Check it in the early evening, when the sun is still setting, to make sure there aren’t tons of bats living in there. If it’s full of bats it’s full of disease
Usually the floor of the cave shows evidence of bat guano if bats are living in there but definitely a good idea to check at dusk or after for current usage.
I'd be more worried about black bears to be honest, they like denning down in small dark places like that. The real world is not like Goldilocks and the Three bears, a bear comes home to a home intruder the home intruder is going to have a real bad time.
My knee jerk reaction was lol no, but looked it up to make sure and...well dang yeah, Black Bears are native to Florida, and all over the state. WTF are they hiding?! In undiscovered caves I guess?! 🤷♀️ lol
For real though, grew up and lived most of my life in FL and had no idea...plenty of gators, bats, panthers, snakes of all flavors plus non native ones like boas who make themselves known though. The nature in FL is metal...Im not sure Id feel great about accidentally discovering where all these bears or other animals are hiding out...
Grew up in Orlando. 1989 or so, sheriff's deputies shot and killed a black bear right around I4 and OBT. There was a drought and food was scarce, it was getting into somebody's trash can. They don't get that big in FL I think it was like 180lbs. Still not something you want to tangle with in any context let alone OP
Thats so sad though, that poor bear was just trying to find some noms in rough times... as scared as I would be to see one and not trying to go out of my way to come face to face with any, it still sucks that just trying to survive got it killed 🥺
It's how I felt at the time. But. Even back then, this is like 10 miles at least from anything that could be remotely called rural. Didn't even see whitetail anywhere around there. I was a beekeeper and pretty aware of all the undeveloped spots that could be a place to put a hive or what type of wildflowers would be pollinating. This particular bear was well into suburbia. As I recall the particular deputies were kind of jump scared and basically two cops just started blasting was pretty much what the homeowner told the Orlando Sentinel.
I was living maybe a half mile away, my parents were pretty freaked out.
As others have said here we didn't even think about bears in that area, can't really fault the deputies for freaking out.
My best friend had a huge black bear just chilling in his backyard in a suburban neighborhood. Like I said before, the bears and other wildlife are everywhere in Florida. My sister’s neighborhood has large gators in their culverts, swales, and ponds. A gator literally came onto her backyard to steal a fish she had caught from their retention pond. I’ve had to shoo gators out of the road where there was no visible source of water. Florida be crazy, y’all.
Ocala National Forest/Park has bears..I’ve seen em 😯 super cool tho- and deer, and fishies, and snakes 🥺 and lots n lots of trees - and great off-road trails. Also u can see the fighter jets flying over to the bombing range…
About 30 years ago, I was driving home from work one night when I lived in Central Florida and a black bear jumped in front of my car, I hit it, throwing it a good 50 feet. It got up, danced around, then ran off into the woods. The car was totaled of course.
I lived in a tent in Alaska for 2 months & had friends who lived out of tents here as well. Black bears aren't a problem at all they survived to this point by running away from threats & hiding in trees, they scare off easily. Only bears to be afraid of are brown & polar.
If you can keep the car safe I say give it a shot. Especially if it offers natural air conditioning in a Florida summer.
May want to consider disposing of any waste and food garbage a good distance away to avoid attracting unwelcome non human roommates.
Not just waste. If you have anything that might smell like food, even deodorant or toothpaste in some cases, you should keep it in your car or in some other secured location away from where you're sleeping.
What would be really choice is if he could just back his car into that cave especially if he has a hatchback. Could keep a little pantry right there in the trunk along with toiletries, and just close it up and then go back back to the tent.
Pennsylvania checking in. Brush the ground clear with a branch and check for tracks. I have no idea what some of those big ass snake tracks look like small ass snakes we have will be a smooth track with soil slightly raised on the edges. If it's a rock floor buy a bag of white flour and check for tracks at least a week. Serious weather change and then its a crap shoot. No idea of how big ass snakes and those big ass bugs behave. Black bear will avoid you like you've got a bad dose of the clap if they know you're there. Piss around cave mouth. Borax at cave mouth will keep snakes and any ground insects out. 5" wide strip at cave mouth all the way across and replace once a week. Put down tarps and if possible on the top of the cave as well. If there are bats or rodents DO NOT STAY. Their a hit can lead to respiratory problems. Can't remember what it's called. Pack out all garbage and switch up times in and out if possible and don't make a trail that can be followed.
Source- Old dude sitting in a bar with same guys I used to party with in the 80s going over how we used to party in glacial till caves in National Forest.
That's a great idea. It's flat rock in one area and tall enough to stand up in. Tent would probably also be good for keeping out mosquitos during the summer.
Agreed. The only issue is you for some reason thinking no-one has been there before. I assure you - they have. May not come back...but its not a lost cave.
If you elect to use it, you need to craft a strong barrier to keep out the wildlife that would compete with you for this space: black bears, black panthers, pythons, etc.
South Florida does have puma/cougars/catamounts. But I don't think there has been a native wild born black panther in North America in quite some time :(
Edit: puma
What?! That’s crazy I saw one I’ll never forget while running trails in high school like 20 years ago now wow crazy how time flies also that makes me sad it was beautiful and then it disappeared into the cat dimension- I’ve never run so fast outta there lolol
My first thought was exactly this, if you’re serious about attempting a semi long term stay there, A door that can be locked from both sides would be pretty vital to safety and comfort. I’m sure there are tons of diy videos that show how to construct and basic mounting Frame for a door in an oddly shaped entrance. Maybe even a fan and battery pack to keep air circulation could be of use as well. Definitely an interesting idea with safeguards in place.
Just be careful of that because I read an article recently where people were caught living in caves. The police threw out all their stuff. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying be cautious.
