Archery opener: CA, Super D tag

[amassi]

Hit up the archery opener in D3,4,5
Friday morning the first 5 spots were packed(could not fit another vehicle) with trucks, so on to plan F.
Plan F, was to hunt escape routes out of the wilderness
So we only went in about 2 1/2-3 miles.
The good- lots of deer. And 4 small bucks to boot. 1 crab claw 3x3 provided a good stalk, just not a buck I wanted to hang a tag on this early in the season. Spent the next 2 days trying to turn him up for my buddy to no avail.

We also saw 6 bears 1 sow with 2 Cubs and 3 nice boars. 1 cinnamon color phase
Seemed like we couldn't hit a ridge without a bear on it or recently visited Some of the berry patches were absolutely mangled: bear scat everywhere, broken branches that were stripped etc.

The bad-Our camp(no where near a trail) was visited Sunday around 11 o clock, 2 dudes went through all our stuff but as far as we can tell didnt take anything. I did give LEO their pictures because it was just odd?!?!?! They were wearing street clothes and jansport style school backpacks
right after they left a mtn lion walked right through the middle of camp like it wasnt even there.

Interesting abstract: never seen so many people in the wilderness, also never seen so many bears in this area(no hounds starting to take affect?)

This "wilderness" now has att 4g cell service haha nothing like browsing rokslide in between glassing
Speaking of glassing, we turned all 4 bucks up with glass and they weren't red, all 4 had grey coats only the does were still bright red/orange. My buddy never seriously glassed and is now a convert.

Hi light of the trip: packed up and heading back to the nearest trail and I swear I hear a motor. Then a side by side comes over the ridge over 2 miles into the wilderness
Guys were totally clueless, even had 2 teenagers standing in the bed arrows nocked. Tried briefly to tell them that wasnt allowed, but they seemed like they wanted to escalate things too quickly so we just bid them good day

Then used that sweet 4g coverage to call forest ranger and surprised when they and county sheriff met us at the trailhead. I bet that ticket wasnt cheap, these bozos backed their trailer up to the rocks that closed the old fire spur and dropped their trailer tailgate over the rock, still had about a 2' drop to the ground. Only in California will you see people road hunt archery deer with a sxs in a wilderness area

Kind of a boring report, here's a pic of one of the smaller bears. When I get my trail camera chip back I'll put up pics of that big tom lion and those 2 weirdos.

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[AlwaysLearn'n]

Good read

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[Muley Buck]

You just affirmed that my decision to not go last weekend was probably a good one. My patients will be at a higher level having not chipped away at it so soon in the season. That stuff really bothers me and unfortunately is becoming much more prevalent.

Anyways, I hope you make it back out there and turn up a good one. The crowds are sure to be much thinner your next trip out. Best of luck!

 

[amassi]

You just affirmed that my decision to not go last weekend was probably a good one. My patients will be at a higher level having not chipped away at it so soon in the season. That stuff really bothers me and unfortunately is becoming much more prevalent.

Anyways, I hope you make it back out there and turn up a good one. The crowds are sure to be much thinner your next trip out. Best of luck!

Yep, fortunately they are probably already gone until rifle season. The weather was great and no smoke to speak of always nice to stretch your legs with a bow in hand

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[DavePwns]

Hit up the archery opener in D3,4,5
Friday morning the first 5 spots were packed(could not fit another vehicle) with trucks, so on to plan F.
Plan F, was to hunt escape routes out of the wilderness
So we only went in about 2 1/2-3 miles.
The good- lots of deer. And 4 small bucks to boot. 1 crab claw 3x3 provided a good stalk, just not a buck I wanted to hang a tag on this early in the season. Spent the next 2 days trying to turn him up for my buddy to no avail.

We also saw 6 bears 1 sow with 2 Cubs and 3 nice boars. 1 cinnamon color phase
Seemed like we couldn't hit a ridge without a bear on it or recently visited Some of the berry patches were absolutely mangled: bear scat everywhere, broken branches that were stripped etc.

The bad-Our camp(no where near a trail) was visited Sunday around 11 o clock, 2 dudes went through all our stuff but as far as we can tell didnt take anything. I did give LEO their pictures because it was just odd?!?!?! They were wearing street clothes and jansport style school backpacks
right after they left a mtn lion walked right through the middle of camp like it wasnt even there.

Interesting abstract: never seen so many people in the wilderness, also never seen so many bears in this area(no hounds starting to take affect?)

This "wilderness" now has att 4g cell service haha nothing like browsing rokslide in between glassing
Speaking of glassing, we turned all 4 bucks up with glass and they weren't red, all 4 had grey coats only the does were still bright red/orange. My buddy never seriously glassed and is now a convert.

Hi light of the trip: packed up and heading back to the nearest trail and I swear I hear a motor. Then a side by side comes over the ridge over 2 miles into the wilderness
Guys were totally clueless, even had 2 teenagers standing in the bed arrows nocked. Tried briefly to tell them that wasnt allowed, but they seemed like they wanted to escalate things too quickly so we just bid them good day

Then used that sweet 4g coverage to call forest ranger and surprised when they and county sheriff met us at the trailhead. I bet that ticket wasnt cheap, these bozos backed their trailer up to the rocks that closed the old fire spur and dropped their trailer tailgate over the rock, still had about a 2' drop to the ground. Only in California will you see people road hunt archery deer with a sxs in a wilderness area

Kind of a boring report, here's a pic of one of the smaller bears. When I get my trail camera chip back I'll put up pics of that big tom lion and those 2 weirdos.

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How do you identify escape routes?

 

[amassi]

How do you identify escape routes?

Guess and check, I try and look at terrain and think about where a buck might live and where hes probably going to head when the pressure starts. Contrary to what logic might tell us, I've found quite a few bucks that will bump down and not deeper into the wilderness. A good escape route is normally small terrain, and gf generally tight
Typically a stand hunt, and judging by the lack of foot traffic they normally get overlooked by hunters

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[DFLYFISH]

bummer on the dudes going thru your stuff. do you think they were dope growers or hunters?

 

[Dukslayer26]

Nice read!!

 

[cgcox90]

Great read, thanks for posting.

 

[Rodéo]

Thanks for posting! A fun read.
Looking forward to my first archery deer season in CA this year.

 

[iseebucks]

Thanks for posting! A fun read.
Looking forward to my first archery deer season in CA this year.

Good luck on your new endeavor! What zone will you be hunting?

 

[Rodéo]

Good luck on your new endeavor! What zone will you be hunting?

Thanks! Thinking of buying an archery only tag for A,B,D3/4/5 zones and a general tag for A zone but I'll have a lot more time to hunt to archery only tag than the general so we'll see how it goes.