Iron Sights or Scope at Laguna Mtn.

[DuckFever]

Anyone hunted hogs at Laguna Mountain that can tell me what the shots are like? Would I be better off taking my scope off my rifle if the brush is overly thick? I have a Savage Model 99 .308 lever action. I'm in between and haven't hunted the area before but have done research via google maps and earth and it looks decently thick.

 

[BrianS]

I'm a wanna be pig hunter and I've been there twice and the brush is pretty darn thick in areas. But there are other areas near the top where you can look down into some clearing's. "Map" could probably tell you more, he's a member here that has hunted that area. The road up follows a ridge line with fairly steep drop off's to both sides until near the top. Then you can find small clearings. There is also some water up there, but I haven't found it yet. According to my GPS public land map a small portion of the road passes over private land, 100-200 yards then back onto public land. I passed over it since I think it's still a public road but I wouldn't hunt that private area to the southeast if I were you.

If you're determined to go into the brush I'd take your rifle and a big ass pistol, minimum .44 Mag with solid bullets, don't bother with hollow points. I think anything you see will be coming at you head on and you'll need penetration. You can get shots up to several hundred yards away but more than likely an encounter will be up close and fast! Might think about a short barrel shotgun as you can with practice reasonably reach out 60-90 yds with a slug. Next time I go I'll scout a day or two before for sign near the top and find a nice area to wait for them to come to me. I have special permission to drive in because my health just won't let me take that long hike to the top.

Here's a pic of the area. Laguna Mountain is the small green mountain icon in the bottom right hand corner . . .

 

[DuckFever]

Thanks for the info, I have maps printed from the Hollister BLM of public land and private land. Been doing a shit ton of scouting via google maps, earth and anything else I can find online. Unfortunately I don't own a pistol and I'd rather use my rifle than my 12-guage and slugs. I might stay out of the brush, or at least walk along a ridgeline I've spotted from google looking down into some canyons with what appears to be thick cover. I'll post updates of how my hunt went this weekend.

 

[jackrabbit]

Have fun this weekend DuckFever. Just be careful. Many years ago I went pig hunting on Los Padres NF land just west of FHL. I was accompanied by my photographer cousin who was unarmed except for his camera. We found plenty of fresh rooting, poop, and tracks at first light, but no pigs in the open. I found a relatively smaller patch of thick stuff where fresh tracks entered but did not exit. My cousin could stand on higher ground and spot for me as I crawled into the pig tunnel with my rifle -- the intention being to flush the pigs out and have my cousin mark their exit course for me.

Well, I crawled in about 150 feet and the smell of pig was getting ever so much stronger. About that time I realized that I was in tunnels so tight I would not be able to maneuver my rifle to the side or behind me!!! I sure wished I had a big handgun about that time! The pucker factor had me crawling backwards until I could get turned around and get the hell out of there as fast as I could. No more pig tunnels for me since then.

 

[henmar77]

Anyone hunted hogs at Laguna Mountain that can tell me what the shots are like? Would I be better off taking my scope off my rifle if the brush is overly thick? I have a Savage Model 99 .308 lever action. I'm in between and haven't hunted the area before but have done research via google maps and earth and it looks decently thick.

What part of cali is this?

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

 

[DuckFever]

Thanks jackrabbit, and henmar, if you're confused, there are two Laguna Mountains, one in the in the Central Zone and one East of San Diego. The one I'm speaking about is up North.

 

[Live2hunt]

DuckFever,
I thought you were going to try the Condon Peak area. Send me a PM and I can give you some pointers to check out.

 

[BrianS]

I'm very tempted to head over this weekend but I have a USPSA competition on Sunday, sigh. . . I have to set up stages tomorrow if it doesn't rain maybe I'll shoot over early Sat. hopefully you'll have a pig by the time I get there and I can help you get it down the mountain? Either case good luck duckfever and let us know how you did.

 

[DuckFever]

Supposed to rain, but I'm still going. Maybe I'll see you there. I'll be the one wearing camo with a gun haha. And Live2Hunt, the Hollister BLM office told me today that only a few square miles of the Southwestern portion of Condon is open now.