WEAR YOUR LOVE FOR AMERICA ON YOUR SLEEVE JULY 4th,
GET 50% OFF AT BILLIE SWAMP SAFARI
BIG CYPRESS SEMINOLE RESERVATION, FL. (June 10, 2010) – If you show your patriotism by wearing an American flag on July 4th, Billie Swamp Safari on the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation in the Florida Everglades will give you a discount of 50 percent off the regular ticket price of an Airboat Ride, a Swamp Buggy Eco-Tour, a Snake & Alligator Show, or Swamp Critter Show.
“It can be an American flag worn as a pin, a patch, a shirt, a hat or anything,” said Ed Woods, director of Billie Swamp Safari. The promotional offer cannot be combined with any other offer and is good for July 4, 2010 only.
At Billie Swamp Safari you can “escape the crowds and noise!” Experience the wonders of the Florida Everglades as you visit land that has been preserved for your enjoyment. The Seminoles treat the land with reverence and work hard to preserve the natural environment. As a result, the wonders of the Florida Everglades continue to bring joy to visitors from around the world.
A true Everglades experience, Swamp Buggy Eco-tours and Airboat Rides are offered daily. Visitors can travel high above Florida’s untamed Everglades on a swamp buggy or glide effortlessly along a trail on an airboat. Witness first-hand the ecosystem of a land on the edge of civilization and the solitary beauty of tropical hardwood hammocks, cypress domes and abundant flora and fauna. Marvel at native and exotic wildlife from the rare Florida panther to alligators and crocodiles, deer, antelope, bison, snakes, southern razorback hogs and many species of birds.
The Snake & Alligator Show and the Swamp Critter Show are also scheduled daily. They combine entertainment and education and feature many animals and reptiles on an up-close and personal level.
The Big Cypress Seminole Reservation is located midway between Fort Lauderdale and Naples off I-75 (Alligator Alley.) Take I-75 to exit 49, then drive north 19 miles. For further information, please call 800/GO-SAFARI or 863/983-6101. Visit us online at www.billieswampsafari.travel.
See our Series Swamp Men on Nat Geo WILD!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Treat Dad to "Something Wild" This Father's Day
PR Contact: Cindy Malin
(954) 614-6848
cmalin@semtribe.com
TREAT YOUR DAD TO “SOMETHING WILD” THIS FATHER’S DAY
AT BILLIE SWAMP SAFARI
WHAT: We invite all dads to come enjoy a complimentary Day Package. Day Package includes: Airboat Ride, Swamp Buggy Eco-Tour, Choice of Show
($43 VALUE)
WHEN: Father’s Day
Sunday, June 20, 2010
WHERE: Billie Swamp Safari
Big Cypress Seminole Reservation in the Florida Everglades
Take I-75 (Alligator Alley) to Exit 49, go North 19 miles to park entrance.
CONTACT: Billie Swamp Safari
800-GO-SAFARI
www.billieswampsafari.travel
safari@semtribe.com
At least one paying child must accompany each father. There are no limits per family i.e. if grandpa, dad and grandchild come together two of the three are complimentary.
Below is a bit of information about Billie Swamp Safari:
Learn about the unconquered Seminole Tribe of Florida at Billie Swamp Safari on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation located in the Florida Everglades. Swamp Buggy Eco-Tours and Airboat Rides depart daily through 2200 acres of untamed Everglades with abundant native and exotic wildlife. Enjoy a Snake and Alligator Show, Swamp Critter Show, animal & reptile exhibits, boardwalk nature trail, dine in the Swamp Water Café and shop for souvenirs. A rustic camping village includes native-style chickees for overnight stays. Bring the whole family and experience the heart of the Florida Everglades like a native…at Billie Swamp Safari. Day and overnight packages available. Exclusive tours offered.
See Our Series SWAMP MEN on Nat Geo WILD!
(954) 614-6848
cmalin@semtribe.com
TREAT YOUR DAD TO “SOMETHING WILD” THIS FATHER’S DAY
AT BILLIE SWAMP SAFARI
WHAT: We invite all dads to come enjoy a complimentary Day Package. Day Package includes: Airboat Ride, Swamp Buggy Eco-Tour, Choice of Show
($43 VALUE)
WHEN: Father’s Day
Sunday, June 20, 2010
WHERE: Billie Swamp Safari
Big Cypress Seminole Reservation in the Florida Everglades
Take I-75 (Alligator Alley) to Exit 49, go North 19 miles to park entrance.
