Dilema? Hog Hunitng in Socal

[Rancho Loco]

Cam - I feel pretty confident in saying the reputable guides in the central coast area will put you on a hog - mebbe within minutes of the hunt starting.

They know the ranches, and the hogs. Most of the places are planted with barley, which is like crack to pigs. This part of California is loaded with the roto-tilling little monsters.

Will they guarantee a pig? No - and if they do, I'd shy away from them. But good chances are they'll give you the opportunity to close the deal. This is their business, and their success depends on yours. But you have to listen to them, and be prepared to put lead where it counts.

Now if you're a DIY kinda guy, do the POR at Tejon with the JHO crew. The place is crawling with hogs, and there will be lots of veteranos there who know just about every hole a hog can hide in that place - which is pretty impressive, since the south area is around 90,000 acres. If you take their advice, and do some homework before hand about pigs, you'll see hogs, and might have a shot at a monster. It isn't an easy spot (unless you're BDB who basically shot his in the middle of the road - first time there) and the pigs have been schooled. But we've been running 50% success which is pretty impressive for a DIY hunt. And along the way you'll see elk, eagles, bobcats, mebbe a lion, mebbe a condor, and probably Onetrack doing drunken karoke back at the camp which alone is worth the price of admission.

 

[easymoney]

welcome cam,
Loads of great advice here and you should heed some of it if you want to score on a pig.
There are few if any wild pigs in So Cal and the best way to get into pigs with any chance of taking one is by going with a guide. Tejon Ranch is the closest sure thing near So Cal. Up here on the Central Coast it's thick with pigs, but again to get one you have to see one, and public land options leave a small chance for success. Some of us get pigs every year and know the areas very well, but it takes lots of time (and lots of fuel)to get to know public land areas well enough to have a good success rate. There are lots of good guides mentioned on this site and their job is to get you into pigs, period.

 

[cam188]

As long as we are both busting our azz and do our best at that moment I would not have any issue if I didn't get a hog I would be a happy tired bastard mildly dissapointed but that is life because I am also learning..... I am a realist and it may sound like I am expecting the world but I do not. I just want reasonable and between 400-600 with no fees sounds good. Hunting is not guaranteed that is a given.

I don't think I will do public land because one I don't know shite about pig hunting and two buy the time I scout and spend gas money and time it would cost more then a guided hunt. If I lived closer to the area they roam then I would def. do some public land.

And I do have a great time without killing something. Thats what this whole deer season has been like lol.

You guys have given lots of good options. A big thanks is in order.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SDHNTR @ Nov 10 2006, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Odds are greatly in your favor that you will have a great experience and will kill a nice pig on a guided hog hunt. But what happens if you hunt hard for all of those two days, the guide busts his azz for you, you see lots of deer, quail, turkeys, beautiful countryside, maybe even elk, but no pigs. Will you be bent out of shape and pissed off because you just spent a few hundred bucks? If the answer is yes, you either need to change your expectations or pick up golf. Sometimes a hunt goes that way. It's unlikely, but I've seen it happen.

Such is hog hunting is in this state. You either open your wallet for good hunting, or you stick to free public land with very low success. That's it. There is no in-between. You need to figure out what you want to do. Spend some coin for a good hunt, or hunt for free with a slim chance at best. But remember spending money doesn't guarantee you a pig, and if you don't get one, you shouldn't be upset just beacuse it cost you some dough. You'll make more. It's all about the experience, never lose sight of that.

We all try our best to come home with a full tag. That's why we do what we do. But there's no point in even leaving the front door if you can't have fun without killing something.[/b]

 

[cam188]

I think I may do the POR`at Tejon with the JHO crew because the years of experience is more valuable then anything else. I think that is my plan for now as long as I get drawn and funds are available. And maybe some of the other outfitters that are mentioned.
I also want to get into bow hunting but need figure that out down the road.

Is the POR $400 for the weekend I think thats what I saw on the Tejon website?

Thanks Again,
Chris


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rancho Loco @ Nov 10 2006, 03:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Cam - I feel pretty confident in saying the reputable guides in the central coast area will put you on a hog - mebbe within minutes of the hunt starting.

They know the ranches, and the hogs. Most of the places are planted with barley, which is like crack to pigs. This part of California is loaded with the roto-tilling little monsters.

Will they guarantee a pig? No - and if they do, I'd shy away from them. But good chances are they'll give you the opportunity to close the deal. This is their business, and their success depends on yours. But you have to listen to them, and be prepared to put lead where it counts.

