New pig hunter in Southern CA

[Pizzul]

hello everyone!
I'm new to this forum and looking for some advice. I grew up hunting quail and dove with my dad but now that I'm 26, I want to get into hog hunting. Been doing some research the last month or so about places in CA and have decided to take my chances with scouting out areas closer to where I live. Going down towards San Diego seems like the best bet but there are parts of the Cleveland National Forest that are about 30 mins from me. This would be the San Mateo area. I haven't had a chance to go and check out the area yet but will be heading out on a day hike in the next couple of weeks. Just was wondering if anyone had been in San Mateo before and seen signs of pig there. I am also searching for the best way to learn about hunting pig from stalking to field dressing. I'm a hunting sponge that is looking for a pool of knowledge to soak up!

 

[MGDeer]

hello everyone!
I'm new to this forum and looking for some advice. I grew up hunting quail and dove with my dad but now that I'm 26, I want to get into hog hunting. Been doing some research the last month or so about places in CA and have decided to take my chances with scouting out areas closer to where I live. Going down towards San Diego seems like the best bet but there are parts of the Cleveland National Forest that are about 30 mins from me. This would be the San Mateo area. I haven't had a chance to go and check out the area yet but will be heading out on a day hike in the next couple of weeks. Just was wondering if anyone had been in San Mateo before and seen signs of pig there. I am also searching for the best way to learn about hunting pig from stalking to field dressing. I'm a hunting sponge that is looking for a pool of knowledge to soak up!

Pizzul, good luck to you. Get your access to public land and identify where the pigs are going to and from, you be lucky 1st time out to bag 1. But put your efforts into finding there routes(scout/ hunt) and pig sign:rooting,spoor and rubs. Google Earth first to get a virtual lay of the land & look for agriculture fields and a few other items that lend to pig feeding,bedding and wallows. They're nomads and are always on the move especially when pressured but like to stick to good habitat. They most active in early AM and late PM but again, if pressured will go nocturnal. once you find fresh sign decide if you will commit to tracking further or post and wait for ambush. Play the thermals(important), post up high, keep the sun to your back along with vegetation to break up your profile(always a good practice) and listen cause they're a rowdy critter. Good luck. Field dressing... check out this sight we may have a link for that and if alone fillet the meat to make for easier pack out. Again good luck dude. Oh, look up the wolfman (JHO member) he taught me the art of piggy and he spot on man.

 

[Bobaloo]

northern cnf is my local playground; I've hiked through many parts of the San Mateo wilderness looking for sign, found nothing. worked Into the san mateo creek drainage and along the back of pendleton. Don't think there are any pigs in that area...you'll have better luck with the imaginary ones in sd. (Or not-so-imaginary, ask wild1)

 

[Pizzul]

Going down to San Diego is my next trip. Didn't have high hopes to find much in San Mateo but just need a spot to start off and get my hiking skills back that I have slowly lost over the past few years.

 

[RodeoFlyer]

Where are you located Pizzul?

 

[thewolfman]

Scoutin trips r alway good...until u actually see the pigy...than u wished u brought ur gun....thats y i scout hunt at the same time wen it comes to pig...but thats only if u r the luckiest dude on here...which u might b...haha...but my advic if u goin to SD...bring alotta water...hike far...think cover...food...and water...but hike to where u think no bodies been there...a guy here tha caught pigs on a trail cam hiked 3-6 hrs...good luck to u...let us kno wat u find

 

[thewolfman]

Pizzul...if u happen to run into the pigy...i d b willin to teach u everythin i kno...i ll just tag along... i dont need a gun...its just cooler to guide somebody to a pig hunt....stalkin to shootin to packin it out to cookin it...haha

 

[Pizzul]

Where are you located Pizzul?

I am in Riverside CA

 

[Pizzul]

Pizzul...if u happen to run into the pigy...i d b willin to teach u everythin i kno...i ll just tag along... i dont need a gun...its just cooler to guide somebody to a pig hunt....stalkin to shootin to packin it out to cookin it...haha

I will post when i will be going out and would love someone to tag along and show me a thing or too

 

[piginthepit]

I'm new to hog hunting as well and I live in south orange county and would love a chance to get down there as well.

 

[ckhb]

Time and money would probably be better spent trying a guide if your just starting out on pigs. You learn a ton and have a better chance on filling the freezer. I just haven't heard a whole lot on San Diego and even looking at the DFG pig data doesn't seem too promising. From what I have read a lot of the pigs out there tend to be on Indian land but I may be completely wrong. I would try for Central California and you can be out there in 4-5hrs so not too bad. Good luck and be safe.

 

[Sasquatch619]

My buddy and I have been researching pig hunting in San Diego county for the past couple months trying to get a bearing on where most of them reside (El Cap & Warner Springs), however it turns out they are actually spreading faster than previously thought. I've been talking to a few of my employees who live up in Escondido and they have told me that they see pigs every so often run through their property (near the Wild Animal Park). I thought this was odd since I haven't seen any reports of pigs spreading that far west.

Well, it turns out they are! I was driving up I-15 near Gopher Canyon Rd a few days ago and there was a roadkilled pig on the side of the road. It had the "calico" looking coat. I was driving by at 75 MPH, so it was hard to get a really good look other than the obvious coat color and general size, but it looked to be about 150-200 lbs.

The day after I spotted that road killed pig, I was at work on Camp Pendleton and was talking about pig hunting in front of some folks from Environmental Securities and they told me that a group of about 20 good size feral hogs were spotted in the northern reaches of the base. They are currently working on containment measures for the pigs, and it looks like they are going to allow hunting of them on Pendleton.