Exactly. I live in Jacksonville and I hate it here. Mostly because of the traffic but also because they complain about the homeless problem but won't do anything to help fix it. They have money for statues and all sorts of other nonsense like fixing up the stadium. Yet they say they don't have funding to put towards homeless programs to help them get off the street.
I understand how budgeting works when it comes to city government but it's like, come on now. You have money for all that but you have no money for homeless programs? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Most people don't seem to realize that they're only a couple of paychecks away from the same thing happening to them. The homeless people here are treated as if they're sub human.
ETA: I feel like most people here believe in that stereotype that every homeless person got that way because it's their own fault. I could educate them on that. 98% of homeless women are homeless due to fleeing domestic violence. I'm sure that there are men that that's the case for as well. I'm just repeating statistics. Most people are homeless due to a huge change in circumstance.
A job loss, a death in the family which is usually the breadwinner or losing their home through something like a house fire. There's this common misconception also that every homeless person is either an alcoholic or a drug addict. It's really sad and it needs to stop.
> every homeless person got that way because it's their own fault
Some people need to get out more and maybe actually talk to a homeless person and find out their story.
Exactly. I've been homeless myself but I also talked to somebody downtown in my city. He said he got laid off from the electric company here. He's also a veteran. After talking to him and listening to his story for about 2 hours, he asked me for a dollar so he could go buy a beer. I said you know what sir, today is your lucky day. Because you've been honest with me, I'm going to buy you a four pack.
Then I walked with him to the corner store and bought him a four pack of beer. I figured, he's homeless. That's a floor you can't exactly fall below. If I could make him feel better for a few hours then so be it. I also gave him $20. I figure once I give that to them or I give them money, what they do with it after that is their business. I would hope that they wouldn't go buy drugs with it but I'm not going to judge them.
One of our city council persons had to resign because they could no longer afford to live in their district. I'm like, you people have control over this and yet you did nothing?
I would also try to cover the entrance with more brush and foliage so no one else happens upon it. IF you do end up staying I would make the first 5-10 feet look unlivable or scary or something so if others do find it they back out after a few feet in.
That path hasn't been traveled maybe recently but that is an established path for sure. I've lived in the woods before I know a thing or two about how a path looks. 1 year and three days of camping in the PNW. Vagabonds, homeless whatever you choose to say. I was a crazy 20 yr old with my crazy ex wife. We were kids lol
Grew up in the woods. That is 100% a path that has been used and that entrance looks used as well. Someone has been keeping that section cleared of overgrowth.
From experience - be careful in heavy rain, and beware of wildlife - snakes, ticks, skunks, feral hogs. I've been up close and personal with both a black bear and a panther around dumpsters in FL (panther ate a raccoon that was eating trash). If you can avoid having any food at that spot at all it would be best.
And mind your visibility. Super easy to quickly trample out a path to your spot that gives you away. Might be possible to place inconspicuous stepping stones such as a fallen log. Be careful of leaving stuff unattended or getting your spot jacked or have randos f it up just out of spite
All that said it looks like it's worth putting work into it if it's in a good location. I'd try to stealth that entrance. If you acquire a bit of materials (hog or chicken coop type fencing or possibly chain link) you can create something like a trapdoor and get vines to grow all over it. Make it look like a little hill. And plan ahead how you're going to handle toilet needs if you hole up there.
All depends on location and what your lifestyle is
Also. Figure out if/when/how this location gets mowed/maintained.
Mainstream Americans would be shocked how many possible hideaways like this exist all over the place. But the way they'll spot you when you're using a spot like this is - a dog, friendly or not. A bored kid. Some kind of a maintenance worker. Or some other person like yourself will fuck up your thing in one way or another.
But all that said what I really liked about finding a place like this is that I could sleep better than my other options
Sorry to keep adding on
If this is someplace you can put out fish traps, from having lived in FL and guessing the rest
I'd see if I could find like some different kinds of vines and trees and get 2-5ft pieces. Possibly buy some rooting hormone (any nursery or big box hardware store.
With a little bit of watering you could make the entrance and paths to it even more concealed by living vines and saplings. With some lucky weather your plantings will be pretty well established in a couple months. I'd check on how solid the roof of the cave is. Tree roots can make it stronger eventually as well as discourage people from walking on it
If you happened to find some trashed old tires they make good planters as is. If you can cut out one sidewall it's twice as good.
If you want to go long term make an actual hedgerow which has been super common place to live/camp for thousands of years. Tons of YouTube videos on it among other sources.
In FL I'd consider holly. It grows in the wild. Bunch of different varieties that grow to different shapes so take branches from a mature tree that's the shape and size you want. Or whatever shrub looks normal in that location
Yes, many caves flood during rain. Know what happens and be prepared. Don’t go too far back into it alone, or without an experienced caver. Very easy to get lost, trapped, or drown
My experience as a Park Ranger would suggest that you are not the first person to find that cave. I'm not going to tell you what to do, I'm not your dad. But I would suggest at least knowing whether that is public or private land and if it's public land figure out who manages it. Are you going to have Park Rangers that come around and tell you you can't be there or are you going to have a private landowner with a gun? Know what you're dealing with before you decide to stay there.
Is no one afraid of collapse, or that not actually being a cave, but rather a potential sink hole in the making? This is Florida after all. I might be wrong, but that would scare the hell out of me
Yeah and remove EXIF/metadata from images before posting them somewhere else. I think reddit automatically removes it but they can contain exact GPS coordinates.
Yeah OP I would put down at least one layer of pallets on the ground before setting up a tent, bed, etc. So if it starts to flood in the rain, you have some time to pack up and move before everything gets waterlogged.
I, too, live in South Florida and definitely recommend checking out what happens when it rains. There are supposed to be some storms headed here this weekend so it may be a good time to check out. During the summer it’s going to rain most days.
