Hello! From newbie southern Ca hunter

[wooliewill89]

Hello everyone!! glad to finally sign up, have been lurking around reading forums for some time now. I recently (past 10 months) have gotten into archery and hunting now as a result and love it. I have had to learn a great deal from YouTube articles and so on about archery and hunting. The only person in my family to hunt was my grandfather who was from Oregon and passed away nearly 16 years ago, so there was no asking him how things go. I'm from Southern Cali living in Fontana, and have been trying to hunt my local national forests. Anyway wanted get on here and say hello and ask a few questions for those willing to help the new guy.

Last year I bought my first OTC deer tag for D19 and had learned the hard way about hunting. 100+ degree heat in the mountains with no idea where to start was rough to say the least. After that I had gotten a pig tag and went searching in a few places that also let me know things are far from easy when searching for these animals. I have tried several places in San Diego counties and up in the Grape Vines for hogs and fall turkeys. Resulting in failure but it's the only way I learn I guess. I don't need people's spot, I need advice and teaching. I have put my boots to the ground and trekked miles and have yet to see anything but tracts and squirrels.

This year I will be entering the big game drawing but I am lost as what to put in for. I'm 4 hours or so from x9 but that might be long shot to get a AO tag there. The other place I was Intrestes in was a D zones 13 11 and I think a31. Like I said I'm still learning and willing to work hard, I just need guidance and I am very greatful for any and all who have positive words to contribute. Thank you all from a newbie who learns the hard way. -
WJR

 

[sneakypete]

WJR, Welcome to the forum! I've never hunted so cal so I'm not much help. I did tag along on a G hunt above the Kern river. The name if the closet town I can't remember. Good luck!

 

[bghunter]

Hi,
I never hunted S CA, mostly north and out of state. My advise, NEVER GIVE UP, once you get first, second, third animal you will love it and will be looking for any opportunity to go hunting.

This forum is great place, a lot of good, knowledgable people willing to help, just be nice, ask, and share some stories.

I would advise to do some research how to find, stalk, shoot, and take care of the animal when it is down.

Good luck!

 

[Slugz]

Welcome. Always room around the campfire for another. Lots of great info and people here.

WRT the Ca hunting.....Im sure things have changed a little the past years and I'm not completely up to speed or remember the zone I was hunting in. But.....when I was stationed in Lemoore Ca I used to always drive up to Northern Ca with a buddy of mine and hunt the zone West of the interstate and directly if not close to directly west of Shasta. Not sure if its worth looking at but I remember as a non resident going in there every year. I was happy with the hunt and had a blast with a few medium size bucks down. Might be able to do that while building points for the big time X zones. Just a thought.

 

[wooliewill89]

Thanks guys, nice to be on here looking forward to the thoughts and stories from everyone.

 

[CrossCreeks]

Welcome and good luck !

 

[Never in Doubt]

If you're seeing deer tracks, thats a good start. I'd suggest buying a book or 2 about deer hunting in the kind of terrain that you hunt in. Lots of good information on deer habitat and habits you can get from very successful hunters.

I hunt in the northern D zones of CA, and here's a few things that worked for me.

-Be off the roads and trail before first light. Get away from the crowds.
-Use your binocs and glass, glass glass. Search the area for deer. Sometimes a hunter needs to cover less ground and just stay hidden and observe the area.
-Stay out until dark. Many times the only chance you have of seeing deer are first light and at dusk.
-If it's a dry zone, find water. From there you can usually find their bedding areas.
-It's possible there's no bucks in that area, so find another area to hunt.
-Once you find an area you know bucks are, hunt it for at least 3 straight years. Get to know the area very well.

There's a million more pointers but those are some that changed things for me. I first hunted several years, alone and trying to learn to hunt, and saw over 120 deer, zero legal bucks during shooting hours. I was all over. It's frustrating man! Just stick with it, and keep learning. Don't get lucky, get good!

Hunt the X-zones as soon as you can. Even it you don't seal the deal you can see more deer and observe them and begin to learn their habits.

 

[wooliewill89]

Thank you greatly bro, Appreciate the boost in modivation. I do find my self putting on 6+ miles one way into Los Padres every time I go, perhaps I should sit tight. I forget at times that im not just out for a hike haha. 3 years sounds like along time but it's already flying by, have a strong lead on black bear tracks in and out of a small area of D13 but not sure if I'm ready for that one. I'll take the advice and stick to an area with tracks and scatt, debating spending cash on a game can.

 

[Never in Doubt]

You're welcome bro. Most bucks will vanish if they know you're there. Hiking and looking for animals usually isn't as effective as finding an area with a good view and staying hidden while you study the landscape. I'm sure the buck/square mile ratio isn't very good in D13(like most of California).