CONTACT: Billie Swamp Safari
800-GO-SAFARI
www.billieswampsafari.travel
safari@semtribe.com
At least one paying child must accompany each father. There are no limits per family i.e. if grandpa, dad and grandchild come together two of the three are complimentary.
Below is a bit of information about Billie Swamp Safari:
Learn about the unconquered Seminole Tribe of Florida at Billie Swamp Safari on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation located in the Florida Everglades. Swamp Buggy Eco-Tours and Airboat Rides depart daily through 2200 acres of untamed Everglades with abundant native and exotic wildlife. Enjoy a Snake and Alligator Show, Swamp Critter Show, animal & reptile exhibits, boardwalk nature trail, dine in the Swamp Water Café and shop for souvenirs. A rustic camping village includes native-style chickees for overnight stays. Bring the whole family and experience the heart of the Florida Everglades like a native…at Billie Swamp Safari. Day and overnight packages available. Exclusive tours offered.
See Our Series SWAMP MEN on Nat Geo WILD!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Coralling the Florida Black Bear
Posted by Patrick J Kiger at 5/14/2010 5:13 PM EDT
One of the more imposing creatures that the Swamp Men have to corral in the course of a workday at Billie Swamp Safari in Big Cypress Swamp is the Florida black bear. Ursus americanus floridanus a sub species of the black bear, is the biggest native land mammal in the state. Males can grow to up to six feet in length and 450 pounds in weight. The Florida black bear has a shiny, black coat of long fur, sometimes with a white diamond-shaped pattern on the chest, and a light brown nose and snout. It also has long, sharp claws that help it to climb trees or dig for food. According to this Orlando Sentinel article, there once were about 12,000 black bears in Florida, but the present population is estimated at just 1,500, and the state classifies them as a threatened species. One big reason for the decline of the Florida black bear is that they need an extensive range to survive—for males, about 66 square miles—and that puts them in conflict with the spread of human development. They’re often the victim of collisions with cars and trucks on rural roadways.
As a Florida state government page on black bears notes, they’re considered an “umbrella species:” and thus, an important part of the swamp ecosystem.
Because of their broad ecological requirements, black bears need a variety of habitats over a large geographic area. As such, they share living space with a variety of other protected, threatened and endangered animals. Some of these include the gopher tortoise, Eastern Indigo snake and the Florida scrub jay. By protecting the Florida black bear and its habitat, we also protect these other species' habitats.
Florida black bears are omnivores who live mostly on berries, acorns, insects and palmetto hearts. But they also like to scavenge for meat, and are attracted by outdoor pet food bowls and garbage cans overflowing with table scraps. That brings them into dangerously close contact with the human population. Though there’s never been a documented instance of a fatal black bear attack on a human in the state, a man in Longwood, a community in central Florida recently had a close call with a bear that liked to feed in his yard, according to this local newspaper article.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that a Longwood man opened the door to his home Thursday evening when he was struck in the face and knocked to the ground.
The agency suspects the man was hit by a black bear.
Rescue crews transported the victim to a local hospital with lacerations to one eye and his nose.
Wildlife officials prefer to trap black bears who get too close to humans, tranquillize them, and relocate them to distant forests. But a 2007 study by University of Florida researcher Kim Annis found that often doesn’t work so well. Annis tracked the movements of 41 relocated bears over a two-and-a-half year period, and found that almost half of them got into trouble again by returning to residential neighborhoods to dig through trash and eat pet food. As an Orlando Sentinel article on the study detailed:
The bears can wander "incredible distances," Annis said.
One, a male labeled N33 captured outside a home in the Apopka area, was tracked romping through a large area of Central Florida during 11 months.
The bear traveled about 550 miles, Annis said, at one point venturing into Winter Park and Casselberry and damaging several fences. He eventually wandered back to the area where he had been captured, near Kelly Park, where his tracking collar dropped off. Researchers haven't seen him since then.
