Newb looking for hunting partner in SD

[Littlmama]

Should be fine backpacking/hunting solo as a girl, particularly hunting. Main concern when doing things solo is to just not injure yourself as getting help may not be available. Basically this just means being a bit more careful when out alone. I'll opt not to do certain climbs etc when alone where when I have a buddy with me I'll take a bit more risks.

Ok cool thank you. So I'll focus mainly on wilderness prep and safety and not worry about camping/backpacking alone as far as safety from weirdos is concerned. Hard to shake those thoughts tho. Just curious, after rabbit season is closed, can I carry a small pistol (i only have access to a .22 pistol and my .308) on me while scouting? Say in in CNF (can I say it's for boar, or jack rabbits...not sure they are in that area)? Just until I get comfortable being/sleeping alone in the hills.

 

[TheGDog]

You have the right to carry a sidearm when in the forest while hunting, even concealed carry when out there in the pursuit of hunting. Unless it is specifically an area that says it disallows them, like up Mt. Wilson Rd, for example, with all those antennas on that hill and the on-sight staff living up there, they don't want idiots messing around and taking shots up there not paying attention to backdrop and hitting a multimillion dollar antenna. That understandably would be a bad thing. I carry a .380acp when just in MtnLion country. If there are bears, and it's not an AO Archery Only tag, I'll take the .357 4" on my center chest rig just for a little better piece of mind, along with BearSpray too. My thinking is, the BearSpray wouldn't be a good idea if you're caught within your tent when an encounter happens. You'd undoubtedly get some spray reflecting back at you when you try to spray him, and I can tell you from experience that BearSpray burns like the Sun after it gets on you and your sweat wets it up. I did a test spray and didn't get out of that area fast enough so some particle wafted back over to my eventually, and landed on my eye, and my inner elbow, and behind on the back of the knee. It happened at like 7a and didn't stop feeling like a 2nd degree sunburn til like 1p. When I was hiking the throbbing was tolerable, but any time I'd stop to take a drink of water, it was like my body would heat back up a little since you stopped moving thru the air, and the throbbing feeling would begin to start rising to where you felt you couldn't stand it anymore so you went back to walking so the air going over your skin would cool it back down. I also had to wear my liner gloves because having the sun fall upon the backs oh my hands felt like a bad sunburn sting. So I knew I had to cover em, and have been covering them almost ever since just for the benefit of not getting sunburned.

 

[TRICER]

A bow hunter with a .380acp during archery deer season...... What’s the worst that can happen?

 

[TheGDog]

A bow hunter with a .380acp during archery deer season...... What’s the worst that can happen?

Ugh.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Littlemama, Welcome to the site. As with any forum there people that talk the talk and people that walk the walk and everything in between. Check their forum backrounds and forum presence to gain perspective. As I am sure you know not everything posted on the interent is accurate, true or pertinent. There are many members on this forum that have been around for a long time and walked in the wilds with nothing more than a primary firearm or bow and the desire to hunt along with other members of this forum that take everthing but a solar powered coffee maker on their back. I would encourage you to find your own level of comfort by just getting out there. I have no memory of any female especially accompanied by their child ever having a bad human to human encounter in the back country in San Diego county. I think you will be fine in all your endevours. Like Nike says Just do it...

 

[Littlmama]

Littlemama, Welcome to the site. As with any forum there people that talk the talk and people that walk the walk and everything in between. Check their forum backrounds and forum presence to gain perspective. As I am sure you know not everything posted on the interent is accurate, true or pertinent. There are many members on this forum that have been around for a long time and walked in the wilds with nothing more than a primary firearm or bow and the desire to hunt along with other members of this forum that take everthing but a solar powered coffee maker on their back. I would encourage you to find your own level of comfort by just getting out there. I have no memory of any female especially accompanied by their child ever having a bad human to human encounter in the back country in San Diego county. I think you will be fine in all your endevours. Like Nike says Just do it...