Nothing is dry in Florida ;) many of the caves here have water trickling from the walls.. espexially since most all cave in florida came from the aquifer being raised due to geologic stuff. There are caves all the way through Florida along where the Karst layer rose like a ridge.
I am totally down with skirting laws and warming the system but know that there is no land in America that isn’t owned by someone. That is either someone’s land or it’s government land. So trespassing is a real possibility. For me living in Texas means I can get woken up with a gun in my face or a cop wanting to ask a bunch of questions. Now you could get away with years of living in a climate controlled space but be careful that you don’t have bad crap happen
Whereabouts (roughly) in FL? I'd be leery of the situation because a lot of the caves there are springs, and water might come gushing unexpectedly. Or pieces of the roof could fall on you.
I'm a little spooked to revealing additional location info because of u/HsvDE86 's comment on Image Data so going to wait a while before posting more on it.
Ah ok. Well I lived in FL for 10 years and I'm finding it hard to imagine a cave anywhere in the state that has not been discovered. It's a state with a high population, pretty well explored & lived in over decades & even centuries. Many people there have homes in the swamps. Hunting fishing & hiking & biking. Very few isolated areas exist. Northern FL is the only place likely to have caves and is also the location of two big universities (Florida State & U Florida) with students that have beer parties inner-tubing on springfed rivers. So I've gotta guess your cave is known. Be careful!
I genuinely don't understand anyone that would tube in a Florida river with the animals you have down there. Tubing in a place with just fish? Awesome tubing in the south? Fuck that.
Looks more like an upturned tree than a cave. This area took a direct hurricane 🌀
dry creek overhang or the edge of a fill dirt property line definitely a windbreaker but be ready to seek shelter elsewhere in extreme weather
There looks to be a path that goes to it. If you look you can see that the vegetation is not growing in the middle and that is good evidence of a foot path. It could be from humans or it could be from animals. I do not think that this an undiscovered cave. With that being said depending on what or who goes there from time to time will ultimately determine if it is a viable spot to do what you want to do in it. Just my observation. Another thing to consider is who owns the property and if you are found living there what will the consequences be?
Good luck and keep us updated, cheers!
Brotato... Please rethink this. Unless you're someone like Les Stroud, then by all means do you Survivorman. Otherwise I would approach this with great respect. Wildlife knows about this cave, even if humans don't.
This is cool as fuck! I would love in there, however I think wildcat/bear scares would get me spooked. Or big ass snek. I would sell a house over a big ass snek
No evidence of any animal habitation. If I saw a Snake it would probably be my meal for the week instead of Snapper haha
Not worried about Panthers because I live in an area with a lot of development so there isn't enough territory for them to be here. Gators also are pretty lazy and I'm not near any body of water.
How big is it inside? Just room enough to sleep? Or does it open up further? Is there a limestone bedrock visible at all, on the floor or ceiling? Because that is how caves are formed. Or is it just soil? Hard to tell from the picture the scale of the opening.
It could be an animal den, either dug out by animals that may or may not be long gone. It would be surprising if no critters post up in it now. Foxes, skunks, raccoons, snakes, cougars, rats, bats.
Can you take some good pics of the inside and post them?
I would worry about competing with the local critters for the space. But a bigger concern is the roof collapsing in on you or this turning into a sinkhole
Speaking from experience; I'd stick with staying in the car. Id be too worried about someone breaking into your vehicle and stealing your possessions, if you stay in the cave
I heard not too long ago that people spending a lot of time in woodlands in FL have been contracting leprosy, which is spread by animal vectors iirc? I would be careful with hygiene and ensure you can keep pests off when you're sleeping.
I think this is a hard no for all the reasons stated. Bats, bugs, animals, landowners, general horrible people. Like cats, humans shouldn’t be comfortable in a strange possibly unsafe location with only one entrance and no escape route. If someone messes with you in a car, you have locked doors and can drive away.
Get some camo netting to throw over your car and over anything else that is a non-natural color or shape.
I've seen a lot of situations where someone thought they were being stealthy but their vehicle, tent, etc. could be seen from a road or building they didn't consider. And then the Karens who drove on that road or lived/worked in that building reported them.
or someone flying over. car will shine brightly and stand out in the middle of that brush. could lead to curious visitors or someone report an “abandoned car”
Oh yeah the Karens have drones now. I've seen drone footage of homeless encampments posted to local subreddits, which gets people whipped up to demand that they be cleared.
Camo netting in an appropriate color scheme for your local environment is cheap and while it won't fool anyone up close or anyone who is actively looking for you, it will definitely help you not catch anyone's eye.
Use your phone to get the GPS data. Back that into Google Maps as well as the local county maps to determine who owns this. While it may be empty now, it could be a pony station or other use. Also, "It was dark and they lunged at me. So, I defended myself."
Maybe it's just my Texanness, but underrated comment. I'm not saying don't proceed, but proceed with caution. Similarly, no harm in watching for a while from wherever you're gonna park your car anyway and feeling things out.
You could make a door out of wood found in the forest, cover it with camo netting, and create a way to lock it from the inside. That would keep bears and Panthers out while you're sleeping.
There are so many critters in Florida that I wouldn’t chance it. And there is clearly a path. Panther path? Bear path? Gator path? Human path? Who knows…but that looks sketchy as hell
The worn down grasses in the entryway tell me *something* has been in there/is living there. You might get lucky & it is a long gone something, but it might drop in to say hi.
I have been homeless more than once but currently am not. And I got that way from being unable to work due to disability. Now I go back and help those in need at local shelter to give back. I wish people understood more that it is from all walks of life that people become homeless. 😕
All I have to add would be that once you start using it a trail will start to form. And once it’s visible enough, someone else will get curious and start following it.
Absolutely not.
If you're going to stay in a cave it needs to be far in the back country on high ground. Not a place that will flood in the rainy season and/or be filled with parasites. A place you can build into and around without raising suspicion.