Video
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/wild/community/blogs/inside-wild/
Friday, May 14, 2010
Gator Guys
Posted by lesleenatgeo at 5/3/2010 8:14 AM EDT
By Jaymee Johnson, Producer Swamp Men
Swamp Men premieres Monday May 3 at 10P et/pt.
Pulling up to Billie Swamp Safari I wasn't really sure what to expect. We had driven through Alligator Alley to get there and I saw plenty of prehistoric looking reptiles along the way, but nothing could have prepared me for the wild alligator encounters we were about to experience first hand.
We met up with BSS Park Director, Ed Woods, as he made his morning rounds. We were only a few minutes into our shoot when he got an alarming call. Apparently an 11-foot "gator," as they call it in the swamp, was spotted hanging around the tourist airboat dock. Obviously alligators and tourists frequenting the same area, is not a good idea, so Ed called on Florida gator legend, Paul to help him out.
When we got to the boat dock, Paul surprisingly just walked right into the water and started feeling around under the boat dock for the alligator. The whole time I'm thinking to myself, what's he going to do if he finds it? I think you'll be thoroughly entertained when you see what happened next.
The following day we head out on the airboats with Ed, Paul and the two newest members of the team, Shea and Matt. The goal was for Ed to teach the two newbies how to handle wild gators. We get to an ominous looking spot in the swamp and the guys all jump in and start moving the water around, hoping to attract the attention of alligators, AND they did. Within a few minutes, rather large looking reptiles start narrowing in on the guys. At one point, Shea asks Marine veteran Ed, "What would you do in this situation if you were in combat? " Ed, cold faced, replies, "Start shooting." So we did, with our cameras of course. Our two camera guys, and sound guy were waist deep in the water with the alligators quickly closing in. Despite a few close calls and one major newbie mistake, Shea and Matthew learned a lot that day and walked away with all of their fingers.
The last day was probably the most intimidating excursion of the shoot. We all loaded up on swamp buggies and headed out to a controlled habitat which is home to a large bull gator known as Trump. And as far as gators go, which I am quickly becoming an expert on, Trump is major! He's about 12 feet long and weighs a lot! Along with Trump, inside the enclosure, is a lady alligator. Recently the two gators had babies and Ed was concerned that if they were not removed, Trump would eat all of his young. So today's mission was for Ed and his men to enter into the hostile environment of an angry male gator and an even more pissed off momma gator and grab as many babies without getting bit. Right off the bat, Trump and the momma gator challenged Ed, his men and our camera crew. Let me just say that these two gators were not going to let those babies go without a fight.
All in all, I walked away from the shoot, with a new understanding of alligators, and with a whole lot of respect for the brave employees of Billie Swamp Safari, where jumping on the back of an 11-foot reptile is somehow, just another day at work.
Read more: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/wild/community/blogs/inside-wild?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&UID=a012510e-33b9-4c7e-b708-b747ec4dd594&plckPostId=Blog:a012510e-33b9-4c7e-b708-b747ec4dd594Post:6eca4ef6-9eb3-4d1f-a196-550d84264888&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest#ixzz0nuhaeZVb
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Nat Geo WILD Series Features Billie Swamp Safari
NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
YOUR JOB MAY HAVE YOU SWAMPED, BUT
EVERY MAN HOLDS HIS OWN IN THE WILD!
Nat Geo Wild Follows Professional Swamp Men
Who Rescue, Relocate and Rehabilitate Wildlife
Deep in Florida’s Everglades
“This is part of the Everglades. This is a dangerous place.
If you ain’t careful, you could get hurt real bad out here.” — Ed Woods
Swamp Men Premieres Monday, May 3, 2010, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Nat Geo WILD
(WASHINGTON, D.C. — MARCH 15, 2010) In the Everglades’ Big Cypress Swamp, more than 1,600 animals roam wild on thousands of acres in a park run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Best described as controlled chaos, the Billie Swamp Safari offers visitors face-to-face encounters with ostriches, American bison, African elan, wild alligators, venomous snakes, wild hogs, raccoons and virtually every other animal found near the swamp. The goal is to immerse visitors in the wild, in accordance with the Seminoles’ love of harmony with nature, but sometimes these close encounters can mean trouble for people and wildlife. It’s up to the park’s director, Ed Woods, and his tough team of self-described Swamp Men to patrol the land, relocate animals from dangerous situations and rescue animals in need.
