Southern California Public Land Hunts?

I'm a little new to this website but you could say that Ridge_Runner and me go back quite a bit. Speaking of, I have spent the vast majority of my hunting life up with Ridge_Runner in the Upper Lake area. I am a NorCal transplant to Los Angeles and I am looking for public land in the A-Zone that might be worth a drive to look at. I didn't bag anything during the A-Zone opener in Lake County, so I'm back in LA hating it. I'll take whatever information you have to spare. I'm not really interested in anything too far north of Santa Barbara (like SLO). I appreciate the help from any of you SoCal Blacktail hunters.

Welcome,
If you are a stickflinger, your best bet is right in your backyard. Get an archery only tag and hunt the areas around the cities bordering the foothills to the north. There are some very nice bucks and you can't use a gun in the counties around Los Angeles. I grew up in Pasadena and I have seen plenty of bucks die of old age right, in the areas in plain sight of homes...

James,
First off, welcome aboard here and good luck with your hunts this year.
Have you heard from Gene lately? Haven't heard a thing from him since last Xmas guess he is still in Qutar?

Brian

Hey there Nephew!

Good too see you finally coming around and posting. I guess that deer last year got you all worked up now. Good to see . Hello Brian sorry I have not been around but been busy putting together and running a sport fishing boat in Maui since about May but am finally getting some time to get back on the computer . We'll catch up soon.


Happy trails
Ridge Runner
"Now Pilgrim,you sure you can skin grizz"

Unky Ridge Runner!

I've been doing some research in the last week or so and will be heading up to the Los Padres National Forest. I'm going to be doing some serious hoofing. Hopefully I won't come across too many mountain bikers or flower pickers, but if I do maybe the .338 will convince them that they need not make any political statements to me. I'll be up there tomorrow and will post to let you know what happens.


J.

Hey JamesKass... Well let me know what you found out up there.. Looking to see some pics of a deer from ya. Better get all the hunting in ya can before the "BIG DAY" When is that Sept 24th??? I'm going to do all I can to be there for it but if not I'll catch you on your honeymoon here in Maui. Give me a call on my cell 808-357-0588. Been doing real good on the Marlin so far. I'll get ya out when your here.


Happy trails
Ridge Runner
"Now Pilgrim,you sure you can skin grizz"

Ridge_Runner,

It's good to hear that you might make it out. If not we'll catch up on the island out there. I hit up the Nordhoff Ridge in Los Padres National Forest. There's a code you're supposed to get for the gate, but they were all filled up (10 cars max) by the time I called. I hiked up to the top of the ridge. I glassed both sides but did not see anything. The acorns were huge and had not been touched. I did see a good amount of bear sign and tracks though. I hiked down about midday and decided to drive up the 33, almost identical to Cache Creek. I went North aways and decided to come back down and head back into Ojai. As I was on the way down I saw a nice buck haulin the opposite way on the other side of the road. I stopped as fast as I could, but by the time I got my rifle out and let two motorcycles pass, the buck was long gone. I glassed the ravine he went down for about an hour to no avail. Either way, there was a lot of traffic and "hunter" pressure. I hope you catch my drift when I say "hunter". The "hunters" that I speak of are much the same as we get up there in Pilot Grove.
As for the country, it was much the same as Mendocino NF, but not as many trees and a hell of a lot more mountain bikers and hikers. The country adjacent to A-Zone down here, D-13, looks pretty promising and I might put in for that in October. As bad as it was, it was sure better than sitting at home. Talk to you soon, know this, A-Zone may come to a close but D-Zone is just around the corner. There will be buck in my freezer by years end......

J.