Hunter Experiences This Season in Cali

Yalo · Sep 28, 2024

Well many 2024 Deer season hunts started in California. Persons have received tips from MM members for hunting areas and the hunter feedback is interesting on what actually worked for the current season. Or what did not in their area?

Were decent deer found high up or other? The bucks were feeding in the open or close to thick cover and or only seen at dusk maybe. Of course, the situation of no bucks seen at all if that is the case? We do not need the details that you hunted 1 mile up on creek A from where it crosses road B.

But generic items like lots of fawns this year or few. Only forks observed, or racks bigger or smaller, or buck presence reduced and or higher than one usually sees?

Saw other hunt parties with harvested deer?

Any roads washed out from summer or winter storms and similar or closed.

Any lions spotted or bears?

Did you pre scout your hunt area if new to the area? Know I found deer in an area where others had located deer sign previous to our outing.

Did you have folks helping you or solo DIY.

Last year’s estimates for deer harvested from X-12 to X-10 areas was over 300. Like to see more feedback from these as well as other zone areas.

Pics work too but some kind of info from the hunts would be nice, so all can share the hunting experience? During your zone season or after the season works as well.

Just minimal feedback from me but the last time I was looking for deer in x-12, during the regular season, optics did not seem to work for me. But it was after the season opener. Bucks where I was seemed to find a really dense brush area and hold tight there most of the day is my guess. One had to virtually step on them to find their location. Maybe just specific to that area I traveled, but I suppose at some level generic?

LIK2HNT · Sep 28, 2024

Yalo said:
Well many 2024 Deer season hunts started in California. Persons have received tips from MM members for hunting areas and the hunter feedback is interesting on what actually worked for the current season. Or what did not in their area?

Were decent deer found high up or other? The bucks were feeding in the open or close to thick cover and or only seen at dusk maybe. Of course, the situation of no bucks seen at all if that is the case? We do not need the details that you hunted 1 mile up on creek A from where it crosses road B.

But generic items like lots of fawns this year or few. Only forks observed, or racks bigger or smaller, or buck presence reduced and or higher than one usually sees?

Saw other hunt parties with harvested deer?

Any roads washed out from summer or winter storms and similar or closed.

Any lions spotted or bears?

Did you pre scout your hunt area if new to the area? Know I found deer in an area where others had located deer sign previous to our outing.

Did you have folks helping you or solo DIY.

Last year’s estimates for deer harvested from X-12 to X-10 areas was over 300. Like to see more feedback from these as well as other zone areas.

Pics work too but some kind of info from the hunts would be nice, so all can share the hunting experience? During your zone season or after the season works as well.

Just minimal feedback from me but the last time I was looking for deer in x-12, during the regular season, optics did not seem to work for me. But it was after the season opener. Bucks where I was seemed to find a really dense brush area and hold tight there most of the day is my guess. One had to virtually step on them to find their location. Maybe just specific to that area I traveled, but I suppose at some level generic?

Interesting if you get much feedback. I will most likely not hunt in deer in California this year. Will try and find recipes for my A & B zone tags. Hopefully get out in late Nov. Dec. and find a bear.
Son in law got a nice forky on private property in A zone during rifle. He was chasing a nice 4x4 and 3x during archery. They disappeared right before rifle. Like usual.

Snoopdogg · Sep 28, 2024

I'll chime in. Backpacked into my favorite wilderness last week for the B zone opener and hunted some country I have for the last 25 years. Seemed to have the place to ourselves. Didn't realize there were no deer or bear either!

Saw some does, ZERO bears where I can normally spot 1-3 on a weekend-type trip. Only saw 1 buck, but he was in the thick timber and I saw him before I heard him. But I saw him because he was making tracks the hell away from me. 0-1, deer.

Did end up with some company on the opener (group of 4) but we heard 0 shots in our canyon (left Monday) and only heard 1 shot in the distance in those 3 days. Terrible hunting in my area, which was very disappointing.

