Exploring Half Moon Wildlife Management Area

Entrance

On a recent hike in Half Moon Wildlife Management Area in Sumter County I found some very old graves back in the forest. It was quite the adventure finding them since I was unsure of the exact location. It took a lot of walking on trails and forest roads to finally reach the site. It is called "Alto Cemetery" Alto is one of the many communities that no longer exists in Sumter County. Located north of Rutland and west of Oxford near the Withlacoochee River, all that is left is a cemetery. It is believed that the community was settled around the 1870's.

Alto Cemetery

Along the way I found some interesting areas and saw a beautiful wilderness. Just off a forest road back there is the old site of the "McKinney Flatwoods" homestead. There is a sign nearby that tells about this history and who once lived there. Not much remains of the homestead just some debris laying about. Although it is still fascinating to look around and experience the history, I imagined what life what must have been like for the family. The family lived there from around 1916 to 1945 time frame. The McKinneys raised cattle until the combined effects of screw worms and World War II forced them to sell the land for watermelon and sod production.

McKinneys Homestead Site

The Carltons acquired the land in 1969 for cattle ranching; they used existing fields and converted sections of palmetto scrub to improved pasture. A hunting club also leased the area from the early 1980s until the state purchased the Carlton Half Moon Ranch in 1989 in an effort to help preserve the water quality of Withlacoochee and its tributaries. In May 1992, the then-Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission entered a lease agreement with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, and an additional 4,021 acres were added to the management area.

I really enjoyed exploring this area I feel there is much left to discover so I look forward to returning. I posted a couple links below to help you find out more on this area. Be sure to check out my videos below as well from the some of the places I saw there. If you have any questions or would like to leave more information feel free to leave a comment.

Resources
Half Moon WMA
Half Moon-Gum Slough SWFMD
My Hike/Route

My Videos
Alto Cemetery
Alto Cemetery 2
McKinney Homestead Site
McKinney Homestead Site 2
Hiking in Half Moon