# Central Brazil



## Colhane (Mar 5, 2012)

I mentioned I live in Central Brazil when not in Pennsylvania in my introduction and several people asked to see more of central Brazil. Most people envision Brazil as the Amazon, but my state (Minas Gerais) is very different.














































Since this is Predator Talk, I should mention the predators we have. Our state is home to mountain lion, and ocelot (called jaguatirica), as well as the Maned Wolf. We would have jaguars but they have long been driven out of our state, or so they say.

Please don't ask about hunting and firearms laws unless you want to hear how everything you do is banned.


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## Cheez (Dec 12, 2011)

Awesome pictures. I got to visit Brazil a few years ago my friend and I went to Sao Paulo and Ilha Bela to see an exchange student who had stayed with my family. It is an amazing place you are lucky to call it home! It will always have a piece of my hart.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Those are awesome pictures. Beautiful country. Thanks for posting them!!!!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

+1 pretty country for sure.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Some Beautiful pictures there, Peru is the only SA country that I've been in, tried for a job there and Suriname But it fell through!!!


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## fr3db3ar (Aug 6, 2011)

Somebody hook me up. I love the looks of that coutry side.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

How about trapping ? Fishing ?

Wonderful looking country !


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## Colhane (Mar 5, 2012)

They allow hunting only at a subsistence level not for sport. Trapping is done extensively but it is illegal. From a wilderness survival/bushcraft perspective Brazil is a wealth of unpublished information. I see things all the time I have never encountered in books on the subject, sometimes similar but always unique in some way.

*ARAPUCA LIVE BIRD TRAP *One example is the arapuca, it resembles an English Cribbit trap but the trigger is totally different and so far I haven't seen it published. It could be out there in a book but I haven't seen it yet.

Fishing in Brazil is awesome, there are literally freshwater sea monsters from the dawn of time.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Colhane, that video is cool, showing how to build that bird trap. I've seen pictures of those traps, but seeing one built is great.

Thanks!!


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## oneshotcowboy (Mar 4, 2010)

oh man that is some beautiful country


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Gorgeous country. Nice to see pics from different places. Don't know what I'd do if I couldn't fish or hunt though. Thanks for sharing.


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Bones you'd poach and you know it!


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## Colhane (Mar 5, 2012)

Mick105 said:


> Bones you'd poach and you know it!


That's funny. I have a hoyt 55 lb takedown recurve there and get invited to hunt with it all the time. It is tempting. The conversation goes the same every time.

"We're going to hunt capibara, can you bring your bow?"
"Sorry I can't"
"Why not!"
"It's illegal!"
"But its SILENT!"
"BUT I'M YOUR PASTOR!!!"


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)




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## oneshotcowboy (Mar 4, 2010)

but but but illegal does not make it immoral ... is that a good loop hole???? lol


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Like I tell my wife, It ain't cheatin if ya don't get caught!!!


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## Colhane (Mar 5, 2012)

If a capibara falls in the river and no one's there to hear it...

I have worked through all the rationalizations and still come up with jail time. They would be an easy animal to bow hunt though. I have stalked many of them along the riverbanks and lakes. When they spook they jump up, grunt loud, and face the river presenting a perfect broadside while they wait for your next move. You have to hit them through the lungs. If you put a hole in the lungs they can't hold their breath and will break the surface again.


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## oneshotcowboy (Mar 4, 2010)

hmm... almost sounds like the thought has crossed your mind...lol


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## Colhane (Mar 5, 2012)

oneshotcowboy said:


> hmm... almost sounds like the thought has crossed your mind...lol












The is "Bushmaster One" where we run the intermediate survival course. It has been tempting I will admit.
So far I have resisted though the thought does cross my mind about as often as I cut sign...


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

How big can those things get? I've seen pictures and they appear to get quite latge.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Absolutely beautiful country!!!


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## ReidRH (Feb 1, 2010)

Man That is Some Awesome Country! I would Love to visit, My wife and I are thinking about taking a trip to Guatamala this next year! We have Friends in Chile' also.


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## Colhane (Mar 5, 2012)

Capibara get up to about 80 lbs. They are the worlds largest rodent, and are good eating. I have had the farm raised version often, its sort of greasy like pork. The capibara eats about 70 varieties of native plants and are responsible for massive crop damage each year. They like to follow small feeder streams into irrigation canals and then fan out into crops to feed at night. Since hunting was banned in 1998 their population has exploded. Gators feed on capibara and now they are overpopulated as well which is affecting the large game fish population.

Another extremely tasty critter we have there is the *Paca. *These are forest dwellers and only get active at night. They hunt them from treestands over bait like corn. I haven't ever hunted them but have run across many treestands and corn husks littered around. I have eaten these both wild and domestic and consider the paca my favorite meat, they really are that good.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Thanks for the info!!!!


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## Fitz (Jul 12, 2012)

So they banned hunting the capybara totally? What was the reason behind that?


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Colhane said:


> Capibara get up to about 80 lbs. They are the worlds largest rodent, and are good eating. I have had the farm raised version often, its sort of greasy like pork. The capibara eats about 70 varieties of native plants and are responsible for massive crop damage each year. They like to follow small feeder streams into irrigation canals and then fan out into crops to feed at night. Since hunting was banned in 1998 their population has exploded. Gators feed on capibara and now they are overpopulated as well which is affecting the large game fish population.
> 
> Another extremely tasty critter we have there is the *Paca. *These are forest dwellers and only get active at night. They hunt them from treestands over bait like corn. I haven't ever hunted them but have run across many treestands and corn husks littered around. I have eaten these both wild and domestic and consider the paca my favorite meat, they really are that good.


 I've seen the caprbara on discovery channel etc but never a paca. Thanks for the link.


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## Fitz (Jul 12, 2012)

Sounds like it would be fun to catch them with dogs!


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