Hunter Experiences This Season in Cali

[Yalo]

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]

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]

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.