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View Full Version : WSF - Richloam Tract Loops, December 14



Julie T
09-18-2010, 09:35
Hello! I've been lurking on these forums for a while and finally decided to register since I wanted to post a thread.

My husband and I are hiking the Richloam Tract of Withlacoochee Forest Wildlife Preserve in December.. Probably 14th-17th. It's a loop trail and we are planning on an easygoing, relaxed hike.. Day 1 - 6 miles, Day 2 - 10 miles, Day 3 - around 7 miles, and Day 4 - Just 4.3 miles back to the car.

Is anyone interested in joining us? We have hiked parts of this trail before, but never have done more than a couple of over-nighters. I get pretty anxious about the "bumps in the night" and would feel a lot better to have a few more people around.

The trail is a little over an hour West-ish from Minneola, FL (which is in south lake county).. Less than 2 hours from Orlando.

Here (http://www.floridatrail.org/Hikes/centralflorida/RichloamLoop.html) is the link to the FTA site about Richloam.

Grinder
09-18-2010, 12:35
Looks interesting. I live in Winter Haven. About 30 minutes away from there.

I'll be lurking for you <G>

DareN
09-18-2010, 15:57
I enjoy going to Richloam, but you may want to reconsider the timing of this one. That will be the peak of gun season, and Richloam gets one of the biggest turnouts of hunters who will be running dogs as far as public land goes. I will probably go out there the weekend or two before gun season opens on Nov. 13th. If you are set on your dates in December, you could always go the next tract over to Citrus. Not near the amount of hunters and no dogs. Or have fun at Richloam.

Julie T
09-18-2010, 22:50
I enjoy going to Richloam, but you may want to reconsider the timing of this one. That will be the peak of gun season, and Richloam gets one of the biggest turnouts of hunters who will be running dogs as far as public land goes. I will probably go out there the weekend or two before gun season opens on Nov. 13th. If you are set on your dates in December, you could always go the next tract over to Citrus. Not near the amount of hunters and no dogs. Or have fun at Richloam.


Thanks for the tip, I knew about the season opening in Nov. but I couldn't seem to get a straight answer from anyone on how it would affect our hike. I know about wearing blaze orange, but I didn't think about a lot of dogs running around. I've heard that the busiest hunting times are when the season first open, so I thought we could get away with the dates we picked.

I mostly picked the dates due to the fact that my husband is in school at the time and his vacation starts the week before. We definitely wouldn't be able to go at any time other than during the gun season. I guess we have a decision to make.

Julie T
09-22-2010, 10:46
I enjoy going to Richloam, but you may want to reconsider the timing of this one. That will be the peak of gun season, and Richloam gets one of the biggest turnouts of hunters who will be running dogs as far as public land goes. I will probably go out there the weekend or two before gun season opens on Nov. 13th. If you are set on your dates in December, you could always go the next tract over to Citrus. Not near the amount of hunters and no dogs. Or have fun at Richloam.

Looks like we're definitely going to do Citrus. I spoke to someone from the FTA website and they said that the hunters on Richloam are jerks and will shoot at anything LOL.

chiefiepoo
09-22-2010, 17:25
Julie T
Howdy and welcome to WB. Been to Richloam several times. All that has been said about hunting is for real. Of the three WSF tracts, Richloam is the most wild and least trafficked. Things going bump in the night, or dawn / dusk include boar, some big coons, and armadillo. Surprising how loud one armadillo can sound at 2 am. Like it is coming through your tent. Never seen a bear there but would not be surprised to encounter a young black that might have been driven out of Chassahowitzka several miles away. It can be wet there too. I recall portions of the trail having "high water" alternate routes. Fun place all in all when hunting season is not on. Croom tract and Citrus tract have a lot of hunters per mile too. Often they fill the established camp sites for an entire week. Quite hours are not so much quiet. Hunters are essentially the same everywhere, a mix of jerks and gentlemen and occasional lady. Deep into Richloam that does not have the extensive road grid that is found in Croom and Citrus might give you better isolation from people. Dogs can show up anywhere.