Recurve Shooter, I love the swamps, but I was in them from the time when I was very young, and my Parents, and Grand dad and my Brother would go down there to hunt, you just learned to look ahead, and down as you walked, or waded, and you knew which areas were deeper than others, and what not to touch, or get too close to. I will miss the swamps, and the ocean. But as for you not having any exotics......you have nutria in La., also. They are considered a delicacy by some of your fellow Louisiana residents.
Give it time, and you will be getting other critters, that will thrive there, like here in Fla. .
Wayne