- Banana Peel - a month
- Paper - a couple months
- Wool Scarf - a year
- Cigarette Butt - 5 years
- Disposable Diaper - 2 decades
- Hard Plastic Container - 3 decades
- Rubber Boot Sole - 7 decades
- Tin Can - a century
- Aluminum Can - 3 centuries
- Plastic 6-pack Holder - 5 centuries
- Glass Bottles - eons
Leave No Trace
My friends Fran and Vicki are dedicated "leave no tracers" and they have spent many, many hours informing the world of some of the things that happen when you leave something behind.
Here is an example of what becomes of the trash left on the trail -
Irritating things in the Field
The most irritating thing that can be found out there in the woods is bugs! The worst one for me is the "chigger". The welts left by these things just drive me crazy. The next worst and very close is the common tick. To try and discourage both of these critters from crawling up my leg, I spray some deet on my stocks and shoes before each outing.
Of course, if you encounter a swarm of mosquitoes, that can be brutal in it's own right! I have been in sections where I had to brush them off they where so bad.
So all and all, any biting bug is bad, some just worst than others!
My Most Dangerous Thing - Tree Root Tripping
There are many things in Florida which people consider dangerous - top of the list are alligators and poisonous snakes. Strange as it might seem, in my many hours and miles of hiking around Florida the most dangerous thing I have encountered is a cypress knee (defined as a distinctive structure in a root of a cypress tree which protrudes up from the ground). I have tripped over a few in my time, going flying to the ground. I have taken some pretty nasty falls tripping over a small "knee" in the green ground cover. My biggest fear always is that I will land full force on another knee sticking up. I have hit different parts of my body on "knees" as I've fallen, with some real mean resulting black and blue marks. I have been very lucky never to land on one in the chest or face, I think that could be a deadly situation! Another bad thing, not as bad as "knees", is roots and other obstacles found along a path. I have gone flying more than once when I tripped over something which I hadn't noticed on the trail. So rather than be obsessed with some critter getting you, be more concerned about taking a fall you might not get up from ;-)
This photo shows what cypress knees look like exposed (click on to enlarge)
High water mark and some cypress knees hidden by the weeds
Some more cypress knees in the greens
Exposed cypress knees, but still dangerous
This photo shows what cypress knees look like exposed (click on to enlarge)
High water mark and some cypress knees hidden by the weeds
Some more cypress knees in the greens
Exposed cypress knees, but still dangerous
River Otter
While in the Bull Creek WMA I was lucky to spot this River Otter doing his thing. There were a few of them frolicking around in Bull Creek. They were right off the Florida Trail at the bridges - GPS coords - N28 06.391 W80 55.809
One Mean Water Moccasin
It seems that during my many miles of hiking wet areas I have come across a few water moccasins (cottonmouths). They all would have certainly done me in if they had a mind to. In all cases they just displayed their very deadly fangs as they opened their mouths as wide as they could. In each case I recognized why they are called “cottonmouths”! They never attempted to strike me, just warned me to stay back. I met some old-timers once and they have told me that there were a lot of water moccasins in Florida once upon a time and they would actually chase you. If you should encounter one of these snakes, or any snake for that matter, show it respect. I never harass them, taking a few pictures and moving on. If you see one, just go around it and I'm sure you will be alright - but always border on the side of caution! I have run into a few snakes during my hiking (not really that many considering where I go and how many miles I cover) that I now wear snake gaiters to protect me (when I remember too). I use a pretty expensive set, TurtleSkin SnakeArmor's snake protection gaiters, but there are cheaper ones out there.
This is a Water Moccasin I almost stepped on while hiking Moccasin Island Tract. I assume because it was a cool day that is why he didn’t strike at me. I looked down when taking a picture of a flower and there he was! I jumped back, he just kept threatening me until I moved on (click on pictures to enlarge).
