Best medium game hunting areas around Sacramento/Davis area?

[Linus]

I'm a student at UC Davis and wanted to know were people deer hunt around here. I know of eldorado forest and Spenceville wildlife area but what other areas are around? And what game but also where the closest public land to hunt piggies.

[ohsmily]

Your best bet is to get to know somebody with land in the area. I am lucky enough to have a co-worker who has some acres in Winters with a ridiculous population of wild turkey and a pretty healthy quail contingent. Unfortunately, no pig in the area (with the exception of a very rare wandering group) and not many deer either.

[metalhead357]

Linus- welcome to calguns.

You're *centrally located* so in one way that makes life easy, in the other way- if you dont know anyone with private land in your area...then you're centrally located to drive in just about any direction to find some places. Check out the BLM sites in/around your area for public lands to hunt. Also, as you noted Eldorado National Forrest is part of the NFS/National Forest Service lands which you may *usually* hunt.

What specifically are you after? that may help some here tailor thier answer to your specifics.

[uscbigdawg]

Maxwell (less than an hour's drive) isn't bad if the weather in there's green for them to come down and eat on. Basically...go north and you should be alright.

Rich

[Linus]

Mainly deer and pigs.
Thanks uscbigdawg I'll give Maxxwell a look.

[Linus]

I was just searching and found MONTICELLO city as part of Lake Beriessa which is mostly on BLM land. Have any calgunners ever been here?

[metalhead357]

I was just searching and found MONTICELLO city as part of Lake Beriessa which is mostly on BLM land. Have any calgunners ever been here?

Beriessa is still kinda new to me and I dont know the area that you're refering to: might shoot Napahunter a PM, I was just out in the same region(s) but he knows a helluvalotta more about the space than me.

[uscbigdawg]

Lake Berryessa and Lake Solano (mostly the islands around it) have great hunting land for pigs. Get in contact with Fish & Game and they'll let you know when they have "special" pig hunts out there. Pigs do what they do and the population has got kinda crazy out there.

Rich

[Wahooo03]

I'm also a UCD student and am in the same boat in terms of looking for places to hunt. From what I've heard about pigs, Monterey and Mendocino can't be beat as long as you can find land. I fly-fish on Putah up by berryessa and the area looks like it could support a population, but I hardly see any wildlife, aside from a doe or two.

Linus, give me a shout if you want to head out sometime.

MEC

[greggywhat]

spenceville is pretty good if you go in the first few days or at the end of the season i shot 2 2x3s about 30 miles from spenceville and passed on a few smaller ones.

[JeffM]

I'm also a UCD student and am in the same boat in terms of looking for places to hunt. From what I've heard about pigs, Monterey and Mendocino can't be beat as long as you can find land. I fly-fish on Putah up by berryessa and the area looks like it could support a population, but I hardly see any wildlife, aside from a doe or two.

Linus, give me a shout if you want to head out sometime.

MEC

There's private land near Berriessa that I am able to hunt, but it's really not worth it. I've never seen anything worth while there. The whole area is way overhunted and over populated with predators. Coyote hunting up there may be fruitful. IIRC I heard that the Dpt. of F&G releases mountain lions that are captured in populated areas on the north side of the lake.

Lake and Mendo county are much better, but I have no clue about public land there.

[redneckshootist]

cow mountain behind clear lake is good for pig, deer, coyote also indian valley resivore has some. Turkey are located up there too they are running rampant in the cache creek area south of highway 20, the old payne ranch. most hang out on private land but there is a lot of public land up there and it is posible to get them as they cross lands but you have to find the routes and watch it. I do know a couple ranchers up there but they dont like random people hunting thier land and every time I tried asking it I could bring a friend they always have said no.