Food Plots Or Trail Cameras Public Forest
 

I live in Orange County, CA in the "concrete forest" so the only huntable land I have access to is the national forest, more specifically the cleveland national forest. During all the turkey scouting and hiking ive done over the past several weeks I have seen a ton of deer on the public land where I hunt gobblers. Virtually all the deer I have seen have been fairly small does, I have seen ONE decent sized buck in the area (but on private land) That's the main problem I've had hunting California because there is so much private land within national forest limits! And of course most of the wildlife prefers these areas. Anyways I've never hunted deer before so I'm trying to do as much "early preparation" as possible in order to make my hunt as successful as possible. The area I plan on hunting has a few tag options. One being the general season which starts a bit later, you can use a rifle but you must take a forked buck. The other is an either sex archery tag which starts a bit earlier and lasts longer. Since I've seen a lot of does in the area would it be better for me to try and take a doe as my first deer? Or just get a general rifle tag?

Also, I was doing some reading on food plots has anyone ever planted foodplots on public land? Is planting seeded footplots considered baiting which I know is not legal in CA? I've seen does grazing in grassy fields that border denser cover, I was thinking if I hike back in there and plant some clover seeds maybe that will bring in a buck? I was also thinking about putting a trail camera in these areas, but I have heard horror stories of them being stolen etc. Is there anyway I can hide a camera or chain it to a tree?

RE: Food Plots Or Trail Cameras Public Forest
 

has anyone planted foodplots or put trail cameras on pub land?

RE: Food Plots Or Trail Cameras Public Forest
 

I doubt you can plant food plots or even bait on public land at least not in GA where I from. I dont see a problem with puting up a trail cam though. I didnt think southern CA had a whitetail population??

RE: Food Plots Or Trail Cameras Public Forest
 

We don't have white tails we have Mule Deer. Thanks for your advice. I do want to get a trail camera, and hopefully be able to lock it or hide it.

RE: Food Plots Or Trail Cameras Public Forest
 

The thing to remember about theives is that they WILL take your camera. I have had success with the cudde back camera because of the bear box that is made for it. It is effective in stopping honest people who turn buit wont stop anyone intent on getting it. Here is what I do and you would be suprised how many pictures of hunters I have reading my box. Cuddebacks are pretty expensive but I went with them specificaly for the bear box. It seems a hell of a lot tougher than all the other production camera boxes out there.

1: Get the metal locking bear box.
2: Encode the camera
3: On the front of my bear box I have written "ENCODED CAMERA THIS WILL NOT WORK FOR YOU"
4: I put my bear box 8 feet up a tree
5: I have 6 lag bolts 4 inches long bolting the camera to the tree
6: I have attached bark from the same type of tree it is attached to
7: I have placed the locking cable so that if someone actually sees the camera and gets a ladder and reads the warning then they will see the cable and hopefully be deterred.

I have not lost any cameras yet but it will happen. The bear box will also stop vandals pretty well also.

RE: Food Plots Or Trail Cameras Public Forest
 

Oh and I planted a food plot on public land using "Throwand Grow" seed. I watched it grow and get rooted from hogs. I kept adding seed and left it alone till 1 week before season. Came back and had 3 hunters watching the plot that morning. Pretty dog gone depressing but that is how it works around here.