Another mean boy I ran across - if looks could kill I suspect I wouldn't be here! (click on pictures to enlarge)
A smaller Water Moccasin I almost stepped on why hiking around the St Johns River - it was just as mean as the big boys. I'm sure if he could have, he would bitten me and made my life miserable. Two things I had going for me that day - it was cool and it was sluggish and I had on my very protective snake gaiters. (click on pictures to enlarge)
I almost stepped on this very fat water moccasin while hiking a swamp in the very northern section of the Tosohatchee WMA. He just slithered up to a small mound and opened his mouth to show me his very intimating fangs. It wasn’t that cool of a day, so not sure why he just stayed there. It was very dry in this wetland area this day, so maybe the lack of water made him a little docile. I was very happy that he didn’t attempt to test my snake gaiters! I took his picture and moved on. I only saw one other snake that day, a small green one. There may have been many out there, but I doubt it. It seems that they are part of what I call “nature’s demise”. (click on pictures to enlarge)
This is a Water Moccasin I almost stepped on while hiking Moccasin Island Tract. I assume because it was a cool day that is why he didn’t strike at me. I looked down when taking a picture of a flower and there he was! I jumped back, he just kept threatening me until I moved on (click on pictures to enlarge).
Another mean boy I ran across - if looks could kill I suspect I wouldn't be here! (click on pictures to enlarge)
A smaller Water Moccasin I almost stepped on why hiking around the St Johns River - it was just as mean as the big boys. I'm sure if he could have, he would bitten me and made my life miserable. Two things I had going for me that day - it was cool and it was sluggish and I had on my very protective snake gaiters. (click on pictures to enlarge)
I almost stepped on this very fat water moccasin while hiking a swamp in the very northern section of the Tosohatchee WMA. He just slithered up to a small mound and opened his mouth to show me his very intimating fangs. It wasn’t that cool of a day, so not sure why he just stayed there. It was very dry in this wetland area this day, so maybe the lack of water made him a little docile. I was very happy that he didn’t attempt to test my snake gaiters! I took his picture and moved on. I only saw one other snake that day, a small green one. There may have been many out there, but I doubt it. It seems that they are part of what I call “nature’s demise”. (click on pictures to enlarge)
Some of the Wildlife I Have Come Across In The Field
While hiking around Florida I have come across a variety of wildlife. As of this post, none of them have threaten me to any great degree -
- Alligators - from very small to very, very large
- Snakes of all kinds - Water Moccasins, Coral, Pygmy Rattlers, Timber Rattlers, Garter, Black Racers, Indigo, just water snakes in general and some other small ones
- All kinds of turtles
- Gopher Tortoises
- River Otters
- Armadillos
- Opossum
- Raccoons
- Coyotes
- Bobcat
- Hogs - from small ones to pretty big ones
- Cattle and Bulls
- All kinds of wading birds
- All kinds big birds - Owls, Bald Eagles, Cara-Cara, Ospreys, Hawks, Vultures
- All kind of songbirds
- Pileated woodpecker and many other types of woodpeckers
- Florida Panther - only saw tail as it left a trail I was on, but it was a big tail
Hunting Schedules in Eastern/Central Florida
Note: 2020-2021 Hunting Schedules Have Been Loaded
If you elect to hike in any of the Florida areas listed below you might want to check out the hunting schedules for that area. You will be able to click on the day you want to hike and it will show you if there is hunting going on in that area that day. Just go to www.tinyurl.com/techunt to see information for these areas -
You can download all the detail data about theses areas, as well as all areas at
https://ocean.floridamarine.org/HGMSearch/Search.aspx
Updated each July using FWC Published Data
If you elect to hike in any of the Florida areas listed below you might want to check out the hunting schedules for that area. You will be able to click on the day you want to hike and it will show you if there is hunting going on in that area that day. Just go to www.tinyurl.com/techunt to see information for these areas -
- Buck Lake
- Bull Creek
- Charles Bronson State Forest
- FT Drum WMA
- Little Big Econ
- Prairie Lakes Unit
- Salt Lake
- Seminole Ranch
- St Johns River Area
- TM Goodwin-SGA
- Three Lakes
- Tosohatchee
- Triple N Ranch
You can download all the detail data about theses areas, as well as all areas at
https://ocean.floridamarine.org/HGMSearch/Search.aspx
Updated each July using FWC Published Data
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