Lassen Antelope Scouting

[MattS]

Well now that I am drawn, the scouting will start! I have to get my truck serviced and my optics cleaned up for the trip to the desert. I have hunted X5B for deer several times,and helped my buddy get on a 14 1/2" Antelope in there a few years back. I know some areas to try, but was wondering if anyone could point me to some other areas to check out during scouting trips if my spots in X5B don't pan out. I know a few animals are taken around Termo and over toward Little Valley. I have also been told around Little Harvey Mtn. there are a few animals. Any tips to open new scouting areas will be welcome. I have no trouble in putting in the driving and leg work, just general directions are fine. I don't expect anyone to give up their "honey holes". Just hoping to find some pocket herds and maybe a big goat. I would like to get a quality animal, but realize most anything over 14" is probably a good animal in California.

I hope all the water we had this year doesn't scatter the animals too much. Thanks! Matt

 

[jvle95]

Hey MattS,

I drew Lassen Period 1 last year and filled my tag. I did a lot of calling and asking around on here and came up with a good number of places to try. Many people pointed me east of 395 around Skedaddle Mtn and Five Springs. I scouted that area and to be honest I didnt see much other than other hunters. To be truthful though my scouting times there were not at the best times of day. The area is vast and open and not real appealing to me. I also was told of Pine Creek Valley off of Hwy 44 and I scouted there too. This area was much more to my liking. It was scenic and I saw two nice herds of antelope. I saw two other hunters while hunting there and I did see at least one of them take a lope. Most people I talked with told me the trophy lopes would be east of 395 but I stuck with Pine Creek Valley and had a great hunt. If your interested more in this area email me and I will give you more details. There should be a pic or two of my lope from last year in this forum if you look back. Good luck to you.

Joe

 

[BOWUNTR]

Try here. Not many lopes but some nice ones. Not a secret spot, just an area where I've seen some good ones. Good luck. Ed F

 

[MattS]

Thanks guys, I can't wait to get out an scout...that is is my tag is real. LOL, That whole DFG mess up is funny, but I am glad I got a peak at the sight.

I have seen some nice bucks come of that Skedaddle Mtn. My buddy photographed a nice 5x7 at about 32 inches wide. He was scouting and not hunting, of course no buck when the season started.

I have always see a lot around painters flat but never any good ones. I will check some of these other spots, as I would really like to get a nice goat. I got my 300 win mag out, I need some new rounds and will probably get some 150's for it. I should be able to hold right on out to 350 yards, the 180's are a little overkill for Antelope and drop quite a bit faster. Matt

 

[MattS]

I got my letter in todays mail! I can't wait!

 

[Kentuck]

Do they still have the pre-hunt meeting? If so, go. They had maps of all the zones there and had areas that held antelope highlighted. I copied those spots to my map and ended up seeing goats at every spot they had on their maps.

 

[baboltin]

congrats, i put in for that tag but didnt get it.

 

[BigDog]

Hey Matt, I can't speak for the 395 corridor but I can give some comment about the zone along 139. Grasshopper valley has a ton of the speed goats. They are out there in abundance. The valley is a PLM and I don't know what the situation is on getting in there but I am sure DFG can tellyou the details.

 

[BigDog]

Speaking of goats. I got these pics this past weekend.

 

[jvle95]

That first picture of that lope sitting in the grass is exactly how I found mine. He was bedded down with a couple does, barely visible in some tall grass on the edge of the tree line. Keep your eyes open down low in the grass. Nice lope too by the way.