Nat Geo WILD’s new series Swamp Men, premiering Monday, May 3, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, rides along with Ed and his staff as they work to maintain safety at the Safari. They are considered among the best wild animal wranglers, and each day brings new tests of their skills with bears, alligators, wild hogs and panthers that inhabit the Everglades. Ed’s dedicated staff includes Paul, expert alligator catcher; Cory, animal trapper; and newbies Matt, Lawrence and Shea. All share a passion for wildlife and a willingness to get down and dirty, as they face new swamp adventures every day.
Premiere episodes include:
Swamp Men: Newbies
Monday, May 3, 2010, at 10 PM ET/PT
Park director Ed Woods responds to an emergency call — an imposing 11-foot alligator camped under a dock where guests are coming to visit — and calls in Paul, expert alligator catcher. On the other side of Billie Swamp Safari, a razor-tusked wild hog tests Cory’s animal-trapping skills. And, newbies Matt and Shea learn how to capture trespassing raccoons and tackle alligators. Their skills are quickly put to work as they rescue a clutch of baby gators from being eaten by a hungry bull gator.
Swamp Men: Croc Escape
Monday, May 10, 2010, at 10 PM ET/PT
Houdini is a 9-foot-long Nile croc that earned his name from being a renegade on the loose for more than 12 years! Ed and his team head deep into the swamp in an all-out effort to catch this legendary escape artist. Their plan includes blocking his escape by building a fence along a canal bottom, even as they dodge rattlesnakes and a 700-Ib bull gator. Then, Shea, Lawrence and Matt are finally initiated into the Swamp Men team — but not before spending the night alone in the swamp with only a knife and one other item each. Watch the boys learn from Ed as they build their own shelter and fire, and scavenge for “survival stew.”
Swamp Men: Break-In Bear
Monday, May 17, 2010, at 10 PM ET/PT
The staff at Billie Swamp Safari is faced with the challenge of capturing a black bear threatening the food source for other animals in the reservation. When the bear doesn’t fall for a bait of peanut butter and molasses, Ed has to up the ante to attract the hungry menace. Then, a dangerous cold front means animal wranglers John and Hans must move tropical reptiles indoors, which is no easy feat with a monitor lizard that lashes out with formidable claws. Finally, the team must work together to relocate a herd of ornery American bison due to a population explosion.
Swamp Men: Panther Down
Monday, May 24, 2010, at 10 PM ET/PT
Ed gets an emergency call regarding one of the swamp’s most endangered predators, the Florida panther. Field officers worry that the panther might be in distress from its radio collar, or may have died from a lethal encounter of another sort. Across the park, a barred owl has been hit by a car and rushed to the nearest clinic with multiple life-threatening injuries. Back at headquarters, the nuisance hogs are at it again — destroying property and vegetation, and gorging on animals’ feed. Cory and the guys try to catch them, but instead find their traps attract a massive bison that wasn’t part of the plan.
Swamp Men is produced by Spectrum Productions, Inc., for Nat Geo WILD. For Spectrum, executive producer and director is Guy Nickerson. For Nat Geo WILD, executive producer is Noah Morowitz; senior vice president, development and production, is Geoff Daniels.
For more information, visit www.natgeowild.com.
# # #
NAT GEO WILD
For more than 30 years, National Geographic has been the leader in wildlife programming. Now the animal kingdom is taking center stage on a brand-new network, Nat Geo WILD. Offering intimate encounters with nature’s ferocious fighters and gentle creatures of land, sea and air, Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo WILD HD will draw upon the cutting-edge work of the many explorers, filmmakers and scientists who have long-standing relationships with the National Geographic Society. Nat Geo WILD is a joint venture between Fox Cable Networks (FCN) and National Geographic Ventures (NGV) ― the same partnership behind the National Geographic Channel (NGC), which launched January 2001 and has since been one the most successful new networks on the landscape. Nat Geo WILD launched globally more than three years ago and is the fastest growing channel among the international portfolio of National Geographic networks.