I like it, and I agree...writing & worrying gets old fast. (My son wont be doing any overnights with me until I gain more experience/ build more confidence) Thanks for the reassuring response. I'm going out Monday, will post if anything worth posting

 

[Littlmama]

You have the right to carry a sidearm when in the forest while hunting, even concealed carry when out there in the pursuit of hunting. Unless it is specifically an area that says it disallows them, like up Mt. Wilson Rd, for example, with all those antennas on that hill and the on-sight staff living up there, they don't want idiots messing around and taking shots up there not paying attention to backdrop and hitting a multimillion dollar antenna. That understandably would be a bad thing. I carry a .380acp when just in MtnLion country. If there are bears, and it's not an AO Archery Only tag, I'll take the .357 4" on my center chest rig just for a little better piece of mind, along with BearSpray too. My thinking is, the BearSpray wouldn't be a good idea if you're caught within your tent when an encounter happens. You'd undoubtedly get some spray reflecting back at you when you try to spray him, and I can tell you from experience that BearSpray burns like the Sun after it gets on you and your sweat wets it up. I did a test spray and didn't get out of that area fast enough so some particle wafted back over to my eventually, and landed on my eye, and my inner elbow, and behind on the back of the knee. It happened at like 7a and didn't stop feeling like a 2nd degree sunburn til like 1p. When I was hiking the throbbing was tolerable, but any time I'd stop to take a drink of water, it was like my body would heat back up a little since you stopped moving thru the air, and the throbbing feeling would begin to start rising to where you felt you couldn't stand it anymore so you went back to walking so the air going over your skin would cool it back down. I also had to wear my liner gloves because having the sun fall upon the backs oh my hands felt like a bad sunburn sting. So I knew I had to cover em, and have been covering them almost ever since just for the benefit of not getting sunburned.

Oof that does not sound fun.

 

[Bowman]

Welcome little mama.
Pretty much all has been covered.
I agree with safety beacon some areas are dead zones for cell. But 911 will work with other cell providers
I have been hunting and fishing since a kid.
#1. Rule let family know we're your are going and ETA for return.
#2 use binos, verify your target. If you see movement. Make sure what it is.
#3 read, read read Calif. Game laws.
#4 practice gun safety until it becomes automatic. Careful never to point a gun or rifle in unsafe manner.
#4 buy forestry maps, and onxhunt
Carry a good compass, as well as good GPS. Back up, buck up.
#5 a easily to handle side arm would differently would detour 2 legged critters.
I would recommend.
#6 meet people at meet and greets., Coffee, in a well busy place.

Well some stuff up there you may know already, but it's worth mentioning.

Best

PS do day walks until you know the area
By memory. Even the best can get lost.

 

[Mud Pigeon]

Just a few additional thoughts.... If you have any interest in bird hunting, the DFW has family pheasant hunts you can apply for and participate in next year with your son. Planted birds, fun and taste like chicken. California Waterfowl Association has women only, intro to duck hunting camps that include education and real hunts on good private properties. And last, if it's a concern you don't need to spend the night in the wilderness to hunt in D16/San Diego. I've never done it and neither have the best local deer hunters I know.

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

I like it, and I agree...writing & worrying gets old fast. (My son wont be doing any overnights with me until I gain more experience/ build more confidence) Thanks for the reassuring response. I'm going out Monday, will post if anything worth posting

Good luck and good on you for getting out there with your son. I assume you're shotgunning for rabbits and quail? Bunnies have been tough for me this year because most of my rabbit areas are overgrown, making it tough to see them. But the quail seem to be doing a little better.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Just a few additional thoughts.... If you have any interest in bird hunting, the DFW has family pheasant hunts you can apply for and participate in next year with your son. Planted birds, fun and taste like chicken. California Waterfowl Association has women only, intro to duck hunting camps that include education and real hunts on good private properties. And last, if it's a concern you don't need to spend the night in the wilderness to hunt in D16/San Diego. I've never done it and neither have the best local deer hunters I know.

MP hit on a good point- youth hunts for your son. It's great way for both of you to get involved at a much greater chance to draw a good introductory hunt and I am sure that if you draw any of those hunts and ask for help on the forum that many other members will step up and help. As far as gear goes as I said in my last response Take what you think you need , if you have good ground sense hiking and absorbing the landmarks around in this part of the world you will be fine. So Cal is so explored and developed that you would have a hard time getting lost . I started doing this in the 70's and there are many other members that preceeded me as far as that goes and none of us had all the high tech stuff that is being preached to you. Rely on your common sense basic navigation skills and instincts and you will be fine.

 

[Littlmama]

Good luck and good on you for getting out there with your son. I assume you're shotgunning for rabbits and quail? Bunnies have been tough for me this year because most of my rabbit areas are overgrown, making it tough to see them. But the quail seem to be doing a little better.

