2004-2005 LAKE SONOMA PIG HUNTING

[Kentuck]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

That spot was "pretty hard" for me to get to, so I'll guess you don't really care where it was at.[/b]

I forgot to comment on this earlier but I might just have to take my gimpy knee and pot-bellied desk jockey self and go hunting without you! It was actually quite nice to hunt with someone who "pushes the limit". Sometimes that's what it takes to score! Now that I think about serious hikes, last year I thought about hunting north of the "no-hunt" area and try and catch hogs moving in that area.

 

[BDB]

I don't know Kentuck, I have hunted with Backcountry, usually I have to keep poking him in the a$$ with my hiking poles just to keep him moving.

 

[BDB]

Backcountry must be snoozing at the keyboard or watching Oprah. I thought for sure he would have opened up a can of whoop ass on me for this one

 

[Backcountry]

BDB speaks the truth (more-or-less)... he's so hardcore, from his glassing perch he'll downclimb 1,000 feet, cross a canyon, climb 2,500 feet and circle around the ridge 3 miles, drop down another 1,000 feet, all just to get close to a doe and fawn.

I watched most of this "stalk" (August in X-12) transpire from my own perch at 11,500' about 3 miles to the south... believe me, I was fat & happy that I brough a spotting scope so as to not have to stalk does.

Kentuck, PIGIG and I looked at that area next to the no-hunt zone, and I even think he's pulled his boat back in there before but didn't get out... I'm thinking the same thing as you, but I will say that area looks SCARY steep... I don't think I'd feel safe on much of that portion of the park... but now that you got me thinking, there ARE pigs in there, so I'll bring my rope and harness and some webbing for setting up anchors next time we hunt, just in case we see a pig up there. One question... do pigs float? I ask because any pig hit is ending up in the lake.

Backcountry

 

[BDB]

Guess I deserved that. Won't make that mistake again (no spotting scope) I can assure you

 

[PIGIG]

Originally posted by Backcountry@Oct 6 2004, 11:58 AM
Kentuck, PIGIG and I looked at that area next to the no-hunt zone, and I even think he's pulled his boat back in there before but didn't get out...

i think i will take the kayak up there next time (on a weekend) and just do some steath scouting all around that area i have 1 and 1 i can borrow,

i also think that area deserves a little shoe leather,i wonder if they would mind me using my paraglider with a camera attached to it for spoting

 

[dreaminhogs]

Sorry to hear no one filled a tag. Sounds like everyone had a fun trip. Thanks for the report.

 

[Live2hunt]

Okay BC and PIGIG, when is the next trip? I won't be able to get a weekday off for the rest of the year but when the weekends opens up there, I will definitely give it a try. I may have room for a couple more guys in the boat.



L2H

 

[Backcountry]

We'll probably give weekdays a try a few more times between now and the begining of December (when weekend hunting opens), so hopefully by then we'll have a better handle on what a good weekend plan would be.

For now, some thoughts on weekend hunting...

Given that Lake Sonoma is far and away the best public land hunting opportunity for a big game species in California, in terms of ease of getting tags (over the counter), permits (self sign-in), limits (no limit), and presence of game (the pigs are there in greater numbers than any other public land I can think of), weekends are likely to see a "zoo" of hunters.

I know a few guys belly-ached about "all the hunters" on weekdays last year, but I'm curious if they ever got out of their boat and hiked around, or if they were just complaining about seeing a few guys in camo driving boats... For what it's worth, last year I never saw a single other hunter any place I stepped on shore (with the exception of my great hunting partners, in2blacktail, Mel Carter, and Kentuck). I'm pretty sure PIGIG had the same experience. Yesterday we saw zero other hunters on the water or on land, and only when we returned to the boat ramp did PIGIG see a few other guys in camo getting their boats ready to head out for the evening hunt (or an overnighter).

Without a doubt, if you want to hunt on a Saturday or Sunday, you will be best served by arriving on Friday afternoon/evening and boating in to one of the remote boat-access only campsites. You do not need to motor back in the morning to sign in... sign-in can be done in advance if you are camping. I can guaratee that on the morning of the first Saturday hunt, the boat ramp is going to be a mess about an hour before sunrise, and it will probably stay that way for several hours. Last year, the Yorty Creek boat ramp was not open on weekdays during the winter (I don't know what the schedule will be this year), so that will compound the problem if there is only one boat ramp.

By December, the pigs will be feeling the pressure from the weekday hunters, and the first full-on unlimited weekend of bowhunting will have the pigs running scared, nocturnal, and in the steep-n-deep cover. You could have the most bling-bling boat on the lake, but unless you are willing to put in the time hiking, you won't get a pig (L2H, I saw the photos of your backcountry sucess and I know you're up to it!). If I were hunting on the weekend, I'd try to set myself up in a spot that isn't readilly seen from the lake, and see what happens when the sun rises. A place that is several hundred feet above lake level, with cover, open areas, and fresh rooting... I've got several spots in mind.

If you've got an incrementally larger boat than PIGIG's fine vessel, I'd be interested in tossing in some camping gear, trying to get us set up for sucess during the day, then taking laub cooking lesson's in the evening.

Finally, anybody reading this that thinks you must have a boat to hunt Lake Sonoma... nope... on the contrary, you could probably hunt 10-15 days on foot from the drive-in access and never see the same area twice. There are even a couple backcountry on-the-water campsites that can be reached via short hikes (i.e., sub 2 miles)... but be forewarned, this area is extremely steep and rugged, so if you're not in shape or don't have a good set of boots that grip well on slippery side hills, you'll be hurting. Heck, I'm in shape and have good boots and I'm hurt'n today!

