Williams Hill

[Navy-Hunter]

Anyone know anything about the BLM area at Williams Hill (near FHL)? The lady at BLM was nice enough, but not especially knowledgeable about that tract. Unless anyone says its a waist of time in the next little while, thats where I'm headed! :JHO rocks:

 

[Navy-Hunter]

and yes I have looked up the previouos posts about Williams Hill. Sounds tough. Hoped someone might have any new info?

 

[boarcrz]

Basically it consist of thin stretch of land on top of the ridgeback. Sometime you can catch them crossing the top but it's odds are low. You need to figure out where they're crossing and why. They're few pockets where they hold pigs but hunting them is difficult because of private property fences near top. Most of the time you would only push them over the fence to private side.
Hope this helps.

 

[Common Sense]

I use to take Little Sense to that area to deer hunt. He was able to harvest a few deer over the 8 or 9 years we hunted there; but we never saw a pig(or even sign) on public land.

I haven't been there in over ten years, but from what I've heard, it has gone downhill. Back when I started hunting there it was very difficult to figure out where public land ended and private property started, and lots of the public land was "posted". There also use to be some private property that was not posted or fenced(but that is pretty much gone now!). Many people didn't realize BLM land was there. Now they have put up big billboards about the public land, and it has drawn more people into a marginal area.



A lot closer to you, and probably better, though not good: Curry Mountain. Or something like that on Hwy 198 just west of Coalinga. Long, steep hike to reach the public land; which is marginal at best. But ten years ago there were a few pigs there.

 

[map]

Anyone know anything about the BLM area at Williams Hill (near FHL)? The lady at BLM was nice enough, but not especially knowledgeable about that tract. Unless anyone says its a waist of time in the next little while, thats where I'm headed! :JHO rocks:

I picked up a real bad computer virus, so I'm down in a hole right now. I posted a Google picture of that BLM, and Williams Hill is located in the upper right portion of the large hunk of land to the left. According to LSIS from BLM it's Indian land. I drove up through the San Lucas Grade from the store near TA-25 across to San Lucas on Hwy 101, and it looks like some guys are starting a hunting club up there. Very thick tall stuff that hasn't burned off in years.

Curry Mountain looks like it's impossible to get into without trespassing. If you don't mind taking a chance on getting the "Server46.exe" Virus which is a nasty "W32.Versie.a", I can send a Google KML file. I scan all files before sending them, but the Hackers are a lot smarter than I am, nowadays.

Here is the link to the Google Picture I posted recently:

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/attachments/hog-javelina-hunting/53258d1237151977-fhl-san-lucas-grade-blm.jpg

I can't upload any files into the forum with this sick computer, but when I look down at the Indian Land there in some nice grass land in the valley on the way through to San Ardo.

 

[easymoney]

It is exactly like the others have stated, a thin firebreak ridge road with steep chaparral choked canyons, and the pigs don't hang out in any one spot . The best habitat is where they will be and when the barley comes, on they stay down low near the ranches.
The first time I hunted there 20 years ago, I saw tracks in the muddy roads and one other guy hunting with dogs. The pigs I ran into were down in the thick stuff, which has gotten even thicker in the last decade.
The best bet going is camp bob or fhl.
Do a little detective work here on JHO and you will find a load of info, maps and tips on hunting public land. But like also stated it has gotten more crowded on the marginal public areas. You just have to put in the time to pin point where they cross the public to get to the food or water each day.

 

[Common Sense]

Curry Mountain looks like it's impossible to get into without trespassing.

True, but there is a public access point with public parking and everything on the north side of Hwy 198 just east of the Parkfield grade road.

 

[map]

b

True, but there is a public access point with public parking and everything on the north side of Hwy 198 just east of the Parkfield grade road.

Thanks for verifying the parking area. Is there a sign saying that it's the parking area for the BLM? Because, the BLM LSIS doesn't list that bone shaped parcel, it's under California Protected Easements. It has a 40 acre parcel at each end joined by a 190 foot wide strip that crosses Road 198. It kind of has a small ranch positioned into the narrow part. I wasn't going to send hunters out there until I walked it with a GPS. Google Earth shows the small ranch fence line a bit west of where UC Davis has the boundary.

Both the UC Davis protected easements and the BLM LSIS data have only been on line for a couple of months, so I have to put my boots on the ground with a GPS in my hand before I believe any of it. Plus, the Google Earth positions are not dead nuts either. Not to mention the fact that Comcast can't keep connected. It must be fishing season coming around?

 

[Common Sense]

Haven't been there in a dozen years. Use to be a sign explaining all in the unpaved parking area(basically just a big turn-out). If memory serves me right the DFG may have purchased tresspass rights over private property to reach the BLM land. Can't remember the exact situation. But there is access, and it is straight up. Once you get there, it looks almost "moon-like". Very marginal area, but it does get a little traffic from animals from nearby ranches.

 

[wtpops]

b

Thanks for verifying the parking area. Is there a sign saying that it's the parking area for the BLM? Because, the BLM LSIS doesn't list that bone shaped parcel, it's under California Protected Easements. It has a 40 acre parcel at each end joined by a 190 foot wide strip that crosses Road 198. It kind of has a small ranch positioned into the narrow part. I wasn't going to send hunters out there until I walked it with a GPS. Google Earth shows the small ranch fence line a bit west of where UC Davis has the boundary.

Both the UC Davis protected easements and the BLM LSIS data have only been on line for a couple of months, so I have to put my boots on the ground with a GPS in my hand before I believe any of it. Plus, the Google Earth positions are not dead nuts either. Not to mention the fact that Comcast can't keep connected. It must be fishing season coming around?

Hello Map, yes there is a well defined parking area along with a billboard with map, there is a access gate just across the 198 from the parking area.

 

[wtpops]

Red dot parking, Blue dot gate

 

[map]

The good ole days

Hello Map, yes there is a well defined parking area along with a billboard with map, there is a access gate just across the 198 from the parking area.

Thanks, because that will save me from making a trip down there. The last time I hunted down there was with a brand new 1975 Jeep CJ5. The other Jeepers that I hung around with didn't care much about boundaries in those days. I like Laguna Mountain, so that is where I head to when Liggett is closed. Do you know if the dirt road towards Coalinga is open to the public. We used to four wheel into the the back side of Mineral Springs using that road. I might be interested in that back road again?

 

[Akash]

I got the BLM maps for curry mountain, griswold, laguna mountain and all that. I can email them to you Map if you like. I believe I already emailed you 2 of them. Sorry but I didnt have time to scan the rest. I will make a point to scan them this week and send them to you.

 

[map]

Sure, when I get back from fishing I'll check my mail box. The Naci White Bass run is on.

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