California Hunting First time

[Bubblehide]

I am well, you?

hey, it's good to see you here.

 

[Zak89]

OH Hey Bubble! How ya been Man! Was hangin out at SCH and finally had the last straw, so I won't be going back there.

Ah a familiar face, hey GDog . Finally got that Outdoorsmans setup you recommended me, can't wait to use it this fall!

 

[Opah]

There are places in D14 that can be productive opening day and towards the end of the season.
But as stated after opening day D14 becomes a dangerous zoo, I stopped hunting it for that reason.
Skymasterm if you PM me I can give you the good stops I know Of.

 

[Opah]

Hey Gdog ! I can lead into a couple good ares if you like. Be ready to have company, lots of antis, hunters and some that should not be hunting.

 

[JakeSCH]

I grew up hunting D14 and now live in San Diego so I hunt D16. Deer can be had every year but you have to earn it. Learning how to hunt in So Cal makes out of state hunts feels like you are hunting in Yellowstone. (Maybe a bit of an exaggeration).

I would say most important equipment in so cal is glass. There are some specific local forums that go into detail how to hunt. Check them out as well.

 

[JakeSCH]

@TheGDog glad to see you are doing well! I know the guys at SCH push your buttons but honestly a lot miss your opinions.

 

[Bubblehide]

@TheGDog glad to see you are doing well! I know the guys at SCH push your buttons but honestly a lot miss your opinions.

He is not missing anything.

 

[Kal-Elk]

I grew up hunting D14 and now live in San Diego so I hunt D16. Deer can be had every year but you have to earn it. Learning how to hunt in So Cal makes out of state hunts feels like you are hunting in Yellowstone. (Maybe a bit of an exaggeration).

I would say most important equipment in so cal is glass. There are some specific local forums that go into detail how to hunt. Check them out as well.

Out of curiosity, what glass do you bring with you scouting/hunting (is there a difference)?

Newb, as well, and I'm willing to give a lot more credence to someone who actually has success is D-16.

I'd otherwise PM you, but I don't have privileges yet.

 

[JakeSCH]

I run Maven B2 (9x45) on my chest primarily for glassing when moving / stalking but most of the time I am behind 15x56 (Maven B4's) on a tripod.

I recently bought the Maven B5 (18x56) to try out this year.

The little buck in my photo was mine from last season, spotted him bedded under a bush at 800 yards. Watched him for 10 minutes before he finally moved.

 

[Kal-Elk]

I run Maven B2 (9x45) on my chest primarily for glassing when moving / stalking but most of the time I am behind 15x56 (Maven B4's) on a tripod.

I recently bought the Maven B5 (18x56) to try out this year.

The little buck in my photo was mine from last season, spotted him bedded under a bush at 800 yards. Watched him for 10 minutes before he finally moved.

You bring two pairs of binos then? I had been eyeing the Maven B4s in 12x56 and gettin a spotter, but never really haven been off the trails I wasn't sure how useful it would be, or it would be too much taskloading for my first time out there.

 

[Bubblehide]

I use 10 x 42 Cabela euros, 15x56 swaros on a tripod, and on some hunts a Nikon ED 82 spotter. By yourself the best glass you can.

 

[Kal-Elk]

I use 10 x 42 Cabela euros, 15x56 swaros on a tripod, and on some hunts a Nikon ED 82 spotter. By yourself the best glass you can.

I've got pretty much all my other gear lined up from out of state elk hunts, where my friend basically held my hand the entire time. So the budget for this year is dedicated solely for glass.

If you're local as well, I'd love to know what you wish you would've started off with too.

 

[Bubblehide]

Knowing what I now know. I would start with sig 3000 ranging binos paired to a smart phone with the ballistic app (my next purchase very soon). Otherwise I would start with swaros 12 x 50s or the Lieca variable power. But I would not get Lieca ranging binos.

 

[JakeSCH]

You bring two pairs of binos then? I had been eyeing the Maven B4s in 12x56 and gettin a spotter, but never really haven been off the trails I wasn't sure how useful it would be, or it would be too much taskloading for my first time out there.

Yes sir, I run two pair of binos...a lot of successful public land hunters down here do. I use to run 10x and Vortex Razor HD spotter but the 15's are the way to go. Much easier to sit behind 15's for a long period of time. If I was going to go with a 12x, I would probably go something lighter weight than the B4's.

