Moving to California... tell me what to expect.

[@fulldraw]

Moving from TX to Southern California (San Diego area). For any southern cali hunters, tell me what to expect.

ignoring cost of living/political leanings for this thread..

Pros:
- more public land than TX
- closer drive to most states than TX
- solid fishing

Cons:
- draconian gun laws
- regulatory nightmare for hunting
- in state hunting opportunities seem to be poor quality

curious to hear others thoughts

 

[idahojoe]

fishing, do lots of fishing.

 

[Laszlo Cravensworth]

- regulatory nightmare for hunting

It's really not that bad. You can get two deer tags per year depending on the unit. Lots of opportunity. Most of the mule deer hunts aren't great quality compared to the intermountain west, but there is a lot of opportunity. Great waterfowl hunting.

 

[Southern Elk]

Pro: Much nicer weather than Texas.

 

[@fulldraw]

Pro: Much nicer weather than Texas.

very true

 

[turbobrick]

Southern California is awesome in it own way, the fishing will be off the charts. Deer, bear, and turkey are great, just move to lead free and you're good to go. Now you have NV close by, which is going to be long odds but its not impossible. But upswing I see is AZ being at your doorstep. Excellent deer tags available, javelina and turkey, elk, etc.

 

[@fulldraw]

It's really not that bad. You can get two deer tags per year depending on the unit. Lots of opportunity. Most of the mule deer hunts aren't great quality compared to the intermountain west, but there is a lot of opportunity. Great waterfowl hunting.

i understood duck hunting to be primarily northern cali. any insight into archery shop recommendations or ranges?

 

[jryoung]

You'll have incredible access to ocean fishing in SD.

You'll be close to AZ which has good opportunites for a NR, if you're in for the big game draw, take advantage of the small/upland opportunites.

It's not really a regulatory nightmare at all, I apply all over the west and we aren't any different than any other state from an application/check perspective. Non-lead isn't really much of an obstacle anymore.

You can get two deer tags, possibly two bear tags (pending Commission approval later this spring), incredible turkey/waterfowl (though waterfowl is tougher in SD), and year round hog hunting. You can literally hunt every day here, and if you pick your deer tags right you can hunt from July to December for deer.

From the coastal chapparal and grassy oak habitat, to the Sierra foothills, alpine, high desert, and rainforest there's so much to explore. The biggest limitations are imagination and time.

 

[@fulldraw]

Southern California is awesome in it own way, the fishing will be off the charts. Deer, bear, and turkey are great, just move to lead free and you're good to go. Now you have NV close by, which is going to be long odds but it's not impossible. But upswing I see is AZ being at your doorstep. Excellent deer tags available, javelina and turkey, elk, etc.

yeah i find the bear hunting potential very interesting in cali given bear population growth.

Idaho general tags i would add to your list as being a more realistic possibility as well given drive is half that from central Texas

 

[@fulldraw]

You'll have incredible access to ocean fishing in SD.

You'll be close to AZ which has good opportunites for a NR, if you're in for the big game draw, take advantage of the small/upland opportunites.

It's not really a regulatory nightmare at all, I apply all over the west and we aren't any different than any other state from an application/check perspective. Non-lead isn't really much of an obstacle anymore.

You can get two deer tags, possibly two bear tags (pending Commission approval later this spring), incredible turkey/waterfowl (though waterfowl is tougher in SD), and year round hog hunting. You can literally hunt every day here, and if you pick your deer tags right you can hunt from July to December for deer.

From the coastal chapparal and grassy oak habitat, to the Sierra foothills, alpine, high desert, and rainforest there's so much to explore. The biggest limitations are imagination and time.

this is super helpful. thank you.

 

[Laszlo Cravensworth]

i understood duck hunting to be primarily northern cali. any insight into archery shop recommendations or ranges?

My buddy got his Hoyt from Performance Archery. Said they're pretty good.

There are two ranges in Balboa Park that he shot quite a bit.

 

[jryoung]

this is super helpful. thank you.

Feel free to shoot me a PM anytime if you want some ideas or how some of the regulatory stuff works. For our "big 3" (elk, pronghorn, sheep) odds are impossibly long, but there's always a chance. We have something called the SHARE program which is a private land access program, we have added hundreds of elk tags to both the draw and the SHARE program the past couple of years.

 

[Birddog916]

As others have said the fishing in San Diego is amazing especially if you like the ocean. I would say the turkey hunting, duck hunting, and bear hunting is as good or better than many states, but you share it with a lot of hunters and hikers, birders and ol' hippie ladies praying to crystals in the wilderness (I'm not joking). There are 40 million-ish people here so can be difficult to get away from them sometimes, but not impossible.

 

[Hem]

Lots of fruits and nuts?

Good hog hunting.
Not too many States you can ski and surf on the same day.

 

[TexanSam]

I've been somewhat jealous of the bear opportunities that California appears to have. Get you a deer tag and a bear tag and get after it.

I would also imagine that you aren't far from Arizona. Perhaps some easy to draw/OTC coues deer tags are in your future.

Regardless though, as a Texan who has also left for places with better public land, I can't imagine ever going back. Just be sure that those hollywood folks know that Texmex > Calimex food.

 

[Laszlo Cravensworth]

As others have said the fishing in San Diego is amazing especially if you like the ocean. I would say the turkey hunting, duck hunting, and bear hunting is as good or better than many states, but you share it with a lot of hunters and hikers, birders and ol' hippie ladies praying to crystals in the wilderness (I'm not joking). There are 40 million-ish people here so can be difficult to get away from them sometimes, but not impossible.

Drive farther north.

 

[utah400elk]

There is great waterfowl and upland hunting.

 

[MaddH]

Lots of pigs

 

[BigHornRam]

Backpacked here several times as a kid, over 50 years ago, when it was still a primitive area. It was spectacular. Check it out.

Backpacking in the Emigrant Wilderness - Wildland Trekking https://share.google/Mw4t2VSz3s6ASu4hF