WU ranches

[hOtLoAd]

I am heading out in a couple weeks for pig and wanted to see if any other WU members had any recommendations on the best pig ranches to hunt.

I am trying to decide between Rinconda, Circle V, Cummins, Benz, Jacalitos, and Pyramid Hills.

Any comments about accesibility, amount of wildlife, and on-site staff would be appreciated. E-mail me if you prefer to keep your information private.

Thanks.

 

[Mel Carter]

I've been inactive for several years, and most of those ranches the club didn't have yet. I always hunted Hill and Gallatin, and sometimes Willow Creek. Missed hogs at Hill and Willow creek. If I were to choose, i'd probably go with Cummings or Rinconda, don't know about the others. If you go to Hill or Gallatin, your looking at about an 8 hour drive. Willow Creek and or even maybe Los Gatos would be about 4 hours, give or take. Good luck, and let us know how you did.

 

[btele4]

I have hunted benz and cummings recently and regularly. I have killed a pig at cummings, but that was the only one i saw. I have seen two pigs at benz in two trips. They are there but it is steep rugged country and they have a lot of cover to move under without u knowing. Good luck and let me know if you head out i might be there.

Brian
SD

 

[leftyhunter]

I"ve seen a nice pig at Cummings but I didn't have my rifle in my hand. I saw a big sow wwith her piglets at Scheller ranch which is archery only in Santa Barbra County. I saw a lot of tracks at Los Gatos. I plan on hunting a lot once AYSO soccer season ends maybe we could hook up.

Leftyhunter

 

[hOtLoAd]

I went out to Pyramid Hills to see what this new ranch is all about, and quite frankly it is as dismal as it appears on the topo maps and satellite photos. No cover at all, and too far away from the mountains to provide any kind of decent pig terrain, although they say it is a "pig" ranch. I saw quite a few doves and heard seveal coyotes, so the varmints and doves might be OK there.

I didn't stay around long and instead went up to some BLM near Parkdale and spent the rest of the day. Saw lots of signs and tracks, but didn't catch sight of any pigs.

I could have shot two forkies a dozen times each, as they were within 10 yeards and didn't even run when they saw me! They continued to graze slowly away from me for about 10 minutes . . .

Brian,
I keep hearing that there is too much encraochment from civilization and the pigs are moving out of Cummings; however, I'd rather to find out for myself. Maybe we could hook up out there sometime? Benz also looks interesting and I intend to check it out as well.

Lefty Hunter,
I am going to go to CircleV if I can get reservations for November 1st & 2nd when the winter pig season opens up. I'll probably go again and try Rinconda, Twin Peaks, Los Gatos, and Scheller as well. Once your schedule opens up maybe we can head up there sometime.

Tomorrow I'll be on the phone calling, calling, calling to get my resies for those darn pigs.

 

[btele4]

Guys,

I will update this thread or e-mail you when i head out to cummings or benz next. probably in early/mid november is when i wil start up again. i killed a pig at Cummings in may of this year witha rifle so they may allow me to hunt pig with archery equipment to get my second of the ranch which is usually not allowed. However, Benz for me is wide open and i have seen a real nice boar there twice on the same slope. i was within 40yds of him with my bow after a brutal stalk but coudln't close the deal..exciting. so rifle at Benz looks pretty promising. I have not observed big numbers of pig at either ranch but i know they are there. Just a tip but Cummings would appear to be best when the adjacent property has planted a plot of barley or something to draw the pigs off the mountain..right now there is nothing planted. Both ranches are loaded with deer. And I saw a juvenile mountain lion last weekend at cummings while bow hunting deer. right undr my treestand the cat went. Almost had a shot at a forky but he put the does between me and him with no shot. Good luck and look forward to sharing hunt camp with you guys.

Later,

Brian
SD

 

[hOtLoAd]

Here's the forkies I saw near Parkdale, just wish I had a tag.
I could have beat them to death with the butt of my rifle I was so close.

[attachment=34444:attachment]
[attachment=34445:attachment]

 

[leftyhunter]

Hey Guys!

I am suprised you could get that close to a buck with plenty of daylight and on public land to boot! I am also suprised you could see a lot of pig sign on BLM land. I think Cummings and benez will always have some pigs unless they are sold to developers of course a drought would drasticly lower their numbers. Scheller is a small ranch just 2k acres and 2 yrs ago they had a lot of quail after heavy rains in the spring but the mustard plants were over 6ft tall. Riconda is supposed to be good. Thanks for the tip on Pyrimid Hills all the ranchs have coyotes at least so far. The NRA says that coyote meat is delicious we will have to see. AYSO season ends Nov-18th but my kids teams might make it into the championships. I love pig hunting and hopefully there will be some light snow this winter so we can track them.

take Care;
Leftyhunter

 

[btele4]

Lefty,

Don't even get me going on the quail at some of the WU ranches. Let's just say they are everywhere. There is plenty of water and cover. It's so good you do not need a dog unless you send one down the canyon a ways. So November-January pigs and quail look out. As for coyote..i have eaten some critters in my day, but man i don't know about that...lol

Brian
SD

 

[Live2hunt]

Was it just me or did everybody else also see no fork on that deer in the pic?



L2H

 

[leftyhunter]

Your right ˆdidn't see a fork on the little guy either. Hopefully he will live to next yer and have one. Btle I did see a fair amount of quail at Montgomery and a chuckar i would like to give quail a try i have a little Mossberg 500 20 gage but it has a turkey choke.

Leftyhunter

 

[hOtLoAd]

Yeah,

no forks there until next year, but they would be tasty no matter how you slice it.

 

[hOtLoAd]

Well I am ready to go for the opener on 11-1 through 11-3 at Circle V. Maybe I'll see someone out there from JHO?

 

[Jean]

Will be at willow creek 11-2 thru 11-5. Hope to find at least a relative of the pig I missed there last month. I just joined this board, so I hope you don't mind my addition here.

 

[hOtLoAd]

Hi Jean, Welcome to JHO! You're always welcome to add to posts here.

Make sure and post again once you finish your hunt so we can see how it was there. I don't trust the kill records at WU so your feedback would be greatly appreciated by all. Pictures are always good too.

 

[bubba]

Nevre hunted any of those ranches, Gallatin was th ebest bet as well as Los Gatos.

Good thing you didn't have a tag then if those were spikes...

 

[Jean]

I missed a pig at Willow Creek last month. Thought I saw blue flames coming from the afterburners on that pig. I'm still pissed with myself over it. Will be doing some quail hunting (aka pig recon) on Friday.

Have included a pic of last years pig hunt at willow creek when I didn't miss. This was my first pig on my own (no guides).

 

[btele4]

Jean,

Where's the pic?

Brian
SD

 

[Jean]

I think the site would not let me post so I've been reading the "how to" stuff. Sorry about that, chief.

 

[Jean]

Me at willow creek last May
[attachment=34966:attachment]
There now you you can laugh at the funny looking old out of shape office worker who hauled ms. piggy out of the canyon. Someday I may post the story but it's probably written too girlie for you guys.