California Hog Hunting Books

[spectr17]

While searching for a book on javelina I came across this California Hog Hunting Book to be released in April 2003.

Complete Guide to Hunting Wild Boar in California by Gary Kramer.

Amazon.com Listing

Bob Robb also has his updated 2nd version out now on California Hog Hunting.

Robb's first book is here.

Amazon.com listing

 

[Loye]

Robb's book is excellent and have not yet to purchase Kramers pig book. Looks good though.

 

[Greenleaf]

I got Robb's book at Turners last week. I agree, it's really good.

 

[1SoCalHunter]

Anybody gone through the 2nd book from Bob Robb?? How is it?

 

[Dirk J]

I bought the Rob's book at the Pomona event and it real good. It gives the begining hunter( like me) a lot of good suggestions and helpful advise

Dirky

 

[gnn961]

Both of Robb's books are full of info, the new one has more and updated information. I just pre-ordered Kramer's book at Amazon, shipping on the 4th of April (est).

 

[Mattk53]

I got Robb's Hunting Wild Boar in California Sixth edition. Yes it has great info, however I read the public areas part . I drove 3 hours to get there and meet a DF&G officer there. I showed him the book along with the fish and game book and he laughed at me! He told me "there's no pigs here. It's way too hot". So I got back into my truck and drove off.

Matt

 

[BLASTMASTER]

Really? didn't he give you an alternate? What an @$$.
What plot was it? I know public land is slim on pork, but...

 

[1SoCalHunter]

WOW, that doesn't sound right, I believe that you still have the right to hunt anywhere you want (as long as it's public land and NOT posted otherwise), that's sad what happened to you after driving for 3 hours....

 

[Bishop]

Did the warden tell you you could'nt hunt there? Or just tell that it was too hot for pigs to be there.
That's the thing about public land, pigs are ussually only there when the food and water's good, or when traveling thru to get to private land.

 

[spectr17]

HOG HUNTING BOOKS REVIEW -- Jim Matthews-ONS -- 05feb03

Two new hog hunting books on market

There are two new wild hog hunting books on the market -- and both are just for California hunters by California hunters, and with wild hogs about to overtake deer as the most popular and available big game animal in this state, the two books are coming out at a perfect time.

Long-time readers of the sportsman's weekly Western Outdoor News remember the name Bob Robb, once an editor of that publication many years ago. Bob wrote "the book" on hog hunting in California, and after years of being prodded to do a new, updated version, Robb has finally published, "Hunting Wild Boar in California, Volume II." While it has a lot of similarities to the old book, it's information has been completely revised and updated. Its pages are filled with the latest on public and private land hunting options, new hunting techniques, and updated information on hog calling.

The chapter on hunting military bases alone is worth the price of admission, and Bob's well-researched chapter on California hog origins has been quoted by just about everyone who's written about wild hogs. When you add in his sound recommendations on guns and loads, archery gear for hogs, field care instruction, recipes, and tips from the state's best guides, you can understand why Bob's new book is likely to remain "the book" on hunting hogs here.

The new addition into the marketplace is from Bob Robb's long time friend Gary Kramer, who was refuge manager for the Sacramento complete of refuges for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Kramer's book, "The Complete Guide to Hunting Wild Boar in California," credits Bob Robb with helping launch Gary's writing career, which he now persues full time since he retired from the USFWS.

His compact book is typical of Gary's work. Concise and to the point, it packs its 128 pages with information. I particularly liked the long chapter on Where to Hunt Wild Hogs where Gary covers everything from public lands to many of the states guides and outfitters. He gives a capsule summary of each location, telling hunters exact access points and locations on public land spots, and the features and service provided by the private land operations. Kramer doesn't pull any punches when talking about an area.

"However, only a few hundred acres on the south side of the lake support hogs," he says about Pine Flat Reservoir Corp of Engineers property. He's not much more enthusiastic about the Los Padres National Forest, which he describes as "tough, and you must be in good shape and spend serious time glassing and hiking to be successful." But, like with Bob Robb's book, Kramer gives little tips about where to hunt to increase your chances.

While there is obviously some overlapping of information, the two books actually are good complements to each other, and where one book might have less information, the other expands on that area. Serious hog hunters will get both.

Bob Robb's 224-page book is available for $19.95 postpaid and signed by the author from Bob Robb Books, P.O. Box 771083, Eagle River, AK 99577, e-mail robb@alaska.net. Gary Kramer's book costs $15.95 plus $3.95 shipping and handling ($19.90 total) for a signed version and can be ordered directly from Gary Kramer, P.O. Box 903, Willows, CA 95988, e-mail gkramer@cwo.com.

