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Post by joekat46 on Jun 30, 2023 11:39:02 GMT -5
Over the years I've owned a variety of truck campers and pull behinds. Now down to just a quick set tent Wife just laughs when I ask if she wants to go. Anyway I would like to go to any of the State Parks in the Keys in the cooler months but am seeing they appear to be booked up a year in advance. Any insider secrets of where to go? Just be me, a tent, pulling a 16' Carolina Skiff. Thanks
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Post by pinman on Jun 30, 2023 12:31:46 GMT -5
Its tough to get a site at any of the popular State Park campgrounds these days. I got a site by checking in often for cancellations. Also, Ive always wanted to camp on one of the islands. Have seen people camping on the ones Atlantic side of 7 Mile Bridge. Dont know the legalities of it.
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Post by pinman on Jun 30, 2023 12:33:18 GMT -5
Also check a website called "Hipcamp". People charge small fees for camping on their land. Have seen the Keys on there.
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Post by Stumpy on Jun 30, 2023 15:32:05 GMT -5
I've tent camped at Pennycamp, they have a boat ramp and electric at camp site. Also camped at Bahia Honda, same deal boat ramp and electricity at camp site. We camped in the summer and ran a electric fan at night. I saw one tent that hooked up a small 120V window shaker for AC in his tent.
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Post by bullfrog on Jun 30, 2023 18:08:30 GMT -5
I only do primitive, dispersal, camping. Meaning someone I can just walk off the trail and camp way back in the thick. That’s the only way I feel comfortable solo camping. So that confines me to the national forests.
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Post by One Man Gang on Jul 1, 2023 12:47:46 GMT -5
Over the years I've owned a variety of truck campers and pull behinds. Now down to just a quick set tent Wife just laughs when I ask if she wants to go. Anyway I would like to go to any of the State Parks in the Keys in the cooler months but am seeing they appear to be booked up a year in advance. Any insider secrets of where to go? Just be me, a tent, pulling a 16' Carolina Skiff. Thanks Peanut or Munyon island. You may have to contend with a younger crowd on the weekends. |
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Post by joekat46 on Jul 1, 2023 13:01:46 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies.
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Post by pinman on Jul 1, 2023 17:53:19 GMT -5
Over the years I've owned a variety of truck campers and pull behinds. Now down to just a quick set tent Wife just laughs when I ask if she wants to go. Anyway I would like to go to any of the State Parks in the Keys in the cooler months but am seeing they appear to be booked up a year in advance. Any insider secrets of where to go? Just be me, a tent, pulling a 16' Carolina Skiff. Thanks Peanut or Munyon island. You may have to contend with a younger crowd on the weekends. Thats Palm Beach county, joekat is looking for the Keys..... |
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Post by One Man Gang on Jul 1, 2023 20:32:41 GMT -5
Yeah but you don't need a reservation, camping permit, or have to pay a fee where I suggest.
Show n go... like a free man.
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Post by pinman on Jul 2, 2023 9:03:59 GMT -5
Yeah but you don't need a reservation, camping permit, or have to pay a fee where I suggest. Show n go... like a free man. Maybe back in our "good ole days". Peanut has limited number of spots by reservation only and Munyon is part of JD State Park and day use only. |
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Post by joekat46 on Jul 2, 2023 20:03:28 GMT -5
 May write off the Keys as a been there done that. No longer enjoy crowds. If it ever cools down I'll just hit a few inland spots. If you see this setup anywhere say "Hi". Thanks again for the replies. Picture from Walk in Water campground on the WMA during a February scouting trip for a quota turkey hunt in 2017. Even it has a fee. No electric, pit toilets and no shower. Oh well. The lakes right down the road. Can always jump in. I'm sure there's no gators. |
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Post by richm on Jul 9, 2023 12:02:04 GMT -5
Over the years I've owned a variety of truck campers and pull behinds. Now down to just a quick set tent Wife just laughs when I ask if she wants to go. Anyway I would like to go to any of the State Parks in the Keys in the cooler months but am seeing they appear to be booked up a year in advance. Any insider secrets of where to go? Just be me, a tent, pulling a 16' Carolina Skiff. Thanks Anclote Key - you can camp on the north end. There is a composting potty. There are raccoons, they will steal your bait if you let the tide go out on your boat - I didn't know the gulf has 2 low tides - a low one and then a lower one. The raccoons also know to chew thru the top of a water bottle and suck it up. The pic is the south end of the island.  |
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Post by joekat46 on Jul 9, 2023 12:20:11 GMT -5
Thanks! No bikini babes however. A disappointment.
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Post by kayakpete on Jul 16, 2023 15:19:23 GMT -5
I love Bahia Honda, but it's a PITA to get a reservation.
Not a state park, Big Pine Key Campground. Probably a bit crowded for you though.
Got a pic, but but WTH, no copy/paste.
