On Saturday, January 18th over thirty sportsmen and women gathered at the Seminole Forest Wildlife Management Area for a small game hunt in celebration of public land and public water. Participants gathered at the check station in the pre-dawn darkness for a breakfast of coffee and fried honey buns prepared by BHA member Tom Brown followed by a prayer by new BHA member Joshua Locke.
Several attendees were first time hunters who paired with veteran sportsmen for conversations about basic woodland navigation, firearm safety and the nuances of hunting bushy tails...gray squirrels. The sun rose to a beautiful clear day with little breeze, leading to the successful harvest of over two dozen squirrels, three rabbits and a few panfish from the Blackwater Creek.
After the hunt, sportsmen gathered at Bunk Camp for a lunch featuring Brunswick Stew prepared by Southeast Chapter Chair, Chad Rischar, wild game gumbo prepared by Southeast Chapter Treasure, Jim Hasley and Chili prepared by BHA Life Member, James Boyce and his lovely wife Terisa. Old friends swapped lies, new friendships were kindled and a several participants joined BHA.
After lunch, new hunters could be seen cleaning squirrels with the encouragement and a few tips from experienced small game veterans while others explored the Sulphur Spring. As sportsmen checked out for home, Fish & Wildlife Commission volunteers inquired about Tom Brown’s fried honey buns while biologist Jean Marie Connor inquired about BHA members interest in assisting with future road maintenance and staffing impaired mobility hunts.
A great day for Florida members in BHA!
About James Hasley
Life member Jim Hasley served as Treasurer in the Southeast Chapter and is a Florida Chapter plank holder having served as Vice Chairman. He’s been plying the woods and waters of Florida and the Southeast for decades; he loves family, friends and food.