HELP!!! At lake sonoma

[Rebelbrew]

I am getting a little discouraged. I have been out five days so far and have seen no pigs. I am working on if I hit the same spots I should run into at least one. (Being they are nomadic). I have spent two days going in from old Skaggs road and nothing old signs no signs. Three days going in from Skaggs spring vista. Nothing. I have walked the property lines and the shore lines. I'm just lost on what to do. I know people are secretive on what they do and I have found two old wallows and a old feeding ground. All from the last rain.
Oh and showing pictures that are across the lake with an arrow is not helpful saw that in another post. This is my first time hunting and this might be the make or break for me to go forward. I get it's hunting and not killing but I should at least see something that looks like a pig. rayin: :hog:

 

[voidecho]

I've never been up there so I can't help you man. All I can say is if you really want to succeed, you just have to keep putting in the time. This is why people don't give up their honey holes. They put a ton of time and miles on their boots finding their spot.

 

[walthers]

I’ve hunted Lake Sonoma the past five years and have still not killed a pig. What I will say is that the pigs move, a lot. I have seen them many times, in many different areas of the lake. The problem with pigs, especially these pigs because there are a lot of people at the lake, is that they are constantly on the go. They move and move and never seem to be in the same place twice. With that said, I will say that the best opportunities I have had have been when I catch them bedded under trees and bushes. I used to look for fresh sign and bypass anything that looked old or “not piggy.” I have jumped many pigs in the middle of the morning and into the afternoon that were just sleeping under downed trees or in thick bushes. If I were you I would start hiking and check under every bush and tree, and I mean every one. Also, have an arrow knocked because if you get on them they will spook when you are within range and you had better be ready to shoot. I hope this helps, pig hunting is one of my favorite hunts but it is not easy! Good luck.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

Well I hate to say I told u so, but hunting lake Sonoma is no cake walk unless u get lucky and hang out by the restrooms who knows, but lake Sonoma is huge I haven't even scratched the surface and I have been hunted a few years now there so much to explore and so little time for me but if I was a local it would be a different story I would no that lake like the back of my hand. Did u do the Yorty creek side.
Don't be discouraged I have hunted whole seasons sometimes with out seeing them and felt the same way until one day on the Yorty creek side me and another forum member where hunting and if I am lying I dying we saw with our own eyes a group of about 7 pigs, huge pigs, all of them pushing around 400-500 lbs. long story on why we didn't score but after that encounter I wasn't discouraged anymore after I really seen what that lake has to offer a bowhunter on public land and I did pass up a little dinker once with in 3 yards at full draw and drew down to live another day and get huge.
And like must of us hunters bowhunters hunting the lake who don't have a boat I am sure we all did wish we had a bout because it really does increase your chances to get on pigs in remote areas of the lake u can't walk to unless u are a ultra marathon hiker. So don't feel alone my friend that's that's why when u score a pig a the lake with a bow it will be your ultimate trophy and achievement to be proud of for all the hard work time u put in there But then again some people are luckier then me I am not one of them, but I really enjoy bowhunting at lake Sonoma now successful or not. Have a great day REBELBREW and hope u score one that would be awesome........tra

P.s Walters is spot on on his advise and info he gave u , sometimes u got to get down dirty and shake a huge bush, as long as its not poison oak but then again they like bedding in that stuff too.....

 

[flytrue]

This opening week a buddy of mine was walking back to his truck along Rockpile, in the evening, when he just happened to look over the guardrail and saw 3 pigs at 20 yards. He got buck fever and shot low.
Same week I shot a rock from a slingshot into a low bush near the road and two pigs popped out.
In 9 days hunting I saw 31 pigs. Only one of those was anywhere near enough to shoot though. It walked by at 15 yards while I was sitting down. He gone by the time I was on my feet. I saw a sounder of 12 pigs while people were on the horse trail.
I am handicapped and don't get too far out there, but certainly far enough.
Put your time in and you will start to figure it out.

