New to Tejon Hunts

[btrebil]

Hello. I am new to California and wanted to get into pig hunting out here. I am signed up for a Pig-O-Rama hunt March 17-19,2006 for the south side at Tejon Ranch. I have never hunted out here before, can anyone suggest any areas to concentrate on in the ranch? Or does anyone have any suggestions? all help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,

 

[One Track]

Mr. B:

You can just drive around and road hunt like most folks. You might get lucky. Or, you can glass and hunt hard, and kill 85% of the time.

From camp, take the dirt road that goes straight up the mountain. Or, take Bear Trap canyon to the east. After five miles or so, take a left at the fork. Wander up on top, and check out all the canyons below. You can wander around and find great hunting spots. Be there before light, and start glassing into the canyons. Sometimes, you will get lucky and catch them crossing over the ridges from south facing slopes to northside bedding areas. But, if you concentrate on glassing into the thick bedding areas, you will see pigs. If you don't catch them crossing over at first light, concentrate on the deep ravines. They are down there hiding from the trucks. Try to find the areas that don't have a lot of traffic. Once you snoop around the ranch, you'll find some places that don't get hit by the masses.

You will love the ranch. Take a 1000 ft. of rope for dragging hogs out of hell holes with the truck. It will save you in at least half your kills. And, if you have a packframe, take it. You might have to quarter a hog to get it out.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[btrebil]

Thanks for the info, I am really into hike and stalk, rather than drive and shoot. I have never done the wild boar before, is it anything like Javalina hunting in AZ? If so, then i think i will be in good shape, if not, i hope i can learn on the fly.
Thanks,

 

[Speckmisser]

Btrebil, Welcome to JHO!

OneTrack knows whereof he speaks... he's put a lot of guys on hogs there.

The only thing I'll add is this: Don't be afraid to drive those ridgetop roads (if the weather permits) and glass from lots of areas. You might get lucky and get a shot close to the road, but what's more likely is that you'll be able locate where the animals are feeding or bedding and then set up your stalk from there.

That was my mistake on my first trip... I hate roadhunting, and wanted to cover ground on foot, so I found a likely looking spot (the whole bloody ranch is a "likely looking spot"), parked the truck, and started humping the backcountry. That strategy works fine, if you happen to stumble into an area that holds pigs on your first try. But if you start out, as I did in a place where the hogs weren't holding, you'll walk for miles without seeing anything at all.

On that trip, I finally took the advice that was offered, and drove up onto the ridges in the afternoon. I'd drive around, then step out and glass from good vantage points. I was able to drive around until I located a few groups of hogs as they fed out that evening into a canyon. I was then go back to that spot, hike in, and kill one the next morning.

Tejon is a phenomenal place with tons of hogs and great people. When you're checking in, make sure and ask lots of questions... they'll usually get answered. The staff isn't supposed to "guide" you, but they can sure help you get started in the right general area. Just listen carefully if they tell you something, and if it sounds like a suggestion, it probably is.

 

[One Track]

Speck is right on. You don't want to throw a lunch in your pack and take off for the day. It's big country. Drive, find vantage points to glass from, glass for a half hour, and repeat. Soon, you will find some honey holes. Most of the ridges are rounded off, making it difficult to see into the bottoms where the hogs hang out during the day. If you can get an angle on those bottoms, it will help. Also, you might have to walk a 1/4 mile or so down the ridge before you can see over the rounded tops and into the bedding areas.

It's similar to javelina hunting, as you should glass and stalk. (But, this is very steep country, not like the desert flats in AZ. And, they look very similar, but much bigger. When you see them, you will know it. They usually look jet black. Not hard to spot at all, especially when they are feeding. I've spotted a lot of hogs, during bedding time, when the piglets got up to run around. Once they are back in the cover, it's impossible to find them.

Make sure you have 4x4, snow chains, shovel, and lots of rope. If it's raining, stay out of the steep stuff. If you are up on top, and it starts raining, head for the low country immediately. Huh Speck?

 

[Speckmisser]

Originally posted by One Track@Jan 28 2006, 03:51 PM
Make sure you have 4x4, snow chains, shovel, and lots of rope. If it's raining, stay out of the steep stuff. If you are up on top, and it starts raining, head for the low country immediately. Huh Speck?

Dang tootin'!

 

[larrysogla]

Yessirreee Bob!!! Those dirt roads turn quickly into grease like goop in the rain. Have had close encounters with slipping and sliding and spinning and NOT going anywhere in Carrizo and FHL in the rain. Tejon just from the outside on the FWY.5 looking up on those towering ridges looks like SUICIDE GULCH, how much more during those greased up, rain soaked mud. Speckmisser sure has wise words to heed based on his heart busting escapades. 'Nuff said.

 

[jaehunt]

I would echo all that is said. I would add however, that there are tons of colored hogs on the ranch: black, brown, white/black, light tan; we have seen and shot a lot of varieties on the ranch.

Definately watch out for the rain/muddy roads. If you have lockers on a 4x4 you should be fine, just don't get crazy.

I will say this about the south side, in the last few years my family has taken several hogs and they can be found anywhere and everywhere on the southside, we have taken them from many different areas. I can actually only think of 2 that have come from the same area.

good luck, you will love it.
Jae

 

[bighorn67]

Let your optics do the walking for you. Look on sunny slopes in the am and shady slopes throughout the day. This time of year they will be moving around all day. There is water all over the ranch, so it isn't as much of a factor. Acorns have dropped and might be a food source as well as sprouts and tubers. Look for spots that appear to have been rototilled. That is hog sign.

Have Fun

Dave

 

[btrebil]

OneTrack, Just saw your write up and pics with you and SDhunter, where were those places that you saw so many pigs???? Mind giving a little hint? canyon names or roads? Like I said earlier, this will be my first time out on the Ranch, and I have my father and 3 hunting buddies coming from AZ to hunt out here on the ranch, first time for all of us. I picked up some Topo's of the region, but any particular canyon that you would suggest, from them picks you look like the pro to talk to.
Thanks,
Btrebil

 

[One Track]

Speckmisser Canyon, One Tracks Hidey Hole, 7 Mag Mtn, Bear Trap, Tunis, Gegiss, Poleline Road, and the list goes on. They are everywhere. Looking forward to seeing you pics.

 

[Rancho Loco]

7 mag mountain? Is that the one with rifle parts laying around it?

You didn't mention my spot - bed-di-bye hill...I think Scott knows where it's at.

 

[Speckmisser]

And don't forget Roadmisser Ridge.

I wonder if they've "fixed" my road this year.