However, I took in the scenery and enjoyed humping in some steep, beautiful country with my bro. Not all hunts end with a kill and although I would have LIKED to have a big buck in my pack--sh*t happens. Get'em next time.

Edited to add that we seemed to have a lot more water this year.

willfrye027 · Sep 28, 2024

I don’t put as much effort scouting or hunting CA anymore and pretty much rely on my “honey holes” to find forkies so that I can hold off the trigger on out of state hunts.

A zone south was as good as it’s ever been for me. Deer seem healthy. Wife and I killed forkies with some effort, friends and family were also successful. There is an amazing acorn crop is some of the places and deer were sucking them in like crazy last week of season.

Short D zone hunt due to some back problems for my buddy. Backpacked into my usual area and only got to scout evening before and hunt opener. I did not see a single deer which is insane to me. Last year myself and a new hunter buddy both tagged out opening weekend. It was pretty warm and bone dry. I checked some remote cameras I have and had very cool pics over the past few years but almost no deer this year, plus a lion. Tons of bears on the cam too as well as coyotes. I was expecting better as there were tons of healthy looking fawns and young deer last year; maybe it was just the weather conditions or the deer were higher/lower than usual. Will be interesting to see what’s on the winter range this year compared to normal.

RookieWYhntr · Sep 30, 2024

Filled both my buck and bear tags during archery. Saw a total of 8 bucks and 2 bears. Saw 2 deer kills probably by a lion. One was a 5x3!!! Too many dang predators.

Didn't even go out for general season. Waiting for the weather to cool a bit. Climate change is really messing things up!!! LOL

D8hntr · Oct 1, 2024

Typical D8 general season!! Too warm, too many hunters(hiked 2 miles up the mt and still had 3 hunters pass me) and not enough deer. Heard wolves howling Saturday night. Saw 2 legal bucks(forky and a 3x2) that were too far for a shot. They slipped into the timber to never be seen again. Only heard 5-6 shots all weekend. It's going to be nothing more than a camping trip when these wolfpacks get more established!!!

D8hntr · Oct 1, 2024

RookieWYhntr said:
Filled both my buck and bear tags during archery. Saw a total of 8 bucks and 2 bears. Saw 2 deer kills probably by a lion. One was a 5x3!!! Too many dang predators.

Didn't even go out for general season. Waiting for the weather to cool a bit. Climate change is really messing things up!!! LOL

Congratulations on the filled tags. I missed a buck during archery. Shot about 6" too low. Good luck on the weather cooling down. I don't think it's going to happen this year. Hotter than average October. It'll cool down the week after deer season.

chrisamx · Oct 1, 2024

D-13: Archery Bear Season saw many tracks, but no bears.
Archery Deer Season seen several spikes and does. I hope Game Warden presence is strong or else there gonna be a lot of dead spikes in two weeks.

mulebuck · Oct 1, 2024

willfrye027 said:
I don’t put as much effort scouting or hunting CA anymore and pretty much rely on my “honey holes” to find forkies so that I can hold off the trigger on out of state hunts.

That should do wonders for your HH's in the future.

willfrye027 · Oct 1, 2024

mulebuck said:
That should do wonders for your HH's in the future.

Yes because I leave the big ones alone Jim!

Yalo · Oct 1, 2024

Thanks all who have posted so far!

Did not hunt so I examined previous years hunt statistics. Definitely a trend downward for the two zones I graphed as an attachment for buck harvest. The top trace estimated harvest for X-12, the middle trace estimated harvest for X9B, and the bottom trace reported take for X9B 2000 to year 2023. Seen documents disagree with zone harvest in the same document and for different documents a similar thing, but what I graphed was more for trends anyway not absolute numbers. So graph your own for verification my eyes are not what they used to be.

