Dad drew Likely Tables 2!

[huntindad4]

Well looks like my dad and I will be glassing lopes in Sept.!

I appreciate any pointers I know the Devils Garden area pretty good but not much down by the Likely Tables.

Will be scouting and would be glad to share info with deer hunters on x2.

Good luck on your hunts this fall.

Bill

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of
ignorance, and the gospel of envy.

You have enemies? Good. That means you've
stood up for something, sometime in your life.

- Winston Churchill

 

[cjboz]

Congrats on the tag! We will be up in the Garden this summer scouting my dads x2 rifle tag. I will keep my eyes peeled for some good goats.

 

[sageadvice]

Hey Bill, Congrats to your Dad for drawing the Tag. Cali Antelope hunting is such a blast and you guys ought to have a great trip.

I talked to a guy that seemed to know quite a bit of the lope hunting in that area and he seemed to think that it really pays, even more than some other zones, to do your homework. Something about a lot of the lopes there being in one area and private property access issues being a major concern. I'm sure you guys will do OK!!

The Biologist i talked to from that area, couple years ago, IMO, is a complete idiot and not to be taken seriously. He didn't have a clue!! He was apparently one of two, the other guy was on vacation at the time, but i definitely talked to the wrong guy!

Sending my well wishes, congrats again!!

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[goatroper]

ITS A SLAM DUNK...1 day hunt!!
the easiest hunt I ever did!... twice!!

 

[andreasheldon]

Yup,I too found it quite easy. It required very less effort. Loved it, very easy for the newbie like me.


[a href="http://www.highpointetours.com/"]Horseback riding vacations[/a]

 

[huntindad4]

Thanks for the replies and the congrats.

I have a friend whose dad and brother had the tags last year and killed one pretty nice buck and passed a couple more but didn't have much luck finding them on public so I was a bit worried but everything I read gives great reports so.....

I think just like any hunt there is some that just can't find the right place at the right time.

Thanks cjboz I will let you know if we see any big muleys on the x2 area of the antelope unit.

Bill

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of
ignorance, and the gospel of envy.

You have enemies? Good. That means you've
stood up for something, sometime in your life.

- Winston Churchill

 

[sageadvice]

I believe that any antelope hunt in Cali to be a easy hunt if all a guy wants to do is get a fairly decent buck. I though, wait a long time for the tag and will spend too much time and money getting there to just go out and shoot a buck on a piece a cake, "one day hunt."

The last two lope hunts, i hunted several days in varied areas, looked over dozens of "good to excellent" lope bucks that i could have shot before i even took my rifle out of it's case back in the camper. I went to hunt, not kill, especially not the first day unless the buck was going to be abnormally huge, a once in a lifetime kind of antelope.

To each his own on this but i still think my advice above to be pretty good. It might well pay to find out beforehand where the biggest bucks hang in relation to the private property and maybe even if there is a possibility of getting access to some of that private.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[Mallards_Only]

Hunted Likely Tables last season during the archery hunt. Spent a fair amount of time scouting and killed a buck on the last day but was in goats every day. Spent most of my time around Likely rather than the Garden but there are goats everywhere. PM me if you want more info.

 

[alturascaptain]

Sageadvice: you normally have welcome advise and seem to have a good _ _ _, what ever. are you looking for a biologist to go out and hold your hand and show you the animals. Seriously the few biologist we have are very over worked. It's sad that they can't spend more time in the field looking for the animals and see where they are hanging out but when they are dealing with Elk, Deer, Antelope, Wolves, and then to keep him in a POS truck that is not trustworthy and then take his ATV away, that he uses on deer surveys and other animals. Come on now, what can 1 person do. this is big country. And when most hunters call for advice on a hunt and ask a hundred questions and don't have have a map of the area yet. Please take the next 6 years going to collage and spend many, many years working in the private sector just to apply for his job and come to work for the state where they are making you take furlough days each month. Really people like you just make me sick.

 

[sageadvice]

alturascaptain, Cry your story to somebody else!

No, i've never needed anyone to hold my hand and point out a trophy to me but i have talked to Bio's in many western states thru the years about upcoming hunts and have had nothing but great info and advice given to me, ESPECIALLY like on this hunt, when i had done scouting trips and the other homework well before hand. As you probably know, a Ca antelope hunt is a tuff tag to draw, my tag where i looked to the local Biologist for info took me 30 years to draw. If you have followed any of my hunt threads thru the years you would see that i leave few stones unturned in info to be gained and private land owner access that i might get, before my hunt ever starts. Biologist info is just one tool that i use and in the case of my hunt in zone 5 spoken of above, it was totally lacking, useless, somewhat misleading, and as i may have mentioned, a waste of time as the Bio i spoke to just had no clue. Is that my fault? I think not!!!