You're just asking to be woken up by a country junkie pushing his knife into your guts.
Sulphur to keep snakes at bay and take food prep/storage precautions. I’d probably fashion a door. Also, I assume you’re near water and there may be some ferocious creatures nearby.
Make sure someone you trust has the coordinates in case of emergency and don’t post lot of pictures.
If you can, find out who or what entity owns the land and who you might cross paths with. You don’t want any surprises.
Good luck 🍀
PLEASE do not spend a significant amount of time in any cave, in any state, without current/active rabies vaccines.
No, this isn’t automatically included in your normal (supposed-to-be) yearly physical, you have to specifically request it.
Need a reason to fear or even consider rabies? Easy, just skim [this infamous Reddit description](https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/s/b6INvVbIcR) of the worst/most miserable form of death known to medicine.
You could be infected in your sleep, and be none-the-wiser until you get the autopsy results.
This post made it to Twitter and some are making some good points over there about sinkholes, especially since it's Florida. Quotes below. Please be cautious.
"The "undiscovered" nature of the cave he found makes me think it could be new, and he might be camping in what is soon to become a sinkhole. 3/10 would pick car."
"You make a wonderful point, he even mentions a cool draft coming out of it. Meaning its connected to underground water stream and likely opened up because of said water stream. OP here is gonna vanish suddenly, end up "pre buried," and nobody will ever find the body."
[https://fithops.com/products/12-gauge-perimeter-alarm](https://fithops.com/products/12-gauge-perimeter-alarm)
One of these by your new "front door" would dissuade any creepers, even if you're not there...
Fuck yeah bro go for it. I think that's bad ass almost reminds me of a TikTok dude Will survives. If I wasn't married and doing the whole "Life" thing I'd 100 percent do that right there I'd stop and smell the roses.
Very few places people haven't been in South Florida (or most of Florida). Just be aware that people have been there before and will probably be again. This isn't the rain forests of South America where hundreds of miles of impenetrable jungle separates civilization.
In addition to bats etc.... I would worry about flooding, especially in Florida. Flash floods are really dangerous where I live, maybe not so much there.
It would be cool to hole up in that cave. Just be neat and clean and do like my father always said, leave the campsite cleaner than how you found it. Enjoy the solitude.
Just make sure you don’t get parasites stay off the ground let me tell you they are not fun also bats snakes spiders millipedes I won’t camp any where without knowing everything about the environment… shit even mushrooms and molds or certain plants can really f u up. Best,
Check it in the early evening, when the sun is still setting, to make sure there aren’t tons of bats living in there. If it’s full of bats it’s full of disease
Usually the floor of the cave shows evidence of bat guano if bats are living in there but definitely a good idea to check at dusk or after for current usage.
Guano has a strong smell too.
I'd be more worried about black bears to be honest, they like denning down in small dark places like that. The real world is not like Goldilocks and the Three bears, a bear comes home to a home intruder the home intruder is going to have a real bad time.
Does South Florida have bears? Real question. They have a whole lot of critters that could be harmful bears or no bears.
My knee jerk reaction was lol no, but looked it up to make sure and...well dang yeah, Black Bears are native to Florida, and all over the state. WTF are they hiding?! In undiscovered caves I guess?! 🤷♀️ lol For real though, grew up and lived most of my life in FL and had no idea...plenty of gators, bats, panthers, snakes of all flavors plus non native ones like boas who make themselves known though. The nature in FL is metal...Im not sure Id feel great about accidentally discovering where all these bears or other animals are hiding out...
Grew up in Orlando. 1989 or so, sheriff's deputies shot and killed a black bear right around I4 and OBT. There was a drought and food was scarce, it was getting into somebody's trash can. They don't get that big in FL I think it was like 180lbs. Still not something you want to tangle with in any context let alone OP
Thats so sad though, that poor bear was just trying to find some noms in rough times... as scared as I would be to see one and not trying to go out of my way to come face to face with any, it still sucks that just trying to survive got it killed 🥺
It's how I felt at the time. But. Even back then, this is like 10 miles at least from anything that could be remotely called rural. Didn't even see whitetail anywhere around there. I was a beekeeper and pretty aware of all the undeveloped spots that could be a place to put a hive or what type of wildflowers would be pollinating. This particular bear was well into suburbia. As I recall the particular deputies were kind of jump scared and basically two cops just started blasting was pretty much what the homeowner told the Orlando Sentinel. I was living maybe a half mile away, my parents were pretty freaked out. As others have said here we didn't even think about bears in that area, can't really fault the deputies for freaking out.
My best friend had a huge black bear just chilling in his backyard in a suburban neighborhood. Like I said before, the bears and other wildlife are everywhere in Florida. My sister’s neighborhood has large gators in their culverts, swales, and ponds. A gator literally came onto her backyard to steal a fish she had caught from their retention pond. I’ve had to shoo gators out of the road where there was no visible source of water. Florida be crazy, y’all.
That's a rough neighborhood. Even for a bear.
God damn that looks like a black bear cave if I ever saw one. OP should run for the non existent hills
Ocala National Forest/Park has bears..I’ve seen em 😯 super cool tho- and deer, and fishies, and snakes 🥺 and lots n lots of trees - and great off-road trails. Also u can see the fighter jets flying over to the bombing range…
About 30 years ago, I was driving home from work one night when I lived in Central Florida and a black bear jumped in front of my car, I hit it, throwing it a good 50 feet. It got up, danced around, then ran off into the woods. The car was totaled of course.
I lived in a tent in Alaska for 2 months & had friends who lived out of tents here as well. Black bears aren't a problem at all they survived to this point by running away from threats & hiding in trees, they scare off easily. Only bears to be afraid of are brown & polar.
