Anyone hunted Hume Lake or Clear Creek?

[Blackknights154]

Hey Fellas, well I have been doing some research about hunting near Coalinga and just got some bad feedback on that area. From what Uper said, it is very over-pressurized. I only have weekends to hunt, so I started looking for some other close areas and found a few, Hume Lake Ranger Station and Clear Creek BLM. All i want to do is go hunting man! If anyone has any tid-bits on this area, please let me know. Thanks! GO NAVY

 

[Speckmisser]

Blacknights,

There's been a lot of discussion in here about Clear Creek. It's big, and a lot of it doesn't hold hogs... from what I've been told. The areas that do have pigs get hunted pretty hard. If you have the time, check out the search function. You might also plug in Spanish Lake and Condon Peak.

I don't know anything about Hume Lake. Actually never even heard of it.

If you just "want to go hunting", then I definitely recommend Clear Creek, though. Do a little research here, then just get out there and hunt. Remember that, the further you are from the roads, the less competition you'll find. Most hunters simply don't walk that much. Odds are VERY slim you'll find anything right off the road up there.

 

[Common Sense]

Hume Lake is far too high for pigs. There is a few in the foothills well below Hume Lake. Had a BIL who use to get them there, but the 2nd time he got thrown in the pokey for tresspassing, he decided to "hunt" elswhere.

 

[easymoney]

Mr. misser and CS are right on the mark here.
The areas around Coalinga are marginal and get hammered for pigs. Hume lake is in the Sierras and to the best of my knowledge there are no pigs that far up. Huge Christian camp and loads of people though. Deer hunting in the area can be good, but check your maps to make sure you aren't hunting in a National Park or on private property...

 

[Blackknights154]

Whoaa thanks for the info Fellas, God I love this site!!!!

 

[Common Sense]

Hey knight154; got to thinking, haven't been there in many years, but Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area(right across Hwy 152 from San Luis Resivor) holds a few pigs. I've seen them there deer hunting; but it is a long hike in and I was never willing to carry one out!

Might check with DFG office in Los Banos; use to be open just certain times of year. No target shooting, no fires, no overnight camping, and sometime no pig hunting except for permit holders from a drawing.

 

[boarbuster]

me and a buddy were in clear crrek last week and did see a herd of hogs right at dark. one shot taken and no hogs hit. the hogs are in their it took us three weeks to finally catch up with this herd.

 

[Blackknights154]

Sweeeeet!

May head out to Clear Creek This weekend. Ill be there Friday morning. Figure i might get in there before the weekenders get in there. Thanks for the info Boarbuster and Common. I do appreciate it.

 

[BirdDawg]

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

May head out to Clear Creek This weekend[/b]

condon peak and spanish lake area (as speckmisser mentioned) are all part of the clear creek area in my book......you may want to be extremely carefull while traveling this area and stay on the main road..... after a rain it can get pretty hairy up in there.......I used to hunt this area quite a bit till a bunch of so called hunters moved in and came back every year during deer season staying up drinking all night and shooting their guns till morning........condon peak has an access on the east side but not recomended to try after a rain...also I'd come in from the I-5 side rather than the clear creek side and go through new idra.......make a left and stay on the upper road at the pond.......there's alot of hogs up in the spanish lake area but mostly on the back side in some steep terrain......things may have changed since I've been there several years ago and I know there's people here that hunt there now and can give you better info.......good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Blackknights154]

Hey BirdDawg, I am for sure heading out there this weekend, i said the hell with Coalinga although it is closer, but too many people from what i heard. so....Me and a buddy of mine are heading out to do a little scouting out there, may just get a hotel on Friday afternoon, scout, and then hunt Fri afternoon, and Sat. But if you know a few people who hunt that area, could you please try to contact them and get me some more info? I would appreciate it. Thanks and sorry that I am just so clueless about things out here! I love the info and this site.

Have a good one and ill be on hee all night at work!!! Shoot straight

Be good guys, Mike

 

[Guard Dog]

Hey BlackKnight, if you're open to info from the "Blue Side", I say forget the Hotel and just drive up in the morning. The only close hotel that I know of is the Apricot Tree Inn and that will probably only save you about 45 minutes of driving. I know the New Idria area fairly well, if you have any questions PM me and I'll answer them as well as I can.

 

[easymoney]

Blacknight,
You should do a search back a couple of years or so, on this site and you can find lots of info on the New Idria and Clearcreek areas. And birddawg has good tips as well...

 

[Pinseeker]

I've spent a lot of time at Clear Creek on my dirtbike. I've never seen pigs, but I wasn't really looking either. I'm just getting into hunting, so this is new angle for me.

If you're heading to Clear Creek this weekend, you should expect a lot of ATVs and dirtbikes. We finally got enough rain to keep the dust down. In my opinion, the farther you get from R1 and the staging areas, the better.

There are a few ways to get away from the staging areas. First, you can enter from the New Idria side. I've never been over there, but I know there are much fewer people. Second, is to drive past the main entrance and go down the road a few more miles. There is another entrance that is much less congested. There is a large grassy field where you might be able to pick up some sign. Third, is to go in from the main entrance and drive in a long way. If you can 10-15 miles beyond the staging areas, you are almost out of range for most 2-stroke dirtbikes. The 4-strokes can get out there, but there is much less traffic.

Also, the roads are decent but they can get slick after a big rain. I highly recommend 4-wheel drive.

Good luck.

 

[Blackknights154]

well i am definetly going with my buddy this weekend. All....thanks for the awesome inputs. Anyone else heading out????

 

[Common Sense]

Never bothered to buy a pig tag, just doesn't interest me. My son use to get them quite often(had access to private property), but he could never talk me into going with him --- although he did have the nerve to call me to help him pack out a unusually big boar.

I am not much of a pork person, but the little ones and sows aren't too bad. Good luck trying to consume an old boar!

Daughter's son just turned 10, and my son has promised to take him to a pig this summer. Grandson has been practicing with 30-30, and .270; but likes my old 30-40 krag. So I will probably go pig hunting pretty soon.

Good luck Blackknights, shoot straight and be safe; but pig or no pig, have a good time.

 

[Blackknights154]

Thanks common! I appreciate that and will have fun! Take the grandson out...he will thank you later on.