Agua Tibia / Pine Wilderness... no animals?

[jspears80]

So my friend and I just started hunting and took a 2 day 1 night trip to Pine Wilderness south of Pine Valley. We didn't use a trail and backpacked straight through a canyon. The entire time we did not see any animals, not even lizards, or ANYTHING even on the trees or ground scurrying off. I imagine we were probably loud, but I would expect to at least see SOMETHING. No problem though, we had a good time and left.

A couple days later we went to Aqua Tibia for another over nighter. We went in through the north side and parked at Dripping Springs campground. We walked the Wildhorse trail a couple miles and camped in the hillside. The entire time we, again, did not see any animals (except for 2 crows who seemed to mock us). What surprises me is that we have not even seen any small stuff. I didn't expect to see anything big necessarily but I did think we would see some rabbits or squirrels or something at least.

Are we just doing it wrong? Are these places dead? Or is this just how it is in wilderness hunting areas?

 

[TaftHunter]

Did you look for tracks? Or any sign (scat, deer beds, etc...)? Just because you don't see animals doesn't mean they are not there. Im not familiar with the areas you are hunting, but I would bet if you stick with em and find where the signs at you will find the game.


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[jspears80]

We did try and look for tracks and we did see maybe a deer track, but we are still novice when it comes to tracking. I am just curious why we weren't seeing squirrels on trees and rabbits running around. When I walk around in Julian (granted I can't hunt there), I see stuff everwhere. I just kind of assume it's because it's a protected area and that's where the wildlife goes.

 

[Aeon]

drought.....

animals are not concentrated in protected areas so to speak they are concentrated where the food and water is. So you scouted a area and did not see much, move on and look other places. Be up before day break to glass and look, if you are cooking breakfast and getting up after day break its to late. A lot of critters move at first and last light and that is IT!

Go to the park and practice looking for deer and other critters. You need to teach your brain to see them.

 

[jspears80]

That makes sense. I figure then stick around bodies of water (if any). It would be nice to find a good dense forest area in SoCal but I don't think I can get that until I go north of the Sequoias, I think.

 

[DanSanDiego]

Remember where those crows were. Crow season starts on December 5th (120 days long).
I've heard about crow-cabobs but I haven't eaten them yet.

 

[Bonejour]

As Aeon said, daybreak and dusk are the times of day when critters are active and visible. Also you won't see as much if you are moving, and if animals see or hear you they will stay hidden; that's a bad combination if you want to see anything.
Hike to a good spot, sit quietly, watch and listen. The canyon or woods will come to life before your eyes if there is any game in the area.

 

[ilovesprig]

All of the above and buy a $35.00 trail cam......It's amazing what's in those areas at night......

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

I'll add that the Pine Creek area gets a lot of traffic also, from hikers, horseback riders, lions, and some south of the border variety as well.. which might contribute to why you didn't see any wildlife. Agree with the above though, go first/last light to see stuff moving.

 

[kylemg0009]

agua tibia wilderness is tough, I've been there several times, last time I saw deer there, it was almost a year ago, and it was two does... I've been back there several times and I've only found lion tracks and heard a pack of coyotes howling... its a tough place with extremely thick brush... I ran into some hikers there a couple weekends ago who go there almost every weekend and said they havent seen deer there in a while, so I have not returned there.