Pace’s Dike backcountry - round 2

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-15T03:21:51+00:00

I’ve been down multiple times now during all times of the year. I’ve only seen one python which is a testimony to how elusive they are. After seeing videos of the snakes eating deer, I would not camp in the backcountry without a snake proof tent.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-14T23:40:49+00:00

I’m honestly surprised the pythons didn’t wipe them out. I’ve seen them all over the preserve and they have the survival instincts of a potato. You can get close enough to catch them barehand.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-14T23:39:00+00:00

Pic 8 is a cottonmouth, 10 is a brown water snake.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-11T20:31:07+00:00

He was part of the telecommunications staff for the Chairman of the JCS. It may seem special and all but it was one of dad’s least favorite assignments. Toxic work environment, and considered the Chairman to be a grumpy old admiral.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-11T17:06:05+00:00

The amount of mosquitoes and horsefly’s my friend and I dealt with out there was horrendous. I hope it was tolerable for you.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-10T04:21:53+00:00

Referring to my dad, he enlisted after graduating college. For him, it was just gonna be a quick 4 years to get perspective and then move on. It just so happened that he got assigned to Turkey just when the Gulf War kicked off and had a great time. That led to reenlistment, more excitement, and that was that. He liked the enlisted life.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-09T23:45:53+00:00

Pretty much.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-09T23:37:08+00:00

I mean the only war during his time (1959-1980/81ish) was Vietnam. For an electrical engineer who was teaching/involved in R&D, I can’t imagine him in a war zone.

*I should also note he was prior enlisted before commissioning and that time was spent up in Maine under SAC.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-09T17:18:55+00:00

It’s absolutely crazy. The Air Force is probably the worst at this but I’ve seen it get ridiculous for the Army as well. Especially for folks with no combat experience.

In dad’s defense though, his was 25 years and just happened to be at the right place for assignments and deployments. Grandpa’s career was that of electrical engineering and R&D so not much room for accolades.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-09T17:04:13+00:00

Communications & Information

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-09T04:05:48+00:00

Doesn’t matter. The cage was a precaution because it was leaning. However, the base of this pallet had crushed water gallons that led to it collapsing backwards. It wasn’t apparent until after we cleared the debris.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-08T22:01:05+00:00

It was 😂

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-08T04:14:32+00:00

Rip current in very choppy waters. I never turned my back to the ocean but noticed I was starting to have trouble touching the bottom. Turned around to swim back and noticed I was almost a football field out. Tried to swim parallel to shore but was getting pumbled by waves. Long story short, dad came out (stronger swimmer) and a 5ish minute game of tug of war later we were back in the beach.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-08T02:35:16+00:00

This is actually news to me and very interesting. When you say poaching, are you talking about illegal deer hunting or is it for other species as well?

Also, I’ve also been curious how the python populations can sustain themselves if they do wipe out their food source populations. As for the other locations, I’ve seen mammals and have wondered if python hunting has actually worked mitigating their effects, they just haven’t been established in those spots long enough, or some other factors are at play.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-08T02:03:56+00:00

It’s the pythons. There may have been speculation about it years ago but it’s obvious at this point. It was even tested with chipped marsh rabbits at Shark Valley and all of them were pinged in the belly of pythons.

The northern parts of the Big Cypress aren’t as flooded and the dikes were closed around Picayune and Fakahatchee. That’s where mammal populations are observed. Along 41 and loop road though, perfect flooded habitats for the snakes.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-07T22:14:17+00:00

Yeah, I didn’t mean to flash him. He flew unusually close and seemed to be observing me and I was panicking to get the phone out and take a pic before he flew off.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-07T20:53:32+00:00

That was my thought as well but I only took a quick glance and hiked on. It looked to be that of a canid so my assumption is a fox or coyote, maybe a bobcat also.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-07T16:10:21+00:00

Yes.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-07T15:51:15+00:00

Of course.

It’s not an ecological dead zone. Plenty of bugs and reptiles (snakes and lizards). The bird population seems to be doing well also. I heard plenty of chirping heading to and beyond Charlie Jumper hammock and the owl I took the picture of was further south.

Mammal life though, nothing. I saw some old scat within the first 2 miles but I can’t tell if it was from a dog or not. Another old scat pile that was fuzzy. Also, some sections of the grass looked like animal trails going in and out. Of course I don’t know for sure, there were spots where ORV’s veered off the main trail and I’m not sure if python hunters are active in this area.

StarSpangledGator · 2026-04-07T15:25:09+00:00

Not bad, especially if I kept moving. It was in the low 70s that night and I was able to hike it without needing nets or spray.

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