About: Salt Springs Campground is the largest of the campgrounds within Ocala National Forest. It's beautiful with all the springs and everything God Bless all. This pristine, stunning journey is filled with lush, tropical forests, palms, cypress, and southern hardwoods at almost every turn. Most people who live out here are happy to live out here. "Someone dropped the ball," Leichner-Schonder said. There definitely are some ruffians in the group. Memories I have are positive and the people I have encountered were all friendly. I am sad for the coming generations. I'll be sure to be a bit more vigilant with my surroundings/personal safety. I really want to thank those who publish information regarding the "darker" side of the Ocala National Forest.I'm a member of one of the local paranormal groups, and we have been spending a lot of time in the Forest in an attempt to substantiate some of the claims of hauntings out there.When we have substantiation of some of the less than fortunate events that have occurred out there, it helps us get at least some idea what locations to focus on.Thus far, we have been able to gather some photographic and audio evidence in at least one area. Cops wont show up for awhile unless their in the area. We will never night hike or solo camp there again. Folkes had land here when I was a child. found your site while reading about missing 411 cases, the only one that sounds like it could be one is the one about the little boy, except the moms lawyer contradicting her story.thank you for the information, my husband and i stay in other sweetwater cabin every year and sometimes it's very spooky there. We never saw a park ranger or any law enforcement on the entire Florida Trail area in the Ocala National Forest during the 4 days we hiked there, from Hidden Pond to Clearwater Lake. . We can surely help you find the best one according to your needs. I would believe the population living there is at least 45,000 but the true homeless people living there is a very small % of that. I no longer go far from home, alone, as I realize I could not defend myself from an armed crazy. hes absolutely right, forests and parks are places bad things happen because the chance of them getting caught is slim because there isn't a lot of traffic. I think there is danger lurking among the shadows in lots of areas of the Forest although there are, of course, lots of places to enjoy. Odd comments, such as yours, are to taken lightly. Because when I was younger I did walk in their shoes to. Urban Woodswalker, night hiking is common in warmer areas for obvious reasons. Now, being alone in a national forest, with no emergency services, no cell phone, miles from help, and being confronted by people who might torture and rape you FOR DAYS before killing you now that is far more scary than any gang violence. Think about it. Yes, on Friday and Saturday nights there are many locals that go out in the forest and go 4 wheeling, or party at the lakes. Always a place to beware of some creep turning into a thrill killer, now we have the Mexican drug cartel's hitmen useing this place for a dumping ground. That seems to me, a recipe for extreme danger. Then there were no more trucks we could hear and we got up and walked the last two miles without incident. And if you really care, and know about it; why don't you try to stop them? It was next to a narrow, 2 rut vehicle trail. I think this story is crap! So, yes, the Guardian statement holds factual, documentable truths. OCALA NATIONAL FOREST - A family's search for a missing daughter ended Saturday, when they discovered her body and that of her companion at a remote campsite in the Ocala National Forest. Here, the ecosystems are governed by natural processes, providing people with a place where the environment tests their . Cops are dangerous, often psychos get hired and they stay in their jobs committing crimes against citizens whether good or bad ones left and right, lying all the time, making things up. Greysuit, it sounds like you condone (or at least accept) illegal activities in the forest at night. Marion County. But you have the right to your opinion! Have never felt unsafe and the only thing I carry is a knife. Marion . Im sure hundreds of people have read this article.And to those who dont like Its called Freedom of speech. As the story unfolded I was recounting a nearby vehicle I saw parked and shots I heard clap into the evening silence. A bunch of drunken men trying to run down a woman on a horse, frankly scares the crap out of me. Bad guys don't like to walk far. ocala wildlife management area map. Wow, I can't help but think of the texas chainsaw massacre movies when reading an these comments. Just do not do it on my property. He was standing by the side of the building, away from the light. Just since I moved here a couple years ago there have been several girls murdered and more than a couple people who have vanished or been brutalized out there. Its fun and relaxinguntil its not. I've hiked and camped in the ONF for over 25 years. No questions asked, if you threaten me or try and steal from me, or approach me after you are told to stay away you will be shot, then you will be fed to the gators. We left our RV at in the managers parking lot (for a fee) at Clearwater Lake because we were told not to park overnight at the Florida Trail trailhead, due to reports of vandalism there.We decided to hike past the campground at Alexander Springs since it was full and it was still early in the afternoon. If you go into the forest have 4 or more with you & all be armed. 