Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 02:34:00 PM
, I thought I'd post some pictures to give you an idea of the terrain and hunting conditions. I went on the hunt this past weekend with a couple of buddies because I really needed to get out and wanted to get some experience at Tejon. It is the closest, best free range hog hunting spot for me and I plan to get there more often in the future. I'd only been once about 5 years ago (my first ever hunt) on a guided hunt which was superb but pricey. These "Wild Pig Management Hunts" are a much better deal if you can DIY.
Tejon is California's equivalent of the famous King Ranch in Texas. It is 270,000 acres near Bakersfield in the high desert. It has every climate from desert to alpine (6,000 ft +).
Here's the entrance to the North side we were allowed to hunt...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3906.jpg)
The hogs are up in those north facing canyons. Can you see them?
Post by: JC on June 25, 2008, 02:44:00 PM
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 02:48:00 PM
This proved to be a very hard hunt due to 3 factors; 1) the heat, 2) a near full moon and 3) a truck without the cajones to get us where we needed to go. If you really want to hunt Tejon it helps if both the driver and vehicle have big ones! See the jeep trail near the top on the right? That's a piece of cake.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3960.jpg)
Hogs are pretty much nocturnal and the only real times to hunt are very early and close to last light, especially when it gets hot. Sometimes in cooler weather you can find them out during the day. The full moon just makes feeding at night even more enjoyable for them.
Post by: JC on June 25, 2008, 02:49:00 PM
and then...and then???
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 03:00:00 PM
Tejon is one of the early California Spanish land grants and is unique because it has remained mostly intact. There are indian artifacts scattered about if you keep your eyes open. Here is a great petroglyph that is located off of the main haul road.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3908.jpg)
We noticed this metatate or mortero near an abandoned homestead. It is actually tipped on its side and looks like it was bulldozed into a pile with the other rocks. The indians in southern CA lived mainly off of acorns. They used rocks to grind it into meal and over time these bowls were created. You can find them throughout the coastal range.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3931.jpg)
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 03:16:00 PM
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3941.jpg)
While it is natural to think that sitting a water hole would be a good idea in this heat, it really isn't. There was still a fair amount of flowing water in the upper canyons and due to the cattle ranching, there are lots of water troughs. We did sit along one creek the first night as there was a lot of hog sign and we had a good wind. No hogs but we did have an elk bull and cow come to within 20 yards of us. I'll post a picture once I get it from my friend...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3929.jpg)
Post by: wislnwings on June 25, 2008, 03:23:00 PM
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 03:39:00 PM
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3923.jpg)
I was hunting with my Thermal. I liked the looks of the canyon below and checked it out our last morning...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3949.jpg)
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 03:45:00 PM
Morning
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3940.jpg)
Evening
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3944.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3945.jpg)
Post by: mp on June 25, 2008, 03:45:00 PM
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 03:48:00 PM
A little wildlife...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3971.jpg)
I saw this mulie doe as I was climbing over a ridge to get to the canyon you see behind my bow in the picture above the next morning.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3917.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/beachbowhunter/IMGP3963.jpg)
Post by: Chris Surtees on June 25, 2008, 04:02:00 PM
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 04:40:00 PM
There were loads of beds near the top third of the ridge but they were empty and didn't look too fresh. The rest of the decent was through an ocean of thorny, wild CA gooseberry bushes. They were so thick you could only make out game trails here and there where they poked out. The rest of the time you were wading through and stomping over them. Not the best conditions for stalking. I've been nursing a sore hip lately and at a certain point it got to the point of just gutting it out to the bottom. No hogs seen or busted.
Unfortunately, that was the story of this trip. There were few hogs taken by the group of about 30 bow hunters. And those were generally taken by guys who really knew the place. I came home on Sunday early enough to celebrate my daughter's 8th birthday and then go to the beach to wash away the dust. My family asked if I had had fun. Well considering that we took no hogs, worked our tails off and sweated our brains out, I had to say, "heck yeah I had fun!"
Post by: LEOPARD on June 25, 2008, 05:00:00 PM
Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:
Post by: madness522 on June 25, 2008, 05:08:00 PM
Post by: BMN on June 25, 2008, 05:09:00 PM
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 05:49:00 PM
Post by: wtpops on June 25, 2008, 06:23:00 PM
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 25, 2008, 06:35:00 PM
You're a lucky man. The guided hunts are great. The guides know this place inside and out and are fearless driving the jeep trails. The cabins are luxurious and they feed you like a king. Let me know if they have room that weekend and I'll save my pennys and join ya! Learn all you can to prep yourself for the DIY management hunts which are a lot less expensive. With Choppers closing this is the last, best free range hog hunt around I think.
Post by: Izzy on June 25, 2008, 08:59:00 PM
Post by: Ray Hammond on June 25, 2008, 09:11:00 PM
:biglaugh: :biglaugh:
Glad you had a good time....wish I could have been there with you.
Post by: Missouri CK on June 25, 2008, 10:19:00 PM
Good to see you still got that big California smile!
Now that you go it figured out I'm sure you will knock one down the next time you go!
That thermal must be a good shooter to get you to put down the zipper.
Chris
Post by: Littlefeather on June 26, 2008, 08:04:00 AM
Post by: **DONOTDELETE** on June 26, 2008, 08:10:00 AM
Post by: JC on June 26, 2008, 12:20:00 PM
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 26, 2008, 01:42:00 PM
I have a mountain lion story or two from this trip I'll tell sometime too..
Post by: Chris Surtees on June 26, 2008, 01:48:00 PM
CS
Post by: Firstarrow on June 26, 2008, 04:54:00 PM
Don't leave us hangin' with a lion story on your lips.
Post by: Nala on June 27, 2008, 01:18:00 AM
Nala
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 27, 2008, 01:58:00 PM
!["[dntthnk]"]("graemlins/dntthnk.gif" "\"\"")
The fun part of this place is recovering a dead hog. They like to die in some steep dark place so you have to roll/drag them down to the nearest stream or jeep trail so you have some hope of getting it into your truck. Gives new meaning to the phrase "pulled pork".
Post by: tradtusker on June 27, 2008, 02:31:00 PM
:thumbsup:
Post by: Kingwouldbe on June 27, 2008, 03:13:00 PM
Thanks for sharring your hunt, it sounds like a calie-sweat, 100+ temps
Post by: wtpops on June 27, 2008, 03:59:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by beachbowhunter:You read my mind, I will be taking it all in, might even start a note book and take a map to make notes on. With Choppers closing down i will most likley be hitting Fort Hunter Ligitt hard and Tejon maybe twice a year. I could have gone this summer but decided to wait untill the grass is green and the weather is cool. Ya never know i could be hunting hogs in the snow.
Learn all you can to prep yourself for the DIY management hunts which are a lot less expensive. With Choppers closing this is the last, best free range hog hunt around I think.
Post by: beachbowhunter on June 27, 2008, 04:09:00 PM
Hey Kingy, let me know if you need anything to plan your TG hunt!