New Member with questions about D16 Units

DontTreadonMe

Member
Dec 17, 2019
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Hello there, just another D16 local and novice hunter.

I have a few questions that a dozen hours of reading and speaking to government employees could not answer.

I’ve been looking into a unit of BLM land in the northeastern corner of D16 bordering D19. I believe it’s designated as the Beauty Mountain Wilderness Study Area and it’s east of the San Felipe Wilderness Study Area Oak Grove unit.

It seems like a perfect area on OnX (plenty of creeks, springs, drainages, oaks and brush etc., gets pretty steep and dense in the corner), and the lack of road access for a large portion of the unit is a plus.

I can’t find any info on whether or not this unit is legal to hunt with a rifle, so I was wondering if any of you could shed any light.

On top of that, what the heck is the difference between a wildlife area (WA) and a wilderness study area (WSA) I ask because I noticed that both are BLM, but I can only find regulations for the WA and not for the WSA. In particular, the San Felipe WA and SF hills WSA border each other, but I was only able to find deer regs for the WA (archery only west of S-2, turkey and small game permitted with shotgun, rifles only east of S-2, no firearms permitted south of 78, closed from sometime in spring to early fall). This doesn’t specify whether or not I can use a rifle for non-game mammals/furbearers, specifically coyote. As for the Hills WSA, do the same rules apply? It seems pretty dry and featureless in the WSA, but I’m sure I could find a dog or two there. Basically, can I use a rifle to hunt coyote on any BLM land including WA’s and WSA’s? Can I use a rifle to hunt deer on the SF Hills WSA?

lastly, I was wondering if anyone could offer me advice on how to get started scouting the D16 portion of CNF. I’m going to buy the CNF atlas to start.

aside from that, I read somewhere that recreational shooting was prohibited on BLM due to risks of wildfire. Is this for a specific period of time, and are there BLM unit specific restrictions for firearms?

In areas that only permit the use of rifles/shotguns/archery (whatever it may be), does this mean I can’t carry a sidearm for personal protection?

I apologize for the questions, but I feel like I’m in a pinball machine being bounced from agency to agency and office to office trying to figure out these regs.
 
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DToM,

Welcome to SCH...Lots of questions that probably only the state or feds can answer.

To my knowledge, you can hunt WSU's with a rifle...They are considered part of BLM...The problem is access thru the Oak Grove Unit...This one you need to find out...Pretty grey area and this could be trouble.

You can NOT use a rifle for anything west of S-2.

You can use a rifle on most all BLM lands...And unless specified, target shoot there too.

Don't believe there's any restrictions other than you can not carry a sidearm while archery hunting deer.

Invest in OnX Maps and get paper maps...Also, I know it's frustrating, but you need to have a paper trail to some of these questions...Fines in this state are expensive.
 
I believe a WSA is just a piece of land that is being considered for wilderness designation. Designated wilderness means no motorized activity of any kind other than driving on maintained roads.
 
"You can NOT use a rifle for anything west of S-2"

I am just seeing this and it has me very confused. I see lots of people hunting in d-16 with rifles west of the s-2. many popular hunting areas are west of the s-2. is this something new?
 
"You can NOT use a rifle for anything west of S-2"

I am just seeing this and it has me very confused. I see lots of people hunting in d-16 with rifles west of the s-2. many popular hunting areas are west of the s-2. is this something new?
Can you give some info as to where that came from.
 
that's from the first reply on this thread. maybe he is saying no rifles west S-2 only in the san felipe area?
 
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I was always confused by this.. last I remember reading the regs it said "no D16 general season tags may be used west of S2" or something like that. So would that mean you could rifle hunt for small game and predators west of S2? Or rifle hunt with a G13 also? Or an M6 black powder? Not including the Granite Mtn unit which is always shotgun/archery of course. Unless they've changed the regs since last time I read them..
 
I just had the game warden call me recently (after d16 season ended) and he confirmed that sfwa is only A22, AO, G13 (antlerless), and muzzleloader. He didn't mention using d16 tag on the east side of S2. He did confirm that you can use a rifle to hunt coyote in the wildlife area though... and there are Lot. I plan to head there for coyote after the A22 season is over so I don't blow up the spot for my bow hunters.
 
I just had the game warden call me recently (after d16 season ended) and he confirmed that sfwa is only A22, AO, G13 (antlerless), and muzzleloader. He didn't mention using d16 tag on the east side of S2. He did confirm that you can use a rifle to hunt coyote in the wildlife area though... and there are Lot. I plan to head there for coyote after the A22 season is over so I don't blow up the spot for my bow hunters.

this is correct as written. I would add D16 during archery season can also be used.
 

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