Backcountry

(dang, now I'm thinking "laub"... gonna have to try making that this week!)

 

[ImThere]

question ? how big of a boat can i take ??17ft tri hull???
where is lake sonoma???

 

[Backcountry]

You can take as big a boat as you can trailer... a 17ft. trihull should be able to hold you and your gear and me and my gear nicely...

Lake Sonoma is in Sonoma County, about 75 miles north of San Francisco. Yahoo! maps says it's about 310 miles from you in Tulare... definately not a day trip...

Here is the Army Corp of Engineers website for the lake...

http://www.spn.usace.army.mil/lakesonoma/

Backcountry

 

[ImThere]

sounds great !! the boat is my bro-in-law parked in pismo beach. so good there. i still need a sight for my bow tech noproblem ah atlast a problem no truck!! maybe my bro-in-law lets me borrow that to?? oh and vacation time hmmmm ill figure that out latter!! BC where do i pick you up?

 

[Hunter2003]

Hey everyone I'm planning on going up the there Nov. 22,23,24 I know its a long way away but I will give a report when I get back. Been there once or twice when they were the draw hunts but never got a shot so Im still trying to figure those pigs out. Keep this thread going and let me know how you all do.

 

[PIGIG]

Originally posted by Backcountry@Oct 6 2004, 04:22 PM
I know a few guys belly-ached about "all the hunters" on weekdays last year,
I'm pretty sure PIGIG had the same experience.

you are 100% correct and I walked from the boat ramp on rockpile all the way to loggers camp in 3 days and never did i see a sole untill i was at loggers camp, there was one guy walking the yorty arm across the inlet.

 

[PIGIG]

Originally posted by Hunter2003@Oct 6 2004, 06:57 PM
Hey everyone I'm planning on going up the there Nov. 22,23,24 I know its a long way away but I will give a report when I get back. Been there once or twice when they were the draw hunts but never got a shot so Im still trying to figure those pigs out. Keep this thread going and let me know how you all do.

i do not think anyone will ever figure out the pigs, i have learned so much for some pople on the fourm that guide for a living, and the only way you are going to pattern a pig is to feed it every night. but with enough eyes out there at differnt time we should be able to set up some kind of grid as to where they came from and where they are going

 

[MikenSoCo]

BC, I'm no expert, but here's my

I'm assuming the rice krispies and potato chips are still on the ground all over the place? Tough stalking. Down hill is best for this I believe.That's the case at the ranch I hunt not far away anyway... I also know there are so many oaks up there, it's hard to pin point the feed areas. If you have four guys, I would still check the steep hillsides on the north side of Rockpile Rd. above Broken Bridge campground. It borders private land(just to the west) and is steep, brushy, water, and oaks of course. I've stumbled upon two den's filled with pigets over the years on this hillside. If a sow feels safe enough to nest/den there, it's gotta be a decent place to hunt! This part is also one of the larger unbroken tracts of land between the lake and the road I believe. Two guys can hunt out of the boat, two guys on the hill hunting toward them, then pick up/lunch at broken bridge(or close by!). I don't think even BDB could possibly pack a hog back up that hill!
As far as pigs floating... I heard a guy shot a deer and had to go to Healdsburg to get mask/fins to retrieve it! What dedication eh?!
One last thought... You could have someone in a boat tow your canoe/kayak to broken bridge and tie it up for you? Best of luck, Mike

 

[Live2hunt]

BC,

I hear ya about weekend hunts will turn into a zoo and that hunting pressures pushing pigs way back by the time weekend hunts comes around. But this damn work schedule just won't let me free so I'll just have to try my luck then. I've hunted Sonoma County terrains before and no problems for me there. I have a 17.5' Tri-hull boat. The weight capacity the boat can carry says 1000 pounds but I think I have loaded it with more than 1000 pounds before. It's got a 150 HP 4-cyclinder Mercruiser engine and should get us fairly quick around the lake. Heck we'll do a couple trip back and forth between the boat ramp and remote campground if we have more gear than the boat can carry on one trip. I may be able to get off work on December 2nd-3rd so I'm thinking about a four day hunt, Dec. 2-5. Rain or shine I'm there. And definitely laub cooking lesson if we get any pork.




L2H

 

[Backcountry]

L2H, I'll go ahead and pencil those dates into my calender and talk to the future Mrs. Backcountry about getting a permission slip. I'm sure I can do the 4th-5th, and if things work out, perhaps even the 2nd-3rd.

150 HP? That will be plenty... about 130 HP more than the last two boats I've been on there combined!

Backcountry

 

[Live2hunt]

Keep in touch as the days approach. I'll hit the archery shop and brush up on my bow shooting skills. I'm getting ready to order a crossbow. And hopefully old Pa, (66) who no longer able to draw a bow, can use it. I'm thinking about the Barnett Quad-400 from Cabelas. It shoots 345 fps and 122 foot pound of energy at 150 lbs. draw weight. For $299 the crossbow package comes with a 4x32 multi-reticle scope and a quick detach quiver with four 22" bolts. What do you think?



L2H

 

[buck_t1]

I got a question guys. Can we use tree stands for the hog hunting at lake sonoma? thanks, buck