Sand dunes along the outfall on Camp Creek Lake. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Recreational activities abound on these rare coastal dune lakes

Walton County Florida is well known for its beautiful beaches and great fishing. Less known to those that have never visited the area, are the unique and scenic coastal dune lakes that dot the coastline along the area’s beach dune systems.

Nestled along Scenic Highway 30A, Walton county’s coastal dune lakes are rare geological features that only occur in the Florida Panhandle, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand and the northern Pacific coast of the United States.

Streams, groundwater seepage and rain are the sources that feed the coastal dune lakes. Storm surge creates intermittent connections to the Gulf of Mexico, called outfalls. This periodic connection empties lake water into the Gulf, and, depending on tides and weather, salt water and organisms from the Gulf flow back into the lakes. Read More…

Posted under Fishing, Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, paddle/surf/boat

Eric Draper, deputy director of Audubon Florida. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

More than 150 people attended the public forum on proposed legislation to allow drilling off Florida coast Feb. 4 at South Walton High School Feb. 4.

There were three presenters on the panel, Eric Draper, deputy director of Audubon Florida was at the forum speaking against the proposed drilling on behalf of protectfloridasbeaches.org. David McLain, senior policy director for Apalachicola Riverkeeper, also spoke against proposed drilling. As a former oil spill clean up expert, McLain spoke about the impact of an oil spills on Florida’s coastlines and estuaries. Eric Hamilton, Associate Director, Florida Petroleum Council, spoke in support of the proposed drilling.

Hands Across The Sand, a peaceful protest against the proposed drilling legislation is slated for Feb. 13. For more information, click here

presentation was quite weak, as he had no good answers on the risks. Eric Draper was great as he spoke about what Fla. really is and the importance of protecting our beaches. I liked his quote…”Can Floridian’s afford to bet the farm?” David McLain was wonderful as well talking about …The E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center sponsored the event.

Posted under Beaches

Tony Young's an avid sportsman and native Floridian. He's the media relations coordinator for the FWC's Division of Hunting and Game Management and lives in Tallahassee with his family.

Outta the woods: Northwest Florida deer in rut

Thus far, this deer season has been pretty good to me as far as quantity goes.  I shot two does during doe week, and I got my season limit on fall gobblers, but I have yet to even see horns, much less harvest a buck.  But I still have plenty of room left in my freezer, and I’m not throwing in the towel just yet.  After all, there are still lots of hunting days left in my neck of the woods, and my game camera’s still taking pictures of some pretty good bucks.
So if you’re like me or if you live in the central or southern part of the state and you don’t mind hunting with a primitive weapon, then point your pickup truck north, because the Northwest Hunting Zone’s deer season is still goin’ strong on private lands and on a lot of the wildlife management areas (WMAs).

The second phase, if you will, of muzzleloading gun season runs Feb. 18-28 in this part of the Panhandle.  This unique late season, which occurs only in the Northwest Zone, was established to allow hunters the chance to hunt the rut that runs from late January through February in this part of the state.

A $5 Muzzleloading Gun Permit is required to hunt during this season, where, on private land, hunters have the choice of using a muzzleloader, bow or crossbow.

On WMAs, this post-season’s referred to as the archery/muzzleloading gun season.  Hunters can use bows or muzzleloaders, but no crossbows – unless they possess a Disabled Crossbow Permit.  Hunters who choose to hunt with a bow must have the $5 Archery Permit, and those using a muzzleloader need the $5 Muzzleloading Gun Permit.
The most common game to hunt during this season are deer and wild hogs.  Only bucks may be taken (even if you use a bow), and one antler must be at least five inches in length.  On private land, the daily bag limit is two.  Bag limits and antler size for deer on WMAs can differ, so please consult the area brochure before you hunt.

