Hunting So. Cal

AVK

FNG
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
7
I moved here from NY 2018, would like to hunt deer but not sure of the areas near me. I reside in Oceanside.
 

Hunt4lyf

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 19, 2013
Messages
251
Location
Colorado
It’s tough hunting, not a ton of deer, thick brush and rough country. I grew up hunting out there but it’s been years. Have you found SCH Outdoors forum yet? It’s local to So Cal.
Deer season is over for the most part until next year, tags draw in early June and you need to get your D16 quick because they sell out by July or so.
 

hunting_with_bailey

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
225
Location
Chandler, Az.
I lived in SoCal for most of my life...plenty of public land out east (Cleveland National Forest) and some public on Palomar Mountain. There is a private hunting club near Lake Henshaw that leases about 50K acres of private land, but it will cost you some $$ to join. I killed some decent bucks, for that area, on the club property. PM me if you want more details. ONX hunt maps might be a good investment to find public land as well.
 
OP
A

AVK

FNG
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
7
I lived in SoCal for most of my life...plenty of public land out east (Cleveland National Forest) and some public on Palomar Mountain. There is a private hunting club near Lake Henshaw that leases about 50K acres of private land, but it will cost you some $$ to join. I killed some decent bucks, for that area, on the club property. PM me if you want more details. ONX hunt maps might be a good investment to find public land as well.
Thank you for the reply, I will save your reply and contact you as a get a little further on my research. Again thanks.
 

cjdewese

WKR
Joined
Sep 8, 2020
Messages
460
New to hunting this year but have lived in So Cal my entire life. As others have said it's pretty tough out here but if you put in the work you should be able to make it happen. Find the water then branch out from there to find their bedding areas and food sources. Everyone will say find the acorns and you should find the deer. I would agree with that but look for places where there are limited acorns for your best chance of finding a concentration of deer. Good luck and enjoy the scouting process, there are some really beautiful areas to hunt and hike that a lot of people over look.
 
OP
A

AVK

FNG
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
7
New to hunting this year but have lived in So Cal my entire life. As others have said it's pretty tough out here but if you put in the work you should be able to make it happen. Find the water then branch out from there to find their bedding areas and food sources. Everyone will say find the acorns and you should find the deer. I would agree with that but look for places where there are limited acorns for your best chance of finding a concentration of deer. Good luck and enjoy the scouting process, there are some really beautiful areas to hunt and hike that a lot of people over look.
Thank you
 

cjdewese

WKR
Joined
Sep 8, 2020
Messages
460
Here is a link with all the zones in So Cal along with the dates for them for 2020 to give you an idea of what to expect next year. Most dates will fall before the best rutting action so try to find something that works that isn't centered around the rut if you can.


My biggest suggestion would be to find an area you can get to and scout regularly. Eliminating ground is as important as finding an area that has potential. Once you find sign, start to try and dial it in and understand where the deer go.

PM me if you have any specific questions and I will try to help as much as I can. Still relatively new to it all but I learned a ton this year in D-19.
 

Hensatc

FNG
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Messages
11
Welcome to SoCal, if you have base access there are some areas on Pendleton that historically have produced, but as everywhere tags go faaast


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
A

AVK

FNG
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
7
Welcome to SoCal, if you have base access there are some areas on Pendleton that historically have produced, but as everywhere tags go faaast


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I do have access but not for hunting, would have been great. I will need to try and get out eat and start working.
 
OP
A

AVK

FNG
Joined
Nov 6, 2020
Messages
7
I am a disable veteran, that is my access to the base. When I sent my ID and information to the base game warden his response was that my credentials did not allow my access to hunt on the base. He stated that only active, military retirement or specific levels of civilians government workers were given access to hunt.
 
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