Scouting Public Land Hogs & Hiking The Florida Scrub

Bowhunting hogs in the southern states can be full of challenges. Simply finding wild pigs on Florida’s public lands isn’t easy. Throw in alligators, venomous snakes, bugs, and swamps and you’ve got a unique adventure. This is my first scouting trip for wild hogs this year and although I didn’t find exotic what I was looking for, Cedar and I had a nice hike and explored some country I hadn’t seen before.
Don't forget to subscribe to the channel. We're uploading a new video each week that features one of the following topics: archery, bow hunting, bow building, survival skills, bushcraft, self reliance, primitive skills, primitive bows, hunting, camping, fishing, and a lot more!
GEAR I USE:
Backpacks - kifaru.net/CLAYHAYES
Archery Gear - www.3riversarchery.com/
Tents & Tarps - seekoutside.com (enter clayhayes5 at checkout for 5% off!)
Optics - www.vortexoptics.com
Clothing - www.firstlite.com/
Camera Gear - amzn.to/47HZFrz
Essential Backcountry Gear - amzn.to/3u6H0If
Surviving Alone by Clay Hayes - amzn.to/3Qqou3l
You can also connect with me on my other media outlets!
Website: www.twistedstave.com/
Facebook: / clayhayeshunter
Instagram: / clayhayeshunter
Patreon: / clayhayes

[@kdkulhanek]

I love how you said you cant blame him for not wanting to sit in the water. Took me a good few years to determine there are some times when what I say just isnt practical. Cedar & Clay - just missing Fen!!!

[@max1dizzy2]

So true. Some people are so controlling with animals, especially dogs, and don’t understand that there are variables.

[@kdkulhanek]

That was me. Lucky I have the best dog in the world that has taught me way more in life than I have ever taught him @@max1dizzy2

[@stephenthompson640]

Pine tree pollen viewed under a microscope looks like "Mickey mouse" ears. Used to have folks complaining it was sulfur from industrial air emissions. It would be pine tree pollen or on occasion bee pollen when the bees were traveling a specific path. Great ecology lessons and the neat thing about hunter gathers that we appreciate the whole of our environment. Long live the hunt.

[@ferdrums95]

what a memory you made with Cedar! love the dog, he looks exactly like mine

[@davidhuth5659]

Really enjoy and appreciate the ecology lessons. Thanks!

[@rustbeltmachine]

This is my favorite video Clay. I hope you get Cedar hunting hogs good. He could probably smell them 4 miles away and lead you to them. He’s a good dog.

[@JPMerolla001]

You got a good well behaved and trained dog there. Smart fellow. Im glad he was not bit.

[@paulharding1621]

Great video Clay, thanks for the educational tips. Glad Cedar didn’t get bitten.

[@vanceuribe295]

Not gonna lie, my heart stopped for a sec when you dropped and kicked your bow 😂 sick hunting spot!

[@maxpayne0006]

I’m the same way. I baby my Kodiak Hunter and hate to admit I’ve dinged it up good.

[@anthonysuski9248]

Awesome!!! 😎 👍

[@3passa]

Interesting insights into the Florida fauna and flora, where else can you find that on youtube. I really like that you know what you talk about and enjoy sharing it. Always such a wealth of information, no bs talk, always to the point. And what a cool companion Cedar is 🙂 Thanks Clay 👍

[@TheCoolwhipped]

Over more east in Forida, like in Osceola, the rut is weird as hell. There seems to not be any particular "rut". The only time none of them are rutting is from like march to August. But you'll see "rutting activity" from September into sometimes February, depending on the deer you come across. Coming from the midwest, it's hard as hell to pick a strategy to hunt em down here.

[@JuliaJulia007]

Really enjoy the ecology lessons

[@michaeldouglas1243]

Really enjoyed this video alot Clay.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@rudamchu]

Clay, I made a self bow from Yaupon Holly from my property in Citrus County ... makes a great bow. I was using the stave as a "pry bar" to dig up small stumps, and it just would not break so I figured it might make a good bow ... I was right. Maybe you can do a video fire hardening one?

[@alexmacdonald258]

that's a great insight on the rut patterns Clay! Here in northern WA, yeah, for sure our rut's really well defined. Never thought about how the weather drives this: Thanks!!!