About Billie Swamp Safari
Billie Swamp Safari is a wildlife park of the Seminole Tribe of Florida located on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in the heart of the Florida Everglades. It encompasses 2,200 untamed acres of Florida Everglades and offers airboat rides, swamp buggy eco-tours, animal and reptile shows and more. The staff cares for more than 1,500 native and exotic animals, from alligators, panthers, bison and venomous snakes to African elan, ostrich, nilgai and crocodiles. For more information, call 800-GO-SAFARI or 863-983-6101, or visit www.billieswampsafari.travel.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Russell Howard, Nat Geo WILD / National Geographic Channel, 202-912-6652, RHoward@natgeochannel.com
Chris Albert, Nat Geo WILD / National Geographic Channel, 202-912-6526, CAlbert@natgeochannel.com
TV: Dara Klatt, 202-912-6720, Dara.Klatt@natgeochannel.com
Radio: Johanna Ramos Boyer, 703-646-5137, Johanna@jrbcomm.com
Print: Erin Griffin, 202-912-6632, erin.griffin@natgeochannel.com
Digital: Minjae Ormes, 917-539-7646, minjae@minjaeormes.com
Photos: Doan Nguyen, 202-912-6708, donguyen@ngs.org
BILLIE SWAMP SAFARI CONTACT:
Cindy Malin, 954-614-6848, cmalin@semtribe.com
NGWILD-008-022210
YOUR JOB MAY HAVE YOU SWAMPED, BUT
EVERY MAN HOLDS HIS OWN IN THE WILD!
Nat Geo Wild Follows Professional Swamp Men
Who Rescue, Relocate and Rehabilitate Wildlife
Deep in Florida’s Everglades
“This is part of the Everglades. This is a dangerous place.
If you ain’t careful, you could get hurt real bad out here.” — Ed Woods
Swamp Men Premieres Monday, May 3, 2010, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Nat Geo WILD
(WASHINGTON, D.C. — MARCH 15, 2010) In the Everglades’ Big Cypress Swamp, more than 1,600 animals roam wild on thousands of acres in a park run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Best described as controlled chaos, the Billie Swamp Safari offers visitors face-to-face encounters with ostriches, American bison, African elan, wild alligators, venomous snakes, wild hogs, raccoons and virtually every other animal found near the swamp. The goal is to immerse visitors in the wild, in accordance with the Seminoles’ love of harmony with nature, but sometimes these close encounters can mean trouble for people and wildlife. It’s up to the park’s director, Ed Woods, and his tough team of self-described Swamp Men to patrol the land, relocate animals from dangerous situations and rescue animals in need.
Nat Geo WILD’s new series Swamp Men, premiering Monday, May 3, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, rides along with Ed and his staff as they work to maintain safety at the Safari. They are considered among the best wild animal wranglers, and each day brings new tests of their skills with bears, alligators, wild hogs and panthers that inhabit the Everglades. Ed’s dedicated staff includes Paul, expert alligator catcher; Cory, animal trapper; and newbies Matt, Lawrence and Shea. All share a passion for wildlife and a willingness to get down and dirty, as they face new swamp adventures every day.
Premiere episodes include:
Swamp Men: Newbies
Monday, May 3, 2010, at 10 PM ET/PT
Park director Ed Woods responds to an emergency call — an imposing 11-foot alligator camped under a dock where guests are coming to visit — and calls in Paul, expert alligator catcher. On the other side of Billie Swamp Safari, a razor-tusked wild hog tests Cory’s animal-trapping skills. And, newbies Matt and Shea learn how to capture trespassing raccoons and tackle alligators. Their skills are quickly put to work as they rescue a clutch of baby gators from being eaten by a hungry bull gator.
Swamp Men: Croc Escape
Monday, May 10, 2010, at 10 PM ET/PT
Houdini is a 9-foot-long Nile croc that earned his name from being a renegade on the loose for more than 12 years! Ed and his team head deep into the swamp in an all-out effort to catch this legendary escape artist. Their plan includes blocking his escape by building a fence along a canal bottom, even as they dodge rattlesnakes and a 700-Ib bull gator. Then, Shea, Lawrence and Matt are finally initiated into the Swamp Men team — but not before spending the night alone in the swamp with only a knife and one other item each. Watch the boys learn from Ed as they build their own shelter and fire, and scavenge for “survival stew.”
