Gone To The Dogs In A Florida Swamp

There are 118 species of reptiles in Florida.  The largest, the American alligator is the state reptile.  The most common is the brown anole, a commonly seen lizard.  Within the gauntlet of creepy, crawly things are rattlesnakes, cottonmouths and the fairly recent invasive threat, the Burmese python.  Living, and hound hunting in Florida is an exercise in dealing with reptiles on a regular basis.

Florida coon hunter Mack Britt of Parrish, Florida, an unincorporated community in Manatee County near Sarasota on the west coast, began coon hunting with his dad as a boy.  He was bitten by the hound dog bug at an early age and has remained true to his calling for nearly fifty years. 

The reasons Mack was chosen as a guest for this podcast are manifold.   First and foremost, he is a “good old boy.”  I’ve never heard a disparaging word uttered about Mack among his peers within the community of Florida coon hunters.  I’ve driven thousands of miles with him to PKC hunts, his hunt of choice, and have enjoyed every mile.  I talk with him regularly by phone.

Secondly, Mack is a veteran coon hunter in an area the is not for the faint of heart, an area where the numbers of coon hunters has dwindled over the years.  He knows Florida coons and their habitats as well as anyone and better than most.  He isn’t afraid to brave the hazards of hunting alone in a jungle swamp and does so regularly.  When a dog trees, his or yours, he will hack, crawl, and crash his way through palmettos, cat-claw briars and soft-bottomed, snake-infested swamps to get to the dog.    

If you’re wondering what it would be like to hunt coons in Florida, here it is.  It ain’t pretty, but if you are the adventurous type, there ain’t nothin’ like it!

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