Locations in CA

[NickCNC]

Preface: please excuse my inexperience.

My son and I have been hunting for deer and bear (he goes for deer, I go for both) in the sierras of CA. D5-D6. In several trips the last two years, we have never hunted the same area twice. We find sign (mostly scat and bedding areas) but have seen 2 lone bucks and zero bear in all our adventures. Haven't sealed the deal at all. I am curious if using new ground and regions each time works well in our favor or if attempting same locations repeatedly will eventually yield success. Thanks in advance.

 

[rtraverdavis]

This is what I would do, take it for what it’s worth: Reach out to your biologist and game warden and ask about the types of specific habitat the deer in your area like during season. Ask about their habits and patterns. Then keep looking around, as you have been, until you find a place like that. Then really spend some time on that place, and be there looking at the right time. Best of luck to you and your son.

 

[lastlight]

In short answer, find an area with sign and stick to it. People who bounce around aren’t nearly as successful as those who know an area well.

 

[2rocky]

If you are seeing bucks, then that is where you want to be. Range out from there at that time of year. If they are migratory deer you may need to adjust in altitude (high in summer low in winter). Think bigger in terms of how much area you cover.

 

[slamdmini]

if u keep switching areas u never get to kno an area well. look for areas that have everything a deer needs, food, cover, water. then scout. look for sign, bedding etc. u may not find game at first, but if you find sign, especially fresh sign, they are there. obviously if ur not seeing any sign or anything, then u move. ive been in areas that looked awesome but the game just wasnt there. the more u scout/hunt an area, the more u get to kno where the game like to be, where they feed, where they bed, where they go when pressured.

 

[Lyfter1013]

D5 and D6 are difficult areas to hunt. I try to focus on similar type of areas in the same part of the unit. And learn that general area. Most parts of those zones don’t allow for a lot of area to glass because of the heavy timber and brush if you get lower in elevation. My advice is pick an area, you find deer sign in, learn the area and focus on that area. Some of my favorite spots I know going in I might not catch a glimpse of a deer but I know they are in the area and I will go back. Try different times of the day you could just be missing the time the deer present themselves.

 

[hank4elk]

Hunted D7 for many years. Had my spots for different times in the season.

 

[NickCNC]

We just got back today from another trip. Went to same location as last time. Saw 6 deer, all does, and a fox we crossed paths with at about 20yards by coincidence (he didn't stick around long). I can tell my son is getting frustrated, and I am too a bit. But I sincerely enjoy the time we have hiking miles into country most don't make the effort to get to and enjoying the scenery and the wildlife we do see. And just the little conversations we get to have. But we still want to be successful too.

 

[Bigjav]

We just got back today from another trip. Went to same location as last time. Saw 6 deer, all does, and a fox we crossed paths with at about 20yards by coincidence (he didn't stick around long). I can tell my son is getting frustrated, and I am too a bit. But I sincerely enjoy the time we have hiking miles into country most don't make the effort to get to and enjoying the scenery and the wildlife we do see. And just the little conversations we get to have. But we still want to be successful too.

Hunting California is tough hunting. Not a lot of game to begin with, lots of folks in the woods and most importantly is the shitty seasonal structure where the deer seasons are in the hottest and driest months of the year when the deer are primarily nocturnal. Stick with it though cause when you least expect it you’ll bump into one best of luck

 

[jlong17]

My first season deer hunting in CA was terrible… until it wasn’t.
I went 22 days of hunting without even seeing a buck. I had 2 game cameras stolen. I was locked behind a public land gate that was unlocked when I entered that morning. I was getting extremely discouraged. The night before closing day I pulled out a paper map and crossed out all of the areas I had been, and was unsuccessful. I figured I had to change what I was doing, so I decided I would hunt a new drainage that was still in the same general area. Within a few minutes of glassing light I had spotted my first buck… ever. I made a stalk, and followed up with a good shot. 23 days of hunting and the result was a small forky, but the since of accomplishment was huge.
Don’t get discouraged. Keep grinding, it’s what separates the tag punchers from tag eaters. Do something different if what your doing is not working. If your finding does, that’s good when the rut kicks in. However, as others have stated, the CA season structure puts us in the field well before the peak rut kicks in. Big bucks are almost entirely nocturnal in my area, and decent bucks are only active for a small window during first and last light. Your best bet is to find those pockets of bachelor groups, and for me they seem to be slightly higher and in denser vegetation that the does. The best way to do that is to glass a lot of country…. A lot.
Good luck brother!

 

[CentralValleyHuntin]

Im new to hunting and this is my zone. Thank you for the advice!

 

[CentralValleyHuntin]

This is what I would do, take it for what it’s worth: Reach out to your biologist and game warden and ask about the types of specific habitat the deer in your area like during season. Ask about their habits and patterns. Then keep looking around, as you have been, until you find a place like that. Then really spend some time on that place, and be there looking at the right time. Best of luck to you and your son.

Where would you find information on who our biologist is? I have wanted to try to reach out but do not know where to start