Clear Creek Management Area

[jpichler]

After coming home to a big bowl of "tag soup" from the Trinity's last weekend i have decided to look for some pigs in a few weeks and I have never been to Clear Creek Management Area.

I searched the archieves and found sparse information and was hoping someone could throw a bone my way.

I also have a permit waiting for me at FHL and i would like your input on FHL or Clear Creek Management Area for pigs, the drive is pretty much the same.

thanks and safe hunting all.

BTW in the alps I came across 25 doe's and fawns but no bucks

--JP

 

[wtpops]

FHL by far over Clear Creek. Wait untill deer season is over if its not already.

 

[Common Sense]

Tough hunt for pigs either place. FHL has a better chance for success, especially if you've never been to those places.

 

[Speckmisser]

Definitely go FHL. Clear Creek is a REAL tough hunt with pretty low odds unless you get real lucky. It's pretty up there, though, and can be a nice hunt... but just not much chance of success.

 

[boarrunner]

I wouldn't hunt clear creek with out dogs, unless you just want to go for a drive. if you are lucky enough to see them they will most likely get into the thick stuff before you get a shot.

 

[barel74]

I would'nt even hunt Clear Creek with dogs...... unless you use a dirt bike to follow them.

 

[Flaming Arrow]

There are misconceptions that there are "lots" of pigs in FHL. Going to JHO Tejon hog hunt or private ranch is a better bet in terms of expense/time-to-success considerations.

If you look at the numbers, the entire hog harvest for one year is only 70+. And they are open almost every weekend for hog hunting. Roughly that would be a success ratio of just 0.3%.

Deer are more numerous. Harvest is close to 280 in just 30 days of the open season.

 

[chrisout]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flaming Arrow @ Oct 23 2007, 06:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

There are misconceptions that there are "lots" of pigs in FHL. Going to JHO Tejon hog hunt or private ranch is a better bet in terms of expense/time-to-success considerations.

If you look at the numbers, the entire hog harvest for one year is only 70+. And they are open almost every weekend for hog hunting. Roughly that would be a success ratio of just 0.3%.

Deer are more numerous. Harvest is close to 280 in just 30 days of the open season.[/b]

I second that, You will here allot of people saying FHL but how many pictures have you seen from there. I know people that have been there many times and came home empty plus having to get kicked out by military changes for the day and all of the restrictions. Anyone will tell you most of the pig are taken in Monterey but if you really look at the DFG statistics most of the pigs are taken on private land in Monterey. If you are really lucky you can get some in the hills there on NF land but that is way hard hunting. Straight up and down superman hunting through some really thick stuff and then IF you get one, getting it back to the truck is way hard. Most of the locals call them ghosts, they know they are there, you can even hear them all over clacking thier teeth ten feet from you but you just cant see them to take a shot. You really have to have dog AND horses. If like me, your time is worth money, save up a couple more pay checks and pay to go to some of the private ranches there and you will not regret it.
Just food for thought.
Chris.

 

[wtpops]

Where as a hunt on a privet ranch will out weigh any public land hunt here in California, i do stick to the privet ranches now and will hunt FHL now and then. FHL is by far one of the best public land hunts in this State, IMO, and in my 30 years of hunting ive tried them all from the Grapevine to the Sac area. If im not mistaken there was around 150 hogs taken off FHL during the 06/07 hunting year. That is no misconception. Not to mention the Elk, Deer, Turkey, Dove, Quail, Bobcat, and again it is some of the best PUBLIC LAND you will find in this State.IMO

I might be mistaken about the 150 hogs for 06/07, it might have been 05/06
And i do agree about the time and expence that is why i hunt ranches now. But if you cant hunt privet and the choice is Clear Creek or FHL then FHL by far

 

[chrisout]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wtpops @ Nov 2 2007, 12:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Where as a hunt on a privet ranch will out weigh any public land hunt here in California, i do stick to the privet ranches now and will hunt FHL now and then. FHL is by far one of the best public land hunts in this State, IMO, and in my 30 years of hunting ive tried them all from the Grapevine to the Sac area. If im not mistaken there was around 150 hogs taken off FHL during the 06/07 hunting year. That is no misconception. Not to mention the Elk, Deer, Turkey, Dove, Quail, Bobcat, and again it is some of the best PUBLIC LAND you will find in this State.IMO

I might be mistaken about the 150 hogs for 06/07, it might have been 05/06
And i do agree about the time and expence that is why i hunt ranches now. But if you cant hunt privet and the choice is Clear Creek or FHL then FHL by far[/b]

To be clear, NDR but FHL is a military base and they offer PUBLIC ACCESS but it is not "PUBLIC LAND". It can be good or even great at times. It has allot to offer. We are grateful to access it. I was just saying that it also has allot of restrictions and you can be kicked out and your plans changed without any notice at all because of spur of the moment changes. I don't like having my plans changed after all the work and money I put into getting there. Was wandering if you know for the 150 hogs, how many hunters? Honestly, as far as hogs, I know people go there and are successful but I also know that they are allot that are not. It is not always the same every time.

 

[ksberry209]

I am a rookie and been to FHL 6-7 times in the last 12 months. So far I have not seen any hogs in the field but there has always been one hanging in the locker at the end of the weekend. Most of the time they are taken from area 29 or 30 and they are shotgun or archery only.

Like I said I have not seen the animals in the field but I have seen plenty of areas that were dug up pretty good and were fresh. I try and stay in those areas as long as I can depending on sunset and get up real early and try and get thee before sun up but have never seen those suckers. They are there and I have seen the evidence hanging but I just have not been in the right place at the right time..............some day my time will come.

 

[bigworm]

I would not hunt Clear Creek, and I have dogs. I would however hunt some of the BLM land around that area. If you go to the BLM office (Hollister) you can get maps of these areas. There is a couple worth hunting. They generally do not hold hogs, they just migrate through. Summer, and fall before the rains are a waste of time. Finding fresh sign when the ground is wet, in winter and early spring can produce. Not so good of odds, as stated in an earlier post, but beats not hunting at all.