Also if you have been following my stuff, I majored in Natural Resource Recreation at the Univ of Arizona where i pursued my lifelong goal of working for the Calif Dept of Fish and Game. That was many years ago but i promise you that if i did have "that job", i would at least know where the major concentrations of each animal were within the given Units of my responsibility and if or not there was any trophy potential. That's not too much to ask!

Sorry if you didn't like what you saw from my post above but I have absolutely no bias toward our Fish and Game Dept, i call them as i see it in all cases, and i really don't care if it makes you sick or not!

Joey





"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[Sheepshooter]

I've talked to the biologist from that area quite a few times . Real good guy , to me .

When I have called , I don't call real early in the morning , late at night or right when the results come out. I could only imagine what it's like the day of and right after the draw all the calls asking where the animals are.

I've talked to biologists from just about all the western states , they've all been very helpful . One guy from Nv wasn't too cordial , but everyone has a bad day once in a while .

 

[sageadvice]

As i said above in my first comment about the Biologist, "He was apparently one of two, the other guy was on vacation at the time, but i definitely talked to the wrong guy!"

Yes, i was told that the other guy was who i needed to talk to but i got no return phone call from him. The "other" guy, who claimed to be a biologist for the area... is who i am referring to.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[huntindad4]

Thanks for the bump guys, haha.

Since its back to the top does anyone have any antelope scoop?

Alturascaptain, you must live there, any good advice on the hunt?

Bill

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of
ignorance, and the gospel of envy.

You have enemies? Good. That means you've
stood up for something, sometime in your life.

- Winston Churchill

 

[eelgrass]

Bill, I didn't see this before now. I've hunted Likely Tables once for my tag and twice helping others.

Get a Modoc NF Map. Between Alturas and Likely you'll see lots of BLM land east of 395. That's where you want to be. Don't go too far east or you'll run into timber, as you climb in elevation. I have seen a few real good bucks actually in the timber though so don't completely rule that out. Up above and east of the Tables is a State Wildlife Refuge but it's fenced and marked pretty well. Don't shoot one in there. It's in the timber. I've also seen them in the thicker Juniper patches also.

A lot of it is rolling hills and you may not see any antelope from the road, but if you get out and hike over a rise you could find them.

The beauty of pronghorn hunting is if you can't see them, they're not there. So, if you don't see them, keep moving.

Period 2 might be a little tougher as the antelope will have been chased around a bit, but I think if you put your time in, it is very "Likely" you'll do just fine.

PM me if you want and I will dig out my map and be a little more specific if you want.

Eel

 

[sageadvice]

Bill, in post #2 above, i spoke of Private land issues, needed scouting, and such. Well, sorry about that but i had mistaken your Likely tables hunt for the Surprise Valley hunt of which i spoke.

My mistake and as usual, when i do goof up, i do a heck of a great job of it!!

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

 

[huntindad4]

Thanks eel, I may contact you on it. Did you hunt up in the devils garden area much or just down on the tables? Just curious, as I am pretty familiar with the area of the unit north of Alturas.

No worries Sage. I appreciate any and all help and know your intent was to help.

Bill

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of
ignorance, and the gospel of envy.

You have enemies? Good. That means you've
stood up for something, sometime in your life.

- Winston Churchill

 

[kilowatt]

Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Gator]

Hey
That guy can't park worth a $hit. LOL

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

 

[downhill]

huntindad4, I have not hunted lopes in that zone but I did hunt deer in 3B a couple of times a few years back. What eel said abve is good advise. Looking East from Alturas to Likely off of 395 there is a few good spots in the foothills and around some stock ponds in those areas. Also found some out in the desert close to the NV border. From Cedarville down past Eagleville I spotted a few with some good bucks in them around a lake that was mostly dry that year. There was a couple of ranches that had big hayfields and meadows that held a group or two of lopes also, don't know if they allowed hunting or if it was all private for that matter as I was just passing though heading up to the South Warners to do some deer hunting. Seemed to be plenty of lopes in that area though. If you need specifics let me know and I can get on a map. Good luck and I hope you guys get a bomber.

