Deer hunt in CA.

Share your tales (tall or otherwise) of hunting adventures.

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Keith
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 12:02 pm
Location: Pineville, Missouri

Deer hunt in CA.

Post by Keith »

Even though this has nothing to do with Sharps rifles, I thought maybe some of you guys would understand what I'm wanting to do and give me some advice. I've never hunted outside the state of Missouri, or my own county for that matter. I've finally gotten to a point in my life I can afford out of state tags, making the trip, and so forth. I have got my grandfather's old 30-30 that he bought shortly after WWII to hunt in the mountains just outside Fresno, and would like to take the rifle back to do what it was bought to do. Do any of you have any experience with that part of the country or any other advice that might help? I'm not necessarily planning this trip for this year, but I would like to do it within the next few years. Any advice would be helpful.
Gussy
Posts: 1580
Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 2:37 pm
Location: WA, dry side
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Post by Gussy »

I shot my first deer with my Dad's old 30-30 in the mts North of Fresno (actually more N and E of Madera) :D .

I hunted about 20 miles South of Yosemite Park for 10 years in the 60's. Last time I was there (about 5 yrs back) it had changed a bit!!! :lol: :lol: The old camp area was no longer there and it had been set up as part of a tourist railroad ride.

Tough hunting with all the brush. We always used a very slow stalk and watched the open areas. There used to be a lot of old logging roads S and E of Fish Camp (town). You will need to do quite a bit of scouting if you head to that area
Handirifle
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2003 6:20 pm

Post by Handirifle »

Deer hunting in CA can be tough. There's lots of competition, and the land is shrinking. Unless you know a landowner, you'll be hunting public land, which usually means a National Forest. Not sure which one is closest to Fresno, but look it up on the maps. Find out, first off, if it's in the no lead zone (condor zone). The CA F&G web site is http://dfg.ca.gov/hunting/. If it is, this will limit you to one bullet for the 30-30, the 150gr Barnes TSX flat base, hp.

This site will show you what zone you are in and will explain tag details, where or not it's a draw hunt. You only buy an application for big game at the sporting goods counter in CA, and you have to mail it in. Unless you can go to a F&G office, and there you can buy one IF it's not a draw only hunt.

As Gussy mentioned, it's mostly spot and stalk out here, BUT, I have hunted from tree stands, that I put up, and seen deer very close. but you'll have to scout the areas and know there's suitable trees. Many areas are covered in low lying (6ft tall or less) brush and no trees, and it can be VERY thick.

Looking at the zone map (statewide one) the light grey lines are the counties. If you know the county you want to hunt that helps a lot. You can get detailed maps of Nat Forest lands from the USFS.

It's best if you know someone in the region, to contact them and get their help. It's sometimes pretty complicated. This IS a state of many regulations.

Good luck and hope you get one.
NRA Life member
oh-behi
Posts: 347
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:21 pm
Location: Central Kalifornia USSRCK

Post by oh-behi »

Keith,
The area you are talking about it zone D-7. It is primarily in Sierra National Forest in Fresno county. If you take hwy 168 east from Fresno to where the paved road dead-ends you should be @ Badger Flats. That is where we used to leave the trailers. There are a very few jeep trails through those parts but horses are the best way to go. As you can pack in far enough to get away from the crazies. The last time we hunted there opening morning was like Hue City during Tet.
You will have to use no-lead bullets and you had better not have ANY lead bullets of any kind if you are deer hunting. Even in camp or your vehicle. Even if you are a LEO you better not have a lead bullet to fit your side arm when you go up there hunting.
The old 30-30 with lead bullets was the most common deer rifle around here for years, but with these no-lead bullets you may as well use a slingshot.
If you decide to go there, contact me with a mailing address. I have maps and can give you detailed info from a friend who hunted up there starting around 1960 and his dad probably started in the late 30's.

Take Care,
Jake

If I send this map in an email it will be much sharper than on photo-bucket

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"For those who will fight for it..........FREEDOM..........has a flavor the protected shall never know."

L/Cpl Edwin L. "Tim" Craft, B Co 3rd AT's, Khe Sanh Combat Base, February, 1968
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