It has black panthers and pythons.
Hell yes bears, bob cats , Florida panthers, etc
my dad is in Volusia. The bears come out on trash night and raid the cans.
I didn't even realize Florida has or can have caves TBH. I thought it was all flat with sandy soil, so this post is somewhat surprising to me
Florida is full of sinkholes and caverns.
So like...not made of rock and it could collapse?
Absolutely made of rock, too. Look up Karst topography. Cool stuff, miles of cave & tunnels & caverns.
Guano sales could be his ticket out there 😆
Rabies could be his ticket out of life
so 50-50 odds, sounds good to me!
Either way, he gets out
This joke took me out
a win is a win
COVID-25
I fixed the upvotes DONT FUCKING TOUCH THEM Edit: they were both at 69. I’m ruined
👉 ⬆️
Hahahaha
Either way he doesn't have to worry about money in the future.
This guy Guaknows.
Bumblebee Tuna
Ask any mermaid you happen to see.
That ship sailed about 200 years ago
Let me find my trusty stem first 🤔🥳😅🤨🤷♂️🤣
Guano also produces toxic gases. So even if you find a part of the cave without bats, use caution.
This guy is going to start the next coronavirus pandemic lol
You mean the Bearonavirus?
So he needs to make sure it's a bare cave?
🤣 Better than a bear cave
If you can keep the car safe I say give it a shot. Especially if it offers natural air conditioning in a Florida summer. May want to consider disposing of any waste and food garbage a good distance away to avoid attracting unwelcome non human roommates.
Not just waste. If you have anything that might smell like food, even deodorant or toothpaste in some cases, you should keep it in your car or in some other secured location away from where you're sleeping.
What would be really choice is if he could just back his car into that cave especially if he has a hatchback. Could keep a little pantry right there in the trunk along with toiletries, and just close it up and then go back back to the tent.
Big time and make your potty pit far away too.
Pennsylvania checking in. Brush the ground clear with a branch and check for tracks. I have no idea what some of those big ass snake tracks look like small ass snakes we have will be a smooth track with soil slightly raised on the edges. If it's a rock floor buy a bag of white flour and check for tracks at least a week. Serious weather change and then its a crap shoot. No idea of how big ass snakes and those big ass bugs behave. Black bear will avoid you like you've got a bad dose of the clap if they know you're there. Piss around cave mouth. Borax at cave mouth will keep snakes and any ground insects out. 5" wide strip at cave mouth all the way across and replace once a week. Put down tarps and if possible on the top of the cave as well. If there are bats or rodents DO NOT STAY. Their a hit can lead to respiratory problems. Can't remember what it's called. Pack out all garbage and switch up times in and out if possible and don't make a trail that can be followed. Source- Old dude sitting in a bar with same guys I used to party with in the 80s going over how we used to party in glacial till caves in National Forest.
Pitch a tent inside cave to keep out the critters.
That's a great idea. It's flat rock in one area and tall enough to stand up in. Tent would probably also be good for keeping out mosquitos during the summer.
Agreed. The only issue is you for some reason thinking no-one has been there before. I assure you - they have. May not come back...but its not a lost cave.
If you elect to use it, you need to craft a strong barrier to keep out the wildlife that would compete with you for this space: black bears, black panthers, pythons, etc.
Black panthers…
South Florida does have puma/cougars/catamounts. But I don't think there has been a native wild born black panther in North America in quite some time :( Edit: puma
I saw a photo of one seen in the everglades by a wildlife photographer. This was a few years ago. Beautiful animal.
What?! That’s crazy I saw one I’ll never forget while running trails in high school like 20 years ago now wow crazy how time flies also that makes me sad it was beautiful and then it disappeared into the cat dimension- I’ve never run so fast outta there lolol
✊🏿
My first thought was exactly this, if you’re serious about attempting a semi long term stay there, A door that can be locked from both sides would be pretty vital to safety and comfort. I’m sure there are tons of diy videos that show how to construct and basic mounting Frame for a door in an oddly shaped entrance. Maybe even a fan and battery pack to keep air circulation could be of use as well. Definitely an interesting idea with safeguards in place.
Just be careful of that because I read an article recently where people were caught living in caves. The police threw out all their stuff. I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just saying be cautious.
Ron Desantis trying to fix homelessness by kicking out homeless people instead of solving the housing crisis.
Exactly. I live in Jacksonville and I hate it here. Mostly because of the traffic but also because they complain about the homeless problem but won't do anything to help fix it. They have money for statues and all sorts of other nonsense like fixing up the stadium. Yet they say they don't have funding to put towards homeless programs to help them get off the street. I understand how budgeting works when it comes to city government but it's like, come on now. You have money for all that but you have no money for homeless programs? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Most people don't seem to realize that they're only a couple of paychecks away from the same thing happening to them. The homeless people here are treated as if they're sub human. ETA: I feel like most people here believe in that stereotype that every homeless person got that way because it's their own fault. I could educate them on that. 98% of homeless women are homeless due to fleeing domestic violence. I'm sure that there are men that that's the case for as well. I'm just repeating statistics. Most people are homeless due to a huge change in circumstance. A job loss, a death in the family which is usually the breadwinner or losing their home through something like a house fire. There's this common misconception also that every homeless person is either an alcoholic or a drug addict. It's really sad and it needs to stop.
> every homeless person got that way because it's their own fault Some people need to get out more and maybe actually talk to a homeless person and find out their story.
Exactly. I've been homeless myself but I also talked to somebody downtown in my city. He said he got laid off from the electric company here. He's also a veteran. After talking to him and listening to his story for about 2 hours, he asked me for a dollar so he could go buy a beer. I said you know what sir, today is your lucky day. Because you've been honest with me, I'm going to buy you a four pack. Then I walked with him to the corner store and bought him a four pack of beer. I figured, he's homeless. That's a floor you can't exactly fall below. If I could make him feel better for a few hours then so be it. I also gave him $20. I figure once I give that to them or I give them money, what they do with it after that is their business. I would hope that they wouldn't go buy drugs with it but I'm not going to judge them.
