Lake sonoma turned over to F&G next year

[500+grns]

I figured that would be the case,but I think the ACOE actually built the fence when they built the dam.

 

[oneshothunter]

we went to the lake this past weekend and the sign is still up we had shorts and no hunting gear on and watch and listen to other people look at the sign and make some pretty bad coments about us hunters we ask them if they hunted and they told us no we told them we did and most of us hunters dont do what is written as for the hide could it have been taken out of a trash dumpster for the picture???and why do we have to tell the non hunting people visting why not say it in the papers we fill out at the sign in desk

anyway we walked in and talked to the lady behind the desk and ask her and as far as she was <told the lake will be open but the stuff needed to stop or we all lose >

 

[YoungBlood]

Nor-Cal Bowhunter and I were at the Lake Fri-Sun. I should've taken a pict of the 2' X 2' bright orange sign that 500+ is talking about. It was eye catching to say the least.

I hunted close to the Cooley Ranch most of the weekend. Their main green and silver fence was in good shape, but the older fences around their property were down in multiple places and cows were on lake property grazing. Everytime I was hoping to be smelling some fresh pig sign, it was actually fresh cow crap. It doesn't really help when you're trying to hunt and there are cows looking at you and running off.

I love going up there to hunt. We had a great weekend, but the whole time, I kept wondering if it would be one of the last times I would go to Lake Sonoma. I really hope they don't close it down to hunting and we can be able to enjoy it in the future. -YB

 

[SacFireJT]

YB, yes, Lake Sonoma is a great place to hunt hogs!

The country up the is by far the most scenic place I have every hunted hogs...and as a bonus, there is not a lot of poison oak up there! Perhaps next year it will go to a draw--this would limit the amount of hunters; and thus, you would have more hogs on the lake property because of decreased hunting pressure.

Hey LD what's up with your new avatar?

 

[Tom Petterson]

Sounds like we need a cow hunt like in Hawii

 

[spectr17]

Sounds like a good smear jobs on us bowhunters. Without evidence of where that hide came from it's a big leap to point the finger at the bowhunters. Especially when you have a guide looking to gain a LOT of unhunted ground nearby and antis using the same area.

Tossing hides and gutpiles in campgrounds is also an well know anti hunter tactic.

 

[BrysonHesperiaResort]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SacFireJT @ Mar 20 2007, 05:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

YB, yes, Lake Sonoma is a great place to hunt hogs!

The country up the is by far the most scenic place I have every hunted hogs...and as a bonus, there is not a lot of poison oak up there! Perhaps next year it will go to a draw--this would limit the amount of hunters; and thus, you would have more hogs on the lake property because of decreased hunting pressure.

Hey LD what's up with your new avatar?

[/b]

Sac Fire's got the perfect solution, I think you guys could bring this up to F&G and the Parks dept. for Lake Sonoma-the two Agencies split the $$, have control over the hunters (or the trespassers), you guys could still hunt and everybody wins. Very very good.

P.S. Talk about new avatars ... Sac Fire

Your's is very nice!

 

[nor-cal bowhunter]

I think the decisions about the future of our hunting have been made and there isn't anything we can do about it. Offers have been made to help repair fences and there was no responce. If a solution to the "problems" was what they wanted things could easliy be done. There are 3 patrol boats and a sheriff boat on the lake, I have seen them every week. How hard would it be for them to get the CF# off our beached boats and would know exactly who is hunting where, if there was a complaint of trespass ect. I also doubt that Ranger Joel has any say in these decisions probably come from much higher in the food chain. Hope I'm wrong but just in case I'm planning on hunting every weekend till the end.

