Place to shoot, pig hunting in CA

[slowneasy]

As I've been transplanted to SoCa for the time being, I'm in need of a place to sight- in rifles and plinking. Does anyone know of a place that I can do that within reasonable driving distance? Also, I want to take advanage of the hunting opportunities while I'm here and am planning a pig hunt soon. Do any of you hunt pigs or know about hunting them in central California? Any information will be much appreciated and thanks for the help.

 

[Okie-Go]

Never hunted in California but I hunt them quite often in south Texas. You may try a gun shop or a hunting magazine and look at the classifieds. The paper in houston has hog hunts quite often, may try the paper there. The head and tusks makes an awsome mount. The meat is pretty tasty from a young one also.

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[Chad Sheets]

All kinds of desert around Pendleton. Just do like the gang members and take pop shots at the aircraft flying overhead #ad


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[illflem]

It's been years ago,but the only places in CA I knew for pig hunting were on the Channel Islands and in certain areas of Los Padres NF behind Santa Barbara. Check in a CA Fish& Game Dept. hunting guide, you can get them where they sell hunting licenses.
Camp Pendleton is pretty hemmed in by urban sprawl now,if you can't shoot on base it's a long way around to find a place. I would suggest taking the Ortega Hwy from SJ Capistrano towards Lake Elsinore,there are dirt roads cutting off all over the place in Cleveland NF,where you can safely shoot.

 

[HDH]

There are Lots of Wild Bore and Turkey In the hills around Taft Ca. Taft is Just 30miles east of Bakersfield.

There are also Bore Hunts in and on the Tejon Ranch on the Grapevine. It Cost's $ though.

Last week I went up on Rancheria Road From Hwy 178 up to Alta Sierra. On that trip i spotted 1 bear,3 bobcats,2 bucks, a whole bunch of range cattle, and 2 coyote's.

There's still lots of wildlife in Kern County!.

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[This message has been edited by DieselRam (edited 01-23-2001). ]

 

['956Wheel]

Check out the area around Paso Robles, (boar). Hunters Ligget (sp?) for gamebirds. Look around on the web, should be able to find plenty... . get away from the crowd, I was taking UNfriendly fire after downing and dragging a boar... too many a$$holes shooting all tha moves. Also coyote is a challenge... they are SMART and will stalk you!! A Blast! There are some guides with dogs outside of Paso Robles. . good time! #ad


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9535hundred

 

['956Wheel]

Hey Chad, how 'bout pot shots from aircraft at gangbangers!! Semper Fival #ad


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9535hundred

 

[willyslover]

Get a good map and look at a town called Colinga off hwy 198 [east of Visalia 1 hr. ] look north and find a road that goes to Hollister [this road will be east of Hwy 25]... your looking for an area called Clear Creek near New Idrea quicksilver mines... many many bores pulled out of this area, lots of hand guns used to hunt bore here..... if you can't find this area then the area that Statland speaks of is also prime area

 

[Cummnzpowr]

if you want to travel a bit north to the bay area... you can join the Golden Ram Hunting club and there's the Hedgepeth Ranch 45 minutes west of Santa Rosa. . hundreds of acres all the way out to the coast... a buddy of mine shot a 200 boar out there last season. . monster tusks on him! just a thought. . later

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[Ramboy00]

The coast mountain range from Ventura to Santa Maria is loaded with wild pigs. Years ago I had a friend that owned the Pine Mountain Inn on Hwy. 33 north of Ojai. He had a dog that was 1/2 Great Dane and 1/2 St. Bernard and weighed well over 200 lbs. The dog used to kill pigs all the time and drag them into his yard. Sorry for the reminiscing. Another good hunting area is King City on Hwy. 101.

 

[illflem]

Seems like most of us are recommending the same area,Los Padres NF. A old friend of mine manages a 4000 acre avocado ranch 20 miles west of Santa Barbara and told me the story. Apparently this area was heavily infested with rattlesnakes,so in the early 1900s pigs were released,they love killing and eating rattlesnakes. The pigs did a good job,there are now areas with no rattlers,downside is the pigs went wild and started playing havoc with area farms. My buddy told me of a pig roundup they did in the '60s where a huge pit was dug in a box canyon and over 200 guys on horseback,along with dogs herded the pigs from ten miles in each direction towards the canyon. In one day over 500 pigs were herded into the pit,shot and covered with a dozer. Of course some got away...

 

[slowneasy]

Everyone, thanks a lot for all the replies! I will probably go in the area of Los Padres NF, but am always open to other ideas. I used this excuss (pig hunting) to buy a new rifle, not that I needed one though. Will be going sometime in May and hope to tag a porky or two. But as all sportsman know, you don't have to fill a tag to have a great time- just being out on the range is worth it.
Thanks again, everyone.

 

[NVR FNSH]

I'll second illflem statement about Los Padres NF. I've never hunted pigs although it sounds like a good time. Friends of mine have hunted the LPNF around San Luis Obispo/Santa Maria during college and have done pretty well. Check the map for Black Mountain & Pine Mountain - the area is bordered by 101 on the west, Hwy 58 on the north, Hwy 33 on the south & Taft/Hwy 99 on the east. You'll have to check out the Pozo Salon - an old Pony Express/stagecoach stop.

San Luis Obispo is ~3 hours/200 miles north of LAX.

You might try the Cleavand NF - a little closer to home.

One last thing - I'm from Long Beach & I don't recall there being too many 'long range' areas in local NFs - 150 yds was about the longest NF shooting area I can remember. anything longer you need to go to real range.

Brian

[This message has been edited by Brian Meadows (edited 01-24-2001). ]

 

[RonaldLarson]

I have a boar head from a Russian (278#) from the Paso Robles area. More pigs than you can count. There are two good guides up there, both names which I cannot recall. Get a Paso Robles phone book and start calling. Both guides hunt leased hunt lands, so no free lance is allowed. I took seven nice animals in two hunts. Hunt the early Spring.
Ron


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