Laguna Mountain BLM Area

[TheGunny]

Anyone hunted this area lately, some posts about it but very old. I am thinking on heading back out there (went there last week, no hogs but saw lots of deer). Thinking of walking the Sweetwater area this time. Any thoughts?

 

[thewolfman]

Sounds great...any hunting is better than no hunting...goodluck

 

[shoottime]

Please give us a report when you get back. Its a little too warm right now for my liking, but after we get a few rains and quail opens, you might find me out there. Good luck if you go.

 

[TheGunny]

Well, just got back......

Sweetwater Area
First off, the campground is closed. Government shutdown and all. So parking and starting off on the trail is your only option. Second is there were tons of young doe (looked very tasty) and a few small bucks out there. Saw a mess of turkeys all gathered together. Got up on them pretty close, thinking of pulling a rambo move on them with my knife, but I let them live another day.

Did not see 1 single sign of hogs there. Very dry, the creekbed is bone dry and underbrush was very thick everywhere I walked. I hiked about 7.5 miles, per the GPS, all over. Enjoyed every minute of it, just would have been better to see some sign of them.

I am submitting my application to FHL monday so once I get that back I will be out there.

 

[shoottime]

Dont be discouraged with Laguna Mountain. It's the driest time of the year in that country. Once our winter rains hit and the hills green up, the hogs will disperse and chances are youll start to see sign everywhere you go. Water is the key right now, and the private lands in the area have water. Theres alsays a chance to stumble upon a hog in the area. I hunt dove and quail on a small ranch past Clear Creek and pass by Laguna Mtn on my way to and from my bird hunts. I see hogs on most of my travels in that area, especially on the Hernandez Reservoir side. Water is the key, once Laguna Creek starts flowing, hogs will come.

 

[OVHunter916]

Laguna Mountain and Sweetwater are detailed by Bob Robb and Durwood Hollis in several of their publications. They mention that Laguna Mountain is best in winter, although there are water sources that let the pigs stay out there all year round. I've hunted the area unsuccessfully a couple of times and it just seemed like the pigs were really nocturnal and didn't move around during the day as evidenced by ample sign but no pigs. Robb and Hollis mention getting up on ridges and glassing at first and last light. They also talk about hunts where they both went in and one of them pushed the brush while the other shot... I have had close encounters with pigs on other public land parcels and all I can say is that it takes a big time investment to get to know an area well enough to take pigs consistently. Seems the same is true with FHL from all the reports I've heard. Seems like these hard core public land pig guys would basically hike in with a pack frame each trip and consider themselves fortunate if they could take a pig every third weekend of hunting BLM land. Success rate was usually every other weekend at FHL but these were guys who really did their homework and hiked off the road a bit to be in place at first and last light. Not to mention really watching the wind/scent side of things. Setting up a backcountry spike camp is always an option at Laguna/Sweetwater.

 

[thewolfman]

I ve had success hunting there...but thats because we hunted there every other week...and this is when there wasn't that much hunting pressure like now... but its not ez....there was a lot....I mean a lot of disappointing hunts before a successful kill...only advice I can give u is find the water source...or where they cross...a spike camp is the way to go because u gotta be where u need to be before light...last I was there like a month and a half....not alot of pigs...but pigs where to the west....good luck if u decide to go back

 

[TheGunny]

Thanks for the replys, I really like getting that far out there, to be honest I enjoy the drive there and back almost as much as I like hunting, getting away from the city and highways and people make it worth it kill or not. But I do have a couple of questions... When you say "WEST", west of what? And second question is were you on north or south side of the main road when you headed west. Both times I was south..... way south. Reason I ask is I have not seen a water source yet. I can see where it WILL BE once the rain comes, but damn is it dry out there. Salmon fishing the next couple of weekends and then deer out in the sequoias. But come the 2nd week in November, TURKEY AND BOAR is on the menu.

 

[frankiecruzer]

Gunny where you looking to go for turkey and boar? are you near camp pendleton?

 

[TheGunny]

I am in Lemoore, but I have the range of a 1997 Dodge Ram, meaning HAVE VEHICLE WILL TRAVEL. Just looking to see Cali and all it's food on my table.

 

[huntingbret]

I am in Lemoore, but I have the range of a 1997 Dodge Ram, meaning HAVE VEHICLE WILL TRAVEL. Just looking to see Cali and all it's food on my table.

Don't you mean, you want to see Cali and all the regulations it has on top of it's regulations regarding game animal? LOL Too many darn regs!!!!

 

[TheGunny]

Don't you mean, you want to see Cali and all the regulations it has on top of it's regulations regarding game animal? LOL Too many darn regs!!!!

Actually that is what I said, but when I did spell check, it re-wrote it.

 

[TheGunny]

I think I have given up on Laguna Mountain. Went to spend my Marine Corps Birthday/Veterans weekend there. Parklot and every campground was full, trash everywhere (cans, plastic bottles, cans of copenhagen). I saw more trash than I did animals. My pack weighed about 15 pounds more when I left with all the trash.

Not one deer, not one boar, not one anything but squirrels and birds.

Time to find a new hunting ground.

 

[easymoney]

Went up to check it out after not hunting there I many years. What a change with the two new campgrounds, there were a couple other groups of quail hunters. I used to park on a wide spot, climb the fence and hike in. It was very dry, no water and no sign except for coyotes...

 

[mike_cook82]

The pigs are long gone from that area. I think the deer are getting the hint too. I see more deer near cuyamaca than ever before.

 

[Bobaloo]

The pigs are long gone from that area. I think the deer are getting the hint too. I see more deer near cuyamaca than ever before.

I don't believe they are talking about the San Diego co. Laguna Mountain.

 

[TheGunny]

I don't believe they are talking about the San Diego co. Laguna Mountain.

No, I a talking about Laguna Mountain, west of Coalinga.

 

[javithewrench]

Just got back from Laguna mountain only seen hogs crossing the road out of clear creek into private land. Hiked all thru Laguna mountain down the gorge and back up the upper trail and didn't see any signs, pretty dry up there. I did see 3 mountain lions about 10+ deer and about 13+ hogs but hogs where in private land with a 6 foot fence around it. Most animals where seen driving Los gators road also hiked condon peak but it sure was dry up there. Some pics I managed to take while driving

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[javithewrench]

Also found hair stuck in barbed wire in condon peak and some kind of dropping not sure if it was boar but it looks like it contained berries or nuts

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[thewolfman]

TheGunny....sorry for my late late reply...the place I'm talking about is....from Clear creek...if u drive west...there's actually 4 parking areas to hunt...the fourth parking lot is where I hunted...the parking is on the southside and u go south....I followed a trail south up until it ended on a dirt rd...I hunted west and just missed a group of about 5 hogs...very fresh dropping and rooting because it was very foggy otherwise I would have scored...they are close to the private so they cross over without me seeing them because of the fog...please no PM...if anyone knows the area...I ve described it too much without pin pointing or gps the exact place already haha

And yes...the place I m talking about has a spring before u get to the dirt rd