Wild hog population expanding in regions of San Diego County. Jim Matthews column

[JTA6498]

Seriously though, it is a hike into the back side of El cap. From where you have to park, you see nothing but enormous hills from eagle creek. We started to hike back their towards the end of deer season and stopped. It would be very helpfull to have a mule or Samurai (any type of UTV). I have a 4x4 2500 HD and I couldnt make it up the initial hills. I think their is another way though because i have heard where eagle creek ends and their are the private property signs, that you can still get back in their by avoiding those initail hills. Maybe off of boulder. I dont know. If anyone finds out let me know

 

[fishtracker]

That hike almost killed me, and that's with just my backpack. I hike a lot into the back country areas around SD, and there is no way I'd be able to drag a pig out of there. If we wait, they'll spread.

 

[weekender21]

Yeah, we'll keep you posted!!!! I'll make sure I go get my GPS and post all my San Diego county pig sightings here. I'll be right back.......don't go anywhere.......:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

 

[sdnative13]

I second weekends comment. The whole reason that area isn't over hunting is because of the challanging terrain. I have been out there a few times just to look around and have seen many promissing signs. But it is also a difficult hike regardless of how you get there. But then again if I wanted it to be easy I go on a guided hunt on private land.

 

[ltdann]

I'm content to wait until the pigs are in better terrain. Pigs are my personnel nemisis anyway and I'll defer to other experts. I'd rather not give my self a stroke if I don't have too. Besides, I can't remember when I actually hunted SD County last...maybe turkey about 5 years ago.

 

[m_freeman]

You can't actually hunt at the El Cap Res. Same goes for the actual San Diego river watershed. There is bordering country that's on public land and is fair game.

It's almost vertical in some spots getting down in there. That's probably the only thing that will keep the hunting good. I doubt most hunters would drag a big hog out of there twice!

a hog harvested in SD County deserves a helicopter extraction :rotflmao:

 

[SPURGEAR]

Well Im up to go on the "hike" if anyone else is. Safer with 2 of us.

 

[weekender21]

There will be more than two of you in there even if you go mid week! The "secret" is out. Maybe the pressure will help expand their home range...

 

[larrysogla]

If you get lucky and the terrain on the exit is difficult...........why not do it like Doccherry does in his difficult Hawaiian hunts.......he cuts and carves and debones only the choice meat parts(backstrap etc.) and puts the meat in his backpack and hikes out of the area. We have dragged a deer out of a tall hill and it wasn't fun at all. We ran out of water and were dehydrated from the sweat pouring out of our bodies and the thirst was unbearable. Bring plenty of water more than double your normal supply.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

 

[weekender21]

If you get lucky and the terrain on the exit is difficult...........why not do it like Doccherry does in his difficult Hawaiian hunts.......he cuts and carves and debones only the choice meat parts(backstrap etc.) and puts the meat in his backpack and hikes out of the area. We have dragged a deer out of a tall hill and it wasn't fun at all. We ran out of water and were dehydrated from the sweat pouring out of our bodies and the thirst was unbearable. Bring plenty of water more than double your normal supply.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

Bringing out only "choice" meat on a CA big game animal is illegal! You certainly want to debone the hog though. A 150lb pig will only yield 50 or 60 lbs of meat. Their head, hooves, bones, and skin are heavier than on a deer.

You can toss that meat in a fancy meat bag or a clean pillow case, toss it in your pack, and head up the hill. You would have hours and hours of work ahead of you if you decided to drag a pig out the steep canyons in San Diego.

Bring a small tarp with you to place the meat on while you're processing the pig in the field. :hog chewing:

On a side note, I've heard reports that hogs have been sited as far east as the park already. If we get another wet year or two we should have hogs on most of the public land in the county.....that's my opinion of course!

 

[larrysogla]

Are the hogs already up in the Julian area???? If we keep getting wet years, who knows, the hogs may reach as far as Temecula??? Yes? No?
'Nuff said
larrysogla

 

[weekender21]

I have not seen any evidence personally but yes, I have heard they are up that way already......

 

[Raully]

Guys relax. I've hike and I mean hiked all around the areas you guys are thinking and talking about last month. Weekender is right about the area. It is literally straight down and back up either way. A tough hike for most and especially with a boned out animal. I did find sign but very old. They are not in there anymore. They got pushed out. I have many theories. One being there is a ton of water, food, cover and deep canyons. With all the rain they are not slaved to the river bed. They've taken the creeks up and out. There are not as many as people are making it out to be. A very small population from what I have seen. I also saw tons of lion tracks. One thing I know from hunting pigs before is they go on dead runs. Now just imagine one guy with a rifle shooting one and the whole herd takes off. With the amount of food and water all around they have no reason to come back.
I also seen a group of about 8 guys a few weeks ago all camo'd out coming down the hill as loud as can be. I'm sure they read all the hype on the World Wide Web and got all jazzed and pumped like many of you and when they saw how far it was to the bottom I watched them hike back out. I made the same mistake and I studied maps and especially google earth. Google earth made it look easy and it didnt show how steep some of that terrain was. Not trying to scare anybody, but wait and be patient. To many yahoos out there pushing that small population around. They will eventually settle back on the private lands for many reasons.

 

[weekender21]

I'd have to agree with you Raully. I doubt there are more than 100 pigs total in the county. Now that they've had their share of pressure they are most likely long gone.

With average or below average rain they might not have many options. This year there are puddles, small ponds, and creeks all over the backcountry.

From what I've heard, CA DFG is not very happy about the San Diego county hog situation at all but I think it's too late. If they have made it all the way to the julian area and the state park, they are here for good.

I know public land hogs don't usually get managed very well but if we could all avoid shooting wet sows for a while we might end up with an awesome resource down here.

 

[sdnative13]

Ok so like many people I have hiked around that whole area for the past month and have found many signs old and new but never an actual pig. So my question is has anyone actually seeing a live pig. Not track or signs. Not heard of the or had a friend see them but themselves seen one.

 

[weekender21]

Try the world famous San Diego zoo.

 

[weekender21]

FYI, MOST hunters that hunt in SD county are not going to tell you they saw hogs and will certainly not tell you where they saw them.

 

[acousticmood]

"Megan Jennings, a forest service biologist, said that while no accurate estimates have been made for the number pigs living in and around the San Diego River drainage, she has heard “guesses the population is from 40 to 300 pigs.”

What? between 40 and 300 isn't considered an accurate estimate? We're talking about the guberment here :lol bashing sign:

 

[sdnative13]

The zoo huh I wonder what thier policy is on carring a weapon into the park? And once I bag one do I report it to the dfg or the zoo police?