FHF's New Hunters Program - 2022-23 Hunts
Oct. 28-30 Gulf Hammock – Youth - Muzzeloader (General gun for youth)
Dec. 2-4 Telogia - Youth - Muzzeloader (General gun for youth)
Dec.16-18 Telogia – New Adults – Gun (FULL)
Jan. 13-15 Gulf Hammock – Youth – Gun (FULL)
Jan. 27-29 Telogia – Youth – Gun (FULL)
Feb. 3-5 Telogia – New Adults – Gun (FULL)
Feb. 17-19 Telogia – New Adults – Gun (FULL)
To reserve your spot, email futureofhuntingFL@gmail.com and if chosen, it requires a non-refundable donation at least two weeks in advance to reserve your spot. FHF has experienced too many last-second cancellations after food and supplies have been purchased and must require a deposit in advance.
Both youth hunts and new, adult hunter weekends are intended for persons who wish to learn to safely and ethically hunt on a mentored weekend. Every person learning to hunt and carrying a firearm MUST complete the FWC hunter safety program. For those who have completed the on-line portion of the course and have a certificate of completion, FHF offers the field portion and final test beginning at 2:00 pm on Friday afternoon. Only stipulation is that if you don’t pass the final exam, you don’t hunt that weekend!
It is primitive camping at both sites but it is a little nicer at the Gulf Hammock lease. There, we have a regular bathroom, running(non-potable water), and electricity through use of the Volunteer Fire Department grounds and building. We do have a generator and porta potty at the Telogia lease, but lights and electricity go out at 9 pm.
Campers/hunters start showing up after 1 pm on Friday afternoon and if able to set up camp, we head to stands beginning at 3 pm and no later than 4 pm. Hunt until after legal shooting time and come back for dinner and campfire. We wake at 5 am, have breakfast, and start heading to stands at 6 am. Hunt until 10 am, come back and shoot clay targets and have lunch around noon. We have an FWC officer talk at lunch about ethics and hunter safety and then I spend approximately an hour talking about deer and hog hunting. We walk down a game trail and I point out rubs, scrapes, tracks, and signs. We head back to stands at 3 pm and hunt until after legal shooting time. We pick everyone from stands and have another great dinner and campfire. Same drill Sunday morning except when we come back at 10 am, we break camp and try to leave by noon on Sunday. All of the activities and schedule may change based upon cleaning hogs and deer and we will teach hunters how to clean, process, age, and cook the meat.
Everyone will need to have sighted in and shot their rifle numerous times. We recommend .243, .270, or .308 for hunting. .223 is generally not enough and .30-06 is too much! We don’t want complete gun novices coming on a hunt! You can bring campers or RV’s to either site but if you are using a tent, you will need cots or air mattresses. If you use a CPAP, you will need a converter so you can run it off of your vehicle battery!
Legal to shoot are any hogs, regardless of size, mature does if you get one our anterless tags, and bucks with at least three points on one side, including the brow tine! We do NOT want immature deer shot! No turkeys allowed, period! Coyotes are also legal but no bobcats!
We ask for a $100 donation for youth and adult and that covers all of the costs for the weekend. For new, adult hunters, we ask for a $75 donation to cover costs for the weekend. FHF would like to make a special thanks to two new, adult hunters, Raj Bahra and Ryan DeCosimo, who both donated $1,000 each this past year, unsolicited, because they appreciated what FHF was doing on behalf of new hunters. Because of their tremendous generosity, FHF was able to keep the donation requirement the same in spite of the tremendous increase in the cost of groceries, gas, and corn.
Any special dietary concerns needs to be told upon reserving the hunt. We have a limit of thirteen (13)!hunters at the 1520 acre Telogia lease and a limit of eight (8) hunters at the 705 acre Gulf Hammock lease! Any questions, call Chuck Echenique at (813) 918-7610.
SIGN UP FOR A HUNT:
Please email us which hunt date you are applying for, your name, your child's name, DOB, Address, phone number and email address to:
New Hunters Program
Your donation of $75 for the New Adult Hunter and $100 for Youth/Parent Hunt covers all of the food, beverages, and snacks for the entire weekend.
FHF On-Line Auction Our on-line auction was a huge success. Thank you to all who dontated and all who participated in purchasing the many wonderful items and trips offered. Your generosity is what keeps FHF alive and well
Bat Condo at Telogia
Jacob Young recently earned his Eagle Scout Badge by raising $2,000 and putting together a work crew of scouts to build a bat house capable of housing 3,000 bats. The bat "condo" was built last summer (June of 2021), installed at our Telogia lease, and there are now bats living in their new home.
Work Day at Telogia lease is Saturday, November 6, 2021. E-
"New" Used Tractor for FHF
FHF recently received an $8,000 grant from the Turner Foundation for the purchase of a used tractor for $9,000 for use on the two leases. FHF received assistance from the following: Dallas Tenant $250, Joe Costine $175, Kevin Abrante $150, James Young $150, Greg Allen $25, Robert DeShazo $50, & Mike Stach $50.
