Florida Cow Hunters

[Nicodemus]

The old Florida cow hunters, or Crackers, would round up wild cattle until they had a herd, then would take their time herding them so they wouldn`t lose any weight, to one of the shipping points below Tampa, usually Punta Rassa. There they would sell the herd to livestock buyers who would then load them on ships and take them to Cuba. The cow hunters were paid in Spanish gold doubloons and some of those folks made piles of money. Sometimes so much it couldn`t be carried on a horse so they would have to use wagons to haul it. This went on up to around the year 1900 or so.

What I`m wondering is where did all this gold went? Where is it now? Buried from the Scrubs down to the Everglades in different places, maybe?

 

[Nicodemus]

@crackerdave , I`d like to hear your thoughts on this.

 

[Silver Britches]

Interesting. I would bet there is a lot of it buried. Would be a cool find, for sure. As for wild cows; there used to be some where I grew up hunting along the Altamaha river, in McIntosh. A massive area of wilderness. You rarely would see them, and they were as wise as an old buck. I’ve seen them on oak flats out in the swamp off in the distance. Just an odd sight. Found a few cow skulls and bones, through the years. They were very wise animals.

 

[Nicodemus]

Interesting. I would bet there is a lot of it buried. Would be a cool find, for sure. As for wild cows; there used to be some where I grew up hunting along the Altamaha river, in McIntosh. A massive area of wilderness. You rarely would see them, and they were as wise as an old buck. I’ve seen them on oak flats out in the swamp off in the distance. Just an odd sight. Found a few cow skulls and bones, through the years. They were very wise animals.

There were still a few around in the Oconee River swamp where I was raised up back in the 1960s. I`d see one or two on occasion. They were as wild as anything too, and I was warned to never get between a heifer and her calf. This was about 12 miles or so above the forks of the rivers.

 

[crackerdave]

The Crackers were very good with a bullwhip.So were the truckers (wagon drivers) and that's how they came to be called crackers.They could even kill small game with a whip.
Probably some of that hard-earned gold is still buried out there somewhere...no banks back in those days.Wild cow catching was a rough way to make a living.A good dog was worth its weight in gold!

There is an annual trail ride along the cross-Florida trail that the crackers used.If I were 20 years younger,I'd take that trip.
There are a few folks breeding the old cracker cows and dogs.

 

[Silver Britches]

There were still a few around in the Oconee River swamp where I was raised up back in the 1960s. I`d see one or two on occasion. They were as wild as anything too, and I was warned to never get between a heifer and her calf. This was about 12 miles or so above the forks of the rivers.

I only seen a few, probably less than 5 total over the years. And usually one at a time. First one I saw was across the swamp on a flat. I kept seeing something swinging, and thought what in the world is that. Brought my gun up to look, and couldn’t believe it. It was a big red cow swinging it’s tail. Skeeters were eating it up. Some of the old timers talked about them being there, but I didn’t really believe it until I saw one. Of corse, Indians lived in this area many moons ago, and I’d imagine there were plenty cows there back then. Plenty of hogs then, and now, too. Beautiful area, Nick. You’d love it.

 

[Railroader]

I've heard some interesting tales about the wild cattle from the Elders...

I had an old uncle that could flat crack a whip. He tried to show me how a time or two, but a few self inflicted welts that brought blood to the surface made me lose interest...

 

[crackerdave]

I've heard some interesting tales about the wild cattle from the Elders...

I had an old uncle that could flat crack a whip. He tried to show me how a time or two, but a few self inflicted welts that brought blood to the surface made me lose interest...

It's not an easy skill to master.Like anything else,it takes a lot of practice,especially on horseback.

 

[Big7]

The old Florida cow hunters, or Crackers, would round up wild cattle until they had a herd, then would take their time herding them so they wouldn`t lose any weight, to one of the shipping points below Tampa, usually Punta Rassa. There they would sell the herd to livestock buyers who would then load them on ships and take them to Cuba. The cow hunters were paid in Spanish gold doubloons and some of those folks made piles of money. Sometimes so much it couldn`t be carried on a horse so they would have to use wagons to haul it. This went on up to around the year 1900 or so.

What I`m wondering is where did all this gold went? Where is it now? Buried from the Scrubs down to the Everglades in different places, maybe?

Good Read !!

I have been running all over Florida since I was 17 or 18 and lived there a little over 3 years. In November, I'll be 60 and still run there.

I have heard storys of "wild" cattle in the Florida interior but I've never seen one. I hung out on all the coasts.

@crackerdave and @Nicodemus tell some good old time stories. My Grands and Greatgrands taught me a LOT of different things that are still useful today.

 

[dwhee87]

@Nicodemus, I watched a movie a few months back called the Chickasaw Rancher. It was biography about a half-breed (Chickasaw Indian & English) man from the South. He fought for the South in the Civil War, and then followed the Indian part of his family west, to Oklahoma, when eastern tribes were being relocated to 'Indian territory', which was most of Oklahoma. Montford Johnson kept food on the table rounding up strays for ranchers after the war, and then started to keep the strays, eventually ending up with a over a thousand head. He bought up lots of land down around Chickasaw, Oklahoma.

Funny part is, the hunt club I joined when I moved out here leases about 12,000 acres from the Johnson Ranch....I did some digging....appears to be the same family descendants from Montford Johnson!

https://www.chickasawrancher.com/

 

[Resica]

Were those cattle from the Spaniards way back when ?

 

[Nicodemus]

Were those cattle from the Spaniards way back when ?

Cattle, horses, and hogs were brought in by the Conquistadors in the early 1500s.

 

[Resica]

Cattle, horses, and hogs were brought in by the Conquistadors in the early 1500s.

Are there wild horses in Florida?

 

[Nicodemus]

Are there wild horses in Florida?

Yes. There are some on Levy Prairie, along with bison. I`m not sure if there are still any wild cattle there.

 

[Resica]

Yes. There are some on Levy Prairie, along with bison. I`m not sure if there are still any wild cattle there.

Very neat! Thank you!

 

[Nicodemus]

Very neat! Thank you!

Old Florida-real Florida still exists. You just have to look for it.

 

[Resica]

Old Florida-real Florida still exists. You just have to look for it.

Been a long time since I lived in Florida, and I lived in Key West on the Naval Air Station!!

 

[Danuwoa]

My Papa had one of those whips. I got pretty good with it as a kid but probably couldn’t make one do anything now.

 

[crackerdave]

Yes. There are some on Levy Prairie, along with bison. I`m not sure if there are still any wild cattle there.

There are a few people keeping the old breed of cattle,and a few breeders of the marshtucky horses alive.

There's a trailride in February that follows the route the crackers used to take their cattle to the market near Ft.Pierce.

 

[Nicodemus]

There are a few people keeping the old breed of cattle,and a few breeders of the marshtucky horses alive.

There's a trailride in February that follows the route the crackers used to take their cattle to the market near Ft.Pierce.

Yessir, I`m familiar with Rakestraw, Cracker, and Criollo cattle. Friend of mine has a couple of them. He`s building a Heritage farm over close to Waycross.