No Shotgun Season at Lake Sonoma

[Beastie]

Thank God!


US Army Corps of Engineers

 

[bpnclark]

This will save hog hunting at Lake Sonoma.

 

[jryeo]

Great news. I was worried there would be no season at all this year.

 

[THE ROMAN ARCHER]

its sad that the shotgunners wont be able to participate this season and hopefully bowhunters will follow all rules and reggs and respect lake sonoma so we dont ever get restricted from hunting thier too. cant wait to get back up their to do some public land hunting agian.......................tra

 

[Mel Carter]

Glad to hear it's still opening. I will be hitting in several times this year.

 

[Two Rugers]

OK so why no shotgun hunting?ig-laughing:

 

[Kentuck]

I'd say no shotgun hunting due to way too many folks hunting. It's probably a miracle no one was shot this past Feb.

 

[559hog]

"Pigs must be gutted at least 100 yards away from any man made structure, trail or campground. Do not dispose of entrails in garbage cans; leave them in the field to attract other boar."

Good stuff, sounds like you bow guys are going to have a hell of a season! If only it wasn't a 5-6 hour drive there .

 

[Caviel]

Glad I didn't buy a shotgun for Sonoma..

 

[Huntr Pat]

Cool Archery only. I will be there for the opener this time. I took a hog this past march. Cant wait to hit it again.

 

[dglover]

I don't hunt there but it is sad to see any group lose their privilage to hunt any given area. This is usually only the begining to everyone losing there privilage. If safety is the main concern then it sounds like sound policy. But it usually runs deeper then that. Hopefully this is not just the begining of the wedge used to ban hunting in all areas regardless of method of take.

Just wondering who pushed to remove the shotgun hunting season there?

Either way I would never celebrate the loss of hunting privilage to any given group.

It seems that a reduction in the number of shotgun hunters may have been a better revision to the current policy.

Maybe a muzzle loader only swap to the shotgun season.

These alternatives would have left the oppurtunity open to more hunters.

One more loss for Joe hunter and a notch for any group looking to set precedent against hunters in general.

The way I see it this is a loss for all hunters no matter what your preferred method of take may be.

 

[jryeo]

dglover, don't get me wrong - I I'm not celebrating the loss for that user group. I'm happy that any hunt was opened up this year.

The shotgun season was opened up for one month last year as an experiment to augment the archery hunt that has been going on for several years. They had about 300 archers registered to hunt in this small area from November to Febuary. Once shotgun season started in February, more than 1600 shotgunners showed up to hunt also.

There were just too many hunters in too small an area, and unfortunately there were a few bad apples - both archers and shotgunners who caused problems with trash and deer poaching.

It was good they were trying to expand the program but unfortunately it didn't work out with such a small area. I'm glad that last year didn't ruin it for everybody.

You make a good point about muzzleloaders. Way more people own shotguns than muzzleloaders, and that might be a good way to bring in another hunting group without risking having too many people swarm the place.

 

[bodega]

The shotgun season was added two years ago to increase the number of hogs killed, and it worked. Unfortunately, it also drew a hell of a lot more people and it got way out of control. It is unfortunate that the Corps did not try to implement a lottery system for the shotgunners, which would have preserved access and controlled the volume, but I'm happy that we ALL didn't lose access. I'm a guest on the land they administer.

 

[Mikey88]

Well then....We bowhunters must do a better job this season harvesting these elusive beasts! ig-laughing: :archer green: Don't make them bring in the boom sticks again! I'm up for the challenge...

 

[jb229]

Good Times!
Can't wait to get back out there.

 

[sancho]

hate to see any segment of our brothers left out of the fun.

but on the flip side, anything that leaves just one or two exceptionally dumb pigs alive, so that i may settle my top three pins on them is a good thing.

 

[tpuig]

How long has it been since they had the shotgun drawings? I remember you had to send in a postcard. (Yeah, it's been a while.) When I used to go, there were only a couple other shotgun hunters, but that's because it was a draw. I can only imagine what a zoo it must have been lately.

Silly question - does archery mean crossbows are allowed?

 

[Mikey88]

yes.... crossbows are allowed.

 

[Hunter2003]

Did the previous season end in march also? Just wondering how long it's been since it has been hunted?

 

[hunterdoug]

yea it stays closed to hunting all summer october and november is deer season for those of us lucky enough to draw:smiley-mouse:can't wait... till I get back from Oregon with some elk meat rayin :