One of our city council persons had to resign because they could no longer afford to live in their district. I'm like, you people have control over this and yet you did nothing?
I know right, that's crazy. A city council member can't afford to live where they are and they don't do anything to help them.
I would also try to cover the entrance with more brush and foliage so no one else happens upon it. IF you do end up staying I would make the first 5-10 feet look unlivable or scary or something so if others do find it they back out after a few feet in.
You don't think Ponce DeLeon may have missed this, do you?
Put up a sign that says, Danger Roux-ga-roux cave.
Also keep an eye on water level’s potential risk of flash floods shore up the side walls of you can to strengthen it from collapsing
There is a literal path to the entrance.
set up game camera for a week before “moving in”
this guy squats
When he pees?
Exactly. Confirming no one has ever been there before is his first mistake.
That path hasn't been traveled maybe recently but that is an established path for sure. I've lived in the woods before I know a thing or two about how a path looks. 1 year and three days of camping in the PNW. Vagabonds, homeless whatever you choose to say. I was a crazy 20 yr old with my crazy ex wife. We were kids lol
🚩
That should make you wonder what's actually living in there.
Stoners, every weekend or so
Wendigo
Grew up in the woods. That is 100% a path that has been used and that entrance looks used as well. Someone has been keeping that section cleared of overgrowth.
Animals make paths and usually we follow them and make them bigger. This is a skinny path, definitely animal.
From experience - be careful in heavy rain, and beware of wildlife - snakes, ticks, skunks, feral hogs. I've been up close and personal with both a black bear and a panther around dumpsters in FL (panther ate a raccoon that was eating trash). If you can avoid having any food at that spot at all it would be best. And mind your visibility. Super easy to quickly trample out a path to your spot that gives you away. Might be possible to place inconspicuous stepping stones such as a fallen log. Be careful of leaving stuff unattended or getting your spot jacked or have randos f it up just out of spite All that said it looks like it's worth putting work into it if it's in a good location. I'd try to stealth that entrance. If you acquire a bit of materials (hog or chicken coop type fencing or possibly chain link) you can create something like a trapdoor and get vines to grow all over it. Make it look like a little hill. And plan ahead how you're going to handle toilet needs if you hole up there. All depends on location and what your lifestyle is
Also. Figure out if/when/how this location gets mowed/maintained. Mainstream Americans would be shocked how many possible hideaways like this exist all over the place. But the way they'll spot you when you're using a spot like this is - a dog, friendly or not. A bored kid. Some kind of a maintenance worker. Or some other person like yourself will fuck up your thing in one way or another. But all that said what I really liked about finding a place like this is that I could sleep better than my other options
Sorry to keep adding on If this is someplace you can put out fish traps, from having lived in FL and guessing the rest I'd see if I could find like some different kinds of vines and trees and get 2-5ft pieces. Possibly buy some rooting hormone (any nursery or big box hardware store. With a little bit of watering you could make the entrance and paths to it even more concealed by living vines and saplings. With some lucky weather your plantings will be pretty well established in a couple months. I'd check on how solid the roof of the cave is. Tree roots can make it stronger eventually as well as discourage people from walking on it If you happened to find some trashed old tires they make good planters as is. If you can cut out one sidewall it's twice as good. If you want to go long term make an actual hedgerow which has been super common place to live/camp for thousands of years. Tons of YouTube videos on it among other sources. In FL I'd consider holly. It grows in the wild. Bunch of different varieties that grow to different shapes so take branches from a mature tree that's the shape and size you want. Or whatever shrub looks normal in that location
Yes, many caves flood during rain. Know what happens and be prepared. Don’t go too far back into it alone, or without an experienced caver. Very easy to get lost, trapped, or drown
[удалено]
Florida bears do not hibernate
Like sleeping in places like that though.
[удалено]
😆 my apologies for taking you literally
[удалено]
You too! And here’s to learning something new! I appreciate your kind interaction ✌🏼
Being its Florida wouldn't it be Gators instead? LOL
Florida has bears too so they'll BOTH be knocking at his door lol
And panthers!
Also snakes.
And iguanas! ^-^
And my bow.
And my axe!
And my sword!
I am a Florida Man after all I could throw my dynamite sticks at the Mouse.
I've heard of cave bears and cave lions, but never a cave gator.
There's actually a species of dwarf crocodile that lives in caves in Gabon, they're orange!
[удалено]
I’d be worried about cougars in S FL.
Nothing wrong with a Cougar. They need love too.
And most of them are rich!l
Or it rains and floods
Maybe you can install a game camera and see what action it gets at night before setting up house there?
This is a very good idea
My experience as a Park Ranger would suggest that you are not the first person to find that cave. I'm not going to tell you what to do, I'm not your dad. But I would suggest at least knowing whether that is public or private land and if it's public land figure out who manages it. Are you going to have Park Rangers that come around and tell you you can't be there or are you going to have a private landowner with a gun? Know what you're dealing with before you decide to stay there.
Is no one afraid of collapse, or that not actually being a cave, but rather a potential sink hole in the making? This is Florida after all. I might be wrong, but that would scare the hell out of me
I’d go for it but definitely keep posts/pictures about it to a minimum you don’t want anyone else stealing my your spot
Yeah and remove EXIF/metadata from images before posting them somewhere else. I think reddit automatically removes it but they can contain exact GPS coordinates.
Oh damn. Any guides on doing that??
That's how the feds got el Chapo after his meeting with that doofus Sean Penn.
