There’s nothing better than spring gobbler season at Silver Lake Preserve. The Osceola wild turkey—Peninsular Florida’s native subspecies—is one of the most sought-after birds in North America. These fine long beards are a wary breed that will test the skills of even the most experienced hunter.
Through active habitat management and light hunting pressure, our Osceola population is plentiful. Some of our hunting area lies south of State Road 70, which provides the earliest opportunity to harvest a gobbler in Florida. Our hunts book early and are limited to a maximum of four hunters per hunt.
You’ll be in position before dawn, settled against an old oak while the world is still dark and quiet. Then it begins—a distant gobble echoing through the pines, answered by another, then another. As the sky lightens from black to purple to orange, the swamp comes alive around you. Your guide works the call, coaxing the bird closer. You hear him drumming now, somewhere just out of sight. Your pulse quickens.
And then he appears—a mature Osceola tom in full strut, fanned out and magnificent, picking his way through the palmettos toward your decoys. Time slows. Every detail sharpens. This is the moment turkey hunters live for, and when it happens on land this wild and beautiful, you’ll carry it with you forever.
Three-night stay at the lodge with two full days of hunting
All meals and lodging included
Professional guide service
Ground transportation on the property
One-bird limit per hunter
SEASON:
Weekends in March and Early April
These hunts fill quickly—we recommend booking early.
$4,000 per hunter includes guide service, lodging, and meals
$50 per observer
Note: A valid Florida hunting license and Florida turkey permit are required for turkey hunts.
We recommend 7½ to 8 shot for quail
Hunter Orange is required—we’ll provide a complimentary hat
Eye and ear protection recommended (available for purchase)
Ammunition available on-site: 12, 16, 20, 28, and .410 gauge