How/Where to get started with hunting pigs and deer

[cheapie408]

I'm live in the Bay Area and has always wanted to do some pig and deer hunt.

I just started to research on acquiring a license. Where would be the closest place to hunt wild pig and deers? Can these trip be a one day trips? How do I find places I can hunt at?

[Imageview]

So there are places near the Bay Area where you can do paid hunts, Hollister area for instance there are some guides. Pigs are cheaper than deer.

There are also opportunities to hunt on public land within a couple hours drive, but the odds aren’t so great even for more experienced hunters. Those closer you stay to population centers, the more pressure generally.

[Hunt]

Look into out of state hunts! Pig hunting is real good around Parkfield, look up Miller Brothers in Parkfield

[edgerly779]

Public land hunts have little success unless you put a lot of miles and time in scouting. No one will share hunt locations you have to earn that, Get hunter safety and license. Try guided hunt. Wrong season for hogs to hot. A zone deer opens soon. Hunter ligget has hog hunts.

[duckman1]

First time hunter I would recommend the guided pig hunt investment. Go to school on the guide learn all you can during the hunt. Then start wearing out the boots on public land, your success will be a bigger challenge but you are not starting green.


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[bigbossman]

Originally Posted by edgerly779

Wrong season for hogs to hot.

Not true. I've killed plenty of pigs in hot weather. One of the last ones I shot was out in a grass field grubbing in the dirt at 3pm. It was 102 degrees at the time.

[Divernhunter]

bigbossman--It is too hot for ME to hunt them ---even if they are there

[bigbossman]

Originally Posted by Divernhunter

bigbossman--It is too hot for ME to hunt them ---even if they are there

LOL, I hear that. I was walking out early that day to get into position for sundown, when I saw three pigs come out of the tree line and into the field. I had to stand still in full sun, with bugs biting all over, until they wandered close enough to be able to take one. I had so much sweat in my eyes it was unreal.

Not optimal conditions for sure, but that was on sweet tasting 120lb sow.

[Noggles]

Spend $1,000 and hire a guide.

[deckhandmike]

Originally Posted by Noggles

Spend $1,000 and hire a guide.

I was going to say gather about 5 grand and blow it on boots, glass and gas. Hunting is much more successful when you have money. But definitely start with a guided pig hunt and ask a million questions. Make sure it’s a fair hunt operation and not some canned hunt. We can steer you towards a good guide.

[stonefly-2]

Hunting is a craft like any other,

it's the greater knowledge that improves your craftsmanship.

The hunter safety class is going to provide a lot of that as well as maybe an opportunity to network but DFG also now offers some advanced schooling you should look into.

It's a bone of contention here that I don't intend to stir up again but IMO guided hunts of the canned variety pose too much risk to a new hunter's self respect to be a viable option if you wanted to advance.

[runway1]

Originally Posted by Noggles

Spend $1,000 and hire a guide.

$1000? Who's left at $1000? My last guide went to $1200, and he was one of the cheapest!