Hog Help in Southern California?

[PrimosPartner]

Hey guys! I've been hunting for about 10yrs now and never gave wild pigs a thought until today when looking it up online. It seems like a blast, but I have no idea where to start. I have a .243 savage with 100grain mushroom tip winchester loads, which should be plenty. I just don't know of anywhere in or within driving distance of San Diego/Imperial county. I know it won't be a half hour drive or anything close like that, but I wan't to find some public land to try some pig hunting on. I looked up Los Padres Nat'l Forest up in Monterey County and San Louis Obispo. I'm really not asking for anyone's secret hunting spots, but any friendly info on where I could try my luck would be really appreciated. I really want to try and bag one myself instead of doing a guided hunt. I'm stubborn like that

 

[hifi55]

Hey there,

I'm from socal too... I started the beginning of this year, tried the public land thing up in LPNF. Got very lucky and saw some fresh sign and a group of hogs in the Pozo/Lapanza area near a private ranch down near the end of fernandez road, never could get close enough to them. The public land hunting is all well north, starting pretty much at SLO county northward in the coastal range. FHL is probably your best bet, its about 6 hours away and its tough hunting but the best for public land. For me, I'm glad I tried public land and learned a bit but now it makes more sense to hunt private land (Tejon Ranch and Bryson Hesperia are my favorites, these are un-guided or semi-guided hunts, basically just access) and make my gas money count for more with an excellent opportunity to see lots of pigs and decent opportunity at harvest.

Your .243 should be good, about the minimum for wild pigs but I know of several folks using them with fine success. Hog country in california is mostly in condor range so you'll need the non-lead ammo.

Check out Tejon's WPM hunts (www.hunttejon.com) for $500, only 3.5 hours away, unguided, 40% success avg. You'll spend the same thing going all the way to FHL (in gas, etc.).

Good luck!

 

[EPT]

try attending the hog hunting seminar at bass pro shops during the fall hunting classic

 

[PrimosPartner]

that is some great information. i really appreciate the info. how successfull have you guys been this so lately?

 

[LKN4HOG]

There are a few public land hog places in San Bernardino County but they are a hard hunt. The pickings are pretty slim. We have managed to get a few. Your best bet would be to check out a private ranch around Techachapi in Kern County. BUT....watch out for condors. If you can afford it, Wilderness Unlimited is a good source of ranches to hunt. They have 2 in Techachapi, Cummings and Benz. I have taken pigs off of both. I let my membership laps but if you get one, a Plus Membership, take me and I will show you the places to go. (LOL-LOL-LOL)

Public land hunts are better up north as stated earlier. If you can do it, any private ranch is your best bet.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Randy

 

[ozstriker22]

I'm a San Diego Native, and I've hunted public and private lands.

The public lands down south are pretty rough. They abutt to private land and thats where the hogs where. There was sign on the public lands I hunted but we decided it was likely the hogs were using it as a corridor and it was obvious their food and water was on private land.

With gas as $$$ as it is getting I want to know that when I spend $200 on gas, take time off work, etc, I'm going to have a chance to see something. Tejon has (from my experience) a 99% chance of SEEING wild hogs, and close to a 99% chance of SHOOTING at one.

Now, you might not be in good enough shape to get to them, or they might pop up when you are not ready and least expect them, but of the three times I've gone everyone in the group had their chance. And around 60% shot at pigs with around 40% closing the deal. Tejon is NOT an easy ranch to hunt... there is a lot of land and a LOT of steep hills. But there is also a LOT of water and food and cover.

Point is, if live in SD, and you are hunting public land, you would have to drive 2-3 hours farther, over 3 or 4 different weekends to get the same opportunity you get at Tejon in 1 weekend.

Not sure about FHL though... never hunted it.

 

[PrimosPartner]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ozstriker22 @ Jul 1 2008, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Point is, if live in SD, and you are hunting public land, you would have to drive 2-3 hours farther, over 3 or 4 different weekends to get the same opportunity you get at Tejon in 1 weekend.[/b]

Do you have any contact info for Tejon? Once again guys, thanks a bunch for all the help. I'll be sure to send you some fresh bacon when I get one

 

[SDHNTR]

http://www.hunttejon.com

 

[MJB]

Beside Tejon you could do a couple hunts with a trespassing fee or a guide. This way you can hunt different ranches all the time.

 

[Niland Boy]

SO-CAL me to

if you know any one in the military you can try vandenberg afb .Lots of pigs there!! But you have to be with someone in the military.

 

[upchuck]

I'am in the same boat as you!
I've lived here in yucaipa for 3 years now, I came from vegas were I lived there for about ten years but I grew up in riverside.
I went pig hunting up at camp roberts a couple of months ago but saw nothing, which when we left the base at the end of the day the guards at the gate said nowbody had seen any, which made me feel a little better!
Anyway it's my first time hunting pigs so thats why I got on this web site so as hoping to learn more and maybe find some hunters who know more and ask questions and maybe even go hunting with them sometime.
From what I've read and I even talked to jesse once it seems that tehon is the best bet, so I'm going to keep an eye on this web sight and hopefully there will be a jho hunt coming up in the future.
Good luck and I'm sure one day we'll meet.

 

[ozstriker22]

I am partial to Tejon, as I've taken both of my hogs there.

HOWEVER, there are a number of guides out there that will put you in the area of good hogs for right around the same price as Tejon. With the advantage that they let you pick their brains for tips and tricks, and may include lodging and food too!

 

[myfriendis410]

Go with a guide for your first couple of hunts. The experience is invaluable for looking at the countryside the right way. Me and my hunting friends hunted for years without seeing anything! Once we turned the corner, we see hogs almost every time we go hunting. It's that big a difference. We have actually been glassing hogs when other hunters have driven by at high speed to get to the spot they've chosen to hunt at. If you don't have the time to invest in one area and look at it several times a week for months, go with a guide.

 

[Cold1nhand]

I am with 410, you will learn more with a guide. And if you say well I can't afford to go on a guided hunt, I would then ask how many trips would you like to go on and not be successful? How many trips would equal the cost of a guide? I would be willing to bet as few as 2. After a few trips with a guide you might be ready to hunt on your own, not saying that you can't do so now... but you will dramatically improve you odds of success. It is not by chance that some on here are consistantly posting up pics of successful hunts... it's in the knowledge.