 

[sancho]

I’ve hunted Lake Sonoma the past five years and have still not killed a pig. What I will say is that the pigs move, a lot. I have seen them many times, in many different areas of the lake. The problem with pigs, especially these pigs because there are a lot of people at the lake, is that they are constantly on the go. They move and move and never seem to be in the same place twice. With that said, I will say that the best opportunities I have had have been when I catch them bedded under trees and bushes. I used to look for fresh sign and bypass anything that looked old or “not piggy.” I have jumped many pigs in the middle of the morning and into the afternoon that were just sleeping under downed trees or in thick bushes. If I were you I would start hiking and check under every bush and tree, and I mean every one. Also, have an arrow knocked because if you get on them they will spook when you are within range and you had better be ready to shoot. I hope this helps, pig hunting is one of my favorite hunts but it is not easy! Good luck.

i'm like this guy. seen a lot..killed none. one year i put a buddy in my best spot and he shot TWO!! i was secretly pissed. his first time to the lake EVER.

last year, every pig i saw was at 20 yards..running at full speed past me. like a foot race was going on. i would just watch them run by like it was some 3 stooges episode. hey mo!

oh, i did stick an arrow in one..but it ran away. my friend killed the very same pig 7 days later, and texted me a pic of my broadhead. hahaha.

he said it was humping a sow and eating. with my arrow 8" into him. wow. i'm not in the mood when i have a headache..or i'm hungry ..j'k

 

[bsanders8181]

At least one of the areas I hunted on the Yorty side was more barren this year than last, but I've been busy and only out once so far. The only wallow I found had clear water, four from last year are dusty and trampled. There is plenty of sign from when it was wet up there to tell me the pigs are not far off, but the fresh sign suggests smaller groups.

It's always fun just to get out and look. Who knows what you might see.

 

[Bigbadboar]

It's difficult but not impossible. Your best bet right now is to be on top of a ridge, glassing the area, and if you spot one put on a stalk.

 

[thewolfman]

I haven't hunted there but my advice but I can tell u what I do everytime I hunt a new area...go where they are...by going where they are means...if u have been in the same area 2-3 days not good unless u living on a prayer...I would move and scout hunt a different area...I say scout hunt because u don't know all the terrain yet...so unless u a very very lucky guy...u need to hike those hills and canyons...if there's no sign...move on...if there's some sign...I do a zig zag pattern to a full circle of about 100 yrds trying to see where the signs or tracks lead and go from there..I start with a game plan but the game I m after dictates which direction I go next...if its to the restrooms areas or under the railings off the road or deep into the canyons and hills....go where they are...and the only way u will know is u put boot on the ground...don't limit yourself to just an area when u have almost the whole lake unless where u are now have fresh signs

I never put that pressure of gotta kill something in any new area i hunt...i simply enjoy and take the time to know the terrain 1st...learn the movement of the old signs and tracks...but I always prepare myself mentally for all sorts of shot scenario if the game should ever present itself...if u hunt alone...u should never let your guards down anyways...dont be discourage..I know of 2 pigs taken there already just for your info....remember...its all part of the chase...the animals hide...u gotta go seek...hope this helps...goodluck

 

[sancho]

It's difficult but not impossible. Your best bet right now is to be on top of a ridge, glassing the area, and if you spot one put on a stalk.

this is good advice. my friend whacks them..but he was jobless and could go all the time. he just sits there with his jetboil drinking hot coffee..and smoking.

i am finding them deeper in..places where you cannot dissect with binos. you just are not going to probe the depths. i am far from any expert, but i am seeing much less sign this year.

