Hunting Area D7

[Hog slayer]

Has anyone hunted area D7. I was told that this was a good alternate to put in for. It is up around the Shaver Lake area.

 

[PCguy760]

I am considering it, looking to go there D6 or D7 or 8 or 9 , never been to any but trying to get back full time into hunting , dont want to wait around for D16 san diego hometown hunting. I heard these places can be like a war zone though with numerous hunters and some being rude and even dangerous in their behaviors

do any of these zones experience COLD weather in SEP - OCT ? I am looking to go somewhere and just camp and hunt and enjoy the scenery , maybe go up twice for 3-5 day hunts then focus on D16 when it opens in late october , I am from PA originally and would like to hunt in some cool - cold type weather, tems in 30's type stuff , and SNOW of course would be heavenly

 

[mattdeere]

D-7 is a Decent zone with a lot of public ground to hunt on. Lot's of High Country. A lot of road hunters up around Shaver Lake area though. I wouldn't suggest going opening weekend of Rifle season just because it will get tons of pressure. Late in the season can get snow but not every year.

 

[mallarditis]

Deer hunting in COLD weather? You live in California now buddy! haha.It can happen but it's not going to be anything like what you're used to in PA. Like I said, it can happen. I hunted x7b 4 years ago (my teenage son had a tag) and the weather was in the 20's then hunted there the last 2 years (another son drew then I drew) and the weather in the same area was in the mid to high 70's. So you never know. Good luck and have fun!

 

[goldenarrow49]

We camp at about 7800 feet in d7 and every year in October at some point it gets down below 20 at night. As far a if it's a good zone that just depends on how dedacated you are. We hunt it hard and some years my whole party gets deer and more often just one or two of us. Last year we all ate tag soup but we had at least 2 opertunites (sp). If I lived in bakersfield I would look into d8.

 

[Hog slayer]

D8 pretty much sucks. The success rate if very low and the Temp is very hot. If you don't mind me asking what area are you hunting in D7.

 

[cali-carnivore]

D8 pretty much sucks. The success rate if very low and the Temp is very hot. If you don't mind me asking what area are you hunting in D7.

I love D8! WU has two AO ranches there and one of them is loaded with big bucks! I am not sure about public land in D8. D9 has a lot of nice dear also! I typically hunt around 5000 ft in D8 and the weather is comfortable.

 

[easymoney]

All the time... It is in the heart of some of the best country in the sierras, yet get hammered by road hunters and OHVs. Anyone who is serious about hunting this area needs to get their game face on, back pack in well away from the hoards, do the research to really learn the area, be prepared to have lots of company, and have an alternative plan ready...

 

[goldenarrow49]

I generally hunt above shaver. But I have also been known to hunt above bass lake. Sory I won't go int anymore detail because it is overcrowded enough. The thing I have found is that it doesn't really mater what location you hunt as long as you learn the area really well. Ex. Say you know the deer are in an area with a certin type of plant you may know 10 other areas that have that same plant. Or if one area is getting lots of presure where will those deer go to escape.

 

[MULEY51]

All the time... It is in the heart of some of the best country in the sierras, yet get hammered by road hunters and OHVs. Anyone who is serious about hunting this area needs to get their game face on, back pack in well away from the hoards, do the research to really learn the area, be prepared to have lots of company, and have an alternative plan ready...

+1

 

[easymoney]

I love D8! WU has two AO ranches there and one of them is loaded with big bucks! I am not sure about public land in D8. D9 has a lot of nice dear also! I typically hunt around 5000 ft in D8 and the weather is comfortable.

Good input cali, D8 is often overlooked because it has way too much easy access and because of the lower elevation get hot. I have had good success there and it is a water game, you find it, sit on it...

 

[cali-carnivore]

A big chunk of Tejon is in D8 and a small portion of D9!

 

[Common Sense]

A big chunk of Tejon is in D8 and a small portion of D9!

D8 is mostly Tulare County, with a little bit of Fresno & Kern County. I hunt mostly the north end, often in Fresno County. Don't think any of Tejon is in D8, and doubt any is D9.

 

[easymoney]

Back to hogslayer and pcguy, most of D7 is the High Sierra and is very frustrating with it's extreme beauty and it's extreme conditions. IMHO, any kind of weather can and most likely will happen at a given notice in this zone, but that is what makes so great, it's extreme nature. Sure the stats show low success rates, but just being out there in the back country and experiencing the sierras at their best and actually being able to hunt on mostly public land makes it so cool. It is not an easy place to hunt(especially if you actually want to score) but it is the kind of country that most people dream about hunting in... This is my fall back tag most years...

 

[mgriffith80]

Easymoney has it pretty much summed up. Last year was my first year hunting D7, I struck out but learned a hell of a lot.

 

[rosss1897]

tejon is d10 all of d9 is in kern county

 

[easymoney]

There are no "secret spots", there are no "unknown places" in CA. Someone has been where you are standing, long before you were born. All of the northern D zones are very weather reliant, the southern areas are very water specific. It does not matter if you hunt in D13, D8 or A zone, each one and it's hunting success is reliant on basically two things: habitat and herd numbers. bad habitat or no deer and it's a waste of time... If the habitat and water is down or the herd numbers are down you can expect a tough hunt, even in the best of places...

 

[cali-carnivore]

Near Tehachapi where tejon borders Cummings mountain is D8, Tejon also has a small portion that is north of the 58 near Caliente which is D9. Does anyone ever hunt the western slopes of D7? The biggest deer I have ever seen in that zone was jumped from a ditch when we were pheasant hunting Pixley many years ago.

 

[Sniper1]

Near Tehachapi where tejon borders Cummings mountain is D8, Tejon also has a small portion that is north of the 58 near Caliente which is D9. Does anyone ever hunt the western slopes of D7? The biggest deer I have ever seen in that zone was jumped from a ditch when we were pheasant hunting Pixley many years ago.

I have been hunting D7 for 30 years, some years its good and most its bad. As others have stated it is VERY weather dependent and migratory deer is the key to scoring a big one, most bucks are shot by road hunters and tend to be forked horn's, however; if you time it right, say 2nd or 3rd day of a storm and get in the migration areas you will get a biggin. I have and do hunt low most of the year, which is hot and dry, i hunt first and last light primarily, I concentrate on Northeast facing areas and stay still as everything is so dry. If you are willing to put in the time then D7 does have some nice bucks roaming around, most years I either eat tag soup or get them big ole Hogs that roam the foothills.

Good Luck.

 

[Common Sense]

Near Tehachapi where tejon borders Cummings mountain is D8, Tejon also has a small portion that is north of the 58 near Caliente which is D9. Does anyone ever hunt the western slopes of D7? The biggest deer I have ever seen in that zone was jumped from a ditch when we were pheasant hunting Pixley many years ago.

Pixley is several miles south of D7. Part of Pixley west of Hwy 99 is D8, the part east of Hwy 99 is A.