The deer in D13 are resident deer and stay there year round. So if you find fresh deer poop, you know deer are there. One idea is to carefully locate their trails they use to go from their bedding areas to water. Or from where they feed to their bedding areas. Sometimes you can catch them on these trails at first light or in the evening.

A game cam is a good idea! Find a spot away from trails and roads so it's less likely to get stolen.

 

[BOHNTR]

There are two wilderness areas that an ambitious bowhunter could/should check in the early archery season.......San Gorgonio (D-14) and Cucamonga (D-11). Both will have a few bucks and plenty of bears.....with San G being the better of the two, IMO.

A31 is the LA Archery hunt.......I've hunted it for over 40 years. Last year was the worst I've seen it. Drought, predators, poaching, and too many tags has taken its toll.

 

[wooliewill89]

Thank you very much sir, I really appreciate it. I can see San g from my window right now, always wondered what it held. Big game drawing is soon I better get some choices set up haha.

 

[marcusvdk]

Welcome to the forum

 

[missjordan]

Welcome to the forum!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[BOHNTR]

If you purchase the Archery Only tag (AO) you can bowhunt all A, B, and D zones throughout the entire state. This probably the best choice if you strictly hunt with a bow and arrow. In the Golden State, you can also bowhunt with an AO tag during the general (rifle) season......so you essentially have almost two months for local mountains.

Join the California Bowmen Hunters (CBH), which is the state archery association. They are also the official recorder for the state archery record book. That book has A LOT of valuable information on trophy caliber animals taken throughout the state. Here is a link to the CBH website-Big Game Club section. I'm the Measuring Chairman for CBH and can attest that it is a great organization that continually fights for bowhunting rights in the land of fruits and nuts.

http://cbhsaa.azurewebsites.net/BigGame

 

[wooliewill89]

Nice man! That's geat info! Yes for now I'm strictly bow hunter, I do have a 30-06 but might get that set up for wild pigs when I can. Thank you greatly I will look into becoming a member

 

[quicknick]

You're on the right track, keep at it. Also go ahead and invest in out of state applications. I would recommend Nevada and Arizona based on proximity to you and it cost a little less up front than States like wyo and col to apply. I drew a late archery tag in the Ruby's in Nevada a couple years ago and there is so many deer running around it will make your head spin.

 

[87TT]

Since I left Ca, I would give you my spots but already passed the off to a friend. I've hunted in D11, D7, X9a, X12 and a few others. I hunted D14 mostly as I lived in Big Bear. I remember when there weren't Zones and you could go anywhere. Best advice has been given. Find the sign and sit. Early mornings and evenings are best. Remember a very important thing. After you kill it, you have to get it out. San G is a very steep and rugged area. My experience up there is the deer tend to not be near the trails. I have ridden horseback and backpacked in there quite a bit and have seen very few deer near the trails. I would not recommend going alone either. We spent weeks looking for a lost boy scout who never was found. A game camera is helpful in that it confirms what deer are using the area and what time of day. Mule deer usually don't have a pattern like whitetail. They range more than whitetail too. During bow season the bucks are usually alone or with other bucks and not generally in the same areas the does are. There's more but I hope that helps.

 

[wooliewill89]

Thank you so much man really appreciate it, I have been looking at San G on topo maps it seems rough on foot. I typically hunt alone and I do worry about the risks. Today I think is big game draw enter for Ca, Gona get my AO and see about x9 point, I will be trying d11 and d14. My biggest issues are access points into the Wilderness Areas, I have always loved big bear and want to live up there my self. I work in Redlands so it wouldn't be to bad.

Being able to pull an animal from my local mountains would be a trophy alone for me, and now that I know that mountain holds animals I can't stop looking at it haha. I'm going to try hard this season and push my self in those mountains and hopefully get to share a photo with you all one day! Again thank you my friend and all who help me out on here, it's good have to support and modivation. A lot of people that hear I try to hunt animals look at me weird

 

[N.Y.ArcheryMadMan]

Welcome..... Some Quick Advice.... When Scouting us Google Earth to look at the Terrain, Natural Funnels, Water Sources, and Food Sources. Also if you are Bowhunting definitely watch your Sent Control you are trying to get up Close and Personal. Try to hunt Food or Water Sources. Do research on the Animal your Hunting on the Time during the Season that it might Mate... Look into different Calls and Scents. And is Baiting Legal in your State.... Also Check Out You Tube on Videos how to Butcher the Animal that you Harvested......

 

[BOHNTR]

wooliewill89:

I would HIGHLY recommend you also join a local archery club.....LOTS of bowhunters in two clubs near you. You can shoot 3D's to practice and might just pick up a few tips on where to go locally. There are two clubs near you. The biggest (and one of the best) is Oranco Bowmen. They have a five-star range. The other is Cherry Valley Bowhunters which isn't too far from you. Not a bad range either. Both have websites and facebook pages. Good luck.