Wild hogs aren’t considered game animals on private lands, and because of this, they can be taken year-round by most weapons with no bag or size limits.  On most WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limits, and hogs are legal to take during most hunting seasons except spring turkey.  On selected WMAs, specific bag and size limits do apply, so check the area’s brochure to make sure.
Read More…

Posted under Hunting

Cypress Spring, Washington County, has a glass-clear surface. (Patrick Casey photos)

Spring sampling helps protect resources

Since 2001 the Northwest Florida Water Management District has helped protect the region’s springs by collecting data, conducting spring inventories and monitoring water quality and distribution.  This is part of the statewide Florida Springs Initiative, funded by the Florida Legislature, administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Some of the measurements taken by the District are nitrate concentrations, and they tell an important story.

Morrison Springs. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

“The nitrate load discharged from Jackson Blue Spring represents an economic loss to farmers, growers and homeowners,” said Kris Barrios, Director, Field Services Section.
“Instead of being taken up by plants, these nutrients are carried into the aquifer and eventually discharge to Merritt’s Mill Pond.  We calculate 80 tons of nitrogen lost every year at $200-400 per ton.”

Fertilizer sales in Jackson County dropped to 1000 tons a year from 3000 in the mid-1990s when farmers realized they could save money and the environment by using less fertilizer.  Nitrate concentrations have in- creased from about 0.3 mg/L in 1960 to the current concentration of about 3.5 mg/L.

“The cost is greater than just to the property owner,” Barrios added.  “It lowers the quality of natural habitat and increases the probability of algal blooms.”

Any water that seeps into the ground in the Blue Spring contribution zone — about 177 square miles of agricultural land—is destined for the spring.  “It’s like a free hot dog in
every glass,” said Barrios .  “At 3.5 milligrams of nitrate per liter (mg/L), there’s enough to equal the nitrites in an average hot dog for every 16 oz. glass of spring water.”
Read More…

Posted under Nature

Several Panhandle area park fees reduced to 75 cents Mon. – Thurs. Jan. 18 – Feb. 25

TALLAHASSEE— The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service will begin a new promotion, Go Play Weekday, starting Monday, January 18, 2010 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Throughout the year, Go Play Weekday specials will highlight parks in each region of the state. During the promotional months, visitors pay 75¢ admission Monday through Thursday at featured state parks.

The first of several promotions planned in celebration of Florida State Parks’ 75th Anniversary, Go Play Weekday allows residents and visitors to explore featured parks for a ‘trial size’ price. The price is right for budget watchers, home schoolers and anyone ready for some outdoor recreation.

The Panhandle is the first area to be highlighted in the Go Play Weekday promotion. The six featured state parks offer bluffs, beaches, trails, rivers and lakes that provide ideal locations to hike, camp, fish, ride bicycles and enjoy the cool weather.
Parks offering entrance for 75 cents beginning Monday, January 18, 2010 through February 25, 2010, include:
• Blackwater River State Park, Holt Click here for park information
• Camp Helen State Park, Panama City Beach Click here for related story
• Grayton Beach State Park, Santa Rosa Beach Click here for related story
• Falling Waters State Park, Chipley Click here for related story
• Three Rivers State Park, Sneads Click here for park information
• Torreya State Park, Bristol Click here for park information Click here for related story

How it works: Mention ‘Go Play Weekday’ at the ranger station to get the special price. If the park has an honor box, just write ‘Go Play Weekday’ on the envelope and put in 75¢ instead of the full fee.
Promotions will change throughout the year, so check for updates on the Florida State Parks Web site at www.FloridaStateParks.org

Posted under Nature, Outdoor Family Fun, Parks, Trails/Hiking

Tony Young's an avid sportsman and native Floridian. He's the media relations coordinator for the FWC's Division of Hunting and Game Management and lives in Tallahassee with his family.

That coon dog’ll hunt

Some of my huntin’ buddies and I really live for being out in a wet patch of woods in the middle of a cool night and hearing the not-so-distant sounds of our coon hounds when they open up on a hot trail. There’s just something about those hounds’ voices that sounds both pleasing and eerie at the same time.

