Coalinga area

[mustngr]

Newbie, here.

My name is Russ, and I live in the high desert of southern California. Planning my first hog hunt on BLM land in the Coalinga area. Anyone got any specifics? Suggestions?

Never have hunted pigs before, but a fairly experienced hunter otherwise.


I've never been to the Coalinga area. From the sound of things I'll probably need my 4X4 to get access to the better areas. Any good areas that might be accessible in a car?( I'll be headed out to the coast after the weekend, hoping to find a way in that won't completely trash the rental car.) Car/coast trip are optional depending on what you guys have to say about access. Rather hunt than stare at animated salt water, if a decision has to be made.

Thanks

 

[DILPRXO]

Hi Russ,
I haven't been there in a few years but the Mineral springs used to be accessable by car.There is alittle park in front of it hence a paved road.Its a long uphill hike to get into the back areas..used to get hogs and see all kinds of sign..but again haven't been there in awhile, I'm in ok shape but that hike in just beats my @#$....it might be "shot out". I believe Jesse has a listing on it on the main page.
Good luck.

 

[bubba]

Rocketman is planning on going up to CLear Creek. Get a hold of him, he started a thread about it.

Clear Creek Link

 

[Hook]

mustngr, Welcome to Jesses Hunting Page.

If you are interested, there is also a Tejon pig-o-rama the a few of the members will be going to in Dec and Jan.

 

[mustngr]

Thanks, guys.

Hate to sound so totally ignorant, but I haven't been able to get my hands on a topo for the area so as yet I'm kinda clueless as to the terrain. Been relying on a couple of 4x4 sites for info, and they aren't very hunter-oriented.

 

[Speckmisser]

Mustngr,

Your 4x4 won't be much good in the Coalinga area, since most of the BLM land is roadless. There is a jeep trail that runs through the Panoche hills to the Coalinga Mineral Springs, but there are locked gates at the Mineral Springs end, so some of the off-road guys might have the tips on getting through. Not a lot of hunting on that jeep trail, though... at least from what I've heard. I haven't been out there.

You can go a little further up to Clear Creek if you want to use the 4x4. I believe Bubba already directed you to a link where some of the guys are heading up that way. There are a lot of off-road vehicles using that area, and if it's wet then you'll definitely want your 4-wheeler.

For 2wd access, you can hit most of the Coalinga areas pretty easy. You'll have to get out on foot anyway. Unfortunately, the "easy access" areas aren't usually gonna have any pigs, and the backcountry is pretty tough.

During quail season, the Mineral Springs area will get some pressure and the hogs are more likely to be down in the private land. I've hunted it and seen sign, but it's scarce close to the road. It's a heck of a hike to get back into the back country, but there's a lot of very nice habitat once you do. If you feel healthy, it's not a bad call...especially if you're in a rental car.

The other Coalinga areas all have good parking areas where you can leave the vehicle and get into the back country on foot.

I'd suggest seeing if you can catch up with Rocketman and some of the guys on the Clear Creek hunt. It's a huge area, and it's really helpful to go with someone who's hunted there before. You can access the main roads easily enough in a regular car, but once you leave the lower areas a little rain can make it right tricky.

Check out the BLM website if you haven't already. They describe the areas pretty well, and give a fair indication of what to expect.

 

[bubba]

Here's a link directly to the Clear Creek section of the CA BLM site. This portion is run by the Hollister office.

Clear Creek BLM Site

 

[BirdDawg]

Hey there mustngr.....I live in Coalinga......if I were you I'd save my money and go elsewhere......mostly private property and hard to get access.......mineral springs still has access....but is walk in only and some rough country to hall out a hog....still some people do it......I personally never cared much about the clear creek area but if your going to hunt there I'd recomend going to Condon Peak......hogs go there after the rain.....and alot of area.....you can get into the Condon Peak area in 2 wheel drive but I'd recomend you use a 4 wheel drive as it gets steep in some area's and the road in gets washed out sometimes....also can get cold there so bring plenty of warm clothes.....also over by parkfield there is an area called stockdale mountain......I've seen alot of hogs taken out of there.....but again it's a walk in only area......curry mountain has walk in access but is steep and I haven't seen any hogs there in some time.....I myself plan on going to Fort Hunter Ligget that weekend if it's open.....good luck and if I hear of any hogs taken here I'll post it.....I talked to the local butcher here last night when I picked up my deer and he said lately no hogs were brought in.....