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Post by joekat46 on Jul 16, 2023 16:12:47 GMT -5
Never see much in that state reservation system available in most of the Keys ever. Almost do a LOL when I check the rates on privates. Some almost match the Ritz Carlton Naples rates. Well maybe kinda close. Lol. Thanks for the reply.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jul 23, 2023 15:03:28 GMT -5
Here's a solo camp I did on a WMA in Alabama. I hunted this property for almost 20 yrs when it was a private club. The state bought over half it and made a WMA out of it. I honestly believe that there's less hunting pressure on it now than when it was a club. Attachments:
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jul 23, 2023 15:32:47 GMT -5
Here's a camping trip that around 6 of us did for many years while bowhunting Illinois during the rut in November. We generally stayed for around 2 weeks. I wish I had some pictures when it snowed, quite an experience for a bunch of Florida boys. Attachments:
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Post by One Man Gang on Jul 23, 2023 16:12:52 GMT -5
Cracker, where were you hunting in Illinois? My buddy had a sweet piece of property next to Lake of Egypt, near Goreville that we hunted during archery. Beautiful area.
He just gave it up last year after their camp was vandalized and robbed twice in the previous 2 years. The last time we hunted it in November the temps were in the high 60s and the hunting was lousy.
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Post by Crkr 23 on Jul 23, 2023 19:10:52 GMT -5
We hunt several WMAs scattered around Southern Illinois, from Rend Lake south and west of the interstate. We camp at Crab Orchard NWR and hunt probably a 60 mile radius of there.
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Post by swampdog on Jul 24, 2023 17:44:14 GMT -5
Great pics! I don’t do much tent camping anymore, but back in the day it was all we had or could afford. Summer vacations found us camped on the Withlacoochee River. Fishing, swimming and mosquitoes - wonderful experiences and fun times.
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crabtrap
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Posts: 3
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Post by crabtrap on Jul 29, 2023 22:28:35 GMT -5
If you want to camp in Florida during cooler months, look for campgrounds without electricity. Otherwise you’ll have to book a year in advance like the hordes of snowbirds do.
Camping in a fully booked, crowded campground is not much fun anyway (personal opinion).
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Post by swampdog on Jul 30, 2023 7:32:53 GMT -5
Not to mention the folks from out of state start their YouTube videos and network with reports resulting in filled campgrounds. Oh well…
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Post by nikonoclast on Aug 26, 2023 20:19:56 GMT -5
The phrase "cooler months" keeps coming up.
Wish it were true ... hoping it happens ... we'll probably try anyway.
Three years ago, in February, we were down near Fort Myers.
The local stations said: "second year on a row of record high temperatures".
"Muggy" was an understatement.
Has there been any change in that situation?
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Post by One Man Gang on Aug 27, 2023 8:57:05 GMT -5
Farmers almanac says colder than normal winter this year... if you trust it, fyi.
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Post by joekat46 on Sept 1, 2023 13:49:24 GMT -5
Farmers almanac says colder than normal winter this year... if you trust it, fyi. Be nice. Last year seemed to have two cold mornings total. If I see lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s I would love it. |
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chunkster
Member
An early bird gets its worm.
Posts: 234
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Post by chunkster on Sept 12, 2023 20:55:07 GMT -5
I skimmed through all of this. I don’t think I’m posting the same info over again.
There’s that one KOA in Sugarloaf.
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Post by GaryS on Sept 25, 2023 5:37:52 GMT -5
Used to tent camp at Flamingo. Did middle cape mostly. They also have platforms in whitewater bay that you can reserve.
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Post by olmucky on Sept 26, 2023 12:25:01 GMT -5
The phrase "cooler months" keeps coming up. Wish it were true ... hoping it happens ... we'll probably try anyway. Three years ago, in February, we were down near Fort Myers. The local stations said: "second year on a row of record high temperatures". "Muggy" was an understatement. Has there been any change in that situation? I hunt a central Fl wma that goes from dec -feb I think I’ve had a couple cold nights camping but overall it’s not |
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Post by PolarsStepdad on Feb 21, 2024 18:54:43 GMT -5
I used to go to St Andrews SP any given time and get a place to pitch a tent. Now you ha e to book a year in advance and they really only want you if you have a 40' motor home or 5th wheel. St Joe is a little better in thr off season but this about the same way. They just opened some of the campground back up been closed since Michael. Indian Pass campground is pretty nice and outside of the Sambar hunt in November and Whitetail hunt in January on St Vincent Island it usually has openings. Indian Pass is kinda in the boonies so you have to take everything you need with you. There is no running down the street to the store. There is a general store near there bow but it's selection is very limited. You'll have to drive back to Pt St Joe or Apalachicola to find anything else.
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Post by PolarsStepdad on Feb 21, 2024 18:55:32 GMT -5
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