I just got my hunter safety card. Never been hunting before.
I want to hunt hogs or small game in big cypress. All the info on FWC is very confusing trying to understand if there’s a time of year I can hunt small game there without a quota permit, just a WMA permit and if so exactly what areas do I need to stay away from for example I’m pretty sure loop road is off limits for hunting with a firearm. If anyone is looking for a hunting partner to split gas with I’m eager to learn.

Visiting a buddy in Miami next week and planning on towing my skiff down. Would love to spend some time fishing in the Everglades (will probably try Biscayne NP as well if not windy), but I'm seeing a lot of stuff about how confusing the backcountry can be. Definitely do not want to get lost or stuck.

Not looking for any specific spots, but does anybody have some advice on how to make sure I'm staying safe and how to figure out how to target different areas?

For example, unsure if low tide will close off routes for me getting back to the ramp from certain areas in the park.

The thing that makes this place singular is that it is an edge. The freshwater River of Grass slides south and meets the saltwater of Florida Bay, and temperate North America runs out and goes tropical. Almost everything strange about the Everglades comes from that overlap.

The clearest example: alligators and crocodiles. Gators are freshwater animals, crocs are saltwater and brackish animals, and South Florida is the one spot on the planet where their ranges actually meet. Nowhere else do the two live side by side. If you want to tell them apart, the croc is greyer with a narrow pointed snout and a toothy grin that shows teeth in both jaws; the gator is darker with a broad rounded snout. The American crocodile was down to a few hundred animals in the 1970s and has clawed back well enough to be downlisted from endangered to threatened, which is a genuine win.

Then there is the snake. Burmese pythons are not supposed to be here at all, established from the pet trade, and they have hit the mammals of the park brutally hard. Surveys in the core of the Everglades found raccoons and opossums down around 99 percent, bobcats down sharply, and marsh rabbits essentially gone. A predator with no local checks in a place with no cold snaps to stop it.

The rest of the cast is why people keep fighting for the place. Florida panthers hold on in Big Cypress, back from roughly 20 or 30 animals in the 1990s to a couple hundred today. Manatees work the warm coastal water. And the spoonbills are the pink ones, which get their color from what they eat, and whose nesting success in Florida Bay is one of the measures used to judge whether restoration is actually working.

This is a rough picture pulled from public sightings across the region, not any one spot, so read it as the big picture rather than a place to go find an animal.

I don’t know where so many people get their ideas about hunting pythons, but it appears there’s people that are showing up for the python challenge with no experience.

Here’s some things you need to know:

Despite what social media portrays, the pythons are not literally crawling on every road and trail. In fact, they’re really good at hiding, avoid people, and you will need to go into the actual wilderness to find them. You aren’t going to find them just looking off the side of the road or on the easily accessible trails.

Locals are busy during the challenge. They don’t want to guide you, and even if you swear you will let them keep the money, they don’t want to be slowed down by amateurs. Come any other time but during the challenge if you actually want to find them, and get a real local guide.

The whole ‘I love the idea of helping the environment thing’ is cute, but honestly…as a tourist you are absolutely not going to make an impact in this area at all. If anything, you make a better improvement on environmental impact by letting the professionals do their job and not slowing them down to guide tourists through the Everglades so you can get a picture and have a cool experience. If that’s what you want, that’s fine; pay a guide a fair rate so you actually find one safely, take your pictures, and move along. But don’t give platitudes about the environment when you really just want your picture.

Have you handled a snake before? Actually? That’s great that you’ve gone hunting before…but a snake isn’t a boar, a deer, or a duck. If you haven’t handled snakes before, do not go hunting pythons without a guide. Everyone thinks they can handle a snake until they actually have to handle the snake.

And remember, the Everglades are huge and they’re a swamp. The last thing the Glades need is tourists getting lost, hurt, exhausted or otherwise overwhelmed because they thought they could handle roughing it looking for snakes. Assume that you might not have service, that there’s way more mosquitoes than you thought even though everyone swears they’re prepared for that, and that you might not have access to clean drinking water for miles and miles.

Hopefully next year people will search this Subreddit and see this information. It’s actually annoying to see posts of people who come here first and then try to figure it out.

Could you give recommendations on how to spend our day in the Everglades in August? We will be staying in Miami Beach area. Also, if I understand correctly, there are only 3 airboat tours that actually go into the National Park? So is it better to go with them? Also could you provide some road instructions for the drive there? We would really appreciate any insights since there seem to be so many options!!

We came down from New England for the python challenge and have had no luck so far. We have gone out every night driving the main park road, night driving 41 by big cypress and night hiking the full length of frog pond area. Not a single sighting. Any tips or tricks to keep us from getting skunked? Thanks!