 

[bubba]

Be careful if you go to Stokdale Mt. I believe there has been some trouble there lately with a landowner and some hunters inadvertently trespassing. Furthermore, there seems to be some issue with the landowner, sherriff, DA, and local Judge. Looks like some kind of racket.

 

[BirdDawg]

That seems to be happening alot lately.......seems some of these judges are so called ranchers also....they closed the microwave a few years ago.......had a paved road all the way to BLM - was some real good hog,deer,quail and chuckar hunting......all of a sudden this gate was up and a sherrif sitting there......they had to have the sherrif cause a gate went up every other year and was cut down as soon as it was put up.......when I started hunting here in 1978 you could go just about anywhere you wanted.....now.......well theres a reason I go to FHL.......

 

[DILPRXO]

Russ,
Don't leave us in suspense....Where did you end up going?? How'd you make out???

 

[mustngr]

Howdy,

Pigless-but- pleasant weekend.

Started the weekend hunting nonexistent "problem" bears in the local mountains. Fresh snow, not even a mouse track.

Initially I headed for Clear Creek in the RentaRocket. Soon learned that asbestos and water don't mix with RentaRockets (even with front wheel drive). Slithered out of Clear Creek with a coat of asbestos primer and hurt feelings.

Arrived at Laguna Mountain trailhead after dark. Rained all night, slept in the car intending to head out around 4 AM. Gratefully, I overslept. Which prevented me from trying the trail in the dark.(Note to other newbies:don't even attempt this area in the dark, at least not on your first trip out there).

Got off trail over the first hump following some sign. Crawled down a dry waterfall to the creek below. Wound up on the narrow end of the valley, which I feel was a mistake. If I had it to do over, I'd have come in from the ridge at the north end (longer hike, better vantage point) and glassed from there before going down. Lots of fresh rootings and tracks. The pigs are in there, at least.

This was my first attempt at pig hunting, and I really didn't expect to be successful. I had the entire valley to myself all day, so I just roamed around looking at the tracks and the digs, trying to learn a little.
Started the climb out of the valley around noon, Stopped to clean up some bonehead's trash and have one good look back at the valley when I picked up movement across the canyon. Scoped a fair-sized red pig with white spots at about 250 yards, slid back the safety then decided against the shot. Might have taken all day to find him even if I'd dropped him where he stood. 6 hour drive home, and I left the packframe back at the Rocket.

The point of this dull, anticlimactic story is that I learned a little bit and at least I saw a pig on public land. Encouraging enough to get me out there again.

Anyone score this weekend?

(Note to the two clowns who wear boots that leave tracks like football cleats and have a fondness for copious quantities of Palomar Mountain water: Get a big canteen that costs a lot of money. Then maybe your water container will be too expensive to leave behind. Oh, and stop baiting the area. I'd prefer not being blamed for it)

 

[Speckmisser]

If you saw a pig on your first trip out, you did better than many Mustngr!

You're dead on about those trails our of Laguna Mtn. Rough stuff... you made a good call passing on that pig. Hat's off to you for choosing the ethical road.

I believe I know of the culprits with the football cleats. The local warden knows them too, and better than me if they're the ones I followed last winter and spring. Hadn't heard of anyone baiting the area, though. That'll be worth reporting.

I'm hoping to get up there and have a look around the area in a couple of weeks. Sure would like to get some good incriminating evidence against those guys and get them out of the woods.