While you're passing out $20 bills for these two books, don't forget that you can order the newsletter, California Hog Hunter ($20 one year, $35 two years, and $50 for three years), published by Outdoor News Service. The newsletter is just on pig hunting in California and sort of picks up where the two books leave off and gives you constantly updated information each quarter. It has no-holds-barred evaluations of guides and outfitters in each issue along with the latest news and hog hunting information. You can pick up single copies at Turner's Outdoorsman and other hunting shops in Southern California, or order a subscription by sending a check to California Hog Hunter, P.O. Box 9007, San Bernardino, CA 92427.

 

[MrMullen]

I just pre ordered new book too (The non-Bob Robb one).

I think Turners Outdoors website has this on their website. I know I did a search on google.com for this book and it showed up, but not anymore.

 

[gnn961]

I sent my cancellation to amazon for Kramers book today. Sent my 19.90 direct to Gary even though amazon price was only 15.16 with shipping but wouldn't get till April 10. Gotta be quicker going to the source.

 

[Bill in SD]

I got my copy of Kramer's book and skimmed through it and it looks OK...

There is lots of general information and for someone just getting into wild pig hunting it would be good. Also, there is lots of reference information on guides, private land hunts like Wilderness Unlimited, as well as public areas including military bases.

There is not a lot of detail, which is what I was kinda hoping for, but I am not sorry I bought the book.

Looking through the listings of the guides I was quite shocked

at some of the prices of the higher end places

And what's up with the additional trophy fees and/or kill fees Cr

. There still seems to be some places you could hunt for a weekend for around $500.

The more I see the prices of private and/or guided hunts rise the more I like Fort Hunter Liggett!!!!

Sure the success is probably around 10% or so but that includes everyone. I'll bet there are guys that do better than 40%. To me the experience there is great regardless of if I get a pig.

What I liked best about the book was in the guide section where I saw a helicopter guide service. They specialize in taking hunters into land locked public hunting land. How cool !!!

The service is a bit pricey at $1,200 per person for two people two to four days hunting and you can each take two animals (two pigs, or a pig and a deer, or two deer, during deer season). This service has a website, but I can't remember it, but I could get it if anyone is interested.


By the way I called the Fish and Game in Sacramento and asked them for the name of a hunting guide or a list and got no where. Trying to call Sacramento and talk with a real person is now harder than ever. The person on the phone I finally talked to could not understand what a hunting guide was. I went around and around trying to explain to her I did not want a booklet, I wanted to find the name of a hunting guide, not a booklet on hunting. Finally she said Hunting guides are called "Service Guides". And I was given yet another phone number with a recording where I could not talk to a person, but was reqested to leave a message And guess what I could not leave a message because the mail box was full!!!! Only in California....
Bill

 

[shaginator]

I doubt there's any more detailed information in those books than there are here on this excellent forum.

However, what those books likely do well is consolidate the information that's dispersed throughout this site in a more compact, easy-to-read format (a book!). For $20 each, that'll save most folks the time needed to data-mine all the info here.

I just might buy those books so I know where the crowds will be in the coming months and years

 

[shaginator]

Originally posted by Mattk53@Jan 31 2003, 11:10 PM
I drove 3 hours to get there and meet a DF&G officer there. I showed him the book along with the fish and game book and he laughed at me! He told me "there's no pigs here. It's way too hot". So I got back into my truck and drove off.

He coulda been bluffin'. You sure there wasn't a nice muddy spring somewhere in there that the hogs were using to cool off? Maybe that was his own personal honey hole...

Bad ranger! One of those "few bad apple" types. The good ones usually try to point out alternate areas for you.

 

[Bill in SD]

Shag you are right and you are right. A person could gather most of the information in the book her on this site and from Fish and Lame.

For $20 to get all that information compiled together is a great deal !!!

And there is detail about the hunting guides. There are prices, success percentages, and costs. So you can shop right there in the book and then ask people here at the forum on their opinion of a guide.

Also, he talks about Wilderness Unlimited and Golden Ram and gives approximate prices and information on the ranches.

Yep the book is a decent buy.
Bill

 

[Hawghunter]

You used to be able to get a list of all the licenced guides in Ca from the dfg web site. I have seen it before. However, I just went there and it came up error. It said that the page is either temporary unavailiable or no longer exists.
If I had a few hours with nothing else to do today I would try and call them and find out. LOL
Mark

 

[Bill in SD]

Hawghunter, yep "a few hours to call them is right" I tried the website as well.

I remember when I could call the main number in Sacramento and get a person by pressing 0. I had to go through a bunch of iterations before I could talk to a "semi live" person. She directed me to another number where I could not talk to a "semi live" person and was prompted to leave a message. Of course the mail box was full, because instead of calling and talking to a person, you call leave a message and someone calls you back.

Boy that sounds like a great money saving idea for the Fish and Game.

I had a boss and he used to play a game of always keeping his mailbox full so you could not leave him a message and he would screen his calls.

It looks like the service we will be getting from Fish and Game is going to be of a lessor quality than what we are used to......LOL

Bill

 

[Loye]

Here it is boys. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/pdffiles/l...meguidelist.pdf