I’m here in Florida from Texas on a mission trip for my church and some locals were talking about the challenge and I had never heard of it so me and some other people looked into it and thought it sounded like a cool chance to do something fun for next summer that helps the local environment. Us being from Texas, have no idea where to even begin on this. A bunch of us are college students and don’t have a high budget so we would like to refrain from hiring a guide. I don’t know if it’s possible to just tag along with a team and help and give them our proceeds
or where to even begin with that but all advice is welcome.

Hey

I am from Germany. Me and 3-4 of my friends are interested in doing a ~4 week trip to the Florida Everglades and start hunting pythons at night. My friend told me to make a post on Reddit.
Our goal is to find as many snakes as possible. We love camping and like the idea of doing smth good for the environment
Do you guys have any tips for the trip?

I have also a few questions:

- I've heard one can sell them to the state for money? is that true?
- Is it legal for tourist and foreigners to do such activities?
- Will the local people be annoyed if we hunt them at night?
- Should we get a guide for the trip (expensive)?
- We have a drone, is it allowed to mount a heathscanner on it and fly around at night (airspace rules?)
- What are the chances of finding alot of pythons? i know they are hard to find but if we stay for 3-4 weeks, will we catch alot?
- is it a good idea in general?

Thanks for the help!

Why we made this reel — and what Airboat Adventures Everglades is really about
I wanted to share a little context behind this reel because the message means a lot to us, and it also reflects the kind of experiences we create every day at Airboat Adventures Everglades.
The reel is about perspective.
A lot of people go through life feeling like they have unlimited time. We put off the trip, the conversation, the dream, the change, the risk, the apology, the celebration, the rest, the joy — because we assume there will always be more time later. But the truth is, life becomes a lot more meaningful when you realize it isn’t endless. That realization doesn’t make life darker. It actually makes it more beautiful. It makes ordinary moments feel sacred. It makes you pay attention. It makes you appreciate people while they’re still here. It makes you stop waiting for “someday” and start living now.
That’s the heart of this reel.
We wanted to create something that reminds people to slow down and really think about how they’re spending their time. Not in a fear-based way, but in a way that brings clarity. Because once you understand that time is limited, you stop wasting it on things that don’t matter. You become more intentional. You become more present. You become more grateful. And honestly, that shift can change everything.
At Airboat Adventures Everglades, that same mindset is at the center of what we do.
We help families, couples, tourists, and adventure seekers experience the Everglades through guided airboat tours so they can make unforgettable memories, see wildlife up close, and enjoy Florida’s natural beauty without the stress of planning it all themselves. Our goal is to make it easier for people to explore the Everglades, discover something new, and create moments they’ll remember long after the ride is over. Whether that means guided airboat rides, private tours, sunset adventures, or simply giving people a better way to experience the wetlands, everything we build is designed to create more freedom, more clarity, and more value in everyday life.
We believe people should spend less time stressing about missing out on the right experience and more time living the life they actually want. That’s why we focus on safety, local expertise, and unforgettable customer experiences. We’re not just trying to sell a tour — we’re trying to create something that genuinely helps people connect with nature and make memories that matter.
This reel connects to that mission because it’s really about choosing what matters.
If you know time is limited, then you start asking better questions:
What am I waiting for?
Who do I need to bring with me?
What adventure have I been putting off?
What kind of memories do I actually want to build?
What would I do differently if I stopped assuming I had forever?
Those are the kinds of questions we want people to think about when they see this content. And if our work can help even one person step out of routine and into an experience they’ll never forget, then it’s worth sharing.
A little more about what we do:
Airboat Adventures Everglades is an airboat tour company that specializes in guided Everglades adventures. We work with families, couples, groups, and visitors from all over to help them experience the beauty, wildlife, and excitement of the Everglades. Our approach is built around experienced captains, safe and comfortable rides, and authentic local knowledge, which means our guests get unforgettable views, educational insight, and a one-of-a-kind adventure.
Some of the things we focus on include:
Guided airboat tours
Private Everglades tours
Sunset airboat rides
Wildlife viewing experiences
Family-friendly adventures
What makes us different is that we care about more than just the ride. We care about the experience, the memories, and the long-term impact. We want people to feel excited, welcomed, and confident in the choice they made.
That’s why we create content like this reel. It’s not just about getting views. It’s about starting a conversation that matters. It’s about reminding people that life is short, time is valuable, and the moments we ignore today may be the ones we wish we had paid more attention to tomorrow.
If this message resonates with you, that’s exactly why we’re here.
We’d love for you to check out Airboat Adventures Everglades if you’re looking for an unforgettable Everglades experience. You can learn more on our website or follow us here for more content about airboat tours, wildlife, and the beauty of the Everglades. And if you’ve ever had a moment where you realized how fast life moves, I’d genuinely love to hear about it in the comments.
Thanks for reading, and thanks for supporting a company that believes life is meant to be lived fully, intentionally, and while we still have the chance.
Airboat Adventures Everglades
Www.floridatourcompany.com
(305) 766-1929
Book a tour / Learn more / Follow us

Hello all

My family (my wife, 7 year old and 11 month old kids) and I are going to Miami the second week of November and we want to go to the Everglades. Do you recomend Shark Valley tram tour or Flamingo's backcountry boat tour? We would love to see wildlife but also want something easy and secure for my kiddos.