 

[eelgrass]

Bill, I've hunted deer and geese in the Garden but not pronghorn. Some guys head straight for the Garden when they get their antelope tag. I never could quite figure that out though.

Last year a guy I work with, his son drew a youth tag for Likely Tables. His son plays football, so they only had 1 1/2 days to hunt. I went down and bought him a map. Then I put some circles on the map, just outside of Likely. I said I guarantee you'll see some good bucks. (The youth hunt is before the general hunt so I knew the antelope wouldn't be disturbed.)

When they get back, I ask how big a buck did your son shoot? He said they decided to hunt Devil's Garden because his grandpa said he saw some antelope there once. He said they saw some elk and finally found one buck antelope. He got a running shot at it and then it was time to go home.

WTF?

Bill, any other questions about the Devil's Garden?

The unit is called Likely Tables. That area between Alturas and Likely is called Likely Tables. There is a reason for that. I know this is only my opinion, but Likely Tables is almost 100% ideal pronghorn habitat. The rest of the unit holds antelope but a lot of it is marginal. That's not to say you couldn't kill a huge buck in the Garden. I know you could.

I would hunt the Tables for at least a few days and then go ahead and take a tour of the Garden, just to see some different country.(and maybe spot some deer and elk)

I hope I didn't come across as being too harsh. I didn't mean to.

Eel

 

[huntindad4]

Haha, not harsh at all eel!

Thanks for the info and I might be pestering you for one of them circled up maps before we go. Maybe that junior hunter still has his?

Your advice sounds pretty parallel with what others have told me. Sounds like a lot more lopes on the tables and usually a bit more pressure but there are only 35? Tags so...

Speaking of birds out there we saw quite a few honkers out there on our camping trip.

Always wondered why they didn't call it the devils garden unit? Now I know! ;-)
Bill

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of
ignorance, and the gospel of envy.

You have enemies? Good. That means you've
stood up for something, sometime in your life.

- Winston Churchill

 

[Mallards_Only]

Listen to eel. I scouted both and hunted in the Tables. Mine was an archery hunt so I needed more goats to work with. There were goats in the Garden. They were just fewer and far between. There are some good ones there though. If you're after a trophy, the Garden may be your best bet if you can locate one that no one else has spotted. If you're looking for a decent buck with a shot at seeing a Booner, spend some time in the Tables and locate some bucks there and be ready to connect the first morning before they start getting run ragged.

 

[kilowatt]

Eel, when I draw the Tables YOU BETTER be ready to go with me up there for another pair of eyes to spot for me.

Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]

 

[eelgrass]

kilowatt, we've had that hunt set up for a long time. I'm just waiting for you to draw the tag.

Bill, let me add that if you do hunt the Garden area, look for the big clearings and dry lake beds. That's where you'll find most of the antelope. The west side of Goose Lake I've seen some.

Also, the west side of 395 between Alturas and Likely is private and you'll see antelope there from the highway. I've heard of guys asking permission and getting their bucks that way, but have never tried.

Cederville and Eagleville are in the Surprise Valley Unit, if I'm not mistaken.

Eel

 

[downhill]

Yep, eel is right, Cedarville and Eagleville is the Surprise Valley unit. Guess you don't want to get caught chasing lopes over on that side of the Warners With the Tables tag. Might be an real expensive tag then ...

 

[highsierra]

I personally been with 4 different friends over the years that have drawn that tag. Each of them killed bucks in excess of 15 in. 2 of which taped out over 16 in that scored in thte 80's B&C. ALL of these bucks were killed in "The Garden". When I get my turn someday to have this tag (I have max points) I wont waste my time hunting anywhere else in the zone, period!

If you spend some time poking around out there in areas near water sources away from the main roads (Crowder Flat) you should have no problem finding a trophy class pronghorn buck. You will also have a much more enjoyable hunt in the Garden because you will probably see very few other hunters up in that country to compete with. Most tend to concentrate their efforts in the tables east of Likely.

Listen to the advice given by someone earlier... Dont get too trigger happy until you you have had ample time to really shop around. It's a great tag that you most likely will not draw again. Make the most of it.

Cant wait to hear about your scouting trips and your hunt...Go get 'em!

-HS

 

[huntindad4]

Thanks for all of the advice and well wishes guys.

I truly appreciate it. Dad does too.

Bill

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of
ignorance, and the gospel of envy.

You have enemies? Good. That means you've
stood up for something, sometime in your life.

- Winston Churchill