269 listings . Hot, isolated and large areas of uninhabited scrub-land. I am now 62, and still do not feel guns are suitable for ME. I will armed with a knife & a gun from here on out! Once their, you were safe from the law.There have always been places you need to have your guard up, and this is one of them. It is happening in YOUR forest too. But other than that My weekend was fun. By Erica Diaz Mendoza Lao on February 15, 2023 ( Leave a comment ) Matthew Lee Rutter, 29, of Conneaut, Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States has been arrested. And gives way to your reconnecting to the murder you may commit. In the front basket, there were several heavy, sharp, and/or blunt tools such as a tire iron and a crowbar. Phone: (352) 669-0078 Camping Fee: $31 per night. Local News. Urban Woodswalker, thanks for your comments. Please put a boot in mcso backside and make them open it back up let's bring her home to you. She has not been seen since. I have never heard any Law Enforcement Officer that would make that statement unless it was someone that was not physically or mentally capable. Especially when most of our communities out here are poor people. I keep doing stupid, what are the odds that stupid will not eventually turn out badly? I am in Law enforcement. Later, after becoming a deputy, he frequently pulled over women, one of whom was reported missing and never found, Lake County sheriff's Sgt. The men felt a mix of relief and sadness. But again, you are entitled to your feelings, and I will stick with mine also. I am very familiar with the issue of homelessness in the Chicago area. For what reasons, I can only fathom that they want to save their real estate values. I took his photo as he passed to prove to my wife that he was real. There are several springs you an paddle in Ocala National Forest. To the thieves, meth lab makers and murderers, I would show you no mercy if I find you first in the forest. A gun has no life of its own. The people who accosted me did more than panhandle--in one case, they stole some stuff out of my truck, and in another case they threatened me. You don't carry the kinds of high powered automatic rifles they carry to hunt for sport. Alternatively, an individual may bring a gun to an otherwise gun-free conflict only to have that gun wrested away and turned on them." In 2004, investigators began going through old case files and interviewing witnesses again, including Brant Hoover, who was 11 years old and in a canoe on the lake that day. According to her friend, she was last seen alive around 9pm, hours after the two started having car problems. Talk Of The Villages, Copyright 2020. -. Ironic how encountering a human will make you feel truly part of the forest as you use it for shelter. For the record, they won't. This is taken from the current book I am reading, "On Killing" by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. It wasnt a question. It's wilderness. I would never stay at a drive up campsite, no matter what day of the week. I'm sure every place has murders and disappearances and unidentified bodies floating around but I came to the conclusion that the Forest is a dangerous place. Keith was last seen by a family member the morning of November 19, 2013 in the area of the Derby Downs in Silver Shores. The human remains were discovered about 200 yards into a trail at the Ocala National Forest, according to the incident report. "We have it made", we have fishing, skiing, ATVing, Horse back riding. to the South just because of the weather. It is the only park in Florida that actually runs in the black not the red. Have you had any bad experiences there? Unidentified bodies are regularly discovered in remote corners of the . Bad things do happen here but I will never blame the forest. Here 22% of people live below the poverty line, compared to 15.5% statewide, according to a report in December in the Daily Sun. They would slow down where the Florida Trail crossed the road, and then roar off. Rainier National Park 07-08-1999 Joseph Wood Jr. Mt. Unknown, Salt Springs is a nice area. Famous for its whitewater rapids, Big Shoals Forest is a beautiful place to enjoy hiking, fishing, hunting, and cycling. . "Rainbow people" might have information on missing Oregon teen . I've encountered bears, rattlesnakes, alligators, coyotes, and even found big-cat tracks that were significantly larger than any bobcat I've ever seen. The people live in towns and cities where there is no crime or rough people and where there are alot of police to protect them from country folk. take care and be safe near the forest! I heard gunshots that evening. Maybe you need to read my comment several times so you can get it! wow, what an angered response to someone reporting facts. Sounds like you have something in common with the Murders. There have been many murders in the forest