Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen
NCBCH Current events
NCBCH Meeting
November 19th at 6:30 p.m
Due to all the requirements to keep everyone safe we are pleased to announce that the Stable Faith Cowboy Church is graciously allowing us to use their facility for our meeting. This gives us a large area that members can social distance. Mask wearing is recommended. Due to Covid-19 we will not be serving any food.
Stable Faith Cowboy Church
12077 Broad Street, Brooksville
Our Annual Membership Drive
NCBCH welcomes and depends on your involvement and support. Join us now to preserve our right to ride on public lands in Florida and across the nation.
Dues for 2021 are $25 for individual membership, $30 for family (2 votes during elections for family membership).
Click on the Membership button below to print an application.
Hunting in Croom Tract 2020
Hunt Camp Closed to Horse trailer parking
November 7-29 General Gun
November 30 - March 7 Small Game Season Small game (quail, rabbit, squirrel and migratory birds) may be hunted with dogs.
Wear bright colors!
NCBCH Newsletter
NCBCH November 2020
November 4, 2020
Greetings to all! This has been a challenging year for everyone but we are happy to announce that we will be able to hold a November meeting. Due to all the requirements to keep everyone safe we are pleased to announce that the Stable Faith Cowboy Church located at 12077 Broad Street, Brooksville is graciously allowing us to use their facility for our meeting. This gives us a large area that members can social distance. Mask wearing is recommended. Our meeting is scheduled for November 19th at 6:30 p.m. Due to Covid-19 we will not be serving any food.
We are now collecting memberships for 2021. We will have membership forms at the meeting but one has been attached to this newsletter for your convenience in filling out ahead of time or mailing if you cannot make the meeting. You can also go to our website, www.NatureCoast.org and download a membership form there.
Although we have been unable to have meetings our work has continued. A meeting with the new Recreational Director, Tracey Pollard was held, maintenance on trails has continued, lobbying at the local, state and national levels to keep our trails open and safe has continued.
An added benefit of being a member is the ability to purchase $1,000,000 in personal horse liability insurance at a very reasonable price. Individuals can purchase this personal liability insurance for just $20, family coverage is $40. To quality for this insurance you must be a member in good standing by Dec. 31 for 2021. Renewing your membership by Nov. 25 will expedite the process of obtaining this insurance as of January 1 as your membership will already be in BCHA’s records.
The Cracker Trail access off of Croom Road across from FR 3 has been cleared and the water has receded. A large section of the Cracker trail heading east towards FR 5 has been cleared. The single track of Woodpecker Trail from closed FR 4 to FR 3 has been cleared. Our thanks to Bill Ehrlich, Bob Hopta and Fred Perry for jumping right in upon their return from up north to open these trails up.
For those riding in Croom there are three issues to note:
Logging is actively being done on the east side of FR 7 north of Croom Road.
The second item to be aware of are the improvements made to FR 7 south of Croom Road. Although the road is now in great shape for vehicles it is not so safe for horses. Vehicles traveling at higher speeds and a very hard and sometimes slippery surface does not create a good environment for riders.
Please be extra cautious in the above mentioned areas.
General gun hunting in Croom is from Nov. 7-29. When riding during this time please wear bright colors (blaze orange is best) and be aware of that boogie man in orange walking around that might surprise our horses.
It does not appear that we will be able to hold the Shindig this spring due to the Covid. The board discussed sponsoring a horse tack yard sale in February as an alternative fund raiser. More info will be discussed at the meeting regarding this endeavor. Additional ideas to make an event such as this a success are welcomed.
Elections will again be held in February. We are looking for a volunteers to be on the election committee. Please contact Becky at tysonah@bellsouth.net if you would be interested in helping. Additionally if anyone has an interest in running for an officer’s or board member’s position now is the time to announce your intentions. New blood and new ideas will keep NCBCH young!
