Camp Roberts This Weekend

[Valley Hunter]

I have been out of the loop for some time now, but back home for a couple weeks then back to the bay area but was wanting to know was anyone going to Camp Roberts this weekend? Thought I would head that way with the bow and see whats happening???

 

[DirtyDave]

I'm heading out there with my slug gun. Will be my first time there

 

[Caviel]

Good luck guys tell us what happens!

 

[Live2hunt]

Call and listen to the recording update before you head out.


L2H

 

[el hunter]

2nd that about calling before there only allowing 40 peeople to hunt the east garrison due to training on the rest of the base. lots of people for little area. good luck

 

[larrysogla]

As I understand it................East Garrison of Camp Roberts is the area east of Freeway 101 and is mainly flatland.............hence the good hunting area in East Garrison is along the river banks which is a small area for 40 hunters. As Live2Hunt said..........call first.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

 

[Live2hunt]

As I understand it................East Garrison of Camp Roberts is the area east of Freeway 101 and is mainly flatland.............hence the good hunting area in East Garrison is along the river banks which is a small area for 40 hunters. As Live2Hunt said..........call first.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

It's TA 5 and 6. TA6 is the flat river bed east of 101. TA5 is the open hills and finger ridges you can see from the freeway.

 

[w8_liftr]

On Saturday I was there hunting upland. Lots of pressure in 5 for pig. 6 was crowded with guys looking for quail. I stayed the day and kept moving. Ended up with 2 rabbits, 3 dove, 1 quail. Had plenty of opportunity but couldn't connect.

After the morning crowd left, they got another push in the afternoon. I hear that a couple of pigs were taken on Sunday.

 

[DirtyDave]

I was looking for pigs along the river, area 6, all weekend. saw some sign, but didnt see any pigs. Saw alot of dove and quail, but had my slug barrel on my gun. I switched to my regular shotgun barrel after a while on sunday and decided to go for birds, but I think they saw me switch out my barrel cuz after that they were nowhere to be found haha. Still had a good time. Was my first time there and my first time hunting pigs. It was more like "Hiking with a gun"

 

[hiline345]

Well Dirty Dave you didn't miss anything at FHL. Your story sounds just like mine minus any hog signs. I saw some rabbits but I had my 300 WM so I switched to shot gun and I never saw them again. Ditto with quail. I also saw a lot of ducks too but I didn't have a stamp for them. I usually see animals that I don't have a stamp or tag for.:bag-on-head:

 

[easymoney]

The area called mates, east of 101 is very like live2hunt says, the river turns and parallels 101 and the terrain starts sloping up with finger ridges and oaks along the northern slopes.
valley, IMHO as a bow hunter myself, stick to the primitive weapons areas along the river and adjacent to 101, thats where the permanent water is and it borders the closed impact area. Be there early so as to get checked in quickly and then you can be in place for that magic first light. The pigs come to water daily but move out very early. Most folks are gun hunters and drive around alot, and water will be a key as to where the pigs are hanging out. There is less water on the east side of 101, but the base borders private ranches with grain crops and more permanent water supplies for cattle, and the pigs will travel a very long way. I have seen pigs all over the base in good rain years when the ponds are full and the grass is high.
Goog luck and double check which TAs are open...

 

[larrysogla]

I have hunted both FHL and Camp Roberts a lot in the past(3 years ago and starting in 1988)................but I have never seen a live hog in the field. All I see are the dead hogs hanging in the skinning areas. However...........it seems(my perception and of course I could be dead wrong) that Camp Roberts holds more hogs than FHL on a per acre basis. Also, the all year round river and ponds in Camp Roberts are surrounded by lush green vegetation it seems more than FHL. Am I wrong???......or is it just because FHL is so much bigger???
Thanks for your valuable reply.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

 

[easymoney]

Don't know who the last post was directed toward, but I'll stick my two cents in.
FHL is larger with much more varied terrain, but less common borders with private ranches. Camp Bob is mostly surrounded by private land. Both have year round rivers flowing through but in low rain years like this one the ponds are dry or low.The ponds can be good on both bases, but the vegetation needs substantial rain to get thick and lush. Both have primative weapons TAs but CB has the better IMHO. When Lake San Antonio is full FHLs 29 is great for bow hunting.
As to seeing them on the hoof, it's better to be lucky than good. Wild pigs are amazing animals that live in some places (like the Carrizo Plains) that don't look like anything could be there but ants or crikets. They wander many miles coming and going to food or water. I have hunted a private ranch in east SLO county that has no cover or trees(they bed in dry ravines), no visible water, and no food sources for miles, yet I have shot them in the middle of the day...

 

[larrysogla]

Easymoney,
Thanks for your valuable reply. As noted earlier I have been hunting both CR and FHL since 1988. Back then.....if it was not deer season......you did not see a patrol the whole weekend and back then you could drive around the whole FHL without anybody bothering or checking you. Those long ago days you could drive your vehicle in Area 29 all the way to the lake and the gate to Area 25 and to Area 27 was always open. I have very poor perception/recognition in distinguishing the body parts of animals(ears, tail etc.) from the foliage and hence my hunting partners will see deer in the bushes whereas I could not see them even though they are already pointing to it.
I have corrective glasses on and I am not color blind but still have that difficulty. Oh well I'll get lucky one of these days.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

 

[easymoney]

Larry,
I too have hunted both bases since the early 80s and a lot has changed. IMHO, there seemed to be more pigs back then.
Since 09/11/01 security is very tight, even speed rules. For those never having been here, bring your veh reg, driver lic and proof of insurance and do not go over the posted speed.
And the game especially pigs are hard to spot in the brush. Movement is what gives all game or hunters away. I wear eye speck or contacts, and can testify to having a hard time locating a small brown object amongst the thick foliage pigs and blacktails love to hide in. I love to hunt 29 at FHL and along the river at Camp Bob because of the limited amount of competetion and the weapons restrictions.
Most hunters seem to drive around alot until they see something and that can work to ones advantage if you are tucked away near an escape trail. The most obvious are the ones that lead into the closed impact zones. Where you had not better be caught, even just to retrieve your animal, as the penalty can mean a permanent ban...
Both bases are big, bigger than most any hunting refuges and there is lots or varied terrain and room for getting a spot to ones self. It just takes a little boot leather and having a TA in mind when signing in.