Swamp Men: Break-In Bear
Monday, May 17, 2010, at 10 PM ET/PT
The staff at Billie Swamp Safari is faced with the challenge of capturing a black bear threatening the food source for other animals in the reservation. When the bear doesn’t fall for a bait of peanut butter and molasses, Ed has to up the ante to attract the hungry menace. Then, a dangerous cold front means animal wranglers John and Hans must move tropical reptiles indoors, which is no easy feat with a monitor lizard that lashes out with formidable claws. Finally, the team must work together to relocate a herd of ornery American bison due to a population explosion.
Swamp Men: Panther Down
Monday, May 24, 2010, at 10 PM ET/PT
Ed gets an emergency call regarding one of the swamp’s most endangered predators, the Florida panther. Field officers worry that the panther might be in distress from its radio collar, or may have died from a lethal encounter of another sort. Across the park, a barred owl has been hit by a car and rushed to the nearest clinic with multiple life-threatening injuries. Back at headquarters, the nuisance hogs are at it again — destroying property and vegetation, and gorging on animals’ feed. Cory and the guys try to catch them, but instead find their traps attract a massive bison that wasn’t part of the plan.
Swamp Men is produced by Spectrum Productions, Inc., for Nat Geo WILD. For Spectrum, executive producer and director is Guy Nickerson. For Nat Geo WILD, executive producer is Noah Morowitz; senior vice president, development and production, is Geoff Daniels.
For more information, visit www.natgeowild.com.
# # #
NAT GEO WILD
For more than 30 years, National Geographic has been the leader in wildlife programming. Now the animal kingdom is taking center stage on a brand-new network, Nat Geo WILD. Offering intimate encounters with nature’s ferocious fighters and gentle creatures of land, sea and air, Nat Geo WILD and Nat Geo WILD HD will draw upon the cutting-edge work of the many explorers, filmmakers and scientists who have long-standing relationships with the National Geographic Society. Nat Geo WILD is a joint venture between Fox Cable Networks (FCN) and National Geographic Ventures (NGV) ― the same partnership behind the National Geographic Channel (NGC), which launched January 2001 and has since been one the most successful new networks on the landscape. Nat Geo WILD launched globally more than three years ago and is the fastest growing channel among the international portfolio of National Geographic networks.
About Billie Swamp Safari
Billie Swamp Safari is a wildlife park of the Seminole Tribe of Florida located on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in the heart of the Florida Everglades. It encompasses 2,200 untamed acres of Florida Everglades and offers airboat rides, swamp buggy eco-tours, animal and reptile shows and more. The staff cares for more than 1,500 native and exotic animals, from alligators, panthers, bison and venomous snakes to African elan, ostrich, nilgai and crocodiles. For more information, call 800-GO-SAFARI or 863-983-6101, or visit www.billieswampsafari.travel.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Russell Howard, Nat Geo WILD / National Geographic Channel, 202-912-6652, RHoward@natgeochannel.com
Chris Albert, Nat Geo WILD / National Geographic Channel, 202-912-6526, CAlbert@natgeochannel.com
TV: Dara Klatt, 202-912-6720, Dara.Klatt@natgeochannel.com
Radio: Johanna Ramos Boyer, 703-646-5137, Johanna@jrbcomm.com
Print: Erin Griffin, 202-912-6632, erin.griffin@natgeochannel.com
Digital: Minjae Ormes, 917-539-7646, minjae@minjaeormes.com
Photos: Doan Nguyen, 202-912-6708, donguyen@ngs.org
BILLIE SWAMP SAFARI CONTACT:
Cindy Malin, 954-614-6848, cmalin@semtribe.com
NGWILD-008-022210
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Relive the Past at the Seminole Tribe of Florida's Big Cypress Shootout
SEMINOLE WAR REENACTMENT, HISTORIC AND CULTURAL DISPLAYS HIGHLIGHT THE
BIG CYPRESS SHOOTOUT
WHAT: The Seminole Tribe of Florida will present a reenactment of the Second Seminole War at the Big Cypress Shootout at Billie Swamp Safari located between Fort Lauderdale and Naples, on the Big Cypress Reservation just north of I-75 (Alligator Alley) Exit 49.
