huntingbret
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Sancho, great job. You actually took the time to find my face online. I'm impress!
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m hunter
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (huntingbret @ Jan 8 2009, 04:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
(Hey bret you look familiar). Congrats On your first Hog
huntingbret
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m hunter, I don't think I know anyone from Visalia. You might have mistaken me for someone else.
Anyhow..as for my clothing...after a good hike or two up those hills, you break out in a sweat no matter what temperature it is. I did have another sweater in my backpack. I never wear too heavy when hunting as I always end up taking them all off.
Live2Hunt, did you get your pig at the usual place again? Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.
Anyhow..as for my clothing...after a good hike or two up those hills, you break out in a sweat no matter what temperature it is. I did have another sweater in my backpack. I never wear too heavy when hunting as I always end up taking them all off.
Live2Hunt, did you get your pig at the usual place again? Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.
Live2hunt
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
I assumed you meant Upper Cottonwood. The last few trips there back in the end of Dec. yield hundreds of cattles all over the hills. Not a single pig sign. Of course I haven't been back there almost two weeks now. But with that same group of guys from Merced pretty much lived at the place, I doubt there's much difference. The two pig I recently shot were up north of Sacramento in the Cache Creek area. I thought about checking out the one honey hole in Clear Creek, but when I call the BLM office in Hollister, they said Clear Creek is still closed due to the Abestos. So I went north.
By the way, I'm gathering info on Pine Flat and one of these days I may haul the boat up there to explore. And don't worry, I promise I will save some hogs for you.....hehe.
L2H
I assumed you meant Upper Cottonwood. The last few trips there back in the end of Dec. yield hundreds of cattles all over the hills. Not a single pig sign. Of course I haven't been back there almost two weeks now. But with that same group of guys from Merced pretty much lived at the place, I doubt there's much difference. The two pig I recently shot were up north of Sacramento in the Cache Creek area. I thought about checking out the one honey hole in Clear Creek, but when I call the BLM office in Hollister, they said Clear Creek is still closed due to the Abestos. So I went north.
By the way, I'm gathering info on Pine Flat and one of these days I may haul the boat up there to explore. And don't worry, I promise I will save some hogs for you.....hehe.
L2H
jackrabbit
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l2h and others, especially guys boating in to Pine Flat -- don't forget some snake protection if you go up there after the rattlers come out of hibernation!! Saw a picture of one guy a few years ago who got bit on the lower leg -- he had a huge piece of of meat permanently missing after it was all over. He must have gone across the lake in a small boat because he reported it took a half hour to get back across the lake to call for a helicopter rescue. More recently, a JHO report noted a snake bite victim on the southeast side, below the lake I believe, which also required a helicopter ride.
On the first case the guy reported something about a "speckled rattlesnake" that he stepped on that blended in very well with the granite rocks in the area.
I've got snake chaps, but they are way to hot. Thinking about the Turtleskin snake gaiters but they cost too much. The old timers used to put metal furnace ducting pipes over their shins up to the knee -- I may have to go that route since I seem to be a magnet for rattlers in the lowlands the past 2 years! We even had a few fishing reports from bass fishermen down here at Millerton Lake that swimming rattlers (yes they can all swim) kept trying to climb into the bass boats when the water was rising very fast with the Spring snow melt last year!
Not to scare anyone from my eventual honey hole there, just be careful where you plant your feet, hands or face!!!
PS. If you do go the boat route, be very careful where you beach the boat and go uphill. If you look closely at the forest maps, there is still a lot of public land alont the shoreline near the south end of the lake (where most of us want to get to of course). I've read that the landowners own the land all the way to the bottom of the lake where the original riverbed is at, so mean high water mark may be meaningless there as far as trespassing. I've heard stories of unattended boats being scuttled or towed from that area and attended boats being threatened there. I've got a boat and I've been thinking that I might talk a youngster (like maybe your younger brother Bret!) into being a guinea pig to take across the lake and turn loose to scout the area while I spend the day fishing the lake nearby waiting for a radio call to go to shore and fetch some pig meat!!!! My son loves to fish and I could have him drop me off, but he is so into trolling for fish he would probable be miles upriver and would not get my radio call. Seriously.
