Need some HOG info Near Coalinga.

[Blackknights154]

Hey Fellas, I am New on this forum, Awesome site though. I Am just starting out my adventures in Hog Hunting since I cant hunt deer like I usually do back in Michigan, so I now have my Mathews MQ1 and all the gear. I am needing a whole bunch of information. I am curently at the Navy base in Lemoore, CA. I know of hunting in Coalinga but have yet to be or even worse, find others who hunt it. I am in serious need of information such as, Do i hunt with or without a treestand, stalk, where are some good areas for public hunting, if bowhunting do i need to carry a side arm, will my mossy oak break up cami's do the job?????? alot of questions because i havent hunted hogs before but love the hunt with a bow and a prey. Please, please, anyone with any tid-bits of information will be much apprecitated. Thank you very much fellow hunters, AM3(AW) Michael McDonagh USN VFA-154 TOMCATS TO RHINOS ANYTIME BABY!!!!!

 

[Speckmisser]

Welcome Michael!

That's an awful lot of questions in a short time, but here's a stab. There are others who will have more to offer.

First of all, there is hunting near Coalinga, but most of the prime hunting is on private land. Unfortunately, that generally means either NO access or Paid access. Still, it never hurts to ask around. There are a couple of good people in that area who might help you out...especially since you're a serviceman.

The public lands do hold some hogs, but they're generally hit hard and either nocturnal or back in the stuff so thick you'll never get to them. Do a search on this site for Coalinga, and also for Clear Creek. You'll find a ton of information...mostly general... about the areas and where to start.

One thing to consider if you want to bowhunt hogs on public land in CA is to get rid of the treestand and get a good backpack. Spot and stalk is definitely the way to go on public land, although if you find a good honey hole (e.g. an isolated, wet spring in the summer time), a treestand setup can work wonders. You don't want to leave a treestand set up on most of the public land around here, because odds are good it won't be there when you come back.

There's a lot of back and forth about carrying a sidearm while pig hunting. Personally, I'd say it's not necessary, but it can't hurt, especially if you have to go in the thick stuff to get one out. A long knife works too, but a pistol is easier. I like to carry my .44mag, but if I'm carrying that, I don't see much point in carrying the bow. Of course, you can't carry a pistol while hunting archery-only zones or archery deer seasons.

Camo... unnecessary, especially for hogs. Whatever you have will work fine.

Good luck!

 

[Blackknights154]

Well alright Brother! I sure do appreciate the lots of info you gave me. As per the side arm, I have a nice knife for any shananigans that may come about! I know we have alot of farms around here and Im actually considering asking some old farmers about hunting on thier land. Never hurts to ask. Yeah the whold Treestand, well like you say, it might not be there in the morning! I thing i would prefer to stalk. I have done some research on hogs, i know that they have poor eyesight but their sense of smell??? I dont know , what would you recommend for any type of scent blocker? I usually keep my hunting gear in a little plastic container that i will wash out with pine oil and take it out with to my parking spot. Kind of an old habbit. Well Like i said before, any info is great info and i do appreciate the other feedback. Have a good one! THanks... Mike

 

[BirdDawg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Well alright Brother[/b]

Spec has a brother? we're doomed!!!!! LOL.........if your looking to hunt hogs on public land your best bet would be the mineral springs area.......go west on 198 about 15 miles out of Coalinga(give or take a mile) and you'll see the turn off to mineral springs.....curry mountain has hogs on ocasion........either way it's some good hiking up steep terrain.........if you want to pay hogs wild is a good place and I believe Larry has some fenced area for bow hunting only......scent eliminator works good but if you can stay downwind of hogs and move slow you can get plenty close enough for a bow shot with or without it........specs right - spot and stalk is the best way but if you find an area thats frequented by hogs you might try a tree stand (if you can find a tree)......no guarantees it will be there long but we normally don't have alot of problems here with theft.....most land around here is private and there are plenty of clubs to join ranging from $800 to $2000 a year....you just need to do some hunting and talk to people and put out the word your looking to join a club.....if an opening comes available a club is the way to go.......good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Orso]

Hunt into the wind... Keep it in your face and you wont need any scent blocker.

 

[larrysogla]

Blalckknights154,
You sound like a military person from Lemoore Naval Air Station. If so then my best recommendation to you is to use the search function in this JHO website to find as much information as you can regarding Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. It is strictly a hunt open ONLY to active or retired Military persons. NO civilian Defense Dept. employees as I understand it. LOTS of hogs in there and the Military folks that are regular hunters in there are very helpful folks. You can contact them via e-mail through this JHO website.
Many of them will give you valuable pointers if not actually take you along with them on a hunt. That is a hunter's paradise as ONLY military are allowed to hunt. God Bless.

 

[Blackknights154]

Speck,BirdDawg,Orso, And Larry..........I hand everyone of you a beer!

I so very much appreciate all of the Info fellas. And Larry, I will definetly check up on the Santa Barbra base there. And the direction to the mineral Springs hutning, thank you, I wll be checking into that this weekend. Maybe just go scout around and talk to a few people up there. Fella, thank you very much guys, I am glad I found this website alsobecause i think i would be thumbing it on everything if it wernt for you guys...Thanks Brothers!!!! Speck...you get double!!!!!