The battle reenactments honor the Seminole’s struggle and sacrifice to remain in their homeland and will feature authentic weapons, soldier and warrior attire and tactics typical of the Second Seminole War.
The three-day event will also include music, Seminole food, Seminole and pioneer artisans, tomahawk throws, primitive archery competition, authentic Seminole and soldier camps, venomous snake shows and alligator wrestling. “Period settlers” from around the country will hew wood, iron and silver crafts and depict trading techniques from the Seminole war era.
Musical guests include: Okefenokee Joe, Benjamin Dehart (The Cracker Tenor) and Cowbone.
WHEN: Friday, February 25 through Sunday, February 27, 2011
The battle reenactments will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
WHERE: Billie Swamp Safari, located between Fort Lauderdale and Naples, on the Big Cypress Reservation just north of I-75 (Alligator Alley) Exit 49.
WHO: In the 1830’s, the United States was attempting to enforce its policy of Indian removal. The Seminoles were facing the loss of their homeland and their freedom. After broken treaties and failed peace parleys, the Seminoles took up arms against removal. The US Government thought they could quickly overpower the Seminoles and waged the fiercest of all wars ever waged between the US Government and Native Peoples. They burned settlements and captured, killed and scattered many Seminole families. This seven year war cost more than the American Revolution and involved 52,000 soldiers fighting against less than 2,000 warriors. The Seminoles fought with courage and determination and had a unique knowledge of the land. Although many Seminoles were killed or removed to present-day Oklahoma, they were never defeated, and to this day their 3500 descendants are known as “The Unconquered” Seminole Tribe of Florida.
COST: $7 adults, $5 children
CASH ONLY
CONTACT: For more information, call: 1-800-GO-SAFARI, email: shootout@semtribe.com or visit us online at www.bigcypressshootout.com.
BIG CYPRESS SHOOTOUT
WHAT: The Seminole Tribe of Florida will present a reenactment of the Second Seminole War at the Big Cypress Shootout at Billie Swamp Safari located between Fort Lauderdale and Naples, on the Big Cypress Reservation just north of I-75 (Alligator Alley) Exit 49.
The battle reenactments honor the Seminole’s struggle and sacrifice to remain in their homeland and will feature authentic weapons, soldier and warrior attire and tactics typical of the Second Seminole War.
The three-day event will also include music, Seminole food, Seminole and pioneer artisans, tomahawk throws, primitive archery competition, authentic Seminole and soldier camps, venomous snake shows and alligator wrestling. “Period settlers” from around the country will hew wood, iron and silver crafts and depict trading techniques from the Seminole war era.
Musical guests include: Okefenokee Joe, Benjamin Dehart (The Cracker Tenor) and Cowbone.
WHEN: Friday, February 25 through Sunday, February 27, 2011
The battle reenactments will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
WHERE: Billie Swamp Safari, located between Fort Lauderdale and Naples, on the Big Cypress Reservation just north of I-75 (Alligator Alley) Exit 49.
WHO: In the 1830’s, the United States was attempting to enforce its policy of Indian removal. The Seminoles were facing the loss of their homeland and their freedom. After broken treaties and failed peace parleys, the Seminoles took up arms against removal. The US Government thought they could quickly overpower the Seminoles and waged the fiercest of all wars ever waged between the US Government and Native Peoples. They burned settlements and captured, killed and scattered many Seminole families. This seven year war cost more than the American Revolution and involved 52,000 soldiers fighting against less than 2,000 warriors. The Seminoles fought with courage and determination and had a unique knowledge of the land. Although many Seminoles were killed or removed to present-day Oklahoma, they were never defeated, and to this day their 3500 descendants are known as “The Unconquered” Seminole Tribe of Florida.
COST: $7 adults, $5 children
CASH ONLY
CONTACT: For more information, call: 1-800-GO-SAFARI, email: shootout@semtribe.com or visit us online at www.bigcypressshootout.com.
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