Big problems at Lake Sonoma.

[Rangerjoel]

I got back from my winter vacation to discover several angry messages on my answering machine form neighbors who have been having problems with hunters coming up the hill from the lake to shoot pigs. There have been some blatant violations in the orchard area above Homestead camp as well as the area above Cherry Creek as well as the area up the hill from buck pasture. I’ve spoken with the land owners and have seen the areas where hunters have been cutting fences and freely traveling onto private land right past “NO HUNTING” signs.
One neighbor has been in to complain in person to my park manager and the management is giving serious consideration to ending the hunts and I can’t raise a convincing argument to prevent this. As you know, our staffing here is minimal and we can’t baby-sit every hunter who goes into the field. I’m relying on you guys to be self policing out there. But when irate neighbors show up at the office with arrows that they have retrieved from there property as well as photos pig skins and heads left on their roads, (we have found the same thing in Liberty Glen Campground) what am I supposed to tell my manager?

Also please remember that I am governed by the Hatch Act (Sec. 734.406 Participation in political activities while on duty, in uniform, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties, or using a Federal vehicle; prohibition.)
and it would be illegal for me to encourage any action of a political nature, so don’t ask me for assistance of any kind.

 

[Lurediver]

This sucks, a few idiots can blow it for everybody else, nothing like living in California!

 

[Rancho Loco]

LD - people tresspass everywhere.

 

[billrob]

What a drag!
the few screw it up for the many.
probably the same kind of chumps who shoot holes in deer crossing and no hunting signs, leave beer cans shotgun shells and brass and other litter laying around too.
this find of stuff gets painted with a broad brush against all hunters.

Maybe they should have a sign in and appointed areas to hunt with the same set up as hunter liggett

Only so many hunters per day and track them all by making them fill in a the form and pay a fee to subsidise the additional cost.

 

[Lurediver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rancho Loco @ Jan 27 2007, 03:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

LD - people tresspass everywhere.[/b]

Yeah I know but in California we're more likely to HOSE the majority because of the actions of the minority.

 

[SFHOGWILD]

Sounds like a few well placed trailcams and stiff penalty for those who want to wreck a good thing would help.

 

[efm1aug1]

Hi..It is sad when Honest and good people have to pay the price for things done by people who don't care about the land or the rights of others...Maybe it is time to set up unseen cameras to catch the ones responsiable..

 

[hogwild757]

Well if any of those idiots continue on trespassing California will turn out to a be a rich mens sport. Public lands will start to close because of law suits etc,.
Why don't they track the sign up sheet and see what individuals was hunting on those particular days and question them.

 

[ducslayer]

WE ,need to police our own ranks in this area ,GET INVOLVED!,drop a dime or whatever it takes!

 

[MikenSoCo]

Suggestion... Any of you JHO'ers who hunt there regularly might form a small work party and visit the affected ranches. Offer to do some odd jobs, place a game cam, and or supply them with a couple disposable cams. Who knows, you might find yourselves with private prop. access in the end. Use the angle that your presence will deter poaching... It worked for me

 

[Lurediver]

Who's enforcing the law out there anyways? Complaints about private land owners hunting w/rifles and running dogs on the public land, complaints about trespassers coming up from the lake. Who's enforcing who? The land owners complain enough and the lake gets shut down for public hunting, but the owners can still run their dogs across the fence on to public lands and there is no enforcement.

 

[boarcrz]

Good point LD

 

[PIGIG]

most of us know excatly where joel is talking about! why dont we set up our own party get some pictures and caltip on the line and save what we have. or we can just sit here on our computers and bich about it. whos in for a recon trip.

 

[heetseeker]

The color map on previous posts blows...where is cherry creek?

 

[Lurediver]

Great 1st post, Lake Sonoma.

 

[SacFireJT]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lurediver @ Jan 28 2007, 02:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Great 1st post, Lake Sonoma.[/b]

Easy LD, not everyone is articulate as you.

Thanks for the information Joel...everyone that hunts up at Sonoma should keep an eye out for trespassers and report them! Perhaps self-policing will help?

 

[Common Sense]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikenSoCo @ Jan 28 2007, 06:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Suggestion... Any of you JHO'ers who hunt there regularly might form a small work party and visit the affected ranches. Offer to do some odd jobs, place a game cam, and or supply them with a couple disposable cams. Who knows, you might find yourselves with private prop. access in the end. Use the angle that your presence will deter poaching... It worked for me

[/b]

 

[500+grns]

Gee,what a coincidence,
The Cooley Ranch surounds most of the Cherry creek land.
Any outfitter(or anti-hunter) can come up with a pig hide and a fist full of arrows and say they found them on their property.Who needs to cut holes in a 3 ft. fence that pigs have burrowed under every 100 ft.?
Joel,
Don't be so easy with the land owners.The outfitter is just covering his own ass.When someone gets caught.They will be prosecuted by the land owner.Don't prosecute us now by others hear-say.
Whether this hunt is open or not they will still have to deal with poachers on their property,and it's their responsibility.

 

[500+grns]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pwahuntn @ Jan 27 2007, 10:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well if any of those idiots continue on trespassing California will turn out to a be a rich mens sport. Public lands will start to close because of law suits etc,.
Why don't they track the sign up sheet and see what individuals was hunting on those particular days and question them.[/b]

It's already a rich mans sport.
The magority of California's prime pig hunting is private property that outfitters have locked up and staked claim w/lease.We have to pay alot of money these days to hunt for pigs and it' a damn shame.You have to pay whether you take one or not.The outfitters get rich and the poor man pays.We can only hunt when we can afford it.
The price of a California pig hunt.New bow.New rifile.It's about the same price.
I'm a little sceptical about the land owners around Lake Sonoma and the accusations of bowhunters on their land.
We may be putting a dent on some of the prime hunting on their land that they've been gaining their reputation on and the revenues may be slipping a little.(Why pay the outfitter?I can hunt for free next door)
I'm also sceptical about the antis who just don't want the happy hunters near their fence line.
The point is,everyone knows the rules at Lake Sonoma.When someone gets caught breaking one THEY should pay the price,not everyone else.
The west side of warm springs has been closed because of one hunters screw-up.He got caught and paid the price.Why do ones that fallow the laws and rules have to pay also?
If the lake hunt gets shut down,only the poachers and outfitters will bennifit. This sort of thing only promotes rules and laws to be broken.

 

[Lurediver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (500+grns @ Jan 29 2007, 06:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Gee,what a coincidence,
The Cooley Ranch surounds most of the Cherry creek land.
Any outfitter(or anti-hunter) can come up with a pig hide and a fist full of arrows and say they found them on their property.Who needs to cut holes in a 3 ft. fence that pigs have burrowed under every 100 ft.?
Joel,
Don't be so easy with the land owners.The outfitter is just covering his own ass.When someone gets caught.They will be prosecuted by the land owner.Don't prosecute us now by others hear-say.
Whether this hunt is open or not they will still have to deal with poachers on their property,and it's their responsibility.[/b]

I agree 500+grns, my point exactly!
So long Lake Sonoma.