Hi everyone! I’m a graduate student working on a campaign project about how young adults in South Florida view Everglades National Park.

My project is called “Everglades Is More Than an Airboat Ride,” and I’m trying to understand what people associate with the Everglades, what keeps them from visiting, and what would make the park feel more interesting or accessible.

The survey is anonymous and should take about 5 minutes. I’m especially hoping to hear from people who have never visited or have only gone once, but all responses are helpful.

Survey link: https://fiu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bvZrKdDAtQ6bvme

Thank you so much! Your responses will help me build the research section of my campaign project.

The mosquitos were so bad I couldn’t even leave the car

I got a day to kill in between stops in West Palm and Orlando and I thought I’d check out the Everglades. I’ve done no research at all and was hoping I could just crowdsource this lol Where’s a good place to stay (indoors)? Are the multiple entrances to the park or just one? What’s good to do in general? I’m not really into solo paddling, so that’s not on my agenda.

I’ll be visiting next April and I would love to see the Everglades. Is there a guided boat (not air boat) tour that you can recommend? I’m a birder and photographer. Thanks so much!

Flying into PBI this week. Staying one night in Homestead, FL then on to Key West. What is the best Everglades location for us to stop and explore? It is my mom, myself and my 9 year old. We are kayaking at Biscayne the next day and then on to KW and Dry Tortugas. Any advice welcomed. Thanks!

Hi, we will be visiting Florida in August as part of a Caribbean cruise, we will be staying around the Fort Lauderdale area for a few days before we depart and would like to incorporate an Everglades trip. From the UK, Two kids and two adults, we will have a hire car.

I’ve been looking at two different types of potential trips -

I feel like Wooten’s offers so much more for the cash and gives the family a full day of adventure where as Shark Valley looks like it’s a 2-3 hour trip.

Is there anywhere near Shark Valley worth exploring to extend the day?

I am open to other suggestions, ideally we would like to see wild animals in their natural habitat.

Thanks

Edit - we’ve now decided to drive west down route 41 and take the loop road adding in a couple of touristy stops, this saves us a tonne of cash, keeps us out the way of pesky mosquitoes and gives us a great chance of seeing some wild gators. We may even extend the day and take a drive down to Robbie’s in Islamorada to feed the tarpon.
Thank you for all the excellent local information!

The wind is blowing the smoke from the Everglades fire

We are a team of faculty and staff from the Baker Act Reporting Center at USF. We are interested in hearing from people who have experienced multiple Baker Act exams to learn about the challenges they face and opportunities for improving local behavioral health systems.

If you are an adult or a caregiver of a child who has experienced two or more Baker Act exam since 2018, please email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) to learn more about participating in an interview.

Please note that we do not plan to address questions or comments within this Reddit post. Feel free to email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) with questions. If you are currently in crisis, please call/text 211 for local crisis services or call/text 988 to reach the national suicide and crisis hotline.

Thank you!

To learn more about our work, click here: https://www.usf.edu/cbcs/baker-act/

Have you ever been walking a remote trail or canoing miles from anything and encounter another hiker or something? Does it seem strange or surreal if that happens. If so do you just walk by on the trail and say hi and keep going?

My family and I are planning a trip to Florida, covering Miami, the Florida Keys, and Orlando.

Since we'll likely be travelling around the first week of July, I wanted some advice on whether this is a good time to visit, especially considering the FIFA World Cup and the 4th of July celebrations happening around the same period.

A friend also mentioned that the weather can be quite overcast, rainy, and gloomy during early July. Is that generally true, or are there still plenty of sunny days to enjoy the beaches and attractions?

I'd appreciate any guidance on the weather implacting the travel experience during that time.

Also, I'd love recommendations for great local food spots in Miami, the Keys, and Orlando—places that are genuinely worth visiting and not just tourist traps.

What GPS do you guys use for navigating in the Everglades backcountry while kayak camping? Are there any GPS units that use satellite imagery similar to how the phone apps (AllTrails, Gaia) do? And that can be mounted on a kayak? I have Garmin 86sci but it was basically useless in the Hells Bay area and the screen is tiny. Planning to complete the Everglades Wilderness Waterway this upcoming cool season and I need to upgrade my GPS. Thank you in advance!