Last minute CA archery deer advice ... ?

[moxford]

I held off on deer this year to save cost and vacation time for a 3rd season Colorado elk hunt ... which just fell through. So back to deer.

I'm looking at the only zones still open in California, the General season D-zones way down south. I've never really been down there and it looks pretty open for an archery hunt.

D11,D13,D14,D15 close this weekend.
D12 & D16 are open for a couple more weeks.

It's quite a cost to get down there (time, gas, wife-points) so I'm interested in any tips or advice for those areas.

Huge thanks in advance!

-mox

 

[daddie63]

Sorry I can't help but good luck.

 

[FreeRange]

The front range of D eleven is archery only even though rifle season is open. Basically anything in the NF boundaries south of Mt. Wilson and that major east-west ridgeline is archery only. A program like onX is more important than your boots in hunting an area like that. A good number of deer, super dense, ambush style hunting or treestands, in view of people's backyards at times. It's not my preferred style I hunt elsewhere in the unit on the late archery tag which is now sold out. There's a good map available online or from the ranger stations in the area showing the archery only areas. A lot of eyes watching for you to slip up near all those neighborhoods, do your due diligence before heading out to make sure you're 100% legal, and then some.

Success rate wise you'd probably have better luck going for pigs at FHL in the archery only areas or for bear closer to home when compared to hitting this area blind. But if it's got to be deer then that's your spot. You'd also have better odds in other parts of the unit with a rifle if you're willing to get far away from roads. A ton of the area burned a few years ago and its much better spot and stalk type hunting and the deer are starting to rut. Also good chances to see a bear, some very big ones in the area.