I got bit by the bug

frozenoak

Member
Mar 24, 2023
34
28
18
49
Lake Elsinore, CA
Good afternoon all,

I don't know why it took so long, but I've decided to become a hunter this year. I signed up on the CDFW website and found a class at Bass Pro Shop in Rancho Cucamonga and passed my Hunter Ed course. Now I need to get the license, and tags. I am a disabled Vet so I will be going into the Trabuco Ranger District office once the new season licenses become available, I think that's mid-April, to get the Disabled Vet Discount, and apply for tags

I live in Lake Elsinore and work in Irvine. My daily commute is Ortega Highway, so my life is pretty much in the heart of D15. I am an avid hiker and amateur photographer. I frequently stop on my way home and do a quick hike off of Ortega, usually starting at the candy store. I've been to most summits in the area and all but Clarks Trail in the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness. I had a pretty nasty ancle sprain early 2022 and have only recently recovered so I will be out there a lot this summer regaining strength and fitness. In addition to my camera, I will be bringing my bino's.

I was a Marine, and in bootcamp, I was introduced to marksmanship. I fell in love. Since then, I have become a fairly good shot. With my 300WM, I can hit a 48" square target at 1 mile 7-8 out of 10 times. Not competition class shooting but it's pretty good in my book, and I don't anticipate taking a deer at a mile.

If you don't count shooting prairie dogs in Wyoming, I've never been hunting. I will defiantly need some advice. Most of my major questions have already been answered reading through these forums. That's why I've decided to become a member. I'm finding out that I don't have any friends that are hunters. I guess all the gun owners are just shooters, like I am/was. I am interested in making new friends, that are hunters, and hanging out at a range or doing weekend backpacking trips, or maybe just having a drink at a bar. This is going to be an interesting year because I actually have a reason to be out in the bush.

My Equipment:

Rifles:
Howa Model 1500 in .223 Rem with a BSA Sweet 17 3-12 X 40 scope. (I plan to upgrade this scope someday)
Savage Axis in .270 Win with an Arken Optics SH-4 GENII 4-16 X 50 scope. (Probably this year's gun)
Savage Model 111 in .300 Win Mag with an Arken Optics SH-4 GEMII 6-24 X 50 scope. (My 1-mile gun)
Savage Model 110 in .338 Lapua Mag. with an Arken Optics EP-5 5-25 X 56 scope. (Hopefully my 2+ mile gun)

Hand Guns:
Smith & Wesson Model 36 in 38Spl. (Needs some gunsmith love)
Colt King Cobra in 357Mag (Brand spanking new)
Sig Saur P239 in .40S&W (My future EDC, need my ccw first)
Springfield Armory Model 1911-A1 in 45ACP (Locked and Loaded)

Air guns:
Barra Schofield No.3 in .177 Cal (CO2 BB or Pellet Revolver Replica)
Daisy Adult Red Rider in .177 Cal (BB gun, I don't really know if this is an air gun)
Senica Dragonfly in .22Cal with Buckhorn sights. (A pump action single shot pellet rifle)
Air Venturi Avenger in .25Cal with an Accushot EX Tap 4-16 X48 scope. (A PCP lever action slug rifle)

Packs:
Eberlestock Warhammer with Super Spike Duffle. (I need to add a Scabbard to this pack.)
Eberlestock Little Brother (Can replace the Super Spike Duffle)
Ogio backpack (I don't know the model, but this is my EDC backpack)

Knifes:
Bear and Son 3' folder (EDC)
Opinel No.8, 3.25" folder (sharp enough to shave with.)
No Name 3" hunting knife, fixed blade.
USMC KA-BAR, 7" fixed blade.

Other:
Nikon D3500 with 18-55mm and 70-300mm zoom lenses.
Bushnell Power View 10 X 50. (Currently shopping for an upgrade)
GOGOGO Sport Vpro range finder
REI Quarter Dome Ultralight 3-Season tent.
Standard Coleman sleeping bag.
3/4 length self-inflating seeping mat.
Jetboil Flash cooking system.
Sawyer Mini with 0.1-micron filter.
First Aid Kit.
BV500-Journey Bear Vault
2 3-liter Eberlestock Hydration Systems.
Alinco DJ-G7t and DG-G29t handheld radios. (I am also a ham radio operator, license NM6M)
Pelican 2760 Gen 3 LED Headlamp.

