Any Lake Sonoma Reports?

[SacFireJT]

I am planing on hunting Sonoma next week. Anyone know how the hunting has been?

 

[Moparcwby77]

I have been spending a lot of time out there over the past 3 weeks on the deer hunt. I finally stuck my deer, a nice 3x3 this past monday evening and stayed to hunt pigs through wednesday. Tuesday evening I stuck a small sow. The north end of the lake had lots of pigs hanging around a couple weeks ago. Its obvious a lot of them have gotten run off. I'll be back there on friday and let you know if I find where they are hiding.

 

[SacFireJT]

Congrats on your buck and your pig! Thanks for the information...when I hunted there last year, we saw a lot of rooting activity in the hill area north of Yorty creek, have you seen any pigs overthere?

Are the pigs keying in on the acorns?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Rangerjoel]

Three more hogs taken near Logers camp this past week.
Joel

 

[Moparcwby77]

I didnt see any pigs in the oaks north of Yorty Creek. Opening weekend of the deer season on the north half of the lake there were pigs right down at the waters edge. However Ive been back every weekend since and have not seen them there again. The pigs do seem to be working the areas that still have acorns on the ground. The pig I got was in a field feeding. My best advice would be to get up high on a ridge somewhere and use your glasses at first and last light. A lot of the grass there is 4 foot tall this year so they can be very hard to see. One minute they are there the next they are gone. Also another thing is that there are a few old orchards around the lake. Most of the trees are bare, but there are some that have figs on them. I bumped into pigs in one of the orchards opening weekend. Hope this helps.

 

[Rangerjoel]

Well, the lake Sonoma pigs struck back at me in the only way they could. In addition to being the parks hunt coordinator, I am also the natural resource ranger who is responsible for tree planting. I just so happens that there area about 5 redwood trees that I planted near lone rock parking lot last spring and I have been carefully nurturing them and trucking thousand of gallons of water up hill to them all summer long. Guess where the pigs have decided to root? That’s right, THEY ARE AFTER MY TREES!!!

I don’t suppose any of you would have the common decency to kill those S.O.Bs and cook them!
Good luck and good hunting.
Joel

 

[SacFireJT]

Joel,

Thanks for the info, we will try to help you out!

 

[Moparcwby77]

Just got home from a long weekend at Lake Sonoma. Still a few pigs around. Didnt see any on Friday, but heard them back in the steep brush. They were on their way out, but didn't make it before dark. Saturday we bumped into a large herd. If the pigs were not off limits on the weekends we'd of brought home 2 more nice hogs. We also saw a monster of a boar by himself feeding in the oaks. I'll be going again as soon as I can get a couple more days off of work.

 

[SacFireJT]

Morpar,

Just sent you a e-mail...

Sounds like some good hunting!

 

[SacFireJT]

Just returned from Lake Sonoma and I got into a few hogs

Arrived on tuesday night and hunted an area near Loggers camp. I was still hunting a ridge when I made it to an area with a lot of sign. I decided to sit on several trails untill dark. As I sat, the wind was giving me fits--it was swirling bad. I must have gone thru a half of bottle of wind checker that night

Anyway, I finally found a place where it was consistant. With about 5 minutes of shooting light left, below me, I heard some snorts and in walked a BIG BOAR! He was broadside to me at 65 yards. I did not want to take a far shot, so I thought I would wait for him to move a little more behind some brush, and the I would put a sneek on him. He walked a few more steps and stopped and looked nervous...The wind had changed at the wrong time! He turned and trotted back the way he came. I went back to camp and it rained all night.

The next morning the rain had stopped. I was still hunting a trail when over a rise, on the same trail, two 100 pounders walked right into me. I was still when they appeared and the wind was good, but they saw me, turned, and went back the way they came...it was about 10 in the morning! The pigs were only 35 yards away

That same morning the deer had come out of the wood work. I had several bucks within 40 yards--including one PY buck--only if I had a tag for this area!

That evening, two other hunters showed up in Loggers camp. One was a JHO'er but I forgot his handle. I hunted in the same area where I was seeing pigs and saw nothing this night. The next morning I returned to find fresh sign but no pigs. I did see a bobcat, which was pretty cool.

Three days and two days seeing pigs...

Stopped by the visitor center on the way out and talked with the nice lady at the counter. She told me that the guy with the picture of the big hog posted at the visitor center had shot THREE PIGS this week! Man he must have a sweet spot somewhere because she told me he took 7 pigs off of the property last year!

I will be heading back soon...anyone else been out?

 

[Kentuck]

I'm heading up on the 4th. I like that place. Haven't had any shots yet but I've seen pigs everytime there.

 

[Lurediver]

SacFire, did you boat into Loggers Camp?

 

[SacFireJT]

LD, yes, I boated into Loggers camp--sweet camp. I was going to take my drift boat but rowing from liberty glen would have been too much work!

I was able to borrow my buddies 14 foot with a 25 horse 4-stroke...I worked great. He told me I can use it for the rest of the season since I have taken him out on my boat too many times to count.

I am hoping to get back soon, that hog I saw the first night was a "pig."

 

[Kentuck]

SacFireJT


Did you camp at Loggers? I was thinking of doing a boat in but was concerned about leaving the rig in the parking lot for a couple of days.

Kentuck

 

[SacFireJT]

I was worried about leaving my rig there too...but my truck was fine when I got back. I did notice what looked like a video camera mounted on a tower across the road from the upper parking lot. Perhaps this provides some security...

 

[Moparcwby77]

Good to hear you found some hogs. Im gonna try to get back up there soon. Loggers is an awesome place to camp. The wind out there swirls bigtime unless its blowing HARD! Sounds like its time to go get em!

 

[tradbowhunter]

Had good luck yesteday morning. We got into a heard of about 20 pigs all sizes and colors. Took a 100 lb sow at 12 yards. Forth pig I've killed at the Lake this year.

 

[tradbowhunter]

My group of tradtional bow hunters got 4 pigs on the opener. Heres the proof.

 

[Family Tradition]

Nice Pic!

Glad to see new trad guys showing up at JHO

Keep your eyes peeled for a JHO trad hog hunt after the new year.

Gonna be good.

Mark

 

[Speckmisser]

Way to go, Tradbow!

I keep telling folks this recurve is potent medicine, but I have yet to be able to prove it myself... glad to see someone getting meat the old fashioned way!

Wheels are for cars.