Looked in the data back to 1930 and interesting stuff. Document stated the harvest numbers were reported,, but suspect it was estimated, but the record take for Mono county was listed as 3064 in 1959? And record take for Inyo county was 1210 in 1946. Remember X9A and X9B and X9c did not exist at that time. Counties were used for tabulation statistics and comparisons.

Yalo · Oct 1, 2024

@D8hntr Wolves in D8? Thought I saw a wolf in X-10 last year but convinced myself I did not....or did I?

Dang searched and wolves in Tulare county as of Aug 2024?

Bet they have no license or tags on them?

D8hntr · Oct 1, 2024

Yalo said:
@D8hntr Wolves in D8? Thought I saw a wolf in X-10 last year but convinced myself I did not....or did I?

Dang searched and wolves in Tulare county as of Aug 2024?

Bet they have no license or tags on them?

They've been there longer than that....just documented now. You probably did see one.

D8hntr · Oct 2, 2024

@Yalo .....I did see lots of deer sign and a few does but nothing like during archery season. Saw one bear(300+) that came running full bore toward me and passed me at 12 yds. Never saw me. Don't have a bear tag. I know, I know. Just hate the meat and don't know anyone that likes it. Lol. Found out about 10 minutes later that a hunter scared it my way. Too bad he couldn't have spooked a buck my way. Didn't hear any howling wolves during archery season either. They must've moved in the area recently, which sucks!!!

mata · Oct 2, 2024

There seems to be just as much shooter bear sightings as shooter buck sightings these days, luckily for me I do like bear, “not as much as deer” but beer braised bear slow cooked football roast in gravy. I found the recipe on YouTube. It’s definitely a winner. Highly recommend you try that. And grind the rest into sausage. That is crazy to hear about wolves though I heard a while ago on a podcast. I think it was with Remi Warren about someone seeing wolves down in the Fresno area. Crazy stuff!

mulebuck · Oct 3, 2024

mata said:
There seems to be just as much shooter bear sightings as shooter buck sightings these days, luckily for me I do like bear, “not as much as deer” but beer braised bear slow cooked football roast in gravy. I found the recipe on YouTube. It’s definitely a winner. Highly recommend you try that. And grind the rest into sausage.

Bingo mata!

I'm a firm believer that if you draw a deer tag, you should purchase a bear tag. If ya'll wanna see more deer in the future then ya best be smokin' them yogis... cause the state sure don't give a chit.

"I don't like bear meat" or "I'm not wasting $50 for a bear tag" is not an excuse. If you consider yourself a deer hunter then its your damn duty. Peace be with you.

CaGobbler · Oct 3, 2024

Yalo said:
Thanks all who have posted so far!

Did not hunt so I examined previous years hunt statistics. Definitely a trend downward for the two zones I graphed as an attachment for buck harvest. The top trace estimated harvest for X-12, the middle trace estimated harvest for X9B, and the bottom trace reported take for X9B 2000 to year 2023. Seen documents disagree with zone harvest in the same document and for different documents a similar thing, but what I graphed was more for trends anyway not absolute numbers. So graph your own for verification my eyes are not what they used to be.

Looked in the data back to 1930 and interesting stuff. Document stated the harvest numbers were reported,, but suspect it was estimated, but the record take for Mono county was listed as 3064 in 1959? And record take for Inyo county was 1210 in 1946. Remember X9A and X9B and X9c did not exist at that time. Counties were used for tabulation statistics and comparisons.

One thing to note for your data, is that tags were significantly reduced in those zones following the winter die-off in 2016-17. I'm sure that heavily affected the number of deer killed annually in each zone. Percent success might show you a slightly different trend - unless that's what you were using. Just something to note.

Yalo · Oct 3, 2024

@ CaGobbler

Noted...There appear numerous varibles that produce a kill count: versu zone, versus tags or hunter success, and deer count on the range per year, and similar. A plot of quality versus year a goal I suspect but may be hard to produce or agree to? A quick look says the years with higher kill numbers also had higher percentage of success as a rule for the few years I reviewed. And not directly correlated to tag numbers. So subtle variables entering in somewhere?

