We are not the best hunters, but we have a good time.

Hunted near Valdosta tues afternoon, weds morning
Hunted near Troy weds afternoon - Sat morning (woke up late, no hunting)

Driving up: stepson "I am not sleepy"
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NQDETElsaSsgGk7l2

15 mins later
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2aFDZwtyoRfgvLtD2

Dinner at Smok-n-pig (valdosta): waitresses were cracking up
https://photos.app.goo.gl/7u7lS1gZyRuHs06B3

Ice still on truck weds morning after driving 20 miles from motel to hunting land.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/cOdVkKRoKQBiw0XQ2

In Stand with my son: I wanted to get the kids out there in case it snowed. Kinda swampy usually not this wet, but we have killed some good bucks from this spot.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/g5hAmRl8j5YtuXUY2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TqkCClKMuXrGYBSm1

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Yi3pY8pSYXEacCko2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CmYGC6qQuct9TN783

my stepson kept eating the snow (first time that he has ever seen snot)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hgLozhCCFiCBeEHv1

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VaGp9ilf7HiY4P9A2

Rosa Parks house near Clio or Abbeville
https://photos.app.goo.gl/RuzoXngoT320bmxk1

First time on property Weds afternoon. Set up 2 popups, and my son killed a doe while sitting with me. He shot her at ~175 yards.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tln4jfyE8A1OT2VW2

Thurs afternoon, my stepson missed a doe. Friday morning stepson slept in, and my son shot a fawn doe at ~225 yards (he didn't realize it was a fawn, or he wouldn't have shot). Here is a crap picture of him dragging it up the hill. I wasn't tired at all. My dad was driving the truck around to get me, so I could help him get it back to the parking spot.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xsIWwTPVoQSlTwzo2


We had a great time.

I'm a little pissed you didnt call me, but glad you had a great time.

I had no idea how it was going to go this trip and didn't want to set up plans that I couldn't keep. If we could have found some oranges I would have made a trip to your mom's. They have either cleared all of the groves or the small land owners have all been bought out. Sucks.

The citrus industry that is left in central Florida has been afflicted with something called “the greening” that DOA can expound more upon (his cousin has been involved with the citrus biz down there his whole life).

Congratulations to the boys on the kills Kelly! Looks like y’all had a great time.

How much preparation and packing goes into a week long hunting trip to South Georgia and Alabama coming from Tampa?

Huanglongbing, or "HLB", or, in the US, The Greening, is a bacterial disease that renders citrus trees incapable of uptaking moisture or nutrients, even when they're readily available in the soil. The disease is vectored by the Asian Psyllid, and there's no cure for it. An infected tree is generally dead within 1-3 years. The fruit it produces during that time is edible and harmless to humans, though it may be dry and unattractive. Once a grove has been infected to the point that its' commercial viability is compromised, grove owners, especially in the Central Florida region, have found it more profitable to sell the land to developers, rather than invest 7 years waiting for new trees to come to maturity, especially when those new trees are no less likely to be infected than the originals. While there are still some groves farther down, in Southern Florida, the Florida Citrus Industry, for all intents and purposes, has ceased to exist. If you've followed our discussion in the garden forum about Satsumas, this is why I've been so adamant when adding citrus trees to my orchard that they NOT come from Florida.

Little known is the fact that the juice plants in the area have been buying fruit from the Dominican Republic to augment failing crops for a number of years, now. If you're from Central Florida, or have spent much time there, you've seen trucks and equipment belonging to a grove management company called "Roper Bros". My cousin, and his father before him, have run that company for the Ropers since the very early 70's. Roper Bros has shuttered, as of last year.

I have pics on my phone from last year, when we were at our fish camp down there, of trees and groves that look like they've been dead for 50 years...three years ago it was a thriving commercial grove!

Congrats to the boys on putting some meat in the freezer, too!

~10yrs ago we would get naval oranges for ~$6/bushel. They were great. Now we can't find them.

I'll have some in a couple years, if my trees escape being killed by this freeze!

I’ve killed a lot of critters between Valdosta and Waycross. It’s swampy down there. Enjoyed the pics.

Great post Kelly

Great pics.

The smiles say it all!