Thanks! Nope, dont have a shotgun yet...using a pellet gun (trying to anyways). Went out today only saw a few and they were on the run. (Maybe I should take my dog ) I need to find an open area for that little air rifle. I'll try again tomorrow.

 

[Littlmama]

Just a few additional thoughts.... If you have any interest in bird hunting, the DFW has family pheasant hunts you can apply for and participate in next year with your son. Planted birds, fun and taste like chicken. California Waterfowl Association has women only, intro to duck hunting camps that include education and real hunts on good private properties. And last, if it's a concern you don't need to spend the night in the wilderness to hunt in D16/San Diego. I've never done it and neither have the best local deer hunters I know.

Oh that sounds great! I'll look into those, thanks! (& dont think I will be spending the night alone if it's not neccessary), good to know

 

[ilovesprig]

Heather,

You really do need to get yourself and your son a shotgun...It will open many doors to hunting.

ps...There's a hunting club in east county called My Country Club (MCC)...Great family atmosphere and is only about 1 hour from most places in SD...Family membership is $3,500.00 per year...That includes camping, hunting on about 50,000 acres (deer, turkeys, waterfowl, quail, doves, rabbits), and fishing lake Henshaw.

 

[SteveHazard]

I was going to say the same thing regarding shotguns.

 

[TheGDog]

Thanks! Nope, dont have a shotgun yet...using a pellet gun (trying to anyways). Went out today only saw a few and they were on the run. (Maybe I should take my dog ) I need to find an open area for that little air rifle. I'll try again tomorrow.

You find a place you can sit at with a little concealment gear on. A place that looks upon areas where you know the Rabbits expose themselves at, such as in the morning when they try to sneak in a little Sun to warm themselves up before the day begins. In the PM, seems like they like to find each other and hangout and fraternize and play/wrestle with each other for a bit. Sometimes the occasional Hawk or Osprey will piss you off by hangin' around an area you're sitting on. But eventually they get impatient and leave. Researched it and usually towards last light... because their Vision depends on there being lots of light to work right... so apparently their Vision falls off quickly once light goes. So you'll see the rabbits early in the AM, and then again during that last bit of light once everything is covered in shadow, but still light in the sky.. up until you just can't see anymore.

 

[TheGDog]

RE: Rabbits - (And just in General), I highly recommend getting a .17 HMR rifle. Once you shoot one of those, you'll never want to fuss with a regular .22LR rifle again! Too much fun making Rabbits do BackFlips at 80yds. LaserBeam accurate! And also powerful enough to take a coyote with, if shot is like within 125-150yds.

With .22LR bullet drops a bit already by like 80yds. But with the .17 HMR? Just put the cross-hairs on and go, unless close by, then you gotta remember to aim about 1.5" higher on their body since bullet is at first coming out below the scope by that much.

 

[Littlmama]

Heather,

You really do need to get yourself and your son a shotgun...It will open many doors to hunting.

ps...There's a hunting club in east county called My Country Club (MCC)...Great family atmosphere and is only about 1 hour from most places in SD...Family membership is $3,500.00 per year...That includes camping, hunting on about 50,000 acres (deer, turkeys, waterfowl, quail, doves, rabbits), and fishing lake Henshaw.

I would love to. If my bank account would let me, I would have have a gun collection, and join a club...but I just blew through so much money getting started, my atm card is smokin...

 

[Littlmama]

You find a place you can sit at with a little concealment gear on. A place that looks upon areas where you know the Rabbits expose themselves at, such as in the morning when they try to sneak in a little Sun to warm themselves up before the day begins. In the PM, seems like they like to find each other and hangout and fraternize and play/wrestle with each other for a bit. Sometimes the occasional Hawk or Osprey will piss you off by hangin' around an area you're sitting on. But eventually they get impatient and leave. Researched it and usually towards last light... because their Vision depends on there being lots of light to work right... so apparently their Vision falls off quickly once light goes. So you'll see the rabbits early in the AM, and then again during that last bit of light once everything is covered in shadow, but still light in the sky.. up until you just can't see anymore.

Good pointers, I'll put them to use in the am. Ty

 

[Littlmama]

Initially I was only interested in deer, but that change real quick, now I am interested in anything & everything...almost I will deff start saving for a shotgun, like you guys said...opens up so many more opportunities. This hobby seems to be like owning a boat...$$$