What keeps you from hunting OTC California?

What Keeps you from hunting OTC in California?


  • Total voters
    110

Spikefrb

FNG
Joined
Nov 1, 2022
Messages
22
We really do have some outstanding spot and stalk bear hunting opportunities.
Shhhhh. There's no big Yogi's in Ca.....it's a myth.
Spike
 

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Spikefrb

FNG
Joined
Nov 1, 2022
Messages
22
Where's the [nothing] option? Archery starts in most parts of the state in mid-August (8/19) this year. You can get going right after Independence Day if you're especially fond of sweltering heat, ticks and poison oak. Let's go!
Yep...nearly impossible. Too hot...too hard...too thick...just too darn tough.
I love the comments from the guys who have no clue.
Is it easy? No. Does it take a lot of hard work? You bet your ass.
But...is it possible? Yes...even for 71 year old G's...even at 8900 ft...
with a little help from our friends.
Cheers
Spike
 

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cmahoney

WKR
Joined
Jun 18, 2018
Messages
2,448
Location
Minden Nevada
Yep...nearly impossible. Too hot...too hard...too thick...just too darn tough.
I love the comments from the guys who have no clue.
Is it easy? No. Does it take a lot of hard work? You bet your ass.
But...is it possible? Yes...even for 71 year old G's...even at 8900 ft...
with a little help from our friends.
Cheers
Spike

Nice buck! Not much OTC near Bridgeport.


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Spikefrb

FNG
Joined
Nov 1, 2022
Messages
22
Nice buck! Not much OTC near Bridgeport.


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Point taken. But I have more than a handful of amigos who harvest great Bucks in B, D, C, and even A zone... year in and year out.It's hard. It's not Nevada, or Utah, or Colorado...but it's a guarenteed tag, and an opportunity, every year.
Cheers
Spike
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2021
Messages
757
I hunt here every year because I live in CA and I love to hunt. The state provides a lot of opportunities to get out and I think about it as keeping my skills sharp for then 1-2x out of state hunts I do a year. Can’t wait to go steal some critters from other states and bring them back to my CA freezer
 
Joined
Jul 4, 2023
Messages
13
The biggest issue is the poor quality of game (ungulate) management.
I live in CA and the bears and mountain lions have eaten a lot of deer. The fact that CA won’t allow you to carry a pistol when bow hunting is also insane. I run into a bear almost every time I go in the woods and a mountain lion one out of three times roughly. It’s not a safe place to bow hunt any longer
 

Spikefrb

FNG
Joined
Nov 1, 2022
Messages
22
I live in CA and the bears and mountain lions have eaten a lot of deer. The fact that CA won’t allow you to carry a pistol when bow hunting is also insane. I run into a bear almost every time I go in the woods and a mountain lion one out of three times roughly. It’s not a safe place to bow hunt any longer
The archery/ firearm regulation only applies to deer hunting. Carry a Bear tag and you're within your rights to carry a handgun while archery hunting..."Bears".
Actually, I believe that you are more threatened by the 2 legged predators...Illegal growers, Cartels, and tweakers.
Personally?
From the time I make camp until I head home I wear a 10mm in a chest rig at all times...unless I'm sleeping...then it's under my pillow.
Cheers
Spike
 

Warmsy

WKR
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Messages
538
Location
Mendocino County
California. Beautiful state. Public land game poor. I lived in Fort Bragg for 4 years. We had a state forest nearby. Jackson state. I think in 4 years I never saw a deer. A zone hunting. Brutal heat, rattlesnakes and poison oak. I killed 2 nice bucks in 4 years. On Private.
Covelo B zone. Rugged, hot and plugged full of people from other countries driving around with chairs in the pick up bed. Plan on packing in a ton of water and being content with seeing 3-4 deer a day if your lucky.
Duck hunting, unless you buy into a lease, be content hunting 3 days a week on the refuges if you can get on. Or diver hunting the bays.

I get it. If you're from there, have connections, intimate knowledge, trail cams up year round it could be a great place on public.
California is no where remotely close to the vast majority of western states in regards ease of big game hunting. Lack of game on public is the main reason. Impossible draw odds for non blacktail hunts is another.
You Californians here sticking up for your state is admirable.
The plain truth is you can go all over the West during hunting season and see California plates everywhere.
You can't go around California and see plates from all over the West during hunting season.
Trust me, it ain't the politics keeping people out.
I've been on a mission to get eyes on all 50,000 access of Jackson Forest...I see deer often, but that's after 6 years of finding spots. The eastern part is absolutely barren of animals. It's kind of creepy.
 

Marble

WKR
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
3,567
Honestly am a little intrigued to try CA bear. I met this cool old hunter in Idaho who's got a Sheep Grand Slam. He gave me an awesome little tour of his house and had a great looking B&C bear he said he shot in California.
There is a lot here.. please come and kill some!

Here's one I hunted last year. Only saw it one time.
e3be5b162890b8f2a653958211519285.jpg


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Joined
Jul 1, 2023
Messages
68
Location
CA
How’s the song go ?
“Love the one you’re with “

3 turkey spring, 2 deer, 1 bear , fall turkey/quail/pigeon and ample ducks and geese in the winter
Plus crabbing, some salmon and decent fly fishing.
300 days of sunshine a year and 700 inches of snow this past year.
 

BFR

WKR
Joined
Jan 5, 2020
Messages
429
Location
Montana
Nothing comes to mind, I lived there until 14 yrs ago. Now, if I’m in Kalifornia and want to hunt I do. But, realistically I can say that about anywhere I go. Being old and retired does have its perks.
 
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