Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Relocating to western Florida

I was thinking Tallahassee west or maybe steinhatchee or Perry area.

I live in Tallahassee and work at the university. My sons and I dive the coast near St Marks, I can tell you quality water days are very limited and bull sharks are everywhere, we mainly spearfish but good visibility days are rare. BTW, my GF is also a dive instructor. As far as hunting goes, you have the national forest near by but I won't step foot in there during deer season as the dog hunters run the place, just not safe. You may have some limited draw luck on public areas but I've given up on hunting around here. I don't hunt hogs but I know there are many places in FL that offer pay to hunt opportunities. There appears to be way more hunters in FL these days and limited places to hunt. The best land is in the large plantations that run from Tallahassee north to GA but they are all private and are mostly managed for quail. They have lots of really big deer but hunting them is only for the well connected. FL is a great state with a good governor but most elections are close as the state is pretty evenly divided politically. Tallahassee is a very liberal city for what it's worth. My recommendation for hunting and diving would be west of Tallahassee closer to Pensacola. Good luck with your search!

Edit: After walking outside since my post, I realized why I can't wait to get out of FL. The governor is great but he won't be here forever, it's too hot to do anything outside from May-September and there are too many people for my taste. Traffic is getting worse by the day and is seems more and more people are moving to FL. I can understand retirees coming from the NE to escape the cold and heating bills, I would too, but for me it's just too hot and humid, I don't even want to go outdoors in the summer. It's too hot to go out on the boat, even the water to warm and not comforting. We mostly dive in the winter in wet suits when the water temp is below 60. Better visibility and much more comfortable. You may save on your heating bills but your AC will run non-stop May-September. I'm still looking for my "last home" and it won't be here, somewhere West but I'm still looking.

Right now I am looking at Gadsden Alabama as my retirement spot.

Cheap cost of living, right on the edge of hardwood growth but still a temperate climate - a few scattered 70 degree days in February, and close to lakes and mountains.

I think I'm maybe 5 years away

I spent 9 months in Fort Walton Beach just south of IH 10 and loved it but it's a tourist town with high property taxes and the possibility of hurricanes. We covered 5 counties so I saw a lot of the Florida panhandle. There are several really nice small towns along IH 10 with lots of state land close by where you can hunt and close enough to the coast (about 20 miles) for some really good saltwater (and freshwater) fishing. The beaches are beautiful white sand that the locals call sugar sand. The weather is much cooler and less humid than you would expect in Florida. I never had any problems with mosquitos but the gnats were really bad when it was hot. The best thing is that it's a very conservative area with few if any New York transplants. I think it's too cold for them. If you want to do a little ranching you can do that too. I was amazed at all the cattle ranches in the Florida panhandle.

Most people don't know Florida has more cattle than any other state.

Most people don't know Florida has more cattle than any other state.

Most people don't know Florida has more cattle than any other state.

wtf? where did you see this? on the crapper wall?

Wrong

if you move down here, you're going to dodge Tornadoes 6 months out of the year and the other 6 months you're in the Hurricane Bullseye. My wife and I moved back here after 28 years Navy and I can tell you this: Had I really taken a hard look at the weather, we wouldn't be here. this place is a weather Toilet.

we grew up here, all our Family has been here, and we can't remember ever having this much devastation. Just in the last 3 years The wife and I have been here, my moms place 20 miles away got pretty much Obliterated last year. we lived through 3 major Hurricanes in 2 years (they ran out of names for the Hurricanes in 2020) and Tornadoes tore up about 40 houses on Hwy 14 (10 miles from us).

It is only a matter of time before everything you own is destroyed, you can run and dodge but statistically, the odds of a Tornado hitting a specific point in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Georgia, is pretty freaking high.. Highly recommend taking a look at that aspect of it.

so whos right?.....bob

Not LD, but he ain’t no quitter. I’m rooting for him.