I might see if numbers of deer on the range zone are published?

@mulebuck Never heard it touted deer hunters have a duty to hunt bears?

Yes DFG has an estimate for deer in a zone per year and for X9B a five year high was 2016 and higher kill number than 2015. And percentage of hunters successful higher in 2016 also. So deer on the range a significant variable as guessed for same number of tags. Deer on range not a variable to be ignored?

The downward trend I referred to probably a result of less deer on in the zone X9B resulting in fewer tags and lower hunter success percentages. .

LIK2HNT · Oct 3, 2024

All hunters should also hunt predators!!!!

mulebuck · Oct 3, 2024

Yalo said:
@mulebuck Never heard it touted deer hunters have a duty to hunt bears?

Ok, maybe not a duty to "hunt" them specifically but rather "kill" em' when you see em'. If you are going deer hunting, grab a bear tag before you head out in the field. The fawns will thank you later.

Yalo · Oct 4, 2024

@D8hntr

You were correct on warm October. Not official I guess but Kernville broke its record high temp the first week of October by my reading? Suspect other areas as well? Bishop one of those other towns?

D8hntr · Oct 4, 2024

Yalo said:
@D8hntr

You were correct on warm October. Not official I guess but Kernville broke its record high temp the first week of October by my reading? Suspect other areas as well? Bishop one of those other towns?

It's been triple digits in the KRV for about a week now. About the same temps as down here in Bakersfield. I do see a reprieve next weekend into the 80s, which will put mountain highs in the low 60s. Still too warm for this time of year. I'm over it!!

...I'm ready for at least hoodie weather.

highsierra · Oct 4, 2024

This year my friend and I tried something familiar to many of you, but completely foreign to us...hunting coastal blacktail in Northern California. We had a phenominal time! Lots of great scenery, and plenty of animals were spotted during our glassing sessions high up on the open ridges above the Pacific. We met a few other hunters that all seemed to be "local" to the area...one couple were packing out a SUBSTANTIAL buck when we met them on the trail. As for our success...well, we did spot some bucks, but they were a bit far in for us to get to and then pack out with the time we had allotted. With the intel we gathered from this trip I'm fairly positive that we will be able to return in the future and have some great hunts....I'm certainly looking forward to it!
-HS

LIK2HNT · Oct 4, 2024

highsierra said:
This year my friend and I tried something familiar to many of you, but completely foreign to us...hunting coastal blacktail in Northern California. We had a phenominal time! Lots of great scenery, and plenty of animals were spotted during our glassing sessions high up on the open ridges above the Pacific. We met a few other hunters that all seemed to be "local" to the area...one couple were packing out a SUBSTANTIAL buck when we met them on the trail. As for our success...well, we did spot some bucks, but they were a bit far in for us to get to and then pack out with the time we had allotted. With the intel we gathered from this trip I'm fairly positive that we will be able to return in the future and have some great hunts....I'm certainly looking forward to it!
-HS

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Need to bring your climbing gear??
Great pictures

highsierra · Oct 4, 2024

LIK2HNT said:
Need to bring your climbing gear??
Great pictures

Probably should have! One spot we chose to climb up out of a creek bottom was way, way too dicey! We made it, but it was not a very smart move on our part...could've ended in a bad, bad way.

Rie bread · Oct 4, 2024

highsierra said:
This year my friend and I tried something familiar to many of you, but completely foreign to us...hunting coastal blacktail in Northern California. We had a phenominal time! Lots of great scenery, and plenty of animals were spotted during our glassing sessions high up on the open ridges above the Pacific. We met a few other hunters that all seemed to be "local" to the area...one couple were packing out a SUBSTANTIAL buck when we met them on the trail. As for our success...well, we did spot some bucks, but they were a bit far in for us to get to and then pack out with the time we had allotted. With the intel we gathered from this trip I'm fairly positive that we will be able to return in the future and have some great hunts....I'm certainly looking forward to it!
-HS

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Poor man’s Alaska?

highsierra · Oct 4, 2024

Rie bread said:
Poor man’s Alaska?