Now if you're a DIY kinda guy, do the POR at Tejon with the JHO crew. The place is crawling with hogs, and there will be lots of veteranos there who know just about every hole a hog can hide in that place - which is pretty impressive, since the south area is around 90,000 acres. If you take their advice, and do some homework before hand about pigs, you'll see hogs, and might have a shot at a monster. It isn't an easy spot (unless you're BDB who basically shot his in the middle of the road - first time there) and the pigs have been schooled. But we've been running 50% success which is pretty impressive for a DIY hunt. And along the way you'll see elk, eagles, bobcats, mebbe a lion, mebbe a condor, and probably Onetrack doing drunken karoke back at the camp which alone is worth the price of admission.[/b]

 

[larrysogla]

With the reputable and excellent guides recommended by JHO members who have hunted with them(please avoid Larry Hamilton who advertises in local newspapers), many times within minutes you will be shooting at wild pigs. A very, very, very high percentage of the guided hunts in Central California with these reputable guides will be over in the morning of the first day or the afternoon of the first day. Rarely, RARELY, do these reputable guides allow the 2 day hunt they advertise to ACTUALLY take them on the 2nd day to put the client in shooting position on wild pigs(we are talking here about gun hunts, not archery hunts). Their job is to put the client in shooting position on wild pigs very QUICKLY. You pull the trigger on a nice sized adult wild pig and then their job is over. That is it!!!
For me I like the Texas style better. A 2 day unguided hunt on corn feeder baits 24 hrs. day and night hunt with a 2 hog limit. The cost is very reasonable. The drawback is the airfare and the lodging. But then you get to hunt for an ACTUAL 48 hrs. NON-STOP day or night. That is why I like those Texas hunts. The hunting DOES NOT STOP when the sun sets in the evening. 'Nuff said.

 

[ooja]

There is hardly anything else to add, everyone who responded to you here really know their stuff.

May I suggest that you consider doing both public and private land hunts?

Here is a thought, go to Parkfield for a day, like you were really hunting, but don't bring a gun, or camo, bring a camera. Drive up and down the roads in the area with a map and see if you can get pics from the road (everything there is private property, the only public land access there is a dud unless you really know what's up). You will probably get a few pics, and see the tons of trails and wildlife. Road hunting private land from public roads with a camera is still legal, and cheap, and gets you an idea what pig sign and habitat is like. I have done it, it really made me think about why/how I want to take a ferral hog.

Pigs were introduced to this state quite long ago, and are nearly everywhere in the state, but it is in their best interests to stay nocturnal--they have the senses to function best at night, and sleep in the thick and/or out of the way stuff during the day. They mostly stay on private land because it has all the things they need, food plots, cover and water, and is not constantly under high hunting pressure. Additionally, the land can be manicured in such a way that it is huntable. Public stuff is not completely natural, mostly it is overgrown due to this state's fire management policies, and in many cases unhuntable unless you are chasing hounds.

I hunt quail and varmints all over the central coast area, and always carry a pig tag. I have logged thousands of miles driving and seen amazing sights during it, including tons of pig sign, but never a pig on public land (I've not tried the military bases). You are right, you will in nearly all probability spend more money trying to get them on public land than going with a guide. However you can hunt quail, rabbits, and coyotes, scout new places to hunt deer, and learn a ton on your own from just getting out there, and maybe, just maybe you will catch one slipping up. Any hog taken on public land is a trophy.

You will be in your best shape for that guided hunt when it comes, if you have been shooting coyotes in real time scenarios. Your woodsmanship will be in its best form, your eyes trained to picking animals out of the brush if you do it often.

I think the guys who are the best hunters are the guys who do it a lot. Unless you are pretty wealthy, it is difficult to do that with guided hunts alone. Hunting that public land may not yeild too many animals but it sure can give you skills and get you in shape.

However I must admit, I am biased, I can't say no to my lab, she always wants to go so I am out there a lot!

 

[Val]

I don't think Mustang Guide Service has a web site, but here's a phone #: 831-386-9027

 

[Rangerjoel]

What!!! You mean people actually pay to hunt?
Man, I need to re think the parks management philosophy.
(just kidding)

Come out to lake sonoma and hunt for free!
www.calfly.com

Joel

 

[SacFireJT]

Santa Ana River in Riverside would be a great place to go if it were legal...there are supposed to be some pigs in there, but someone correct me if I am wrong, I believe it is local park land and hunting is not allowed there. I have heard of pigs being take on Private land in the area, but you would need access.

If you would like to stat bow hunting Choppers would be a great place to go. It is hard to find a better deal in private land pig hunting. Chopper's has lots of pigs, great lodging and you can harvest two pigs with bow only.

Here are a few pigs taken on "Team Tusker's" hunt last Novermber:

I was lucky enough to harvest two pigs on this trip and like usual, all of the members of TEAM TUSKER 2005 went home with pork!

 

[cam188]

I am seriously thinking about starting up bow hunting but need to aquire some fundage. I may need to sell some other toys to make it happen.

 

[m57jager]

now your talkin!!

 

[ozstriker22]

I'm a do-it-myselfer.

I've hunted Tejon Twice now. Realistically, there is about an 80% to 90% chance of SEEING hogs. What I call a kill potential.

Figure all of the variables of hunting, in-experience, wind, hogs you don't see, MISSED SHOTS, etc... and you have a wam-bam-thank-you-maam success rate of 50% - NOT exaggerated.

I'd hunt Tejon any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

But for $50 more I'm trying to bow-hunt at Choppers. this wil lbe my frist bow-hunt for hogs. And probably my first bow-kill. My hopes are high.

Sincerely,

Jesse

 

[bcbear3]

There is a relatively new hog outfitter in Ventura county. Luck of the draw is the name, hunt private land by lake casitas. Have heard they have a lot of pigs. Brian Haley is the guide to call, don't have his number in front of me but were around 500 for hunt.