Hunting in Southern California...
 

I'm new to Southern California Hunting and am planning on taking my son to zone D16 this year. Can anyone give me any feedback on decent hunting locations and how the hunting has been lately? Any info is obviously a big help.

Thanks
Mike

RE: Hunting in Southern California...
 

not sure there are any deer in southern california. atleast it doesnt seem like it. i've lived here all of my 16, nearly 17 years and I ain't seen one. All the hunting magazines i look at say all the good hunting is up north. really hope you can find some though.

RE: Hunting in Southern California...
 

You may wish to consult Metro , he lives in your area .

RE: Hunting in Southern California...
 

mike,

Welcome to HuntingNet

you might want to post your question in the "west" (regional) forum. Somebody there should be able to help with your question.

In the early 70's while stationed out in S. Cal I hunted a place called "Cleg Horn" Mountain. About 20 miles+ - from Victorville/Apple Valley.

In 4 yrs I took 3 decent bucks(had to be fork horn or better)
Back then the place was full of deer and places where few men had ever walked! God knows what it looks like now with all the developement in 30 + yrs?

Good Luck

RE: Hunting in Southern California...
 

Mike Im not sure just how good the deer hunting is in Southern California but I hear the beaver hunting is GREAT ;>))

Roll Tide
DD

RE: Hunting in Southern California...
 

If your looking for Whitetail, sorry but California is one of only 2 or 3 US states that don't hold them. Mule deer, more up north. This is just what I have read...

RE: Hunting in Southern California...
 

Yeah, we have blacktail. We're arid and the climate doesn't support those cornfed pets that the east and south consider wild game. We have to work for our meat which means alot of walking in unforgiving terrain and finding them where they bed. Usually in a creek. To make things that much nicer for us we have an early season so the temperature usually hovers in the mid nineties for us except in those frequent occasions it heats up to over 100 degrees. Take lots of water and be prepared to sweat. Unless of course you're lucky enough to be admitted to private land which can range from the moderatrely priced $500 for OK land to the much easier to hunt $1500 dollar land. Seriously though, Fort Hunter Ligget offers decent hunting at a decent price. It's not more than $60/year but you can only hunt weekends and holidays. Buy a pig tag before you go so you have more shooting options. The Los Padres is and Angeles national forests are available but good luck. Deer stick WAY back in there and I've theorized the bucks don't grow antlers until after hunting season.

RE: Hunting in Southern California...
 

WOW, doe's anybody have anything good to say about California beside's me ? Mike I live in Fallbrook north of San Diego and yes there are place's to hunt around here. a lot depend's on what you want to hunt and what weapon. I've hunted Fort Hunter Ligget and off season (pig's) it's great but during bow or gun deer season it's a zoo. there are plenty of areas in SD county to bowhunt deer but gun season it's pretty congested. I don't know where you came from but hunting in the heat takes some getting used to.Don't get discouraged, We bear hunted last weekend up near Lake Isabella and arrowed a nice chocolate black bear about 200 lbs, thats only about 4 hrs from SD. e-mail me if I can be of any help, Bill

RE: Hunting in Southern California...
 

Ooooppp's forgot my e-mail address, [email protected]