit further norht and east and you get into the huge Withlacoochee State Forest - I've lost count, but I'd guess around 200 hides in the 3 big sections. You're going to have a LOT of stuff of all types to hunt.

[+StressMaster]

about 2 inches long at the body......add more for legs.

 

[newmonster]

I will defenetly will check those areas out when i get down there, IK. I will also get in touch with you when im down there so that way maye i can get somebody to chow me the ropes of Florida caching.

Now this whole skunk ape thing. What the hell is that all about? This thing real or what. great pics in that one link! anybody ever seen one while caching? and dnt be tryin to mess with me because im a yankee either! Thanks guys!

[+clan_Barron]

I will defenetly will check those areas out when i get down there, IK. I will also get in touch with you when im down there so that way maye i can get somebody to chow me the ropes of Florida caching.

Now this whole skunk ape thing. What the hell is that all about? This thing real or what. great pics in that one link! anybody ever seen one while caching? and dnt be tryin to mess with me because im a yankee either! Thanks guys!

Try to start using "y'all" a little more (as in y'all don't be messing with my head by tellin' them skunk ape tales) and nobody will know you're a yankee (like oh, about 75% of us are ) welcome to caching in Florida.

[newmonster]

Thanks for the english tips, lol! I will try to through everything i learned in college when i go down there! LOL

[+sept1c_tank]

Link for info on the Florida Skunk Ape.

As to the legend of the skunk ape, I understand you are relatively safe if you don't eat beans:

....Legend goes that the skunk ape stands more than 7 feet tall, weighs more than 300 pounds and is the color of brown swamp mud. It has a mostly vegetarian diet and loves to steal pots of lima beans left to soak by Everglade hunters.