On the first case the guy reported something about a "speckled rattlesnake" that he stepped on that blended in very well with the granite rocks in the area.
I've got snake chaps, but they are way to hot. Thinking about the Turtleskin snake gaiters but they cost too much. The old timers used to put metal furnace ducting pipes over their shins up to the knee -- I may have to go that route since I seem to be a magnet for rattlers in the lowlands the past 2 years! We even had a few fishing reports from bass fishermen down here at Millerton Lake that swimming rattlers (yes they can all swim) kept trying to climb into the bass boats when the water was rising very fast with the Spring snow melt last year!
Not to scare anyone from my eventual honey hole there, just be careful where you plant your feet, hands or face!!!
PS. If you do go the boat route, be very careful where you beach the boat and go uphill. If you look closely at the forest maps, there is still a lot of public land alont the shoreline near the south end of the lake (where most of us want to get to of course). I've read that the landowners own the land all the way to the bottom of the lake where the original riverbed is at, so mean high water mark may be meaningless there as far as trespassing. I've heard stories of unattended boats being scuttled or towed from that area and attended boats being threatened there. I've got a boat and I've been thinking that I might talk a youngster (like maybe your younger brother Bret!) into being a guinea pig to take across the lake and turn loose to scout the area while I spend the day fishing the lake nearby waiting for a radio call to go to shore and fetch some pig meat!!!! My son loves to fish and I could have him drop me off, but he is so into trolling for fish he would probable be miles upriver and would not get my radio call. Seriously.
huntingbret
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Jackrabbit, that's what I do when I haul my nitro bass boat over there. I never leave it parked on the shore. That'll be the stupidest thing I can ever do. So instead, I take my younger brother with me so he can fish all day. I just radio him to pick me up at a specific place at a specific time. Works better that way. If you two, jackrabbit and L2H want to do that sometimes in the near future, let me know. I'll be willing to go with you and take my brother along to fish all day. My boat or yours, it doesn't matter.
jackrabbit
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Sounds like a good idea to me Bret. I've got a 175 HP Ranger Bass Boat. I say we take two boats, and let two mules (you and L2H or?) get up there and tie a couple pigs up for us and then we go up and shoot (j/k) , one of us at a time, so we can tend the boats! I'm pretty slow going uphill nowadays, but I can still cover the ground! I've got radios, so I can call the boat for a pick up just for me if necessary. Come to think of it maybe one boat would be best as far as boat tending goes (in order to keep fishing and not have both boats lashed together). I'm game for it as long as I have enough lead time to plan for it. I'm retired, but I end up with a lot of weekend commitments planned by the wife or son. I'm definitely interested, I could leave my boat trailered at the ramp and if I poop out early I could get a ride back and launch it to fish and wait to see what the other guys bring out, that would leave me with all options open. We need to follow up this idea!!
m hunter
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About the belly thing i can belive, I took a 250 yard shot at a buck hit his belly and his organs was dragging while he was running by the time I found him he was well gutted. A friend took a butt shot on a buck with a 30-06 and it blew a hole on his belly.
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Hunterbret, I apologize for the rude behavior here by a few members. Those responsible for the nonsense have been suspended. In the future just hit the "Report Post" button and we'll take out the trash.
To those who feel they can take potshots and make allegations, unless you have proof you need to shut your pieholes. The buzzkillin is not tolerated here.
Back to the topic, hunterbret's Pine Flat pig.
To those who feel they can take potshots and make allegations, unless you have proof you need to shut your pieholes. The buzzkillin is not tolerated here.
