STA Scouting Day (Nov. 12) Cancelled

[N. Cook]

Due to down power lines and poles not being removed from the roads or road sides as of today, the STA Scouting for this weekend has been cancelled.

The FPL will not go out on the levee roads to work if other vehicles are on them as their trucks cannot turn around on the levee. Cancelling the scouting day will improve chances any hunting days will not have to also be cancelled.

A decision on the first week end of hunting season will be made by Weds. Nov. 16.

All public access to the STAs, including the scheduled bird watching tours, has been cancelled.

[SSPhone]

Is this just STA1w or all are closed for scouting?

[SSPhone]

Why is there nothing on FWC's web site about the closing?
It pays to be a member of UWF I would have spent 25 in gas to go there Sat just to find it closed.

[DuckManDan]

If they cancel the first weekend of hunt there will be ALOT!! of people raising ****

Is it just STA 1 or is it also 3/4 and 5....Some one please respond

[novaalex]

First of all let me remind you that today is November 9th. No decision on hunting will be made until the 16th, 3 days before opening day. This weekend is a wash so far! I am sure that Newton will post again before the weekend and try to clarify although he was pretty clear: Scouting is cancelled opening weekend is up in the air. Last but not least, you better believe some people will be ****ed off if they are not made whole for an opening weekend closure. But what are you going to do boycott, declare war, stop buying licenses, hunt in other countries. Unfortunately the SFWMD has us all by the cojones!

[matthersjr]

it will be tough on the guys that can't cancel hotel/camping reservations as well.......

[N. Cook]

All STAs are closed to the public until the danger of wires in the roads and across the levees at just the right height to snag a F 250 are fixed.....the managers are all aware of the pressure to be open for the first weekend....we have laid out a reasonable alternative for parking to dodge some of the downed poles and lines, but some of the lines lay along roads and would be hazardous to drive over to park or walk over to get to the water.

We hope that by being off the properties this weekend the FPL will work on the problems.....but the STAs are not a high priority as they do not service customers who are in the dark. We will have an update Wednesday.

[SSPhone]

So there are poles and power lines down at every STA? Or there is just a blanket order to close all because STA1 has power lines down?

[N. Cook]

They all have lines down....STA1W is the worse one. STA 5's access road was blocked at one time by downed poles...3/4 has not only down lines but also levee washouts.

[DuckManDan]

Right now my main concern is that I have a afternoon hunt on the openning sunday at 5 and have never been there or seen the area.....Will there be assigned parking or will it be like it was at 3/4 for early teal where you can park anywhere aslong as you are not blocking the road

At 3/4 is it the same levees that were washed out before during early teal or is there others?

I just hope the managers realize how big of deal this is for those with permits

[novaalex]

It has been my experience in these cases that when you are unhappy with the amount of information that you are getting it is probably because poeple are at work behind the scenes trying to get things done. I think that us here at UWF want nothing more than to say to you and all the members, "Hey we fixed the STA's and it's business as usual for the rest of the season!" Well that is not the case. I know that Newton has been working very hard and he is not the only one. Many of us work behind the scenes to get things done. The only thing that I would be curious about is that Newton has not mentioned anything about replacing permits if some dates get cancelled. I have a feeling it is because he hopes that no dates will be lost but this may be something we have to be prepared to negotiate for our members who may be impacted!

[pepi]

I work for FPL, and the crews are supposed to be working in those areas today and tomorrow. They want to have everything back to normal by the end of the weekend. I think there's a good chance the STA's will be open for opening day. :)

[DuckManDan]

Good to know

[N. Cook]

Pepi....you are a brave man letting anyone know you work for FPL.....seriously, you have brightened my day. I spent most of the day with Capt. George on LOX Federal Refuge re GPSing what is left of the trails and spots.....the floating islands were blown into massed tangles across many trails and where there was a nice opening and island in the middle for a blind for years...now there is either a giant open water area or a tangle of broken plants... a lot of mottles, one flight of teal...two ringers....NO DUCKS....and the great hydrilla mass near the canal is gone.....all open water.

Then David calls me while I'm trying to push through a mud island to tell me the Newsletter is two thirds printed and the drum on the printer goes out!!! Fed. Holiday tomorrow....cannot mail....part has to be air shipped....question of when it can be delivered.....deer hunt to Bull Creek Sun/Mon....canceled....we must mail Mon am!!!! And then we have over a thousand STA permit letters to mail by Tues.....all this and a A. MARSHALL FOUNDATION meeting all day SAt. and a SFWMD Recreation meeting Mon. nite.

But....the WCAs will be open, the Kissimmee River is now open and if you are right the STAs will be open....ALL IS SUNSHINE AND ICECREAM!!!!