[@capntexas]

I’m currently fighting with my 5 mo black lab to hold too. I’m really looking forward to him being my camping and hunting buddy like Cedar

[@kylehertzog]

Clay we love the "biology lessons" share all your knowledge bro! That stuff is A+grade and bood B-roll for any of your videos!

[@kylehertzog]

And the only time I ever where cotten socks are lounging in the evening at home occasionally. Or I always have a pair in truck bag to put on after getting back from a trip in the backcountry. Otherwise 65-70% min wool all the time. Thick winter when needed, thin summer or whenever possible.

[@clayhayeshunter]

I appreciate that!

[@to8860]

Thanks Clay!

[@charlesowens4864]

I thoroughly enjoyed how educational this video was! I would love to see more like this. Thanks clay!

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@markeldred3273]

Good dog good kids equals good man you reap what you sow great job clay thanks

[@JY-sea-fishing]

Another great video clay can't wait for the next

[@hyjackr]

Love your channel, I'm pretty new, trying to catch up. Really love the spot n stalk videos, love the learning I'm doing. Thanks Clay.

[@gibsondarr8787]

Hey clay love watching your videos!

[@DrLobotamy]

Love the ecology

[@ADVENTURESOFBZ]

Hey brother it's nice to hear you talk about how funky our deer rut is down here. As far as I know there's nothing like it anywhere else. July in South Florida, to March in Orlando area. And everything in between the rest of the state. Kinda makes it fun though that you can travel around and almost always be in some form of rut whether it be pre rut, the actual rut or post rut 9 months outta the year!!!

[@WilliamHill-in6yz]

Cedar is amazing Clay.

[@rexrodecolt]

Interesting, great content, Thank you!

[@anthonyforfare7223]

Great information and love our labs ! All Labs Matter 👍😁 God Bless you and your family 🙏😇❤️🇺🇸

[@maxpayne0006]

Great content once again!

[@daneboro6847]

Thanks for the video 📹

[@tradbowpodcast]

loved it. Thanks for taking us along.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@nohillforahighstepper]

I have a few pairs of those People Socks too. They have given really good service for several years. When it's below zero outside, I'll put a silk sock under those merino People socks and I'm good down to 20 below in uninsulated boots, as long as I'm moving around a bit. People get cold feet because they don't wick the sweat away from their feet. Silk is awesome for that.

[@fishmaniachannel]

Beautiful woods silence of jungles 👌🙏

[@Gloryholesrock86]

Looks like you are here in Okaloosa - Walton County areas! Welcome ! I’m surprised to see the cotton mouths out too. Glad it didn’t strike.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Santa Rosa

[@donwaldroopoutdoors3665]

Crocs the new hunting boots lol , lot guys wearing them now to hunt

[@d.faulkner8210]

great video, You still have the power ram?

[@motion.nature]

thank you for another great video. 👍 like this format with you talking freely about different things. also i wondered why you didnt pull the legs of your pants up while wading through that pool?

[@clayhayeshunter]

Those pants dry very quickly

[@antoniomarinho7380]

Very well....a very good

[@joshjames253]

Me and my son made yaupon holly tea a few weeks ago. It’s pretty pleasant tasting

[@dashady187]

As someone who doesn't live somewhere that has venomous snakes I always wonder how you train your dogs to avoid them.

[@joemurray8902]

Yah, we have the same kind of red water in Canada - we call it Mersey Tea. I was curious if the Pine Pollen was edible, thinking that it might be nutritious.

[@garengatorlope1004]

Those canes would also be good if you want to make a fish or frog gig

[@RiverbendlongbowsOutdoors]

Good stuff 👍🏻 Not sure how scientific it is ,but I think most ruts in mammals revolves around bug and parasite Hatch 🤷‍♂️ That way the newborns aren't fighting nature right off the bat perhaps

[@Vodolaga_Nova]

Clay can the hogs live in woods near highway, where relatively often walk people(not in order to hunt), but in this area there is a tons of water areas with a lot of oaks dropping ankers?

[@anthonyalligood]

Is this near Franklin County? I grew up there, and these woods look so much like that.

[@Dr1709]

If you are ever in Central Florida, let me know. There is a lot of hog in the Marsh behind my house 😊

[@chrisedenfield]

I think I was on that same road lost one night trying to make it home from Florabama 😢

[@lobopropredatorcontrol]

Any chance you could cut some river cane and bring it back to Idaho? Would love to buy some for arrow making. I know spine and weight is an issue. I sure don't like snakes, think that's why I love Idaho winters.

