Plant City residents love hunting in Florida, but experienced hunters don’t limit their sport to one location. Reporters from the Plant City Times & Observer hit the streets of the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World to ask some of the city’s experienced hunters their favorite spots from around the nation.
HAINES CITY, FLORIDA
The foliage in Haines City is thick, giving hunters like Dillon Glisson an ideal hide-out. Once hunters are set up, they can expect to spot an animal quickly.
“The reason there is good hunting in the area is because of all the minerals in the ground,” Glisson said. “All the good minerals (are) in the soil, and the plants are good for the deer.”
MACON, GEORGIA
Southside’s Michael Lopez has 25 years of hunting experience. Lopez hunts in an area north of Macon, Georgia that has a high population of bucks and does.
Macon deer may have more weight than Florida’s, but their horns are usually smaller and more lightweight.
This area of Georgia also has a dense forest, without palm fronds and sand, which are not ideal for a hunter’s hiding spot.
LINDRITH, NEW MEXICO
For hunters used to the Southeast, Lindrith, New Mexico will prove to be a challenge.
Jonathan Swindle has been hunting for 32 years and said New Mexico is a whole different game. Instead of white-tailed deer, hunters can shoot elk and mule deer.
The area is diverse, having both wood flats and hill-specked pastures. The scenery is striking. But Swindle explained that hunting is universal.
“It’s (hunting) the same formula wherever you go,” Swindle said. “This area is just different for a Florida boy.”
SWAINSBORO, GEORGIA
Ryan Wilson has been a hunter since he was 10 years old. Now 37, Wilson believes that Swainsboro is the perfect hunting spot.
Swainsboro has a small population, but a lot of deer. The area has 60,000 acres of hunting space, little of which is developed. Unlike many hunting spots in Florida, Swainsboro is free of crowds.
“It’s all the space,” Wilson said. “It gives the deer a lot of room.”
The area is full of does, but the bucks are not as easy to find. Putting out corn and feed draws them in and keeps them healthy for the next hunting season.
WAYNESVILLE, GEORGIA
For 14-year-old Chelsea Woodard, her go-to hunting spot in Georgia is Waynesville. With 7,000 acres to explore, there are high populations of deer and hogs.
The Woodard family has raised four generations of hunters, all of which have practiced shooting in Waynesville.
“You’ve got to be patient,” Woodard said. “If you hide out and wait, you’ll definitely get something.”
There is a healthy forest in the region. A deer blind can be set up discreetly, and stay well-hidden.