X4/C3 deer herd

jgriffin82 · May 28, 2024

I was camping up in C3/C4/X4 this past weekend with the family. We didn't see a single buck... even in the irrigated fields. Not even a little button buck. 2020 was the last time I camped up that way. We used to see big bucks in the pastures going towards Cassel, hiking into Thousand Lakes and in C4 north of the Lassen Park border around Badger Peak. I started fishing Hat Creek in 1989 with my grandparents. We always camped at the USFS Hat Creek Campground and would have bucks in camp and I would bump them out of the manzanita while wandering aimlessly trying to get snake bit. I've always wanted to hunt X4. I still may one of these days if it ever requires zero points to draw. Have any of you Lassen locals seen wolves or elk up that way? I saw what looks to be new elk crossing signs on 44, 89 and 299.

Jim

Calbuck · May 28, 2024

Hunted X4 last year and live in the zone. Deer herd way down. Wolves are present. It took a third of a point more last year to draw than it did before. We struggled to find any bucks.

D8hntr · May 28, 2024

The story is the same up and down the whole state. I'm in D8 and it used to be nothing to see 30-50 deer in a weekend with 10-15 being bucks.Now you're lucky to see 5-10 with 1 or 2 being bucks.

jgriffin82 · May 28, 2024

Calbuck, did you find a shooter buck?

I remember DFG conducting a research poll 25 or so years ago and finding that people would rather have the opportunity to hunt every year than have a better chance at harvesting a buck. I believe the state would love to see the decimation of our deer herd. That would make the elimination of deer hunting much easier via the ballot box.

Personally, I would be in favor of drastic tag cuts and/or the elimination of hunts for a 3-5 year period. Who knows if that would even be beneficial though.

Calbuck · May 28, 2024

I found one shooter and didn’t get it done. We had three tags in our group. My son shot a small 3x3 the last day of season. We hunted the entire season. I agree there needs to be some actions taken to help the deer out..things aren’t looking too good right now. I have excellent knowledge of the unit and it was pitiful to see so much good looking country with no deer in it.

NE-ELKHTR · May 29, 2024

jgriffin82 said:
I was camping up in C3/C4/X4 this past weekend with the family. We didn't see a single buck... even in the irrigated fields. Not even a little button buck. 2020 was the last time I camped up that way. We used to see big bucks in the pastures going towards Cassel, hiking into Thousand Lakes and in C4 north of the Lassen Park border around Badger Peak. I started fishing Hat Creek in 1989 with my grandparents. We always camped at the USFS Hat Creek Campground and would have bucks in camp and I would bump them out of the manzanita while wandering aimlessly trying to get snake bit. I've always wanted to hunt X4. I still may one of these days if it ever requires zero points to draw. Have any of you Lassen locals seen wolves or elk up that way? I saw what looks to be new elk crossing signs on 44, 89 and 299.

Jim

The wolves have really put a hurting on the deer and elk in that area. But do not count out the bears and lions. I spend a lot of my time in that country watching the herds and I run a lot of trail cameras in that unit. I have been getting pictures of wolves in the deer and elk summering grounds for the past 4 years. But this last year was interesting when all of the sudden 6 new fully grown wolves showed up in an area they have never been and they did not leave. I used to get pictures of elk and deer in that area, not a single elk or deer picture last summer. Only other game in that area was more bears than I could count as a cat. Cant believe people waste points on that unit anymore. Fish and Wildlife is a complete joke full of liberal wardens just wanting money.

jgriffin82 · May 29, 2024

NE-ELKHNTR, do you have any trail cam pics that you are willing to share?

I agree, DFG is a joke and many of the wardens are animal rights activists. I have a buddy that is a warden in northern California. I wouldn't consider him a lib. He's been with the department for nearly 25 years. However, talking to him about other wardens, DFG has been hiring wardens with little to zero outdoor experience for the past 20+ years. Most of the hires are made in the name of diversity and equity. All regulation decisions are made by the activist F&G Commission in Sacramento. Those people haven't been outside of an urban area in years. They have no idea about the state of our wildlife, nor do they care. All decisions are made to keep the politicians in power. My buddy has been lobbying the commission to change the hunts in his area, Him and the biologists he works with, don't have a say regarding the wildlife.

NE-ELKHTR · May 29, 2024

jgriffin82 said:
NE-ELKHNTR, do you have any trail cam pics that you are willing to share?

I agree, DFG is a joke and many of the wardens are animal rights activists. I have a buddy that is a warden in northern California. I wouldn't consider him a lib. He's been with the department for nearly 25 years. However, talking to him about other wardens, DFG has been hiring wardens with little to zero outdoor experience for the past 20+ years. Most of the hires are made in the name of diversity and equity. All regulation decisions are made by the activist F&G Commission in Sacramento. Those people haven't been outside of an urban area in years. They have no idea about the state of our wildlife, nor do they care. All decisions are made to keep the politicians in power. My buddy has been lobbying the commission to change the hunts in his area, Him and the biologists he works with, don't have a say regarding the wildlife.

I have a feeling we know the same warden. Most of the older wardens understand what is going on. But most of the new ones, you are exactly correct plus they are trying to be super cops and make a name for themselves. I used to talk with them but I no longer trust them. I do have pictures but after dealing with F&W I do not want to share them.

Solanoslayer · May 29, 2024

i just put up a few cameras in C4 we saw a ton of doe tracks and an absolute monster buck track. Didnt bump any deer that we seen. You know how the timber is a lot of time they hear you before you can even seem them. we saw a few bucks in C2 up by mccloud when we were out fishing/ mushroom foraging. i got to say i was a little disappointed in not really seeing many deer. most of the deer we saw were at night along the roads. seen one velvet buck that got hit by a car also in C2. The A1 tag im likely to draw is probably going to be a rough hunt but i still look forward to getting into the woods. We also saw 2 bear and tons of bear scat which is nothing new.

jester · May 31, 2024

Solanoslayer said:
i just put up a few cameras in C4 we saw a ton of doe tracks and an absolute monster buck track. Didnt bump any deer that we seen. You know how the timber is a lot of time they hear you before you can even seem them. we saw a few bucks in C2 up by mccloud when we were out fishing/ mushroom foraging. i got to say i was a little disappointed in not really seeing many deer. most of the deer we saw were at night along the roads. seen one velvet buck that got hit by a car also in C2. The A1 tag im likely to draw is probably going to be a rough hunt but i still look forward to getting into the woods. We also saw 2 bear and tons of bear scat which is nothing new.

I can help with info on the A1...jester

HuntinEngineer530 · Jun 3, 2024

I had 5 friends (two separate groups) with X4 tags last year. Two got deer. One a nice 3x4 and the other was a "wasn't coming home without a deer" buck. Neither saw a buck for the first week of the season.