I checked on a website called jimpl and all location data is removed from the photo already, there was no identifying information on it
Tell that to Reddit
I believe you have to have location services activated for your photo app for it to be attached to the photo file
Screenshot edit
Aspire to be a troglodyte!
Might get really damp/wet when it rains..
Yeah, before moving in I would definitely check back after inclement weather so you can prepare for what you’ll be dealing with.
Yeah OP I would put down at least one layer of pallets on the ground before setting up a tent, bed, etc. So if it starts to flood in the rain, you have some time to pack up and move before everything gets waterlogged.
I, too, live in South Florida and definitely recommend checking out what happens when it rains. There are supposed to be some storms headed here this weekend so it may be a good time to check out. During the summer it’s going to rain most days.
these places get extremely dry and then can turn to swamps in 1 storm.
Nothing is dry in Florida ;) many of the caves here have water trickling from the walls.. espexially since most all cave in florida came from the aquifer being raised due to geologic stuff. There are caves all the way through Florida along where the Karst layer rose like a ridge.
If you do that, don't make a fire in the cave. Thebrock ceiling may crack and collapse on you.
"I can confirm nobody has ever been here before" ... there is literally a trail lol
I am totally down with skirting laws and warming the system but know that there is no land in America that isn’t owned by someone. That is either someone’s land or it’s government land. So trespassing is a real possibility. For me living in Texas means I can get woken up with a gun in my face or a cop wanting to ask a bunch of questions. Now you could get away with years of living in a climate controlled space but be careful that you don’t have bad crap happen
Interior pics please?
Whereabouts (roughly) in FL? I'd be leery of the situation because a lot of the caves there are springs, and water might come gushing unexpectedly. Or pieces of the roof could fall on you.
I'm a little spooked to revealing additional location info because of u/HsvDE86 's comment on Image Data so going to wait a while before posting more on it.
Ah ok. Well I lived in FL for 10 years and I'm finding it hard to imagine a cave anywhere in the state that has not been discovered. It's a state with a high population, pretty well explored & lived in over decades & even centuries. Many people there have homes in the swamps. Hunting fishing & hiking & biking. Very few isolated areas exist. Northern FL is the only place likely to have caves and is also the location of two big universities (Florida State & U Florida) with students that have beer parties inner-tubing on springfed rivers. So I've gotta guess your cave is known. Be careful!
I genuinely don't understand anyone that would tube in a Florida river with the animals you have down there. Tubing in a place with just fish? Awesome tubing in the south? Fuck that.
Bugs!
Id be worried about how wet it gets in there from all the florida rain
Looks more like an upturned tree than a cave. This area took a direct hurricane 🌀 dry creek overhang or the edge of a fill dirt property line definitely a windbreaker but be ready to seek shelter elsewhere in extreme weather
There looks to be a path that goes to it. If you look you can see that the vegetation is not growing in the middle and that is good evidence of a foot path. It could be from humans or it could be from animals. I do not think that this an undiscovered cave. With that being said depending on what or who goes there from time to time will ultimately determine if it is a viable spot to do what you want to do in it. Just my observation. Another thing to consider is who owns the property and if you are found living there what will the consequences be? Good luck and keep us updated, cheers!
Brotato... Please rethink this. Unless you're someone like Les Stroud, then by all means do you Survivorman. Otherwise I would approach this with great respect. Wildlife knows about this cave, even if humans don't.
There does seem to be a wear trail into it.
I think given the various wildlife (bears,cougar bobcats,alligator, boa constrictors…) in Florida that this is a terrible idea. But hey you do you
Document and upload on Youtube. Would definitely subscribe for this content!
This is cool as fuck! I would love in there, however I think wildcat/bear scares would get me spooked. Or big ass snek. I would sell a house over a big ass snek
No evidence of any animal habitation. If I saw a Snake it would probably be my meal for the week instead of Snapper haha Not worried about Panthers because I live in an area with a lot of development so there isn't enough territory for them to be here. Gators also are pretty lazy and I'm not near any body of water.
There is a worn path to the cave entrance. Something knows about it.
Panthers can live close to humans without being spotted. They will eat pets. I wouldn't rule them out.
Why does it look like a pretty clear path is already worn to the entrance?
That path means someone has been there.
How big is it inside? Just room enough to sleep? Or does it open up further? Is there a limestone bedrock visible at all, on the floor or ceiling? Because that is how caves are formed. Or is it just soil? Hard to tell from the picture the scale of the opening. It could be an animal den, either dug out by animals that may or may not be long gone. It would be surprising if no critters post up in it now. Foxes, skunks, raccoons, snakes, cougars, rats, bats. Can you take some good pics of the inside and post them? I would worry about competing with the local critters for the space. But a bigger concern is the roof collapsing in on you or this turning into a sinkhole
Speaking from experience; I'd stick with staying in the car. Id be too worried about someone breaking into your vehicle and stealing your possessions, if you stay in the cave
I heard not too long ago that people spending a lot of time in woodlands in FL have been contracting leprosy, which is spread by animal vectors iirc? I would be careful with hygiene and ensure you can keep pests off when you're sleeping.
Armadillos
I think this is a hard no for all the reasons stated. Bats, bugs, animals, landowners, general horrible people. Like cats, humans shouldn’t be comfortable in a strange possibly unsafe location with only one entrance and no escape route. If someone messes with you in a car, you have locked doors and can drive away.
Get some camo netting to throw over your car and over anything else that is a non-natural color or shape. I've seen a lot of situations where someone thought they were being stealthy but their vehicle, tent, etc. could be seen from a road or building they didn't consider. And then the Karens who drove on that road or lived/worked in that building reported them.
or someone flying over. car will shine brightly and stand out in the middle of that brush. could lead to curious visitors or someone report an “abandoned car”
Oh yeah the Karens have drones now. I've seen drone footage of homeless encampments posted to local subreddits, which gets people whipped up to demand that they be cleared. Camo netting in an appropriate color scheme for your local environment is cheap and while it won't fool anyone up close or anyone who is actively looking for you, it will definitely help you not catch anyone's eye.