On a sad note we would like all to know that Mike and Dana Sykes, our camp hosts at Tucker Hill Trail Head will be leaving to head back to their home state of Texas in the near future. They have done a terrific job maintaining Tucker Hill and have been great friends of all trail users. For us Mike has done a terrific job of maintaining the water tub and Dana has kept the kiosk stocked with our trail maps. If you should see them please let them know how much all their efforts have been appreciated. We wish Mike and Dana safe travels and many thanks.
Truman Prevatt gave us an update on the C2C trail. Currently one foot of additional width for the trail and drainage is needed from several property owners for the trail section from Webster to US 301. This issue needs resolved prior to moving forward.
We are excited to see all at the November 19th meeting at the Stable Faith Cowboy Church!
Happy trails to all. Get out and enjoy our wonderful trails and great weather!
NCBCH's Most Recent Improvement Project for Equestrians
Volunteer of the Year 2021 - Charlie Kemp
Charlie Kemp and Molly Rider
Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year awardee is Charlie Kemp. Charlie has enthusiastically given his time and expertise to better our organization. He has acted as a liaison with SWAMP (mountain bike group in Croom) and FFS. Although Charlie is not a ‘horse’ person but rather a ‘bike’ person he strongly supports his wife Vicki as an equestrian. He and his sidekick Molly Rider regularly travel Croom trails by either biking, hiking or on his quad (with a valid permit) to address and correct trail issues.
He identifies problem trail issues, creates safe and sustainable alternatives and submits these plans to FFS for their input and approval. He created plans for Smith Prairie Trail Head (where NCBCH won the prestigious Back Country Horsemen of America’s Double Diamond Award), worked with the FFS biologist to reroute the extremely eroded portion of the access trail out of Tucker Hill Trail Head to create a sustainable and safe trail.
He is currently on NCBCH’s board.
Becky Card-Swerdloff presented Charlie with a personalized biking shirt. Emblazoned with NCBCH’s logo and his Volunteer of Year status it also has a nod to his passions – his bike and Molly Rider! Thank you Charlie for all you do!
Please Support Our Sponsors
NCBCH thanks the following sponsors who made our 2019 Shindig a huge success
Ranch Hand Feed Depot, Giddy-Up Saddle Shop, Wagon Wheel, Fletcher's Tack Shop, Irish Trails Farm and Pet Supply
Remington Outpost, Capricci Healing Waters, Massage by Claire Larrson, White Daisy, Damsel in Defense - Phyllis Nolte, Photography by Ann Hopta
Tractor Supply Co. Brooksville, Pickett's Brooksville Ace Hardware, Toole's Groveland Ace Hardware, Rural King
Papa Joe’s Italian Restaurant, River Ratz, Luigi's Pizza of Brooksville, Mykonos II, Beef O'Brady's, Mallie Kyla’s, Country Kitchen, Glory Days Grill, Publix
Florida Forest Service
Please patronize these generous donors that support our local community
Back Country Horsemen of America
How to obtain parking passes for local Trailheads
Friends of Florida State Forests Annual Day Pass
Good for all Florida state forests that have fees at the trailheads. The day use fee at Croom's Tucker Hill trailhead is $2 per person. The annual pass is $45 which is good for any day of the year for up to 6 people. To order the annual pass on-line go to:
Friends of Florida State Forests Annual Day Pass
Purchase it locally at: Florida Forest Service
Withlacoochee State Forest Recreation/Visitors Center
15003 Broad St., Brooksville, FL 34601-4201
(352) 797-4140
Lake Townsen Preserve, Nobleton Parking Fee
The daily parking fee is $3.00 per vehicle. An annual parking pass is $45.00 per vehicle.
To get Annual Parking Pass Application go to:
Lake Townsen Annual Parking Pass
Read both pages, particularly the highlighted area, print, fill it out, make a check payable to Hernando Cnty Recreation Department, & mail to 205 E. Fort Dade St., Brooksville, FL 34601, or go to their office at same address to purchase one. Call 352-754-4027 for further info.