Questions on Hunting the Redding, Ca area

JMettl25

FNG
Joined
Aug 29, 2016
Messages
42
Location
Kalispell, Mt
Hello Everyone! So here is my circumstance, and I am willing to take any advice ya'll got. I am currently a senior in highschool and will be going to Simpson University in Redding next fall for college. I am an avid bowhunter and rifle hunter and am hoping to become the morning, evening, and weekend warrior for scouting and hunting as I will not have all the time in the world. With being new to the area in a few short months, I was gunna ask any locals or veteran hunters in the area about any useful info on scouting, deer populations, general places to hunt, and terrain to scout. Whatever info helps, I figured I'd start early and get a jump start on learning how to hunt the area for next season.

Thanks a ton in advance!

P.S. I am not looking for secret spots or honey holes when I say hunting spots/general places to hunt
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
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Location
Humboldt county
Trinity alps, marble mountains. Pick a trail head each weekend before season, hike your but off and see what you can find. The alps deer are more migratory then the marbles. Most big bucks I've ever seen are up high. But once weather hits look out, it can be a road hunters paradise. Most deer I've seen work their way towards trinity center the later in the year.

There won't be a ton of guys in the woods during bow. It will be HOT. It will be STEEP and it can be a lot of fun.


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JMettl25

JMettl25

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Joined
Aug 29, 2016
Messages
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Location
Kalispell, Mt
Thanks a Bunch! I appreciate the info. It seems as if the changing of the seasons bring their own uniqueness in the area? I am totally up for hiking in the hot weather for big bucks WAY up high. I live in SoCal right now so I am used to 90 being an ok day.
 

JFK

WKR
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Sep 13, 2016
Messages
696
I cannot give advice on hunting in the area but will say that you should bring a fly rod. Hands down some of the best trout streams in the state are a very short drive away....not to mention the lower Sacramento that runs through Redding.
 
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JMettl25

JMettl25

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Joined
Aug 29, 2016
Messages
42
Location
Kalispell, Mt
Thank you! I have a fly rod and have been up there to fish on multiple trips on the Pit River, Hat creek, and Bomb lake, all have never disappointed and I am so excited to kill it up there fishing.
 

Mtnman84

Lil-Rokslider
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Jun 22, 2015
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How far do you want to hike I can give you a few good locations in the alps
 
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Dec 14, 2014
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Location
Spokane,Wa
I filmed a hunt there and it was 114 outside and 122 in the ground blind. Have fun lol super cool country. Find a good feed source and place a blind off the trail to the water source
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Messages
12
Location
California
I killed a monster blacktail last season with bow in 105 degrees. I had sweat pouring down my face and i was "still" hunting in a tree stand. Get the hunt on x app on your phone and scope out BLM west of redding. B-zone blacktails on facebook may help you out as well. I apply for 2 bzone tags every year, but most try to get c-zone, but i stick to what I know.
 

530Chukar

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Jun 27, 2016
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Location
Out West
You can buy the B tag over the counter and that can be used for rifle and archery. You should be able to draw c zone with 0 points as a first choice, rifle anyways. I believe the archery tag is easier. Trinities and marbles are too far for an afternoon or morning. A lot more deer in the trinities vs the marbles. Trinities are loaded with hunters as well. If I was in your situation I'd do a lot of scouting around Shasta lake. Many different places to go. PM me with any other questions. I graduated from Simpson a couple years ago.


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JMettl25

JMettl25

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Aug 29, 2016
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Location
Kalispell, Mt
@majorskillz Sweet, Yeah I have grown up in Bakersfield Tehachapi are here in SoCal so I am used to the heat.. not a fan but whatever. I have had OnX maps on my phone for a while and looked up some places west of Redding in in that trinity alps area. But I will probably stay closer to start. Thats smart though sticking to what you know. Thanks for the advice man!
 
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I have hunted blacktails in a few decades, but I have hunted the marbles. Just keep in mind that while your scouting an area, those deer do migrate, so what your seeing, or not seeing my change come the season, or during the season. So you may want to try and figure out some of those migration patterns.
 
Joined
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Humboldt county
If your coming from redding your driving by a TON of blacktail country to get to the marbles. While I think the bucks are bigger in the marbles, I also think the deer density is MUCH lower then in the trinities. Weather plays a big roll on their movement as well.


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goph707

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Oct 23, 2015
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Humboldt County
If your coming from redding your driving by a TON of blacktail country to get to the marbles. While I think the bucks are bigger in the marbles, I also think the deer density is MUCH lower then in the trinities. Weather plays a big roll on their movement as well.


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I couldn't agree more. Spent a week bow hunting the Marbles I saw one small buck and one doe. However I saw 18 bears in the first 3 days, one of the bears I am still kicking myself for not shooting. I spent 10 days in the Alps saw tons of does but no bucks, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.
 

530Chukar

WKR
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Jun 27, 2016
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Out West
I couldn't agree more. Spent a week bow hunting the Marbles I saw one small buck and one doe. However I saw 18 bears in the first 3 days, one of the bears I am still kicking myself for not shooting. I spent 10 days in the Alps saw tons of does but no bucks, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.

The marbles is such a big area that it just depends on where you are. I was in there for an elk hunt this year during archery buck season and saw several nice bucks a handful of does an no bears. I would agree that it is overall a lower deer density than the alps.
 

Beendare

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May 6, 2014
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Corripe cervisiam
I talked to my hunting buddy in Redding yesterday.....116....dang, thats like living in Vegas.

There are a chit pile of bucks wandering around down in the low country too....you don't have to hit a trail and hike in 5 miles to the top of the mtn...though they do like that country early season. I think some of those bucks like living in around civilization....not just to eat someones roses....but to get away from Mtn Lions. My buddy sent me a pic of a BIG lion that got hit on the hwy past his place in Millville a couple years back.
 
Joined
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Beendare, was that lion during the winter a few years ago? I saw a good size cat hit just a little past my house in Millville during the winter a couple years back. I live right on Cow Creek in Millville and years ago saw one laying on a tree across the creek from my house. Talked to the rancher and they had been losing calves to a cat. Sure would be nice to have a season again in California for them.
I talked to my hunting buddy in Redding yesterday.....116....dang, thats like living in Vegas.

There are a chit pile of bucks wandering around down in the low country too....you don't have to hit a trail and hike in 5 miles to the top of the mtn...though they do like that country early season. I think some of those bucks like living in around civilization....not just to eat someones roses....but to get away from Mtn Lions. My buddy sent me a pic of a BIG lion that got hit on the hwy past his place in Millville a couple years back.
 
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