Exactly!

Moe · Oct 7, 2024

Anybody seeing any Mnt quail numbers in the B zones or elsewhere? Slim in Plumas and Sierra counties this year.

Jaybird967 · Oct 7, 2024

This accurately sums up my deer season so far. It was layin in the middle of a forest service road.

RookieWYhntr · Oct 7, 2024

At least you found a new tool?

D8hntr · Oct 7, 2024

Jaybird967 said:
This accurately sums up my deer season so far. It was layin in the middle of a forest service road. View attachment 160366

I can relate. About a month ago I ran over a crowbar in the work box truck. Didn't realize it until it started slapping against the bottom of the cargo box. Luckily it has two tires. Pulled it out and drove to the tire shop. Felt like an idiot for not seeing it.

jester · Oct 9, 2024

Broke at stability bar(had to ratchet strap it, and it worked)on my Ram flat towing my jeep.. had to much shot in my truck.. fished Friday.. Saturday morning caught a 4 buck group in head lights @ 5:30 am , however wanted to hunted a different spot with no luck, around 9:40 am was heading back hike to clearing where the bucks seen earlier before heading back to camp, in about 300 yards and 4 buck jumped up, 2 3x3'- 2 4x4's with one had a giant body.. and he was not on the nitro, fired once then he bolted full run.. I had the Scar 17, 10 round mag .308 TTSX Barnes.. fired 2 more and he crashed..so heavy I couldn't move him..
Drove my jeep in for recover.. I still couldn't move him .. rope antlers and drug him to the road.. waited for some one to drive by.. about 20 minutes. 3 of us got him in hitch basket..
Weight was so heavy he broke meat pole.. unbelievable amount of fat..cut about a 5 gallon bucket off..
162 lbs hanging at processors..
Heading up to B zone this next week.
Jester

Solanoslayer · Oct 11, 2024

jester said:
Broke at stability bar(had to ratchet strap it, and it worked)on my Ram flat towing my jeep.. had to much shot in my truck.. fished Friday.. Saturday morning caught a 4 buck group in head lights @ 5:30 am , however wanted to hunted a different spot with no luck, around 9:40 am was heading back hike to clearing where the bucks seen earlier before heading back to camp, in about 300 yards and 4 buck jumped up, 2 3x3'- 2 4x4's with one had a giant body.. and he was not on the nitro, fired once then he bolted full run.. I had the Scar 17, 10 round mag .308 TTSX Barnes.. fired 2 more and he crashed..so heavy I couldn't move him..
Drove my jeep in for recover.. I still couldn't move him .. rope antlers and drug him to the road.. waited for some one to drive by.. about 20 minutes. 3 of us got him in hitch basket..
Weight was so heavy he broke meat pole.. unbelievable amount of fat..cut about a 5 gallon bucket off..
162 lbs hanging at processors..
Heading up to B zone this next week.
Jester

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X zone buck?

jester · Oct 11, 2024

X1...
Jester

heywouldya · Oct 12, 2024

jester said:
Broke at stability bar(had to ratchet strap it, and it worked)on my Ram flat towing my jeep.. had to much shot in my truck.. fished Friday.. Saturday morning caught a 4 buck group in head lights @ 5:30 am , however wanted to hunted a different spot with no luck, around 9:40 am was heading back hike to clearing where the bucks seen earlier before heading back to camp, in about 300 yards and 4 buck jumped up, 2 3x3'- 2 4x4's with one had a giant body.. and he was not on the nitro, fired once then he bolted full run.. I had the Scar 17, 10 round mag .308 TTSX Barnes.. fired 2 more and he crashed..so heavy I couldn't move him..
Drove my jeep in for recover.. I still couldn't move him .. rope antlers and drug him to the road.. waited for some one to drive by.. about 20 minutes. 3 of us got him in hitch basket..
Weight was so heavy he broke meat pole.. unbelievable amount of fat..cut about a 5 gallon bucket off..
162 lbs hanging at processors..
Heading up to B zone this next week.
Jester

