Cleveland National Forest

[JasonK]

Hi,

Has anyone hunting the nothern-most end of North Cleveland National Forest? I was wondering if anyone can give me helpful tips on best way to enter. I live in OC and here is what I see as possible options in order of what I'd prefer first. Rifle hunting btw.

1. Fresno Canyon Trail to Sierra Peak from the north. 91 and Green River Road.
2. Mabey Canyon Rd from the north east
3. North Divide road from Maple springs road

I'd prefer to enter from the north since the 91 would be the fastest route. Any advise is appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Muledeerhunter]

I don't think there is an in from Green River.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[TrapLine]

Been awhile since I looked at it but If I remember correctly you can access from the north but on that trail it runs through private land so you aren't allowed to get off the trail until you are a few miles in and you cant have any weapons on the land to cross over so you would have to drone them in. You can access from Silvarado canyon/maple springs but you will be looking at this:



ten feet from here is the trail that will have 4x4’s going past every 10 mins, cyclist and hikers. You can take a trail to get up on the ridges but if you saw something to shoot at you have to be 150’ or 150 yards off the trail which would be a couple hundred feet elevation change. If you did get a shot off you would never be able to recover it with out repelling gear.

Holy Jim is closed indefinitely so you wont be able to access there.

I get the allure of it, I live right next to it but all the foothills are private land and public is unhuntable unless you are part mountain goat.

Instead of spending the time to hike a few hours in, drive a few hours out and you will be much better off. They are a few hidden gem areas in there, dont get me wrong, but not really worth it in my opinion, I keep on driving past them every weekend.

Thats one of the few places I feel clausterphobic outdoors. Bring a shotgun, and a machete.

 

[TheGDog]

I'll just say this... "Think South Main Divide instead."

 

[Wildgame]

The CNF is always a mystery to me. Sometimes the mark trails and roads are open, sometimes they are not, sometimes they are labeled as CNF and when you get there you see that it is a private road.
I hunted the north side last year.
There are some campsites on the north side they can get you in deep if you are willing to do the work.

 

[Aeon]

ill say this again here. Do not tresspass on any land in or near the CNF. all the irvine dirt is now conservancy or park for the most part and beyond off limits. patrolled by OCSD and pretty much take no prisoners. Make sure you have your onx up and know where you are. Same goes for the burn scars. It will be 3 years or so before we get back in there.

 

[WaterDawg]

Hi,

Has anyone hunting the nothern-most end of North Cleveland National Forest? I was wondering if anyone can give me helpful tips on best way to enter. I live in OC and here is what I see as possible options in order of what I'd prefer first. Rifle hunting btw.
Try

Hi,

Has anyone hunting the nothern-most end of North Cleveland National Forest? I was wondering if anyone can give me helpful tips on best way to enter. I live in OC and here is what I see as possible options in order of what I'd prefer first. Rifle hunting btw.

1. Fresno Canyon Trail to Sierra Peak from the north. 91 and Green River Road.
2. Mabey Canyon Rd from the north east
3. North Divide road from Maple springs road

I'd prefer to enter from the north since the 91 would be the fastest route. Any advise is appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

1. Fresno Canyon Trail to Sierra Peak from the north. 91 and Green River Road.
2. Mabey Canyon Rd from the north east
3. North Divide road from Maple springs road

I'd prefer to enter from the north since the 91 would be the fastest route. Any advise is appreciated.

Thanks,
Jason

Try coal canyon eco preserve via the 91 fwy. I hear there are 12 point bucks the size of bull elk.

 

[TonyS]

Who said that waterdawg?

 

[nicapopolis]

Who said that waterdawg?

I believe he is exaggerating your exaggeration.

Anyone ever hunt Coal Canyon Eco Preserve off the 91?

Nicopopolis, yes my friend, approach WITHOUT a firearm from the old Coal Canyon exit and walk up the hill. When you start getting grunted at take a look. 175 or better and they know you aren't going to do anything. I have seen 5 or 6 huge bucks in there at one time. Take a hike and find out...

schoutdoors.com

 

[JasonK]

I believe he is exaggerating your exaggeration.

Anyone ever hunt Coal Canyon Eco Preserve off the 91?

Nicopopolis, yes my friend, approach WITHOUT a firearm from the old Coal Canyon exit and walk up the hill. When you start getting grunted at take a look. 175 or better and they know you aren't going to do anything. I have seen 5 or 6 huge bucks in there at one time. Take a hike and find out...

schoutdoors.com

I did catch that other thread.

 

[JasonK]

Alright y’all talked me out of it!

 

[SteveHazard]

Speaking of burn areas... I absolutely hate that they don't want people in there for so long. Such garbage. If it's not on fire whats the big deal?

 

[TheGDog]

Speaking of burn areas... I absolutely hate that they don't want people in there for so long. Such garbage. If it's not on fire whats the big deal?

Erosion. But yeah, it shouldn't be that damn long they keep people out.

 

[YellowTail_Chum]

Erosion. But yeah, it shouldn't be that damn long they keep people out.

I spoke to a forestry officer a while ago about this concerning the wildomar area. Aside from the erosion issue, giving the vegetation some time to get a good foothold into the dirt is why so much time is given according to him. He claimed that any disturbance to dirt after a fire would prevent vegetation from growing there again.

Either way, south main divide is open again finally. Might be some good area now since its been a couple years after the burn.

 

[Bowman]

I been through 2-3 wildfires, sage brush, lilac and so on chaparral), always grows back , live in rual areas most of life, 4 -5 decades.
in no time.

 

[TheGDog]

Either way, south main divide is open again finally. Might be some good area now since its been a couple years after the burn.

Are you sure? It's been open up to the Antenna place all along. But from there... all the way down to that other gate they have, has been locked all this time. Was maybe 3-4 weeks ago I was out there, and that gate was still closed. Coming in from the other direction going up.

EDIT: Just called and spoke with "Vicky" at Trabuco Ranger District office, who conferred with her admin. She says that now that gate I was referring to is Open! Yay!

EDIT EDIT: Damn... only took 5 full years for them to re-open the damn thing, Pssh.

 

[DirtHunter]

My buddy used to hunt Ortega highway, he got his first deer there.
He went there to hunt bobcat's and there was a lot of area he used to hunt they said they could not hunt due to fire hazards.
That is what he told me.

 

[Hunter527]

A lot of deer on the Arizona strip were transplanted from Ortega Highway.

 

[TheGDog]

My buddy used to hunt Ortega highway, he got his first deer there.
He went there to hunt bobcat's and there was a lot of area he used to hunt they said they could not hunt due to fire hazards.
That is what he told me.

The problem with the majority of Ortega Highway, from that Caspers Park on up quite a ways... is that there is no place to pull over and park. Not until a significant bit further up. There are some places though. But definitely be sure to have your OnXmaps with you. You'll see what I mean.

 

[ilovesprig]

I had a old friend that shot a deer off of Ortega Hwy every year (Upper San Juan)...I shot a lot of band-tails there too...My one and only banded band-tail came from this area...As I recall, and it's been many years, there was a large stand of pines (the only ones) across a valley and that's where he hunted.