skunked again :(

[rbrown77]

The title says it all saw very little sign on the mosby W.U. ranch and its 10,000 acers. Better than sitting on the coutch but man this sucks I might try and just pay someone to take me. I would pay someone to take me to FHL and guide me

 

[larrysogla]

Been there done that many, many times since 1978 when I started big game(hogs and deer) hunting. Always came home empty handed after weekends at the deer hunting X zones, Kennedy Meadows area, Wrightwood area, Sawmill Mountain area, Reyes Peak area, Camp Roberts(dozens of times), Fort Hunter Liggett(yep, dozens and dozens of times), Laguna Mountain, Carrizo Plains, Pozo area etc. etc. I have seen a big herd of wild Mustangs drinking very skittishly at the Fernandez Creek Pond in the Los Padres Nat. Forest, tons and tons of unshootable does and fawns just a few arms length away while waiting in ambush for a buck, a big black bear that came within 20 yards of my 30-'06 crosshairs at the Reyes Peak area but I had no bear tag so no deal, seen the western side barbed wire fenceline at Camp Roberts decorated with tons of wild boar hide left draped on the barbed wire to rot by some unknown Camp Roberts landowner neighbor way back in 1988.......but have not seen or shot a buck or wild boar.......until I hired a guide in California for a private ranch hunt in 1998 which turned out to be a very exciting chase and shoot of this hog spotted on a hillside by the guide. So, yes considering the gas dollars and cheeseburgers are not cheap in the long run.........I would consider paying the hunting ranches/guides that sponsor this JHO forum or any other reputable guides getting good reviews in the JHO hunting guides review section. Hope this helps.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

 

[rbrown77]

Haha thx I think I am just going to go on the big hunt in Tejon in a few month and hire a guide. Anyone use Mark Williams out of king city? I meet him before and seems like a great guy. At least I will get a lot of exp and insight to hogs. Thx again Larry.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

Been there done that many, many times since 1978 when I started big game(hogs and deer) hunting. Always came home empty handed after weekends at the deer hunting X zones, Kennedy Meadows area, Wrightwood area, Sawmill Mountain area, Reyes Peak area, Camp Roberts(dozens of times), Fort Hunter Liggett(yep, dozens and dozens of times), Laguna Mountain, Carrizo Plains, Pozo area etc. etc. I have seen a big herd of wild Mustangs drinking very skittishly at the Fernandez Creek Pond in the Los Padres Nat. Forest, tons and tons of unshootable does and fawns just a few arms length away while waiting in ambush for a buck, a big black bear that came within 20 yards of my 30-'06 crosshairs at the Reyes Peak area but I had no bear tag so no deal, seen the western side barbed wire fenceline at Camp Roberts decorated with tons of wild boar hide left draped on the barbed wire to rot by some unknown Camp Roberts landowner neighbor way back in 1988.......but have not seen or shot a buck or wild boar.......until I hired a guide in California for a private ranch hunt in 1998 which turned out to be a very exciting chase and shoot of this hog spotted on a hillside by the guide. So, yes considering the gas dollars and cheeseburgers are not cheap in the long run.........I would consider paying the hunting ranches/guides that sponsor this JHO forum or any other reputable guides getting good reviews in the JHO hunting guides review section. Hope this helps.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

I think Larry hit the nail on the head. Hire a guide for the first time. You will be amazed on how much you can learn from these guys.

 

[Live2hunt]

I might try and just pay someone to take me. I would pay someone to take me to FHL and guide me

You are not guarantee to see a hog on FHL let alone shoot one. Paying someone to take you to FHL is pretty much $ in the drain on your first few trips. Free of charge I can show you and your friend some honey holes in WU ranches if I can come along on one of the 5 guest passes.

 

[Jean]

When I started with hunting, I booked a guided hunt. I could shoot just fine at the target range but I knew NOTHING about hunting except what I read. I interviewed the guides about taking a newbie hunting. (Also on whether or not they were okay with taking a woman hunting - it was ten years ago and some were uncomfortable with that notion.)

One of my big concerns at the time was field dressing a hog. I had no clue and the thought of it really intimidated me. The guide talked me through it just fine.

After my guided hog hunt in 2000, it wasn't until 2005 that I connected with a hog on my own. Most of that time I was hunting WU land. I am a slow learner.

My big point in all this is if you want to GET something, just go to the dang grocery store. What you did get was time in the field. Be grateful of that. Try to find the lessons in this that will help you do better next time.

And listen to Larry. He's a smart guy.

My two cents.
Jean

 

[rodneyshishido]

Jean you're right on the money! If you aren't enjoying the "hunt", you are better off going to the grocery store.

The area that I hunt has a lot of pigs. I see pigs about 90% of the time. It has taken me perhaps 6 or 7 years to get to know the area and where the pigs hang out. Many miles of walking and a lot of time in the field. I still enjoy the walks and am constantly checking out new areas. Last year I found a "spot" about 200-300 yards off a very frequently used hiking path. Harvested 4 pigs in the area.

I do not know the acreage of this public hunting area, but, I suspect it is less than the 10,000 acre area you hunted. If you look at the overall hunter success, I appears to run between 10-20%. (Hunters in the area have to sign in and out) The majority of the pigs harvested are by the same hunters.

I spoke with one of the more successful hunters of the area last year and he was pissed off because the tactic of one of the newbie hunters was to follow him!

 

[MJB]

Rodney,
You have some of the best public pig hunting I've seen.....and thank you for the tip on where to go when I was on Maui. Next time I will really hunt the area and not just show up at noon and hunt for 3 hours and have 2 shots on pigs....can't get that here on the mainland!

Rbrown77,
Keep at it! and sign up for JHO Tejon Ranch hunt, if you don't get lucky before hand I will help as much as I can on the hunt.
Also get your FHL pass and go as much as you can the pigs are there you just have to spend some time hiking and driving to get to know the place and understand how they move. My first time there I saw 7 pigs in 2 days; only shots I had were on wet sows, so get out there and hunt like you mean it!

 

[hogswild82]

The title says it all saw very little sign on the mosby W.U. ranch and its 10,000 acers. Better than sitting on the coutch but man this sucks I might try and just pay someone to take me. I would pay someone to take me to FHL and guide me

Thanks, I just joined WU and I guess I won't be going to that ranch then.

 

[tpuig]

Better get in shape before you go hunting with Rodney! As I lay gasping for air on the side of Haleakala, each time a tour helicopter came over I was praying it would be a Life Flight to rescue me... ;-)

Thanks again Rodney for being such a great host. Had a great time! Hopefully I can join you for a pig hunt this year. And give Jenny a pat on the head for me.

And as far as CA pigs, it's guided all the way for me now... Hopefully in a couple weeks.