I hunt some ground in San Miguel, California. A customer of mine has 3700 acres and some gorgeous country. I called him to see if he had seen any pigs on the place. He told me that they were not at his place yet but tearing up the barley fields below. Having some cabin fever I decide to take a walk any way. The pigs in this area are always on the move and sometimes there here and sometimes they aren't. The last time we were up here in December one of my buddys SHOT (as in gun) a 200 plus pound boar and over the years this place has given us a couple dozen pigs for the freezer. I would post the picture but that boar was shot with a gun.
I got to the ranch at 5:30 and after opening and closing 8 cattle gates ended up on a high point to wait the day and do some glassing. (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Pig%20hunt%20Indian%20Valley%20March%202010/57bear003-1.jpg)
After doing some glassing I decided to work a few of the draws where we have taken hogs in the past. I know this place and I own the wind. I started up one of the draws and heard some pigs fighting over something. I was excited now; there were some hogs on the place (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Pig%20hunt%20Indian%20Valley%20March%202010/57bear009.jpg)After that first commotion it got quiet and I never heard another peep all day. I did some really slow side hilling careful to stay as close to cover as the place allowed but never got on these pigs. It was strange that there was no fresh sign where I thought they were? They must have been on the move? The ranch is made up of big open spaces and brushy draws, once the draws open up you move on to the next one.
This place is covered with ground squirrels mounds. They make great soft targets. I shot at a couple of squirrels but they get hunted so much with guns they are running or down a hole :( (http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Pig%20hunt%20Indian%20Valley%20March%202010/57bear008.jpg)
Got to go now I'll post somemore pictures Friday. Sure was a nice day:)
Pond from a distance....
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Pig%20hunt%20Indian%20Valley%20March%202010/57bear013.jpg)
One of the draws open up into a big flat and right in the middle of it is this pond. There are a couple of creases in the ground that will allow a guy to get close unseen.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Pig%20hunt%20Indian%20Valley%20March%202010/57bear014.jpg)
Found fresh sign under the trees around the pond. Sat in that place for a while hoping to see or hear more pigs, but nothing....What a neat spot though kind of an oasis :)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Pig%20hunt%20Indian%20Valley%20March%202010/57bear019.jpg)
These gals were at the road on the way out of the ranch
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/Pig%20hunt%20Indian%20Valley%20March%202010/57bear027.jpg)
Oh well no pigs but a really nice walk thru the hills. I'm coming back next week to see if I can get on one of Toms that will surly be chasing those ladies :)
Great photos Kip
I see your still packing the Black Lost Creek glad to see it getting used. Chad
Hey Blake, hows the weather up in the north?
Chad, I just plain shoot it the best? It gets more use than all my other bows combined. I love the way the shoots?
Chad, think 2pc please ?????
Very nice country....
DesertDude,
It is beautiful country, 3700 acres in one piece. It's kind of sad though its been subdivided into 80 to 240 acre parcels. If this real estate market had not crashed it would have been sold off. Oh well I'll enjoy it as long as I can?
Kip it is our typical spring weather snow rain in the upper sixty degrees all in one day,still have alot of Mule Deer and Antelope down low on the winter range.
Blake sometimes I miss the real seasons. The weather in morro Bay is pretty boring :)
Might try for a tag in your neck of the woods after seeing your Antelope last season :)
You trying any turkey hunting this year?
Brother, we gotta swap some hunts! Commiefornia aint all bad!
Man that's some gorgeaous country thanks for sharing. It's still below freezing here in upstate NY :knothead:
Commiefornia :biglaugh:
Once you lift the Commiefornia blanket there are lots of good folks left, like Brothers Juan, Blake, Mark and others. We get a bad rap for the crazies but being a native I can say without hesitation California has something for every hunter, fisherman or explorer....I love the geographical diversity of my state. I am a lifer here. Somebody has to stay here and balance out the crazies :)
Greta pics, thanks!
Great pics! Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:
Kip you know if you get drawn for a Antelope tag I will help you out, yes I am going Turkey Hunting, and I am down for swap some hunts in Commiefornia land, I born and raised in California and love it, and yes our State get's a bad wrap but like someone said "Ishi was a Californian"
I was fortunate last year to hunt hogs for a weekend in northern California. I did not get a hog, but it made me very, very jealous of all of you that can go on a regular basis. THAT was fun hunting and beautiful country!
Thanks for sharing Kip! That is some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen out there! I always swore I'd never go to CA because of all the stuff I saw and heard about LA and some of the other cities. Then Uncle Sammy made me go and I found out it is an outdoorsman's paradise and has some great people there as well.
Kenneth, I was in Maggie Valley North Carolina once never in Winston-Salem area. It does not get much prettier than Maggie Valley. The mountains were cover in mist they were beautiful. I caught trout from a creek there and I remember how green everything was :)
Great pictures and nice looking spot.
nice place !