Shopping list;
Browning BAR in 243.
Henry Big Boy in 357.
Vortex 15x56 Diamondback HD Binoculars.
Dual purpose Tripod for binos and rifle.
Vortex Optics 7x25 Razor HD 4000 Laser Rangefinder.
And other stuff.

Regards,
Dale

P.S. I'll update my profile soon.
 
Larry?

Move on from your d15 dreams and start learning camp pendleton. As a marine you are granted access for life. Great hunting program there...

Anyone know if the sportsmans club is still active on base? Paging @just_ducky_1
 
Welcome, you are loaded for bear "pun intended." You have all you need now you just need to get tags and such and your ready to go next season. Main thing you need to do now is get out and scout the areas you are going to hunt. There is some good hunting in those areas you know just some thick brush. My hunting buddy took his biggest Ca archery deer out of that area. He lived in that area a crossed from the casino, Passed this passed July at 82 years. Hunted right up to a month before cancer got him.
 
Pendelton is open to active and retired Check out isportsman for Pendelton lots of info there or pm me have no problem sharing info have hunted the base for a while.

Used to hunt CPen as well. When covid hit I though it was changed to active military only. I was there working at TMO when the isportsman club was formed and helped build the archery range they had in the 22 area.
 
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Ah, I am neither Active or Retired. I am the lowly Veteran that didn't reenlist after their first enlistment. I will look into it anyway but I don't think I'll qualify to get on base. I'm exploring the iSportsman website.
 
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You are not lowly vet! Hit me up I can take a guest with me at least you can see the base and maybe your old stomping grounds.
I might just take you up on that. I'd like to see what they've got going on across from the air station. I don't suppose the double duce is still operating? Do you know people that can get me base access credentials?

Hunting is cool.
Yes, well, were about to find out, aren't we.
 
Just let me know open for scouting this summer hunting has been closed since December due the rain and road conditions Don’t know if the double Duce is operating pass and ID would be the POC for base access
 
Effective Jan 1, 2020, all service-connected disabled veterans, Medal of Honor & Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, VA benefits eligible veterans & primary veteran caregivers will be eligible to shop at the commissary, MCCS retail stores & participate in select MCCS recreational activities.

I don't know if Hunting is included in "select MCCS recreational activities" or not, but this looks promising. I have a 60% service-connected disability rating from the VA. Now I just have to wait for the Visitor Center to open back up.
 
You will need to get an ID from the base. To get it you will need your VA documents showing your disability rating and your DD214 If I remember correctly.
 
Good afternoon all,

I don't know why it took so long, but I've decided to become a hunter this year. I signed up on the CDFW website and found a class at Bass Pro Shop in Rancho Cucamonga and passed my Hunter Ed course. Now I need to get the license, and tags. I am a disabled Vet so I will be going into the Trabuco Ranger District office once the new season licenses become available, I think that's mid-April, to get the Disabled Vet Discount, and apply for tags

I live in Lake Elsinore and work in Irvine. My daily commute is Ortega Highway, so my life is pretty much in the heart of D15. I am an avid hiker and amateur photographer. I frequently stop on my way home and do a quick hike off of Ortega, usually starting at the candy store. I've been to most summits in the area and all but Clarks Trail in the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness. I had a pretty nasty ancle sprain early 2022 and have only recently recovered so I will be out there a lot this summer regaining strength and fitness. In addition to my camera, I will be bringing my bino's.

I was a Marine, and in bootcamp, I was introduced to marksmanship. I fell in love. Since then, I have become a fairly good shot. With my 300WM, I can hit a 48" square target at 1 mile 7-8 out of 10 times. Not competition class shooting but it's pretty good in my book, and I don't anticipate taking a deer at a mile.

If you don't count shooting prairie dogs in Wyoming, I've never been hunting. I will defiantly need some advice. Most of my major questions have already been answered reading through these forums. That's why I've decided to become a member. I'm finding out that I don't have any friends that are hunters. I guess all the gun owners are just shooters, like I am/was. I am interested in making new friends, that are hunters, and hanging out at a range or doing weekend backpacking trips, or maybe just having a drink at a bar. This is going to be an interesting year because I actually have a reason to be out in the bush.

