Went and checked my D15 cameras today. Few and far between but found a few deer. Seem to have really long necks compared to the other zones I have been in, at least a few of them did. Grumpy old man for scale.
D15 They do Exist
- Thread starter TrapLine
- Start date
I'm from San Diego so I hunt D16, but up going to school in irvine. I got an AO tag so i could hunt both D16 and D15. I've done a bit of scouting and driving to get to spots away from people, but its been very difficult. I've gone far out in the mountains, but no matter how far I go there are people in the area as well as the landscape being too steep for what I think. Any tips on just big areas where I can find little to no people? Not asking for your spot or where you know there's deer, but just somewhere with not too much traffic with people.
Its not really a thing in SoCal on pubic land. If you think about it, you're never more than 5 miles from the nearest road. Its more a game of continuously getting at bats until you nail one.
I've hiked in several miles in the 16 for rifle opener, gaining more than 2,000ft vertical thinking pressure wouldn't be bad. Boy was I wrong.
Yeah hunting public in D16 is very frustrating in that sense of it being busy almost everywhere, fortunately where I hunt D16 it's very very rare to see another hunter during archery season and somehwhat rare to see them during rifle season.
There are areas you can get far enough from people without seeing no one, you just have to do your research and study maps (topo or aerial) to figure how to get to them.
I will have to research more and go out again, I tried a few seperate times in seperate places on dirt roads deep in CNF and everytime I thought I went deep enough I'd see more people. I'm just going to have to keep treading and go as far as I can, like you said I'll eventually get to a spot.
Yea lots more day users than D16, not going to be able to road hunt it, to close to millions of people. You can either go early, or go farther in. 5am to 10am and you will have the place to yourself usually. My cameras usually pick up most hikers in the evenings, hardly any early morning and once you hit the 1 mile marker (from the road) most will have turned back around already.
Check the reviews for the trailheads. I prefer the ones that have reviews like “overgrown” “trail not well marked” “has not be maintained in years” “me and my mountain bike club are never going back”
As far as the steep terrain best advice i have is Krampons, trekking pole, a sling for your bow so you have a free hand to break a fall instead of your bow.
Krampons will make you feel like a goat, and they pull off and on your boot in a few seconds. I always carry a pair of them on me.
Check the reviews for the trailheads. I prefer the ones that have reviews like “overgrown” “trail not well marked” “has not be maintained in years” “me and my mountain bike club are never going back”
As far as the steep terrain best advice i have is Krampons, trekking pole, a sling for your bow so you have a free hand to break a fall instead of your bow.
Krampons will make you feel like a goat, and they pull off and on your boot in a few seconds. I always carry a pair of them on me.
