A bit of background:
Asian, First hunter in the family and no friends that hunt (yep going against a lot of lefts in the pursuit of happiness)
Also a disclaimer: in no way do I intend this more than what it is, a fairly amusing (wife says-so) failed first attempt on chasing rabbits.
The Story:
Finally got my license & adventure pass and thought to take it out for a spin looking for wabbits, Friend gave me a bit of his coney at lunch one time and well I couldn't make chicken taste anything like it. So here I am 3 months before the season practicing with a bow, a shotgun and pellet rifle making sure I hit what I need to hit from 10-30 yards.
Season opening day finally arrives and I'm envious of the opening posts here on SCH!!
It wasn't only until this past Sunday I got to go out around 5 am and drive my ass all the way to Sycamore Canyon by the 15, knowing that it's best to just take my ol’ reliable 12g 28” Single shot shotgun since regs and the SBC shooting map says boomsticks only
I've confirmed with the Lytle Creek Ranger station it is possible to hunt the canyon however parking is dodgy as heck. I was torn between driving up the dirt ramp risking my ol yoder into the canyon or leaving the car on the glen helen parkway bend with a lot of other fair weather travelers. As great as the place looked on Google earth, my paranoid self-kicked into high gear saying you might hoof it back home if you left your car here or come back to a car that’s been broken into; so I decided instead to head off to the nearest alternative Middle fork Road in Lytle Creek within SBNF. (In hindsight I should’ve just went up Cajon pass and went along Lone Pine Rd.)
By this time it was already quarter to 7 and there were people using the turn outs, trails and trailheads along Middle Fork Rd. Being new to the sport and honest to God I was intimidated not knowing if these were amiable folks or ones that'll run me off for being in their spot, ok I honestly looked maybe a tad bit out of place with everybody in their lifted trucks and my dinky ass in the only SUV. So I drive on pass the intended parking area pushing my car to its limits looking for an unmarked trailhead or wide enough turnout to park when suddenly I heard, “Thunk!”, pothole plus big rock equals decision time, turn back and call it a day? Or push on to the Middle fork trail. Taking a deep breath, I parked and looked at that dirt road going steadily steeper and said to myself, rabbits just ain't worth a banged up car, hefty deductible and a week on the couch. So I throw that car in reverse, (now remember I’m ASIAN, hehe c’mon laugh it’s a joke, no way am I generalizing our driving skills as a whole race, heck remember we got Tokyo Drift) and thankfully being front wheel drive, my wheels sliding a little off the road into the creek below only almost gave me a heart attack when I felt the rear tires lose traction, thankfully steering right and left gained a bit of traction enabling me to get my ass out of there, park, get out and breathe a sigh of relief and thank the Lord God Almighty my stupidity didn’t kill me today.
Now I did have another choice when I got back to Lytle Creek road, go left and attempt to take the old SUV to the yellow posts above the Lytle Creek firing range or get home and assess the damage I've put my ol car through.
Since this post doesn't have any pictures of dead rabbits, you know how that went; I did see a lot of squirrels on the road though making me wish I brought my Hatsan Vortex Edge .25.
Anyway I guess the takeaway would be it'd be nice and a bit safer to go hunting with somebody already established in the sport who can show you the ropes or even better some honey holes to partake in or at least have a buddy you can laugh making mistakes with learning how to hunt, I also learned about poison oak and how it was different from poison ivy and how I’m such a celebrity with mosquitos.
Anyway here are some pics of that turning point after making it back safely to a more stable elevation, shout out if you recognize em. So hopefully this read was entertaining for you as it was amusing for me to write, ok maybe cringingly during the whole “Thunk” part, hopefully the canyons above east fork along the ANF yields something on my next attempt and less dangerous, heck I’ll even take mountain lions over an angry wife any day.
Asian, First hunter in the family and no friends that hunt (yep going against a lot of lefts in the pursuit of happiness)
Also a disclaimer: in no way do I intend this more than what it is, a fairly amusing (wife says-so) failed first attempt on chasing rabbits.
The Story:
Finally got my license & adventure pass and thought to take it out for a spin looking for wabbits, Friend gave me a bit of his coney at lunch one time and well I couldn't make chicken taste anything like it. So here I am 3 months before the season practicing with a bow, a shotgun and pellet rifle making sure I hit what I need to hit from 10-30 yards.
Season opening day finally arrives and I'm envious of the opening posts here on SCH!!
It wasn't only until this past Sunday I got to go out around 5 am and drive my ass all the way to Sycamore Canyon by the 15, knowing that it's best to just take my ol’ reliable 12g 28” Single shot shotgun since regs and the SBC shooting map says boomsticks only
I've confirmed with the Lytle Creek Ranger station it is possible to hunt the canyon however parking is dodgy as heck. I was torn between driving up the dirt ramp risking my ol yoder into the canyon or leaving the car on the glen helen parkway bend with a lot of other fair weather travelers. As great as the place looked on Google earth, my paranoid self-kicked into high gear saying you might hoof it back home if you left your car here or come back to a car that’s been broken into; so I decided instead to head off to the nearest alternative Middle fork Road in Lytle Creek within SBNF. (In hindsight I should’ve just went up Cajon pass and went along Lone Pine Rd.)
By this time it was already quarter to 7 and there were people using the turn outs, trails and trailheads along Middle Fork Rd. Being new to the sport and honest to God I was intimidated not knowing if these were amiable folks or ones that'll run me off for being in their spot, ok I honestly looked maybe a tad bit out of place with everybody in their lifted trucks and my dinky ass in the only SUV. So I drive on pass the intended parking area pushing my car to its limits looking for an unmarked trailhead or wide enough turnout to park when suddenly I heard, “Thunk!”, pothole plus big rock equals decision time, turn back and call it a day? Or push on to the Middle fork trail. Taking a deep breath, I parked and looked at that dirt road going steadily steeper and said to myself, rabbits just ain't worth a banged up car, hefty deductible and a week on the couch. So I throw that car in reverse, (now remember I’m ASIAN, hehe c’mon laugh it’s a joke, no way am I generalizing our driving skills as a whole race, heck remember we got Tokyo Drift) and thankfully being front wheel drive, my wheels sliding a little off the road into the creek below only almost gave me a heart attack when I felt the rear tires lose traction, thankfully steering right and left gained a bit of traction enabling me to get my ass out of there, park, get out and breathe a sigh of relief and thank the Lord God Almighty my stupidity didn’t kill me today.
Now I did have another choice when I got back to Lytle Creek road, go left and attempt to take the old SUV to the yellow posts above the Lytle Creek firing range or get home and assess the damage I've put my ol car through.
Since this post doesn't have any pictures of dead rabbits, you know how that went; I did see a lot of squirrels on the road though making me wish I brought my Hatsan Vortex Edge .25.
Anyway I guess the takeaway would be it'd be nice and a bit safer to go hunting with somebody already established in the sport who can show you the ropes or even better some honey holes to partake in or at least have a buddy you can laugh making mistakes with learning how to hunt, I also learned about poison oak and how it was different from poison ivy and how I’m such a celebrity with mosquitos.
Anyway here are some pics of that turning point after making it back safely to a more stable elevation, shout out if you recognize em. So hopefully this read was entertaining for you as it was amusing for me to write, ok maybe cringingly during the whole “Thunk” part, hopefully the canyons above east fork along the ANF yields something on my next attempt and less dangerous, heck I’ll even take mountain lions over an angry wife any day.