area, and missing people that never show back up, aren't that rare either. On 12/27/11 Lacey Buenfil and an acquaintance, Terry McDowell, were driving in the Ocala National Forest. Last week, Assistant State Attorney Ric Ridgway wrote to Adams to say he concurred with the cold-case team's findings. Ocala National Forest (352) 625-2520 or (352) 669-3153 Osceola National Forest (386) 752-2577. A missing child may involve additional, complex considerations. You're welcome to your opinion. "My father passed away not knowing, and Pam's parents both passed away not knowing," she said. The vehicle he was using was found broken down on HWY 441 in Summerfield. These people who are dumping bodies out in the Forrest have no heart. Rainier National Park, 09-28-2013 Kristopher Zitzewitz Gifford Pinchot National Forest, 04-28-2014 Donna Vanzandt Olympic National Forest, 01-12-2021 Christopher Jarman North Cascades National Park, 07-24-1997 Amy Bechtel - Shoshone National Forest, 10-20-2018 Terry Meador Pine Mountain, 06-12-2021 Cian McLaughlin Grand Teton National Park. you think theyre going to do it in walmart lmao.very interesting to read, thanks for posting it. While I am sure there are those who have better info than I do, I would offer the following. Its a shame people are allowed to abuse it the way they do. And there are activities to do in the area, surrounded by the ONF and many boating opportunities, even to get out to the Atlantic. Ocala: 1-352-351-4718 or Gainesville: 1-352-451-4513 frontdesk@showcaseocala.com Alexander Springs in Ocala National Forest is a wide, slow-moving stream with extremely clear, clean water. Great post. Yogi the Bear. One was the white one that we first saw. lol and if theres anything i'm afraid its the animals not the humans because I see humans everyday I know their patterns animals are unpredictable, but amazing to see. More and more people are moving off grid and throwing away devices and conventional means of living because of the corruption of this country and its ownership by the corporations who control it. Missing teen . Its doesnt matter if they happen elsewhere in cities, or wherever. Nunerous crime cases have been reopened over the last 100 yrs because of csmpers, and hunters coming across skeletal bones or decomposed bodies. FOX 35 Orlando. Not in this lifetime! I have been out in the forest since 1962. Great up close views of naturea great place to go! The scenic beauty of the Ocala National Forest's 400,000 acres of wilderness draws nearly 3 million visitors a year, making it one of the most-visited national forests east of the Mississippi. "I'm still hoping that maybe they will find the bodies and they can be buried.". Began to wonder if we were the turkeys they were huntingThe next couple of miles we crossed more dirt roads, seeing several trucks in the area, slowly driving by. I keep coming back to read more comments. !And if you see a group of pretty young college girls and wonder if's safe for them to be out camping. Just like in your so called perfect lives, my opinion is stay in your own pathetic world, were ever you be. I hear guns going off in the forests near my home too, and I am thinking what animal is being illegally poached, or what human is being killed? The Public are invited to virtually observe this meeting via livestream on the . The Marion County Sheriff's Office, along with Marion County Fire Rescue Technical Rescue Team have . And theres alot of them. Missing runaway teen . The point Im trying to make is that if you LOOK for evidence to support the claim that the forest is dangerous, you will be able to find it. You sound more like one of the killers trying to get people agitated. So be it.Robert, I would report Luveprecious to the US Forest service. Hicks said her sister loved the area so much she decided to live at the home. Lots of trailer parks and places around the lakes. Missing in U.S. National Parks and Forests is a centralized database listing those who have gone missing in National Parks and Forests. Why don't you get the Police involved with your statements of Murder in the Forest?! Tell friends where you are going and when you will be back. But I must say when you post information from the Guardian that says you are more likely to be shot if you have a gun, along with the other anecdotal evidence that supposedly proves their point, you are doing a serious disservice to people that may be considering getting a firearm.I'm sure you can find plenty of people in your field that disagree with that notion. My camping van with solar panels, composting toilet and weapons awaits its launch in the next year or two. A beautiful magical place? Of course. There was no cell phone reception.After we set up our tent and were cooking dinner, a white 4X4 king cab pickup came driving up slowly, stopped and turned around just past our tent. Has there ever been a missing person named Brandon Nicholas? Most the people have a good heart.mean crazy people suck. These are the people that do not need guns. Found. Not even the dumbest serial killer or murderer would dump a body in the middle of Ocala, or any other well lit place.But, the forest is more than just a place for social deviants to dump bodies. 1. 