Best Hunting Places from the Past

[Bishop]

California Islands. Before they were closed for the most part, Catalina, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz islands were a great hunting opportunity.
I only got to hunt Catalina a few times,but the experience and opportunity was great.
$295.00 for a 2 1/2 day hunt, including roundtrip boat fare.
No limit on Spanish Goats, 2 pigs limit a day, and if deer or turkey season was open, they were also included in the price.
You could actually chase game from sun up to sun set. Pigs and deer in the mornings and evenings, and goats all day in between. It would be very common to see hundreds of goats in a day.
But like many things here in So Cal, the enviromentalists put a end to the hunting programs on the islands.

Now the very limited hunting opportunities on Catalina are very expensive.

 

[huntducks]

John

Without a doubt Catalina was the best, I used to work for a taxidermist and he booked hunts there, I use to go all the time on goat hunt for the cost of plane or boat fair + pigs for $25ea. same held for Santa Cruz.

I did go several times with SGV bowhunters 2-1/2 days unlimited animals for $150+ transportation, if you did not take at least 2doz arrows you were

after 1 day damn goats where tuff SOB to get within bow range 40 yards or less.

I can't tell you how many animals deer goat sheep pigs I harvested off both islands maybe 100 or more.

I never ever thought it would come to a end there where so many animals there it was unreal and the terraine was in there favor boy them where the days.

The deer hunting was untapped over there.

 

[huntducks]

John

Just goes to show you how old we are, none of the pups here have a clue what where talking about.

way before there time.

 

[MrMullen]

Originally posted by huntducks@Apr 28 2004, 12:11 PM
John

Just goes to show you how old we are, none of the pups here have a clue what where talking about.

way before there time.

Oh, I know what your talking about.

I just don't get it with the State. Those islands contain pigs and goats no one wants, but the State would rather pay 10 million to remove them than make 10 million from hunters hunting them. Yes, I understand the PETA element of this, but if I ran a budget and you said "Jason, we can make 10 million or lose 10 million!", I would take the "make 10 million" option.

Just amazing

 

[BirdDawg]

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

John

Just goes to show you how old we are, none of the pups here have a clue what where talking about.  way before there time.[/b]

LOL....you used to hunt old goats.......and.......now you've become one......

....J/K.......never got a chance to hunt Catalina, wish I could have.....actually, I wish I could hunt half the country I used to....1978 you could hunt anywhere around here.....now if your lucky enough to get in a club and can afford it you can hunt.....won't be long and that will dissapear.....I can't remember but I believe one of the islands has deer that were from the Kaibab? This true?

 

[huntducks]

Catalina has mule deer from Kaibab.

Picture of a deer I shot on Catalina it's wounded and I snaped this picture as I was walking down to it to finish it.

 

[chap_dog48]

Glad that you mentioned the Kaibab deer there. I read an article recently that said those deer are going to be killed off by the government in the next three years. I was way bumed out it hear that. Wish that I could capture some of them and let them go in the zones I hunt and increase the blood lines.

 

[BOHNTR]

You guys are bring back some good memories. I've bowhunted Catalina and Santa Cruz more times than I can remember over the years. Except when I first went to Catalina it was about $100.00 for a 3-day trip.......Man those were the days.

Just to clarrify a few things though. The State is NOT footing the bill or in charge of the pig/sheep/goat eradication. It's the Nature Conservancy backed by the federal government.

That combination always leads to a lot of wasted money.

Mule Deer from the Kaibab were introduced ONLY on Santa Rosa Island. The mule deer on Santa Catalina are from the mainland (California). That's why there's a substancial difference in antler development between the two islands. You are correct though, those deer & elk on Santa Rosa have only a few years left before the Nature Conservancy eradicates them too.

I wish they could transplant them back to the Kaibab...or better yet, the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Wouldn't that be awesome!

BOHNTR )))------------------->

 

[brut]

I remember my dad taking me over there for my first bowhunt. Man what a bowhunters paradise. Shoot and lost more arrows than I can ever count sure made the archery shop happy i'm sure. Like most good things in so cal they end way too soon by the time I was 13 it was done. Great memories too bad my daughter will never get to experience it