Become a Member of The Future of Hunting in Florida
By joining The Future of Hunting in Florida for $25, you are supporting our efforts to recruit and retain hunters and increase access and opportunities to hunt in Florida.
Youth One-Year Membership
An annual youth membership is $15. However, being a youth member of FHF is NOT required to participate in any FHF activity, including any youth hunts.
Family One-Year Membership
Support The Future of Hunting in Florida with a Family Membership of $50!
Sponsor One Year
Become a Sponsor of FHF for $250. Comes with a hat or
t-shirt and two decals!
Gold Sponsor
Become a Gold Sponsor for $1000. Comes with four (4) FHF hats, four (4) FHF t-shirts, and eight (8) FHF decals!
About Us
Youth Hunts
New "Old" Hunters Weekends
New "Old" Hunters Weekends
During the 2019-20 Hunting Season, The Future of Hunting in Florida (FHF) hosted nine (9) weekend youth hunts with a total of 63 kids in attendance. Five (5) youth hunts were held on FHF's 705 acre lease in Gulf Hammock and four(4) youth hunts were held on FHF's 1520 acre lease near Telogia.
Both leases are paid for through a grant from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida.
New "Old" Hunters Weekends
New "Old" Hunters Weekends
New "Old" Hunters Weekends
During the 2019-20 Hunting Season, The Future of Hunting in Florida (FHF) hosted four (4) New "Old" Hunters weekends in which a total of twenty-nine (29) adults were recruited and/or reactivated to hunt.
Wounded Warriors Hunts
New "Old" Hunters Weekends
Wounded Warriors Hunts
During the 2018-19 Hunting Season, The Future of Hunting in Florida (FHF) also hosted five (5) Wounded Warriors who were first-time hunters.
2022 Sponsors and Donors
Platinum Sponsor
Marty and Daphne Wood
Gold Sponsors
Brad and Becki Lowery
James, Jennifer and Jacob Young
Silver Sponsors
Dr. Greg Williams
Lex Thompson
Sponsors
Bill Marvin
NHWL Engineering, Inc.
Chuck Wester, Yates Wilkie & Joe Lane
Shuford Davis
Brett Ewing and First Franklin Financial
George Grimsley and Grimsley and Associates, CPA
Wally Woodham, Jr.
Donors to 2019 Banquet
J.T, Surles and Trophy Creek Outfitters, Monticello, FL
Bill Day and The Shoe Box, Tallahassee, FL
Lee Trailer Sales, Tallahassee, FL
Waukeenah Fertilizer Company, Waukeenah, FL
Kevin Kelly and Kevin's Sporting Goods, Tallahassee, FL
Bass Pro Shops, Tallahassee Store
Robin Barber and All Pro Equipment & Landscaping
Jake Webb & The Rivers Edge Bait & Water Escapes,LLC
Woodville ACE Hardware
Wildwood Golf Course
Magnuson Hotel Wildwood Inn, Crawfordville, FL
Mike's Marine Supply, Panacea FL
Coastal Trailer & Hitch, Medart, FL
Crawfordville ACE Hardware
Shield's Marina and Brett Shields, St. Marks, FL
Riverside Cafe, St. Marks, FL
City of St. Marks, FL
Crum's Mini-Mall, Panacea, FL
T-n-T Hideaway, US 98 & Wakulla River
Coon Bottom Gun Club and Frank Kraeft
Sea Tow Big Bend, Panacea, FL
Scott Pliskin, DVM and Mahan Animal Clinic
Academy Sports
Remington Firearms
Mark Folmar and Folmar's Gun & Pawn
Tristan Shelfer and Red Hills Arms
Walmart, Tallahassee Stores
Cal Cooksey and Cooksey Auction Company, Sawdust, FL
Stowaway Marine & More, Inc., Shell Point Hwy & US 98
The Rivers Edge Bait & Water Escapes, LLC
Coastal Forest Resources Company and Ryan Daniels
Capt. John Swanson
Allen & Jeannie Boyd
Dr. Jim Davis
David Fonveille
Reed Swamp Hunt Club
John Whiddon and MGW
Steven Hoppe
Buck Atkinson and Welaunee Plantation
Alofl Hotel of Tallahassee
Shula's 347 Grill
Tall Timbers Research Station & Land Conservancy
Hoyt, Brent & Glenn Lowder
Noah McKinnon
Marty and Daphne Wood
Florida Farm & Feed
Homewood Suites Hilton, Gainesville, FL
Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Head, SC
Firehouse Subs, W. Pensacola St., Tallahassee, FL
Bradley's Country Store, Centerville Rd., Tallahassee, FL
Chuck Echenique
Paul McGhee
Hal Bennett and Johnston's Meat Market
Jim Hilwig
Tractor Supply Co., Tallahassee store
Stone's Home Center, Quincy store
Aloft Hotel, Jacksonville Airport