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Nice buck!!! 162 lbs hanging, that's a tank. Congrats

eelgrass · Oct 13, 2024

jester said:
Broke at stability bar(had to ratchet strap it, and it worked)on my Ram flat towing my jeep.. had to much shot in my truck.. fished Friday.. Saturday morning caught a 4 buck group in head lights @ 5:30 am , however wanted to hunted a different spot with no luck, around 9:40 am was heading back hike to clearing where the bucks seen earlier before heading back to camp, in about 300 yards and 4 buck jumped up, 2 3x3'- 2 4x4's with one had a giant body.. and he was not on the nitro, fired once then he bolted full run.. I had the Scar 17, 10 round mag .308 TTSX Barnes.. fired 2 more and he crashed..so heavy I couldn't move him..
Drove my jeep in for recover.. I still couldn't move him .. rope antlers and drug him to the road.. waited for some one to drive by.. about 20 minutes. 3 of us got him in hitch basket..
Weight was so heavy he broke meat pole.. unbelievable amount of fat..cut about a 5 gallon bucket off..
162 lbs hanging at processors..
Heading up to B zone this next week.
Jester

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A lot of good feed in some of those burns. Congratulations, Jester. Good luck in B zone.

jester · Oct 13, 2024

eelgrass said:
A lot of good feed in some of those burns. Congratulations, Jester. Good luck in B zone.

Buck was full of morels and Chantel mushrooms.. area was loaded..
Commercials pickers are out in force.
Jester

Yalo · Oct 14, 2024

@eelgrass....are the deer able to identify the poisonous fugi and mushrooms? Or maybe none there like the jack o lantirn mushroom which is similar to the chantel if my understanding is correct? Or not poisonous to deer anyway?

eelgrass · Oct 14, 2024

Yalo said:
@eelgrass....are the deer able to identify the poisonous fugi and mushrooms? Or maybe none there like the jack o lantirn mushroom which is similar to the chantel if my understanding is correct? Or not poisonous to deer anyway?

Here in CA we have poisonous mushrooms but while hunting I wouldn't know the difference between a poisonous mushroom and a ribeye steak, so I don't touch any of them. All I know is that usually after the first rain in the Fall the mushrooms pop up and deer will be in the timber eating them. Do deer know the difference? Good question.

Yalo · Oct 14, 2024

There were several nice racks out of X-12 this year, but apparently those hunters are not on MM or do not care to share?

Solanoslayer · Oct 14, 2024

jester said:
Buck was full of morels and Chantel mushrooms.. area was loaded..
Commercials pickers are out in force.
Jester

They are still finding morels out there? what elevation were you at thats super surprising. I was picking them at like 6000 ft end of may. i can see chants poppin but morels? seems very late

jester · Oct 14, 2024

6k...
I do not like mushrooms just going on what The Ranger said that validated tag..morels are cone shape i think..
I few around I saw a week before opener..
Lots of other around where he piled up..
Smaller balls(puffs). And lot of other looked like a layed out oysters out of a shell but bigger..and normal store looking srooms but bigger. This area used to be heavy timber, soil of pumas....
Jester

highsierra · Oct 15, 2024

Yalo said:
There were several nice racks out of X-12 this year, but apparently those hunters are not on MM or do not care to share?

Yes there were! I was pleasantly suprised with all the mature, respectable bucks taken. I was at the check station on 108 above Sierra Village and witnessed some pretty good bucks come through first hand. Also had some friends and former students share some photos of bucks taken in X-12 with me....again, some REALLY nice deer for the area. I would go as far to say that this was one of the better years for big bucks in that zone.