Guided Hunts

Before the sun clears the pines, the air is cool and still and the only sound is coffee pouring from the thermos. Seth's dogs are already whining at the tailgate, tails going a mile a minute. They know exactly what today is. Shells go in your pockets, the coffee goes down strong, and you step off into the wet grass of old Florida. The flag ponds look quiet at first: shallow water, tall grass and cypress heads on the horizon. Then you start to notice everything. Wading birds stalk the shallows, a hawk circles overhead and fresh tracks crisscross the mud. Every step is slow and deliberate, gun ready and eyes on the grass, waiting for that first snipe of the morning. Then it happens. A snipe explodes out of the grass almost under your boots, zigging left, dipping low, then climbing hard and fast to the right. You've got about two seconds. Snipe are one of the toughest targets in wingshooting, so bring plenty of shells and a steady eye, and don't be surprised when the first few get away clean. When you do connect, the dogs are gone before the bird hits the water. Nose down and tails high, they work the grass and bring your prize right back to hand. Between ponds you'll push through stands of pine and saw palmetto, and the action changes. Doves come darting in over the treeline, and if luck is on your side, a covey of quail bursts from the palmettos in a roar of wings that will rattle even a seasoned hunter. By the time the sun is high, you'll have muddy boots, a vest with some weight in it and a few stories to tell. This is wild Florida bird hunting the way it used to be. Come see it for yourself.