2.) Wondering where they are! No comments yet. I've had 50 of them show up at Farless Prairie at dusk and pitch tents. National parks have historically been places that inspire morbid curiosity and rampant imagination. If anything, the greater tragedy is all the trash left behind in the forest by careless humans.I must respond to the commenter who stated that, "wild animals are unpredictable". It will not taunt criminals or coax the owners into brazen displays of their firearms. Not that what has been said in this blog did not happen---and many a time I look around and wonder just how many bodies are buried out here, and will never be found. Officials have confirmed that the remains found in Sam Houston National Forest are those of missing person Felicia Johnson. ABSOLUTELY!!! I understand the author's point in the article, which is that some of the missing people have never been found and were last seen near the forest. Please call the Lake County Sheriffs Office with any information 352-343-9500. Never have I seen such filth, inbreeding or unhealthy people! 4 wheelers are restricted to certain areas. She walked away holding her pocketbook which contained her wallet, car-keys and cellular phone. This is where I come to feel that there is a god. Idk the area.Good luck unknown and keep protection near by. They brew up gallons of meth out there daily. The several that I passed were not deep in the forest and I am imagining that they served as shelter at night but that the owners emerged during daylight hours for school, work etc. When they stopped 100 yards away from us, we turned off our headlamps, stood still and watched. On April 21, 2007, one of Blackburn-Wiles' sisters pulled over and Blackburn-Wiles got out and entered a vehicle driven by Billy Ashton. Every February Ocala National Forest experiences a huge influx of of neo-hippies who call themselves the Rainbow Family of Living light.Exact numbers are hard to determine because the "Rainbow Gathering" is not formally organized or managed, but at least a thousand people or more arrive every year. About 4 miles south of Alexander Springs we came across a cleared spot that had a campfire area and some logs for sitting. It is not just the Ocala National Forest. I have learned to stay far away from forest roads on Friday/Sat nights because that's when the drunken stuff happens. As I reread these comments, I agree with most all of the things you have said here. I truly appreciate this blog and its comments f on all sides. There is just no information out there. Also just the fact that "some" members of society carry a firearm, everyone benefits when criminals know they may encounter someone trained and licensed to carry a firearm.I am sure there will be some that feel better knowing that when the visit the ONF. So sick of the government and media playing us all like a bunch of lemmings. The forest has many secluded trails, swamps, and endless acreage where a person could get in and get out undetected. Most cops in my opinion should be executed immediately before they can run and hide like nazis on the run. Perhaps you are in a smaller rural town and have never experienced situations like this, but I assure you these are common occurrences. Because I will most likely make sure you are one of those bodies that is found in the forest. You know, the one that says, "The body was found in a wooded area." about a hundred times or more all over the world, not just in the forest.ANY person with ANY sense knows if you are camping or simp0ly traveling, you will meet sketchy people on the run, anti social people living by their wits, thieves, druggies and rough folks. Have seen the bad n the good of people. Welch was subsequently charged with abducting Theresa, but the . Even though more police are murdered in small towns than in the Ocala National Forest, I did include that in the count.The forest is beautiful. Just FYI, the grocery store/ gas station next to Salt Springs Park has re-opened. Anything can happen anywhere. He is described as being a Caucasian male, 56, weighing approximately 145 pounds at the time he was last seen alive. So kudos to you and keep on writing about this amazing stuff.Sincerely, Dev Peznickel. Hotels near Ocala National Forest: (0.43 mi) Olde Mill Stream RV Resort (9.99 mi) Adora Inn (8.97 mi) Hampton Inn Mount Dora (1.41 mi) Fox Den Country Inn (5.15 mi) Encore Southern Palms; View all hotels near Ocala National Forest on Tripadvisor County Sheriff & # x27 ; s Office, along with Marion County Fire Rescue Technical Rescue have... Hiked and camped in the area so much she decided to live out are. Of our communities out here are poor people no more trucks we could hear and got! Heard clap into the evening silence elsewhere in cities, or wherever all the Springs and God! Police involved with your statements of murder in the next year or two headlamps, still! Farless Prairie at dusk and pitch tents hunting, and endless acreage where person. Offer the following writing about this amazing stuff.Sincerely, Dev Peznickel iron a. The Chicago area. feelings, and know about it ; why do n't you try stop. Them to be out camping no heart Sheriff & # x27 ; s,... 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