My Equipment:

Rifles:
Howa Model 1500 in .223 Rem with a BSA Sweet 17 3-12 X 40 scope. (I plan to upgrade this scope someday)
Savage Axis in .270 Win with an Arken Optics SH-4 GENII 4-16 X 50 scope. (Probably this year's gun)
Savage Model 111 in .300 Win Mag with an Arken Optics SH-4 GEMII 6-24 X 50 scope. (My 1-mile gun)
Savage Model 110 in .338 Lapua Mag. with an Arken Optics EP-5 5-25 X 56 scope. (Hopefully my 2+ mile gun)

Hand Guns:
Smith & Wesson Model 36 in 38Spl. (Needs some gunsmith love)
Colt King Cobra in 357Mag (Brand spanking new)
Sig Saur P239 in .40S&W (My future EDC, need my ccw first)
Springfield Armory Model 1911-A1 in 45ACP (Locked and Loaded)

Air guns:
Barra Schofield No.3 in .177 Cal (CO2 BB or Pellet Revolver Replica)
Daisy Adult Red Rider in .177 Cal (BB gun, I don't really know if this is an air gun)
Senica Dragonfly in .22Cal with Buckhorn sights. (A pump action single shot pellet rifle)
Air Venturi Avenger in .25Cal with an Accushot EX Tap 4-16 X48 scope. (A PCP lever action slug rifle)

Packs:
Eberlestock Warhammer with Super Spike Duffle. (I need to add a Scabbard to this pack.)
Eberlestock Little Brother (Can replace the Super Spike Duffle)
Ogio backpack (I don't know the model, but this is my EDC backpack)

Knifes:
Bear and Son 3' folder (EDC)
Opinel No.8, 3.25" folder (sharp enough to shave with.)
No Name 3" hunting knife, fixed blade.
USMC KA-BAR, 7" fixed blade.

Other:
Nikon D3500 with 18-55mm and 70-300mm zoom lenses.
Bushnell Power View 10 X 50. (Currently shopping for an upgrade)
GOGOGO Sport Vpro range finder
REI Quarter Dome Ultralight 3-Season tent.
Standard Coleman sleeping bag.
3/4 length self-inflating seeping mat.
Jetboil Flash cooking system.
Sawyer Mini with 0.1-micron filter.
First Aid Kit.
BV500-Journey Bear Vault
2 3-liter Eberlestock Hydration Systems.
Alinco DJ-G7t and DG-G29t handheld radios. (I am also a ham radio operator, license NM6M)
Pelican 2760 Gen 3 LED Headlamp.

Shopping list;
Browning BAR in 243.
Henry Big Boy in 357.
Vortex 15x56 Diamondback HD Binoculars.
Dual purpose Tripod for binos and rifle.
Vortex Optics 7x25 Razor HD 4000 Laser Rangefinder.
And other stuff.

Regards,
Dale

P.S. I'll update my profile soon.
Hey Dale, I live in San Clemente, and am on the same road in some regards. I'm not a veteran, but I'm getting into this for the meat and adventure. I want to start in D15, probably go to D16 this year too. At some point (I'm going to get a camper for my truck soon too) go up to NorCal for Tule Elk, I've read that is a thing. Longer term plan after getting some experience in is Idaho/Montana for some monsters. Let's link up, I'm in for the D15 scouting to start, and a beer after would probably be perfect. I'm in shape for it all; I just had a minor knee surgery (meniscus) but would be ready to hiking n rucking in just a few more weeks of recover. Until then, some target practice in Pala would be good, sounds like you have this part down. Lets fkn do this man.
 
And a Real ID. I’ve got all 3 but the visitor center has been closed until further notice .
What about hitting San Diego or the stumps aka 29 Palms for your ID. Got my ID at 29 Palms when I applied. Yours won't be the same as mine but it shouldn't matter what base you get it at. I think you can get one at March Air Base as well. All the places are listed on their web site as to where one can go for the ID.
 
What about hitting San Diego or the stumps aka 29 Palms for your ID. Got my ID at 29 Palms when I applied. Yours won't be the same as mine but it shouldn't matter what base you get it at. I think you can get one at March Air Base as well. All the places are listed on their web site as to where one can go for the ID.
Thanks sportyg, I hadn't thought of that. I'll check it out.

@Barret Strate I'll send you a PM.
 
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