 

[500+grns]

I believe this is the last weekend,Mar.24-25 to hunt up there.DFG spring Turkey hunts start the following weekend,and the first two weeks of April will be weekdays only and one side of the lake will be closed each week.
I have to agree that the day the posting went up at the visitor center is the day this hunt was doomed.I truly believe that the magority of the issues were a complete set-up by surrounding outfitters and possible antis that may be members of the ACOE as well.The fence issue says it all. After several offers to mend fences were made,there were no replies from Joel and it's obvious they didn't need the owners permission to do so if it was the ACOE responsibility.
All in all, I think the ACOE met there goal as far as eradicating hogs.The landscape destruction surrounding the lake in my eyes has been reduced at least 90% compared to the prior years of hunting DFG drawings.I can remember Liberty Glen camp ground completley turned upside down every year as well as the lawns at the visitor center and the ACOE compound.
I believe the reported pig take in the month of Jan.05 exceeded this years total for six months.I've put my time into it this year and the pigs have definately been pressured out of the area.The place has been pounded by hunters week after week and they've had no time to settle in anywhere to take up residence.
I was fortunate to take a couple of lone boar early this year,but was only able to get on pigs twice since, out of several trips to the lake.Two years prior we were taking hogs 70% from the boat.
As was said in one of the prior replies,I always felt like I was walking on egg shells and that the hunt was set up for doom in the first place.Someone was bound to screw it up for everyone,whether it was with-in our fellow hunters or pressure from antis I always felt uneasy about the future of the hunt.
At this point I wish the information on Lake Sonoma was minimal.The high exposure may have invited some unwanted individuals that didn't seem to care how they got their hog because they weren't coming back.The hunting success has declined significantly and it has turned into typical CA. public land.
Now it's going to be near impossible to get drawn if DFG runs it the way they used to.Not to many poeple paid much attention to the draw and the hunts were minimal, two hunts a week on weekdays.Hell,half the guys that were drawn wouldn't even show up.Pissed off doesn't even come close to the way I feel right now.Hunting in Ca. is a joke.

 

[Lurediver]

500+grns, I agree totally.

 

[jkvshooter]

AMEN, brother! I'm gonna hit it hard this next week and then wait for the outcome.

 

[BDB]

The strange part is that if there were no huning on the lake property I would think the surrounding land owners would also suffer. We all know how smart hogs are. If they are unpressured on the lake land, they will filter in from the surrounding ranches that are pressured and not leave. I would think the hog hunting on their land would get worse over time. Then the lake has the same problem it did a few years back with the place being torn up. What then, pay pro's to reduce them? That would really suck!

 

[Shot]

Thats way they (guides, private party) are crossing over.

 

[spectr17]

Ya know, a pic of a hunter or guide from outside climbing over that fence would be worth a million words.

I'd also tear down that sign that has the allegation against bowhunters. Prove it was bowhunters first before pointing the finger.

This one doesn't pass the smell test.

 

[500+grns]

I plan to scout the areas every time I go up there to fish,I'd love to nail one of those guys.
As for the post,it's encased in a locked bullitin board along w/an arrow pinned to the board.Believe me I'd a toar it down the first time I saw it,but then I'd be a vandal on top of everything else I'm being profiled of.
The only way I see the ACOE saving face is to remove it and post an apologetic letter and thank us for the positive effects we've accomplished concerning environmental,and ecological habitat issues.
Oh shoot,I just woke up, forgot I was in CA.

 

[fdkay]

Is this arrow supposedly from the hide/gut pile? If it is, then that really points to "plant" and anybody fooled by this doesn't seem like the sharpest pin in the cushion. Why would someone leave the arrow? Why wold they track down the arrow, just to leave it in the gutpile? A pretty obvious snow job here.

 

[spectr17]

Please post the ACOE contact info. It's BS that is in that case. I want to make a few calls and light a fire.

 

[500+grns]

This is all I got,you might be able to get a little more after a call.
USACE-Lake Sonoma
3333 Skaggs Spring rd.
Geyserville Ca.95441
(707)433-9483
Fax(707)431-0313

 

[PIGIG]

hey 500+ is the broadhead attached to the arrow?? that is on display!

 

[500+grns]

I don't know if it's some kind of decorative ornament to add to the insult or one of the so called arrows retreived from the neighbors.Can't remember if it had a broadhead,might of.