Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen
NCBCH Current events
NCBCH Meeting
We will have our last meeting of 2022 on Thursday, December 15th at 6 pm at the Brooksville Enrichment Center. It will be potluck so bring a dish to share and we’ll provide drinks and paper goods. See NCBCH NEWS for more details on the speaker, Dr. Mac (Meleah McMillen, DVM).
John Gary Grubbs Blvd. is approximately 250 feet south of Luigis Pizza on Broad St. If you GPS the address that is listed online it will take you to a different location.
Lorri Kindberg will be accepting new (bring a friend!) and renewal memberships at this meeting.
Charlie Kemp
NCBCH President
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 2023 are $25 for individual membership, $30 for family (2 votes during elections for family membership).
Click on the Membership link below to print an application.
Croom Forest
Hunting Dates 2022/23
Muzzleloading Gun
Oct 22–24,2022
General Gun
Nov. 5–27, 2022
Small Game
Nov. 29, 2022–March 6, 2023
Our Equestrian Trails
NCBCH Newsletter
NCBCH News December 2022
Good afternoon Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen!
I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving with friends and family.
We will have our last meeting of 2022 on Thursday, December 15th at 6 pm at the Brooksville Enrichment Center. It will be potluck so bring a dish to share and we’ll provide drinks and paper goods.
Our guest speaker coming in for this meeting is Dr. Mac (Meleah McMillen, DVM).
Dr Mac volunteered to assist farmer’s and rancher’s efforts to rescue and save their devastated
livestock after hurricane Ian. She will give an eye witness account of what she saw and
experienced.Dr Mac is an official Vet for the Great Florida Cattle Drive which is going on as we speak. We
look forward to hearing about her adventures as she participates on this historic ride.We have also deemed this meeting a “Bring a Friend" meeting. Please consider asking some
horsey friends to attend with you.And we will be doing the Christmas Ornament Exchange!!
Please bring a wrapped ornament if you wish to participate.Remember, December is Membership Drive month. Attached is the renewal form for those who haven’t already renewed their memberships. Memberships MUST be submitted and paid before December 31 to be a member in good standing. Your membership and support enables us to promote and maintain a beneficial relationship with FFS for the betterment of all. If you cannot attend this meeting please mail your membership and check to the address on the membership form.
For all trail riders the Thanksgiving weekend marks the end of General gun deer season in Croom which means riding season is in full swing! I hope everyone is taking advantage of the cooler weather to get out in the forest.
I’ve gotten a few messages regarding trees down and have dispatched trail crew members to clear these obstacles shortly. Thanks to all who sent alerts and locations. It makes it so much easier to find and address problems quickly with a specific location. If you know of a problem on the trails please mark on your map app on your phone and share to me with a brief description of the problem. (727-560-9990)
We also purchased a new water tub for east of Twin Ponds. Special thanks to John Holzwart for installing and maintaining that crucial water supply in the south end of the forest. If you live in this area and would like to help maintain this water source please contact John. He would welcome help in this endeavour (kymrouse@att.net).``
Our first volunteer project of the season to pick Caesars weed at the Tucker Hill Trailhead was huge success. Together NCBCH volunteers picked and bagged over 750 lbs. of invasive plants! A huge thank you to all that came out and worked their butts off and special thanks to Donna Allen for bringing the food.
We look forward to seeing everyone on the 15th!!! In the meantime, get out there and enjoy the forest during this great weather!
Best regards
Charlie Kemp
NCBCH President
Officers and board members 2022
President – Charlie Kemp
Vice President – Bob Hopta
Secretary – Ann Hopta
Treasurer – Lorri Kindberg
Board of Directors – Lee Adams, Donna Allen, Martha Casisa, Bill Ehrlich
NCBCH Work Day
On Saturday, November 5th, 2022 approximately 25 members from Nature Coast Back Country Horsemen met in the morning at Tucker Hill Trailhead in the Croom Tract of the Withlacoochee Forest to help FFS by pulling and disposing of 670 lbs. of the invasive Caesars weed. FFS is very concerned about this invasive weed as it flourishes and chokes out the native flora and fauna. After a morning of pulling and disposing of this weed everyone moved to the pavilion located at the trailhead for lunch provided by NCBCH and some social time.
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.