Back to the topic, hunterbret's Pine Flat pig.
m57jager
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Hey Bret,
Do your homework well. I know of one area that you go to where once you hike in there is a fence with public on a hill and private in the flats on the other side. Lot's of people have tried the less steep easier route in there by parking there boat in a cove and going in. If you're going where I think you are, you need to go get let off at the steep hell hike that feels like your going straight up for a mile where there is public access all the way. That is the only ture legal way in there. Not only will you get your boat towed but there have been some guys in the past that had Fish & Game waiting for them when they hiked out due to the access point onto private. Also, they will tow your boat even if you're on the public access. Then you will end up finding it at the Trimmer Marina missing your life vests and your plastic gas tank missing with the hose cut and nobody will say a word. I can speak from experience. I'm not trying to shy you away as lot's of people hunt there, lots with limited success. Just letting you know it's heavily watched so know the land and follow those maps. Good luck!!
Do your homework well. I know of one area that you go to where once you hike in there is a fence with public on a hill and private in the flats on the other side. Lot's of people have tried the less steep easier route in there by parking there boat in a cove and going in. If you're going where I think you are, you need to go get let off at the steep hell hike that feels like your going straight up for a mile where there is public access all the way. That is the only ture legal way in there. Not only will you get your boat towed but there have been some guys in the past that had Fish & Game waiting for them when they hiked out due to the access point onto private. Also, they will tow your boat even if you're on the public access. Then you will end up finding it at the Trimmer Marina missing your life vests and your plastic gas tank missing with the hose cut and nobody will say a word. I can speak from experience. I'm not trying to shy you away as lot's of people hunt there, lots with limited success. Just letting you know it's heavily watched so know the land and follow those maps. Good luck!!
jackrabbit
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yeah, I remember some of those posts a while back. Thanx for the reminder m57. Just like some of the public areas along the central coastal range foothills, just cause your legal does not mean some locals or vandals won't mess with your property when it is left unattended. That's why I will never beach my boat to hunt Pine Flat -- leaving a boat tender to fish until a radio pickup call is the way to go. Heck, for a fee, I've even considered doing some car-sitting at Upper Cottonwood for some young strong legged pig hunters!!!
I've scoured the forest map and google earth to check out that Pine Flat peninsula north of Lefever Creek, which is darn NEAR 100% public forest land. I see that the soutwest approach is the gentlest slope and the northeast slope is the steep hogback shaped side. None of it really looks easy as you can get into a 3,000 ft elevation gain from the shore. But as far as being sure what is private around there, I've been toying with the idea of just spending a day at the county office and going over the maps of private land for that peninsula. Could be a fun thing to do now that google earth notes the gps coordinates wherever you place the computer cursor.
In the end though, there is just a ton of forest land in the area that is just about as reachable by vehicle, and then followed by the same steep and brushy legwork from there. I've seen a lot of guys run pig dogs in the public areas in the winter/spring, so it's surely no secret.
I've scoured the forest map and google earth to check out that Pine Flat peninsula north of Lefever Creek, which is darn NEAR 100% public forest land. I see that the soutwest approach is the gentlest slope and the northeast slope is the steep hogback shaped side. None of it really looks easy as you can get into a 3,000 ft elevation gain from the shore. But as far as being sure what is private around there, I've been toying with the idea of just spending a day at the county office and going over the maps of private land for that peninsula. Could be a fun thing to do now that google earth notes the gps coordinates wherever you place the computer cursor.
In the end though, there is just a ton of forest land in the area that is just about as reachable by vehicle, and then followed by the same steep and brushy legwork from there. I've seen a lot of guys run pig dogs in the public areas in the winter/spring, so it's surely no secret.
CAhntr
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Bret,
Way to go bro!! I knew you would get one evntually. It took me 3 years too.
Do you still have my #? I tried calling you a few times but never got a hold of you. Hit me up sometime and we can go tear 'em up together.
Again, big congrats!
You deserve it!
Eric
Way to go bro!! I knew you would get one evntually. It took me 3 years too.
Do you still have my #? I tried calling you a few times but never got a hold of you. Hit me up sometime and we can go tear 'em up together.
Again, big congrats!
Eric
paintsign57
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Man, Exciting stuff... Have been working on a public pig for a couple of years now. Small and tasty. Congrates on the hunt.
Gary
Gary
