First Scout Trip Of Year In D13

[mike1781]

So just did my first scouting trip in D13. Saw lots of tracks and pellets but no deer. We did get up there late. Hiked 4 miles into the Chorro Grande Trail off the 33. Lot of signs of bear to but no sightings. Yeah...yeah...yeah I know theres no deer in lower Los Padres but hey beats being at work right? If anyone is familiar with the area could you be so kind to at least let me know if I'm in the right vicinity? Thank You! STAY SAFE!

 

[Bubblehide]

mike1781, you might want to post this in the mule deer forum; I suspect you may get a better response.

You can find deer dispersed throughout D-13. Bears generally stay somewhat near water. The area you describe is a south facing slope; traditionally south facing slopes are often winter range. Technically, the deer in D-13 do not migrate. But, they do have preferred winter areas; if we actually get a winter. However, the deer in the area your looking at, prefer the cooler climate of the north facing slopes. In the past, the Forest Service has conducted some controlled burns, so that the deer can more easily move from the north facing slopes, to the east, and then to the south facing slopes for winter; at the request of F&W. Often, the best country for deer, is old burns, generally 2 to 5 years after a burn, depending on the winters we get.

With that said, there are deer along that 33 corridor, but bucks are far and few. As a matter of fact, does can be also. Yet, there are many isolated spots that do hold deer, if you take the time and make the effort to locate them. But, if you have found an area that holds bears, you have also found a good deer spot; it's worth spending some time investigating it further.

 

[mike1781]

Thanks Bubblehide for the info! Will definitely do more trips and research.