Where to hunt pig in California????

R

Ranger Al

New member
I am in search of a place to hunt pig in the Central California ( I am at Fresno, CA). I've hunted the BLM lands around Coalinga and they were all terrible, I saw more ticks on me then pig! Honestly, I have never seen a wild pig before and willing to pay fee (can't effort too much $$$) to hunt on private property or anyone know any good public place where I could at least get a quick glance at them. If I don't have a chance to shoot at it, it would be my fault. I just want to see what they are all about.

Thanks,

Al
 
Guided hunts are available in the upper Sacramento Valley like Red bluff and Redding... ask the local Chambers of commerce for info.

Check with Sacramento Chamber as well
or on the internet for guides...


Un-guided

Hunter Liggett military base (permission required)
Big Sur (Hippy antis for locals)
Carmel Valley (Golf courses hate the pigs for obvious reasons)
San Simeon area (The Russian Wild pigs were released from the Hearst Menagerie at the San Simeon property... and they bred with feral pigs.)

NO there are no Russians left and the blood line is so diluted as to be unrecognizable. But fourth generation feral hogs are very good-sized and look very wild and very different from the farm pigs... :)

These are in very rough country and bait 'n wait type hunts.

Holister will have some info as well.

Guided hunts over dogs in the northern part of the state is best and the meat is better because the guides catch and castrate the young ones so they'll be tastier when they mature... :D

If you don't have pig dogs... go with the guided hunts for sure success.
Or bait 'n wait in a clearing in the other areas I listed above.

Always check with friendly locals.

Good luck ;)

EDIT... I FORGOT TO MENTION TO CHECK WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND FISH AND GAME DEPT. FOR GUIDES SERVICES. :)
 
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I used to hunt extensively around Hollister, King City, and at Fort Hunter Liggett. Pretty much anywhere in the Los Padres NF is also good. Hunt at first light, scanning hillsides and oak flats for pigs, and at sundown when they go to water. From 1976 to 1984 (when I left CA), I never failed to score enough pigs to keep me in wild pork. Biggest was a 350# boar, but there were lots of 150# meat pigs. Hunting pigs is not always a sure bet, but once you figure out where and how to score on pigs you can do it very reliably.
 
Pointer, Good information.

The Big bad pig of yesteryear is gone from California?

I believe they say they do revert after about the 4th cross which is not a long time the way pigs breed.

European hogs are the breed and they have been here since the Spanish and the early settlers.

Maybe some have changed there looks (like the mafia) but they still carry the gene.

HQ
 
I am thinking of Hunter Leggit and was thinking of Los Padres NF as well. Do you know where about in Los Padres, such as nearest city or direction from the nearest city or highway???


Thanks,

Al
 
Well Al, there is a lot of forest out there and the pigs move around a lot. They can cover 10-15 miles a day if they want to. I used to hunt around San Juan, San Miguel, King City, Paso Robles, and Pinnacles NM. The west side of San Luis Reservoir used to produce quite a few pigs in the fall when the acorns drop. Fort Hunter Liggett was very good because there is a lot of cover and there weren't a bunch of idiots going around scaring them all the time and shooting the piglets. Camp Roberts used to be very good for the same reason.
The big thing is finding where they have been feeding (looks like the area has been plowed), finding where they are bedding (thick brush, lots of runs in the brush), finding water they have been using (tracks around water holes). Scout around and talk with some of the ranchers and F&G people in those areas. If you call the F&G and talk with the biologists, they can often point you in the right direction. Rangers are also a good info source.
When talking to ranchers and farmers, I had good luck talking to people who grow root crops like onions, garlic, carrots and radishes around Monterey, because the pigs can wreck a lot of crops if they get in. Those usually are herds with sows and piglets. Boars tend to be more standoffish.
 
Most guided hunts will cost you about $500.00 if you get a pig. Hunts are usually Saturday and Sunday. If you want an extra pig or a trophy, there is usually an extra fee. Using a guide/guide service is the best way to go because they have access to the big private ranches. I have taken pigs in the Paso Robles/ Parkfield area as well as on Fort Tejon. The last one I took was gray with black spots, at Ft Tejon. The ones out of Paso Robles were all black but we did see a big rust colored one in the 350 pound range.

I like to take em in the 150-200 pound range. I used to cut them up into roasts, steaks and chops. Now I just keep the loins and get the rest ground into sausage. I split the sausage and get Italian, Polish and breakfast sausage in bulk. I stuff 'em into links myself....
 
pigs

I use to be a guide and i booked hunts for a ranch in parkfield,that was a long time ago, but iam heading up there as soon as the weather clears up there is a small BLM area up there that i hunted awhile ago, ill let you now how i goes. Paying ranches look up the easterbrook ranch in Parkfield they have a web site ive had good luck hunting there in the past HAPPING HUNTING
 
Jon-
Parkfield was always a so-so area for hunting, mostly because there is very little accessible public land unless you know about those little BLM areas scattered around. Not a lot of access on private land because of leases. Fort Hunter Liggett is pretty much in the same area, plus it has a lot of room to roam around in and pretty good pig numbers. It's all in the same area, though, and a very good area it is.
 
big jon...

I have been to the BLM land at Parkfield. I think it was 15 years ago. It was surrounded by private properties. I can't really tell which land I am on cause there are all sort of fences and the terrian would pretty tough.

Any chance you know the webesite for the Ranch you talk about in parkfield??

Al
 
+1 on Dwarren said.

I have a freind who's going to check out bighorn ranch (90 min outside of L.A.), but he hasn't been there yet so I can't tell you a whole lot about it.
 
bighorn ranch

Ive knowen abought the bighorn for quite a long time if you interested in a fair chase hunt its probly not the place for you. i have sent first timers there so they can see if they like it befor they make the investments on all the gear. if youve hunted befor i dont think you would like it much,
just my 2cents big
 
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