What keeps you from hunting OTC California?

[Rob5589]

Why is everyone bringing up hunting California so much on this forum?

Because it's a hunting forum and there is hunting in CA...?

 

[Deleted member 8-15-23]

Res. Here for 40 years. We all apply for all western states. I have a top whitetail property so that's my favorite hunt. But, dove great. Merced Co. Is #2 in the nation for duck harvest, I killed 77 last year. Great bear hunting. Turkey and hogs is great.Got my tule bull here, and this year drew the best mulie unit in the state for bow and yes, a desert sheep tag@13,000 feet. Always75 and sunny. Starting 8/19, I will be sheep and mulie hunting for 2 weeks at least. The trout and ocean fishing is great. If I was an nr, I would not bother with ca. But as a res. It's damm good if you put the time in. At a point where every state kicks out a tag for me. Then spend Nov. Killing 35 whitetails in wi. All good.

 

[mighteywhitehunter]

There is some good opportunity if you are willing to work for it... but.... most people aren't willing to do that, regardless of the state.

Although I will agree with the fact that the game management, success rates and Trophy quality could be better, there isnt a western state that I know of that someone hasn't complained about on here....

Unless you HAVE to go hunting with a suppressor, full auto, or AR10/15 with 10+rnd detachable mag you will be fine

Crappy politics, weird people and copper bullets suck! But 52% of the state is public, there are no lame wilderness laws, I can whack 2 bucks a year with a lot of easy to get tags, seasons are long, and there are very few of those dang out of state hunters.

 

[GMann]

There is some good opportunity if you are willing to work for it... but.... most people aren't willing to do that, regardless of the state.

Although I will agree with the fact that the game management, success rates and Trophy quality could be better, there isnt a western state that I know of that someone hasn't complained about on here....

Unless you HAVE to go hunting with a suppressor, full auto, or AR10/15 with 10+rnd detachable mag you will be fine

Crappy politics, weird people and copper bullets suck! But 52% of the state is public, there are no lame wilderness laws, I can whack 2 bucks a year with a lot of easy to get tags, seasons are long, and there are very few of those dang out of state hunters.

Nailed it

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[Wrench]

Location.....Location....Location.

I avoid the state like the plague. The politics, laws and woke bs risk isn't worth the reward.

 

[Wags]

Location.....Location....Location.

I avoid the state like the plague. The politics, laws and woke bs risk isn't worth the reward.

Your Right.... WA is much better in those regards.....

 

[oldskool67]

I moved away from CA when I retired. It is a messed up place as far as politics, crime, and taxes go. But I don’t think it’s any worse than WA, OR, or CO. At least the big cities in all those states are the same. Progressive politics have destroyed it, as they will the rest of the country unfortunately.

Anyway as far as OTC tags, there is a ton of good deer and bear hunting. A lot of people on here talk about really getting after it in the back country in other states. If you have the same mindset you can kill deer and bear in CA in some incredibly remote and beautiful country.

 

[DuckDogDr]

I went to commiefornia last year for CE. Was really hesitant but was out of options. Really enjoyed Yosemite, I made sure and packed my fly rod .. all I managed to snag was a crawfish but considered it a success.
Going through security on the way home with my fly rod case I had a blue hair lady start berating me for having to bring my leaf blower with me……

Me and the other guy beside me just started laughing .. it was all we could do. Wasn’t wasting oxygen on her

 

[willfrye027]

I don’t spend enough time hunting CA. The grass is greener with “better” out of state hunts. Usually manage to kill a forky or two but based on what shows up during the rut, I should be hunting big bucks 45 min from my house.

 

[xsn10s]

I'd say the anti hunting crowd was my biggest detractor there. Being a transplant from the midwest left coast mindset never jived with me. But CA was an outdoorsmans paradise at one time. And very firearms industry friendly. Too bad it made the dramatic change.

 

[Wags]

I don’t spend enough time hunting CA. The grass is greener with “better” out of state hunts. Usually manage to kill a forky or two but based on what shows up during the rut, I should be hunting big bucks 45 min from my house.

I'm guilty of this as well.

 

[amassi]

I'd say the anti hunting crowd was my biggest detractor there. Being a transplant from the midwest left coast mindset never jived with me. But CA was an outdoorsmans paradise at one time. And very firearms industry friendly. Too bad it made the dramatic change.

That’s interesting I’ve never experienced any anti hunting sentiment other than some PCT hikers but those people would have those opinions in all the granola hiking states. Granted I live north of Sacramento in a rural area that is much like every rural area I’ve been in across the country.


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[Jimmy]

As someone who lives and hunts here, there's little reason to give out of staters to come here and hunt other than black bears maybe. I hunt because it's where I live, not because it's a great place.

 

[roadrunner]

Newsom and cronies.

 

[HuntCrazy]

This thread makes me happy!

 

[Hoghead]

I keep a pistol on my chest when backpacking or fishing . The liberals stay away frome me . It works better than off dose for bugs.

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[Beendare]

The biggest issue is the poor quality of game (ungulate) management.

I have had OK success in the long ago past…and certain species and areas are still good but that is hard fought info and I’m not going to give that away on the internet.

 

[xsn10s]

That’s interesting I’ve never experienced any anti hunting sentiment other than some PCT hikers but those people would have those opinions in all the granola hiking states. Granted I live north of Sacramento in a rural area that is much like every rural area I’ve been in across the country.


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So Cal. Far different from rural areas. It would be like driving around SF with a Trump bumper stick on a F350.

 

[xsn10s]

I keep a pistol on my chest when backpacking or fishing . The liberals stay away frome me . It works better than off dose for bugs.

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I had a guy drive up to me and my buddies while we were hunting chucks over in Bend. He started screaming at us. Which I found quite amusing.
1). It's illegal
2). Not real smart when you're out in the middle of no where lol.

 

[Hoghead]

I had a guy drive up to me and my buddies while we were hunting chucks over in Bend. He started screaming at us. Which I found quite amusing.
1). It's illegal
2). Not real smart when you're out in the middle of no where lol.

The problem is they are so convinced they are correct that they don't think about consequences. Or that people have different beliefs or values than they do.

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