[@tristanpotter5658]

Hey Clay, any chance you're going to OJAM this year?

[@clayhayeshunter]

Not planning on it

[@MrTspeeds07]

Could you please tell me what boots you and Finn wear (water and hiking boots)? Also could you recommend a bow similar to the one Finn shoots that I would be able to buy? Love the videos!

[@clayhayeshunter]

These are Lacross boots but I’m not particular on those. Fen is shooting an Osage bow we made. I’m sure you could find a youth model recurve or longbow over at 3Rivers.

[@MrTspeeds07]

Could you recommend a long bow for me? I’m 34 years old with a 27 1/2 draw length. I shoot a compound bow at 65lbs currently but would like to give a traditional bow a try. Mostly for white tails and pigs.

[@kobudo]

@@MrTspeeds07Black Hunter recurves and longbows have definitely taken deer and they’re a very economical way to get your feet into traditional archery. As far as weight, know that most commercially available bows are giving their poundage at 28” so you will probably be just a few pounds lighter at 27.5. Being a takedown bow, that BH will let you increase the poundage by picking up different sets of limbs. Which is nice starting out. Definitely don’t start with a bow at your current compound weight. Trad bows have no let-off like compounds, and you want to keep it nice and light while you’re working on your form and getting your body used to it. Whatever weight you’re holding at with your compound is probably the maximum I would recommend, unless it’s below like 30 pounds. I had a very old compound bow with not a lot of let-off and I was comfortable enough starting at 30 pounds. Again you really want to have your form dialed in before you start adding more weight to your limbs.

[@davidfleer5307]

Our lab will be 9 in May she goes with me when I make firewood and she finally wears out after a day of playing fetch, they are smart dogs but when she sheds her hair it’s a mess for awhile. Why so many roads in those areas?

[@clayhayeshunter]

Roads are probably in place for fire management but I’m not sure.

[@kerrydeshotels9691]

So you can archery hunt hogs on public land out of deer seasons in Florida?

[@RedBellyRiverRat]

Deer season ended last weekend here.

[@ertreeservice9558]

Better weather over there then Idaho

[@jasonwatson2679]

You doing any classes while you are down here are you?

[@clayhayeshunter]

Not this time

[@cynthiastandley5742]

Aren't there gremlins in that water? Good training.

[@nguyencanhdinh97]

I love you so much

[@JAEUFM]

They always say that snakes are out to get you, but Cottonmouths seem to be always on a hair trigger.

[@JAEUFM]

'not out to get you',...fingers tripped on the keyboard.

[@rcoym1]

What WMA is this?

[@GrumpyVet71]

That looks like Escribano. Correct?

[@clayhayeshunter]

Good eye

[@GrumpyVet71]

I got a turkey quota there. If you have any pointers for that area, I'm listening... Thanks for all you do Clay.

[@larryhuston3867]

Wat part of florida is this??? Im a Ft.lauderdale native since 1963 i have 1brother in Ocala fl & my younger brother lives in the Tallahassee

[@clayhayeshunter]

Panhandle

[@larryhuston3867]

Ok thank you for that info that is the only part of fla I havent observed in the past 60+yrs living in Florida

[@legionjames1822]

You drank the water out of those big puddles as a child? Wow, the human body is incredible. Or is it that you have reason to believe they should not have contained dangerous elements? Because most people would think just degrading leaves would make them ill.

[@hemansr3893]

Did you really kick your bow? 😖

[@Jeds-vg8ru]

Big country snake removal does snake aversion training. On FB. Might be someone closer.

[@Dirk_Mcgurk]

you don't worry about alligators or water snakes when you are out walking in the dark water

[@clayhayeshunter]

No, not usually

[@Dirk_Mcgurk]

@@clayhayeshunter you were pretty calm when you faced bears

[@locksbog4270]

👍😃✌️🇺🇸💪

[@hyjackr]

What's the reason y'all split time between states? Guess this video is partly why, hunting all year long?

[@clayhayeshunter]

It’s g good split. Get to hunt hogs down south while it’s cold up north.

[@Nunya_Binness]

Guess I’m a straight mountain man, Florida doesn’t appeal to me at all.

[@quakslikeaduck]

oink oink

[@kennithnieman9130]

I've been sick from water twice, crypto put me down for almost a month, be wise, if not you will think you are dieing .😆