I'm nearly ready to bite the bullet and buy a second place to live in Florida.  I know there are several active posters on Tradgang from Florida, so I thought I'd query here for recommendations for places to begin my search.

General criteria:  Smaller town with relatively easy access to amenities of a larger city for the missus.  Home base is Wyoming and other similarly remote overseas locations, so this Florida place does not have to offer the utmost in seclusion.  Closer to (or even on) the coast would be cool.  I've never lived on the coast and the prospect of learning salt water sport is attractive.  Close to public land to ramble on when the urge strikes, hopefully with hog and turkey hunting opportunities.
I'd be grateful for any recommendations this group might have.

You should post this in the Florida state thread on the main page at the bottom.

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=81

Weirsdale, Florida.  An hour from everything.  Your wife will live The Villages, Florida @ 3 miles away.  You and I can become great friends and you can take me hunting in Wyoming.  It is a win for everybody.   :D

I live just outside of saint Augustine and drive 35 min to hunt deer hogs turkeys or whatever.   And I can drop my boat In the water and be catching or bowfishing in about 10 min.  

Shawn

Dunnellon~

pm with specifics.


L.R.

Forget all them snowbird reports,Move to Panama City,We got the military base to hunt,public wildlife areas and we have the Bay to fish in and the pass wich takes you out to the Gulf of Mexico,South Florida is for the retired Northerners that wear there Plaid shorts with Blue Knee high socks and Dr sholls tennis shoes.And Disney world,,Real laid Back,dont forget the road construction that turns 8 lanes into 1 lane..The average speed limit down South is 3 MPH..Bicycles will pass you and get to the flea Market 2 hours before you...Mostly Kidding here,But Panama City is Nice but so is Most all of Florida...Second Choice is GOD Bless TEXAS..originally from....My 2 cents,only worth half..Jerry

Dunnellon?  You missed the close to a big city part!  :D  

Besides if he lives in Weirsdale he can be in Dunnellon in 38 minutes.

Melbourne. I'm an hour from Orlando, 10 minutes from the beach, 5 minutes from world class redfish, 5 minutes from the St Johns River. We have SNOOK, maybe the greatest gamefish of all. In 22 minutes I am deer hunting or hog hunting if you so desire. Got Osceola turkeys behind the house. Housing affordable, if not on the water. To summarize, within 30 minutes of home I can: hunt deer, hogs, turkey etc. Fish for largemouth bass, redfish, tarpon, SNOOK, seatrout. I can go surfing, go on a cruise(if I go insane)visit Kennedy Space Center,drink a beer in Cocoa Beach. (If I want to go really tropical I can be in Islamorada in 4 hours). Plus I like Wyoming and am a fan of the CJ Box Wyoming novels    

QuoteOriginally posted by floodman:
Forget all them snowbird reports,Move to Panama City,We got the military base to hunt,public wildlife areas and we have the Bay to fish in and the pass wich takes you out to the Gulf of Mexico,South Florida is for the retired Northerners that wear there Plaid shorts with Blue Knee high socks a Dr sholls tennis shoes.And Disney world,,Real laid Back,dont forget the road construction that turns 8 lanes into 1 lane..The average speed limit down South is 3 MPH..Bicycles will pass you and get to the flea Market 2 hours before you...Mostly Kidding here,But Panama City is Nice but so is Most all of Florida...Second Choice is GOD Bless TEXAS..originally from....My 2 cents,only worth half..Jerry

Dude, Learn the state!  We are all in Central Florida!  You are in LA!  That's Lower Alabama!      


It really is a great state with a lot of diversity.

I think every tradganger should come check it out March 2-4 for the TBOF State Championship Shoot!    

QuoteOriginally posted by alligatordond:
Melbourne. I'm an hour from Orlando, 10 minutes from the beach, 5 minutes from world class redfish, 5 minutes from the St Johns River. We have SNOOK, maybe the greatest gamefish of all. In 22 minutes I am deer hunting or hog hunting if you so desire. Got Osceola turkeys behind the house. Housing affordable, if not on the water. To summarize, within 30 minutes of home I can: hunt deer, hogs, turkey etc. Fish for largemouth bass, redfish, tarpon, SNOOK, seatrout. I can go surfing, go on a cruise(if I go insane)visit Kennedy Space Center,drink a beer in Cocoa Beach. (If I want to go really tropical I can be in Islamorada in 4 hours). Plus I like Wyoming and am a fan of the CJ Box Wyoming novels      

I don't remember any of the CJ Box novels having pictures, Don!    :D

Dang, you guys are makin' ME want to move to Florida and I was just wanderin' through...

Gregg, I get the youngest daughter,Brooke, to read them to me.

Florida isnt for everyone but I think it is a great state for outdoors minded folks. I really love hunting here- there is just so much wildlife. There is almost too much to do here. And most can be done in shorts and slaps( flip flops to non locals.) In fact I went to the store tonight in shorts!

Did I mention we have SNOOK?

DonD,
You are killing me brother.
Used to live in LA while stationed at Tyndall AFB.  Hunting and fishing was superb.  I would drive to DonD's back yard with canoe to fish the no motor zone.  Dang I love SNOOOK.  Never did hunt your neck of the woods though. Did I see say I love SNOOK?  Probably better quit typing as I sure I'm breaking some rules by now.

I would say the central part of state.

QuoteOriginally posted by gregg dudley:
Dunnellon?  You missed the close to a big city part!   :D  

Besides if he lives in Weirsdale he can be in Dunnellon in 38 minutes.

lol Ocala is my idea of a big city~ Orlando is 1.5 hours away?

the south end of Goethe WMA is dang near in the city limits! the gulf is 18 mins away.


L.R.

Duckbutt!! Didn't we talk in Nashville last year? Come on down and shoot pigs and catch a few snook!

Oops. I meant SNOOK

See you Saturday          

I'll second Panama.We travel there almost every year to spend a week or so.beautiful place.Lots to do.Stayed there at st. Andrews state park last year we would see 8-10 deer riding our bikes in the evenings.