Northern California Pig Hunting Areas

[david.bonini]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Davidw100 @ Feb 1 2008, 07:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

ksberry,

Thank you all for the information about that area. Does anyone know if you can hunt hog's in the Knoxville rec area in the northeast corner of Napa county? its a bit above Lake Berryessa?[/b]

There are two Knoxville areas to hunt north of Berryessa.

There is the Knoxville Wildlife Area - DFG Type C area and then there are the Knoxville Public Lands administered by BLM.

The latter is very thick brush and very hard to hunt. I have seen deer, rabbits and squirrels in there. I have never seen a bear or a pig in there but I am sure they are in there. It is just so thick that it seems impossible that you would find any.

The Knoxville Wildlife area is much nicer. Rolling hills and oak trees. Streams and the occasional pond. Lots of deer, turkey and quail. Also lots of ticks. A friend of mine knows a biologist. He apparently went with him one day to do a study on something and ran into a hundred pigs on the first big plot of DFG land on the west side of the Berryessa Knoxville road.

I have been out there a few times and never seen anything. Last year during turkey season, my daughter brought her shotgun for a turkey and I carried my rifle for a pig. We got checked by a pair of Wardens. They laughed when I told them I was pig hunting. They said they had never seen any pig in there either.

My daughter and I only hiked in a couple of miles. Maybe if you get over the ridges and further into the valleys, you will find some.

 

[Davidw100]

Hello

Thank you all for the information. I will be checking out both areas in the next few weeks. I will let you know what I find.

Dave

 

[ksberry209]

Sent you an e-mail...I wil be going in the next week or two but it will be mid week. Let me know if you want to roll.

FYI - I am a rookie so I really won't be able to give you much info how to hunt but I like to get out of the house and see new things.

 

[Davidw100]

Ksberry, you get my email reply?

 

[ksberry209]

Sure did. I am heading up to the IVR / Walker Ridge Area tomorrow to check it out and break in my boots. I will let you know what I see and try and snap some pictures or the area.

 

[slyck68]

I have hunted the Knoxville Wildlife Area and Cache Creek quite a bit. As for Knoxville, I've seen some sign, but for the most part it seems like the pig population is non-existant. However, I've spent considerable time in Cache Creek and know of several areas that regularly produce sign (wallows, rooting, tracks, scat, etc.). I have only harvested one, a decent sized sow a few years back, but have seen several others. The best piece of advice I could give you is this:

The populations are very small and the pigs are highly nomadic, nocturnal feeders. I've only ever seen them traveling right at first light and right after sunset. To have any real shot at finding them you absolutely need to get off of the beaten path and get into their bedrooms. You'll need to do some belly crawling and move real slow to find them. I've never once been able to spot and stalk, they have always been chance encounters in close quarters. Unfortunately, they inhabit such thick cover it can be tough to see them. I've been literally 30 yards from a herd in the brush and never saw more than a fleeting glimpse. The good news is in the thick, protective cover they are active and vocal all day. So cover as much ground as possible, be stealthy, but always be ready. When it happens, it's typically over just as quick as it began. BUT THEY ARE THERE!!! Good luck.