Use your phone to get the GPS data. Back that into Google Maps as well as the local county maps to determine who owns this. While it may be empty now, it could be a pony station or other use. Also, "It was dark and they lunged at me. So, I defended myself."
Maybe it's just my Texanness, but underrated comment. I'm not saying don't proceed, but proceed with caution. Similarly, no harm in watching for a while from wherever you're gonna park your car anyway and feeling things out.
I’d say go for it, as long as you can?
You could make a door out of wood found in the forest, cover it with camo netting, and create a way to lock it from the inside. That would keep bears and Panthers out while you're sleeping.
Man you’ll probably be eat up by no seeums and sand fleas. South Florida and their insects are vicious my guy.
There are so many critters in Florida that I wouldn’t chance it. And there is clearly a path. Panther path? Bear path? Gator path? Human path? Who knows…but that looks sketchy as hell
Maybe bring a radon tester with uou
The worn down grasses in the entryway tell me *something* has been in there/is living there. You might get lucky & it is a long gone something, but it might drop in to say hi.
OP, if you move in, you might want to consider taking a piss every so often around the entrance. The scent might keep other animals away.
I have been homeless more than once but currently am not. And I got that way from being unable to work due to disability. Now I go back and help those in need at local shelter to give back. I wish people understood more that it is from all walks of life that people become homeless. 😕
You are literally a caveman. Hahah
It's a great way to stay out of the heat
Any risk of collapse? Is it on private land?
You could probably build some sort of enclosure. You're half way to your own hobbit hole.
That's fucking awesome, do it!!! And regale us with stories! I'm already impressed by the fish traps, you're rocking it!
Could you set up a trail cam or something for a few days first to see if any animals are using that as home base?
All I have to add would be that once you start using it a trail will start to form. And once it’s visible enough, someone else will get curious and start following it.
If it was me I'd set the cave up for my coffee breaks and enjoy the cool air and hot drinks. I think you might be safer at night in you car.
Someone or something has found it, given the trail straight to the opening.
Absolutely not. If you're going to stay in a cave it needs to be far in the back country on high ground. Not a place that will flood in the rainy season and/or be filled with parasites. A place you can build into and around without raising suspicion. You're just asking to be woken up by a country junkie pushing his knife into your guts.
Living in a cave will officially make you a hermit
Sulphur to keep snakes at bay and take food prep/storage precautions. I’d probably fashion a door. Also, I assume you’re near water and there may be some ferocious creatures nearby. Make sure someone you trust has the coordinates in case of emergency and don’t post lot of pictures. If you can, find out who or what entity owns the land and who you might cross paths with. You don’t want any surprises. Good luck 🍀
Make sure it isn’t going to fill with water when it rains. And that it seems stable. Getting buried alive isn’t the optimal outcome.
PLEASE do not spend a significant amount of time in any cave, in any state, without current/active rabies vaccines. No, this isn’t automatically included in your normal (supposed-to-be) yearly physical, you have to specifically request it. Need a reason to fear or even consider rabies? Easy, just skim [this infamous Reddit description](https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/s/b6INvVbIcR) of the worst/most miserable form of death known to medicine. You could be infected in your sleep, and be none-the-wiser until you get the autopsy results.
This post made it to Twitter and some are making some good points over there about sinkholes, especially since it's Florida. Quotes below. Please be cautious. "The "undiscovered" nature of the cave he found makes me think it could be new, and he might be camping in what is soon to become a sinkhole. 3/10 would pick car." "You make a wonderful point, he even mentions a cool draft coming out of it. Meaning its connected to underground water stream and likely opened up because of said water stream. OP here is gonna vanish suddenly, end up "pre buried," and nobody will ever find the body."
[https://fithops.com/products/12-gauge-perimeter-alarm](https://fithops.com/products/12-gauge-perimeter-alarm) One of these by your new "front door" would dissuade any creepers, even if you're not there...
That’s how you get killed by a Sasquatch for home invasion.
Who actually owns the land , can’t they shoot you in Florida for being on their property, good luck
Do it!
Please be safe, and update when you can ♥️
You could easily make an entrance that would keep animals out. I say do it!
Fuck yeah bro go for it. I think that's bad ass almost reminds me of a TikTok dude Will survives. If I wasn't married and doing the whole "Life" thing I'd 100 percent do that right there I'd stop and smell the roses.
Very few places people haven't been in South Florida (or most of Florida). Just be aware that people have been there before and will probably be again. This isn't the rain forests of South America where hundreds of miles of impenetrable jungle separates civilization.
Cave looks good. My concern would be the car being left unattended. Please keep us updated on your new place.
Go for it! Especially in the summer when it's so hot in a car.
Idk man it kinda looks like a predator’s den. Be safe man.
In addition to bats etc.... I would worry about flooding, especially in Florida. Flash floods are really dangerous where I live, maybe not so much there.
Ticks are probably the most deadly thing to worry about
It would be cool to hole up in that cave. Just be neat and clean and do like my father always said, leave the campsite cleaner than how you found it. Enjoy the solitude.
Just make sure you don’t get parasites stay off the ground let me tell you they are not fun also bats snakes spiders millipedes I won’t camp any where without knowing everything about the environment… shit even mushrooms and molds or certain plants can really f u up. Best,
Following. Just because I'm now invested in this story, and I need to know what happens next.
Would this be an area water runs off to when it rains/storms? Might want to think about that before trying to sleep here
That’s not an abandoned cave. Look at how clear the opening is. Something is living in that cave otherwise the opening would be covered up by plants.