Reality of hunting in vicinity of Bay Area??

[gottarollwithit]

I'm completely new to hunting and live in the bay area. (Sorry, i usually don't post much here) So far i've found where to take the hunter licensing class and how to apply for the tags.

Realistically, is there anywhere within 300 mi or so of the bay area to hunt anything sizeable and worthy of eating? What is the best tasting and safest big game animal to hunt? Pig, deer, elk, sheep, bear? I don't want to be shot by fellow hunters or wish to eat a contaminated animal.
Ideally, i'd like to find a place where i can camp for a night, then hunt the following morning. Drive home after taking the animal.

Any advice? I just don't want to spend two days in the hunter licensing course and not have anywhere reasonably close to use the license. I also don't want to needlessly take an animal that isn't going to be consumed.

Thanks!

[Rob P.]

You can do an internet search for outfitters in the extended area you mentioned. I know that there are a couple of them in southern Monterey County/Lake San Antonio area.

The one I'm thinking of does guided hunts for both pig and deer in season as well as game birds. Butcher is extra. It's fairly expensive but you can learn how/what/where/why/when and then go off on your own.

You can also try this forum for hunting info. They're a pretty decent bunch there.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/

[gottarollwithit]

Probably would be a good idea to use a guide the first time out.

I'm primarily looking into the viability of hunting within 300 mi or so of the bay area. I want to avoid wasting 2 days of my time in a classroom, a buncha money, and needlessly killing an animal, just to find out that it's diseased/not eatible or tastes like crayons when cooked properly. See where i'm going with this? Usually when i do well fishing, i like to share the bounty. In this case, i want to be sure that if i share the fruits of the hunt, i'm sharing meat that's safe to eat.

I honestly don't mind paying for the adventure or even spending countless hrs of my time, it's just that i don't want to waste it.

Thanks again!

[AfricanHunter]

If you want I know someone who guides on private property about 3 hours give or take from the Bay Bridge. Haven't spoken with him for a while but it used to be(Don't quote me on these numbers but pretty sure) 50 bucks for weekend access, 50 bucks lodging for the night including dinner and 300 per deer or pig. I shot a deer on the property a few years ago and there are plenty of pigs.

Drop me a line if you want his contact info. Its not a professional outfit by any means but might be a good way to get your feet wet.

[metalhead357]

Define "Bay Area" and we'll go from there

[gottarollwithit]

Bay Area is considered anywhere from SJ to about Martinez. I left the clause of 300 mi or so fairly vague b/c i'm willing to travel a little further just in case i hear of somewhere a LOT better than a place a couple miles closer. I apologize for being inspecific.

Know of any decent places to hunt deer, pig, elk, bear, etc?
Which of these is the best animal to hunt, quality of meat wise that is...?
Are these animals generally accepted as safe to eat?

[ko1featherweigh]

i am in the same place with you Gottaroll i am in the Bay Area trying to figure where around here is there land to hunt
i just took my hunters ed class at chabot its an interesting but long(14hours)class but you learn alot in the class. the instructure would be able to answer all of you question, as they have been in the sport for years.

let me know if you find a good place around here to hunt

[metalhead357]

Bay Area is considered anywhere from SJ to about Martinez. I left the clause of 300 mi or so fairly vague b/c i'm willing to travel a little further just in case i hear of somewhere a LOT better than a place a couple miles closer. I apologize for being inspecific.

Know of any decent places to hunt deer, pig, elk, bear, etc?
Which of these is the best animal to hunt, quality of meat wise that is...?
Are these animals generally accepted as safe to eat?

The bear & goat will be difficult; not too many around the area that I know of. Elk is by drawing only and you will be traveling quite a ways to do it......

Deer and pig: if you can find some BLM land down there you might have a chance.

I'd think that that area you mentioned would fare well for upland game; quail, dove, tukey (?). I'm not toooooooooo familiar with that area as I'm much further north.

Scout the BLM site and see what's available around you....there should be summin'

[gottarollwithit]

Yes, i did scout the BLM website last nite. I came to the conclusion that there is Tumey Hills/Panoche where you can deer or pig hunt. That's about 3 hrs away. I also saw a few other spots that might be viable, like an island near suisun. Anybody know anything about these places?

Are deer or pig within 300 mi or so from here safe to consume?
Well i mean, I see tons of deer around where i live and i bet those things roam around for miles. They are the garbage eating, beer can licking crap deer though.
If i hunt down near SLO, will they be the same deer?

[JAFGO]

Whenever this sort of question is asked, I always recommend contacting your local game warden. These guys KNOW where the best spots are for hunting and fishing and they are usually more than happy to share it with you. They've referred me to some great spots in the past.

[ko1featherweigh]

i see deer all around when i drive around 680 seen some pretty good looking ones.i have see Turkey around locally when i go camping(all probably unhuntable land). i haven't seen any pig though...
and people tell me the delta area is good waterfowl hunting

Whenever this sort of question is asked, I always recommend contacting your local game warden. These guys KNOW where the best spots are for hunting and fishing and they are usually more than happy to share it with you. They've referred me to some great spots in the past.

where would i find the information to contact my local game warden? i looked on california dfg

[Gunaria]

i see deer all around when i drive around 680 seen some pretty good looking ones.i have see Turkey around locally when i go camping(all probably unhuntable land). i haven't seen any pig though...
and people tell me the delta area is good waterfowl hunting



where would i find the information to contact my local game warden? i looked on california dfg

You can start here;

Headquarters Office
1416 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 653-8120

Here's some more info;

North Coast District Office
Assistant Chief Carmel Babich

Enforcement Contact: Lt. Dan Andreen (707) 944-5588

Southern Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Bentio, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo counties:

20 Lower Ragsdale Drive Suite 100, Monterey, CA. 93940
Public Information (831) 649-2870
Fax (831) 649-2894

7239 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA. 94558
P.O. Box 47, Yountville, CA. 94599
Public Information (707) 944-5500
Fax (707) 944-5563

[anotherone]

There are tons and tons of bay area residents that lease blinds up here in the Central Valley during duck season. If you live in the Bay Area or LA you'll be looking at doing some serious driving to go hunting. It also never hurts to consider hunting out of state if you can get the time off work. There are some unbelievably cool hunts if you're willing to travel far enough. Personally I've always wanted to hunt in Africa!

[berkeleycarlos]

Gotto to roll wit it.
I have our local game wardens card on my desk at work. I can give him a call.

[Rumpled]

There are places IN the Bay Area to hunt.
Grizzly Island, SFNWA, Richardson Bay and Napa/Sonoma marshes and more for waterfowl.
Lots of deer, pig, turkey and probably quail in the Mt Hamilton to Livermore area; some calgunners probably have leases there.

Not much farther are Sonoma County and Monterey county, both with National Forest and other public land.

Also, the delta and San Joaquin state/fed areas for waterfowl, dove, pheasant and more.

There's a lot more closer to you than you think.

Try jesseshunting.com; it's mostly a CA site.

Within 300 miles you would have most of the Sierras and all that NF land, the central coast, the northern coast, SJ and Sac Valleys - lots of good hunting.

Noone's gonna necessarily give away a honey hole; but generally, you could get pointed to a region to put your boots to work on scouting.