Quail spots near Ventura

[IK13]

I drive at least 150 miles one way when going for quail and was thinking if there isn't a place that's closer to me.
So far I'm unable to find anything. Or anyone - local or not who hunts or has hunted the Los Padres near Ventura, Santa Paula, Fillmore etc. for quail...
Has anyone hunted there? Any suggestions?

 

[MEF]

IK13,
Most, if not all, of the quail around Ventura, SP, Fillmore are on private land. The Cuyama Valley, Carrizo Plains, Gorman area would be places to try. Good luck! Mike

 

[PoorAim]

IK13,

I have not been hunting quail all that long, but I have had some
success in Los Padres not too far from Ventura.
I'm in Agoura hills so not too far from you.

Now most of the quail I find are not huge covies and many
are somewhat difficult to get to (many are mtn quail),
but they are there. I typically target areas with standing/running water,
but there are plently of springs and guzzlers around, so birds can
be anywhere. I've never found an area that gives up easy limits, but I
usually run into a bird or two.

Some areas not too far from Ventura that may be worth a look
would be Apache, Ballinger, and Quatal canyons. All of these have
been mentioned on this board in the past and have at least some birds.
There is plenty of public land behind Fillmore and Santa Paula the
trick is getting to it -something that can't be done sitting in your
truck so most guys don't bother.
I believe behind Fillmore was hit pretty good with the recent fires and probably is closed to the public now. I would like to get up in that area myself soon to check out where the fires went and where birds may be, but I'm not sure when I will get a chance to do that.


Good Luck. Email or PM me if you want to talk more specifics.

-PA

 

[MEF]

Pooraim,
After you get past the private property above Fillmore don't you enter into the Condor Sanctuary? I was told that you can't hunt there even though it is public. Let me know if that is wrong. Also, the last time I went into Qatal, Ballinger, and Apache Canyons there was people everywhere and no birds. The only birds I saw were in the parking lot of the Halfway Station! Mike

 

[PoorAim]

Mike,

It's interesting you mention the Condor sanctuary, because I have a friend who is doing some contract work up there and we were just talking about hunting up there recently. We weren't certain if you could hunt in the sanctuary or not and I need to look that up. If I find anything out I will let you know. Although this year it sounds pretty burnt anyway.

But the area I was referring to was beyond the Condor area anyway. Both to the West and the East (And north now that I think about it). It's LOTS of hiking, but that whole area isn't sanctuary.

As for Apache and Ballinger, I haven't been there in a long while, but in quatal
I have seen birds this year. Not lots of birds by any stretch, but birds. I have typically found them when I hike a good distance up a canyon off the main road and I typically don't see too many folks in those spots.

I'm not trying to sell this area as a great quail area, its not. I was just trying to name some spots fairly close to Ventura. In the end when you convert hiking time to driving time, these areas may be less productive than better spots further away, but sometimes I know I would prefer hiking over driving. So I thought I would throw the idea out there.

-PA

 

[dazco]

It just so happens that on the way home from maricopa saturday, we drove thru Los Padres and stopped at a ranger station to ask about hunting spots. Without even asking about the condor santuary, they mentioned it and said it IS illegal to hunt there. No big suprise actually.

 

[IK13]

Originally posted by dazco@Nov 25 2003, 06:13 PM
It just so happens that on the way home from maricopa saturday, we drove thru Los Padres and stopped at a ranger station to ask about hunting spots. Without even asking about the condor santuary, they mentioned it and said it IS illegal to hunt there. No big suprise actually.

It is a surprise for me. I always tought that you cannot hunt there...

 

[dazco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

It is a surprise for me. I always tought that you cannot hunt there...[/b]

I think you misread my post. I said it is ILLIGAL.

 

[IK13]

Originally posted by dazco@Nov 26 2003, 10:24 AM
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

It is a surprise for me. I always tought that you cannot hunt there...

I think you misread my post. I said it is ILLIGAL. [/b][/quote]

Yup. I did misread you. Guess I'm not payiing enough attention...