We like to brag about whose dog actually struck the trail first and whose got to the right tree first. And boy, you can sure tell the difference when the dogs are just trailing a coon versus when they’ve got one treed. Their barking goes from longer, less frequent howls to just downright choppin’ it down, baying as loud as they can, as quick as they can, with every breath that’s in ‘em. You can really sense the urgency that’s in their voices when they’re sittin’ to the tree.

That’s when it’s time to turn on the flashlights and start making your way through the swamps toward that pleasant, oh too familiar sound in the darkness. Read More…

Posted under Hunting

One of the recently planted food plots on a closed road in the Point Washington State Forest. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

U.S. Forestry and FWC plant grasses to stimulate turkey brooding habitat

The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in Point Washington and the Florida Fish and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are working together to promote wildlife brooding habitats in the Point Washington State Forest. 18 food plots have been planted on closed road areas throughout the Forest.

Working with cost share funding from the National Wild Turkey Federation, Forestry and FWC started with warm season grasses in July 2009, with brown top millet, sorghum, pearl millet and iron-clay peas planted. In December, the cool season was planted with clover, wheat, rye and oats.

Eastern portion of food plot map in Point Washington WMA.

“The planting is for young turkey brooding habitats,” said Fred Robinette, District Wildlife Biologist for FWC. “The plots also encourage quail and dove feeding, however take a few years to fully develop. In March, April and May when these grasses go to seed, it provides excellent bugging for the birds,” Robinette continued.

The benefits are two-fold as the plots also provide excellent feeding for sub-tropical migrating birds as well as good feeding for deer.

The plots are spread out along the closed roads and range in size from .2 acre to 2.5 acres and approximately 16 ft. wide, with more than 18 acres planted. Read More…

Posted under Birding, Hunting, Nature, Trails/Hiking

This Southern Bald Eagle stands perched on dead tree on Western Lake. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

A Southern Bald Eagle scans the waters of Western Lake in South Walton County Florida on Dec. 22. Locals and visitors have been enjoying the unusual sightings of the bald eagles the last few weeks. Local Jamie Conley first captured a great photo of an eagle last week perched on the same tree.

According to park service specialists at Grayton Beach State Park, the raptors have been fishing on the northern portion of Western Lake since the outfall to the Gulf of Mexico has opened.

For more information about the come back of our national bird in Florida, Click here

Posted under Birding, Nature

Image courtesy FWC.

New rules to take effect in mid-January and prohibit harvest of sandbar, siky and Caribbean sharpnose

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Dec. 10 approved a series of rules to enhance its long-standing policy to protect stressed shark populations in Florida waters. These rules also are generally consistent with recent management measures that have been implemented for sharks in coastal waters from Florida to Maine.

Sharks have been strictly regulated in Florida since 1992 with a one-fish-per-person/two-fish-per-vessel daily bag limit for all recreational and commercial harvesters, a prohibition on nearly two dozen overfished or rare shark species, and a ban on the cruel and wasteful practice of harvesting only shark fins (called finning).

“Florida has been a leader in shark management efforts,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto, “and we are now bolstering our shark management rules to help ensure the sustainability of our marine ecosystem that relies in part on maintaining healthy shark populations.”
Read More…

Posted under Fishing

Proposed rules will affect zone boundaries and season dates for deer hunting

The seven-member Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) directed its staff today to proceed with advertising new rule proposals to be voted on at a future Commission meeting.  They would affect the 2010-11 hunting season.

The proposal affecting the most hunters would modify zone boundaries and season dates for deer hunting.  The proposal would move the boundary (that meanders through Tallahassee) separating the current Northwest Hunting Zone from the Central Zone a little farther west.  The proposal also calls for an additional hunting zone, made up in part by the Green Swamp Basin.  This proposal takes into account hunter suggestions and new biological data, and it aims to modify and better align hunting season dates with when deer breed, thereby increasing hunter satisfaction. Read More…

Posted under Hunting