Hungryland

Every fall and winter, hunting season begins. Another year passes where local boys and girls put on their camo clothing and head west. Palm Beach County has a handful of Wildlife Management Areas (WMA’s) that provide endless days of adventure. It isn’t all fun and games, however. Our local WMA’s have a dark history full of drugs and tales of murder.

One particular location is called Hungryland. It is the closest hunting ground to the water and is frequented by hunters, anglers, and nature walkers. I am there for the pigs. An early morning consists of freezing temperatures, my 870, and a hopeful heart. But what makes this WMA so special to me is the secret oak hammock tucked away in the north west corner of the property that is a tedious 5 mile trek on foot. It’s no secret, but the oaks hold a history deep within them that those who can sit under a limb will soon understand.

The walk from the car to the oak hammock shows almost all of Florida’s ecosystems. Saw palmettos, swamp, pines, grasslands, and finally the oak hammock. There’s a tree stand at the heart of the hammock that rests 15 feet above ground, giving the sitter a glimpse of what Florida used to look like. At your feet, you can see the rooting up of the ground that the pigs did over-night. Once the sun begins to set, an eerie silence takes over. You listen for chomping and grunts of the boars. If I am lucky enough, I will be able to look down my barrel and line up perfectly  to the heart of this beast. Alas, if the trigger does not get pulled, it is certainly okay. It is the journey into the oak hammock that makes the day matter.