Like bubble said, get the best glass you can afford. If you have the money buy the swaro SLC 15x56, i've owned them and they are great...however I would caveat that I did end up selling them because I didn't feel like they improved my glassing game for the extra $$$

If you go to fine firearms in La Mesa you can check out the swaros vs vortex uhd's (just make sure to set up an appointment first - due to covid).

 

[Kal-Elk]

[QUOTE

Knowing what I now know. I would start with sig 3000 ranging binos paired to a smart phone with the ballistic app (my next purchase very soon). Otherwise I would start with swaros 12 x 50s or the Lieca variable power. But I would not get Lieca ranging binos.

Yes sir, I run two pair of binos...a lot of successful public land hunters down here do. I use to run 10x and Vortex Razor HD spotter but the 15's are the way to go. Much easier to sit behind 15's for a long period of time. If I was going to go with a 12x, I would probably go something lighter weight than the B4's.

Like bubble said, get the best glass you can afford. If you have the money buy the swaro SLC 15x56, i've owned them and they are great...however I would caveat that I did end up selling them because I didn't feel like they improved my glassing game for the extra $$$

If you go to fine firearms in La Mesa you can check out the swaros vs vortex uhd's (just make sure to set up an appointment first - due to covid).

Thanks guys, really appreciate your contributions!

 

[TheGDog]

I am well, you?

hey, it's good to see you here.

It's good just to be anywhere besides the house! I was down and out, first with Flu then with CoVID. Flu Dec 26th to Beg of Feb. Better for 1 week. Then Mama brought home the CoVID. 2nd week Feb to end of March. They called the lockdown just as I got past the hump of the deathgrip on my lungs and was getting better.

Having issues with old tailbone injury and the pack aggravating it. All the coughing really kicked up inflammation in that area as well.

Since then a few outings trying for 'yotes, that drop down into popping Ground Squirrels as a consolation prize. Which is actually good because think I'm gonna swap out to a nicer scope I have with higher magnification on the .223 Rem. Was upsetting myself missing on this one Squirrel at 100yds. Was real windy, coming directly at me, but I still feel I should have been able to get him. I frustrating blew thru far too many shots in that box relentlessly trying to take him out. In frustration... back to the truck... break out the .17 HMR... back to feeling like a Surgeon again!

Finally got the boy his hunting license now! (About to be 13yo) So plan to take him for Rabbit Opener. And *maybe* out with me on deer outings this year. He's a bit of a whiner though, so not sure if I have the patience to deal with that.

Last year I had an arrow go over the back of a barely legal forkie that had a nice body. Then on last day of General Season the forest threw me a bone and had a Bobcat walk right in front of me! So got one of those before the ban went into effect.

EDIT: Sorry for the Thread Jack post. Definitely get you some 15's!

 

[TheGDog]

Hey Gdog ! I can lead into a couple good ares if you like. Be ready to have company, lots of antis, hunters and some that should not be hunting.

RE: Some that should not be hunting - Yeah, this last year, at a new to me spot which was nearer to a road, I had a 15yo girl using her Scope as Binos and when I turned my Binos on the tripod over to see her... she was pointing her rifle DIRECTLY at me! Cannot express to you in words the immediate anxiety that caused!

 

[TheGDog]

@TheGDog glad to see you are doing well! I know the guys at SCH push your buttons but honestly a lot miss your opinions.

The demographics were improving, but, the "core" of them... who are clique-ish miss having somebody for themselves to direct their less-than-gentlemanly behaviour at. I have every confidence that is most likely the ONLY reason anyone from that place elected to attempt to "extend-an-olive-branch" to come back. But No...No thanks.

Call me crazy, but I appreciate being among fellow humans that don't have issues when people speak in greater detail than just grunt-like replies of 2 sentences or less.

It's a shame that the ones with a lot of experience under their belt, hence the most knowledge to share, are some of the worst offenders too.

It's not all of them. But the ones it describes, ruin it for everyone else. And... that site will never discipline those folks disrespectful behaviours. Because they are part of some clique-ish "In-Crowd" dymanic. Just is what it is.

 

[Davidson51]

As a first time hunter, I'd say time in the field is the most important. You are just 2 hours from Tejon Ranch. I'd look at that if spending money on a guided hunt/membership is an option.

The memberships come with guest passes so you could bring along a mentor. Most savvy SoCal hunters would jump at the chance to hunt 220,000 acres of private.

This is how I got started in SoCal. Tejon offers several different options, just a bit expensive.