 

[jerryt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2XqDZr0e1gg

Here is a video from last week at the lake that a WU member put together.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

Hey Jerry that was awesome video brother thanks for sharing. Now if this video can't answer any questions anyone has about hunting wild pigs at lake sonoma on what its like and what it takes then I don't know what else the tell u.
I like the way he ended it, I actually due the same thing when hunting the lake when all else fails, Here piggy piggy, here piggy piggy...lol..tra

 

[zbailey925]

Don't be discouraged RebelBrew, I hunted this past weekend as well and didn't see any pigs. It took me all of the first day to find fresh sign. Loggers camp was dead, I found some fresh sign right at the hills of the lake side entrance to the thumb and skunk camp areas, just as you pass the buoys. I found more sign at the mud flats that was much more substantial, including this pile of scat on top of a rock that was 12 feet high where it looks as though the pigs had been eating local wild blackberries and then pooping in a depression in the rock like a litter box and then sunning themselves. My friend did see a pig, but it was over 400yds away. While I was out hunting the farthest part of the lake, a friend of mine who did not hunt went on a hike and ran into 4 pigs 200yds from our camp, all within range. Typical. I have yet to pull a hog out of Lake Sonoma, and this year was the most lean on sign, but covering a lot of ground and being out early in the morning will increase your chances. The gal at the Marina said someone shot a hog on the other side of the public boat launch, so they could be anywhere. This year almost the whole lake is open to hunting due to no camping on Army Corp camp sites, so there is a lot of ground to cover. I have covered so many miles out there I have worn out pairs of boots and just like Roman Archer, I have still not scratched the surface of terrain. Patience and determination. Good luck, don't give up.
Don'

 

[voidecho]

Nice to see another Benicia guy on here Bailey.

 

[Rebelbrew]

Hey Jerry that was awesome video brother thanks for sharing. Now if this video can't answer any questions anyone has about hunting wild pigs at lake sonoma on what its like and what it takes then I don't know what else the tell u.
I like the way he ended it, I actually due the same thing when hunting the lake when all else fails, Here piggy piggy, here piggy piggy...lol..tra

I was walking out today doing that. And where are you porky? I just had to laugh. I'm going to change it up this weekend and try a different area.

 

[KTKT70]

Nice to see another Benicia guy on here Bailey.

I always wonder if any of you guys are up there? Is it still a small town? I have family in Benicia. It was always so nice as a kid. We would sit out on the back porch and look at the water and bridge. His place is on top of that big field down from Railys. I have not been there for a while so maybe its not a field now. As a kid we would go down from my uncles and walk around the field looking for deer or birds. I can smell the wild dill and licorice plants.

oh.. sorry I got side tracked. Back to topic.. Don't get upset or want to quit. I think the idea of just going for fun and not letting hope of game being to important. That way you are just out hiking for fun and when you do get on them hogs it will be that much more cool. Good luck to you. Have fun and as always be safe.

 

[sancho]

I always wonder if any of you guys are up there? Is it still a small town? I have family in Benicia. It was always so nice as a kid. We would sit out on the back porch and look at the water and bridge. His place is on top of that big field down from Railys. I have not been there for a while so maybe its not a field now. As a kid we would go down from my uncles and walk around the field looking for deer or birds. I can smell the wild dill and licorice plants.

oh.. sorry I got side tracked. Back to topic.. Don't get upset or want to quit. I think the idea of just going for fun and not letting hope of game being to important. That way you are just out hiking for fun and when you do get on them hogs it will be that much more cool. Good luck to you. Have fun and as always be safe.

What? My good friend lives above that big field above Raley's. Up panarama st.


Sent via Jedi mind trick.

 

[voidecho]

I always wonder if any of you guys are up there? Is it still a small town? I have family in Benicia. It was always so nice as a kid. We would sit out on the back porch and look at the water and bridge. His place is on top of that big field down from Railys. I have not been there for a while so maybe its not a field now. As a kid we would go down from my uncles and walk around the field looking for deer or birds. I can smell the wild dill and licorice plants.

It's still a nice town that kind of has a small town feel for being so close to the Bay. Love being close to the water too, I can see it out my window as I type this, however I'm closer to downtown (Safeway rather than Raley's).

 

[KTKT70]

I looked it up. Over by York dr. looks like the field is still there. I wonder if there is birds and deer like when I was young.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

REBELBREW what's going brother u still out there hunting the lake, whats been going on, u got any good news to report on how your hunting trip went at the lake, thanks!......tra