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Rookie in A zone

Niccok30

New member
Joined
Oct 29, 2019
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13
Hi everyone,
This is my first year deer hunting and so far I’ve been 100% on my own. I live in San Luis Obispo county “A zone” and only have access to public land. I have all of the basic gear needed for local day hunts. So far out of the five different times I’ve gone out I’ve only seen 1 really nice fork buck and ranged him at 1032yrds out. I slowly and quietly stocked trying to get with in 300 to 400 yard range. A very doable shot for me and my .270 Weatherby mag. Just as I was getting in that range a guy from another trail to the East of my location came up fast and load on a quad stopping and asking if I had seen anything. I shook my head and he took off. Every time I’ve gone out I start out early that way I can hike to the location I want to start at and be in position by first light. I’ve been hunting 2 different areas in the Los Padres National Forest. Just not sure if or what I’m doing wrong. Every time I have gone out I hike off trail trying to get away from the guys just spotting from the trails. I thought my best chances would be to get off trail hike back to a grassy opening with trees for coverage and shade. Staying out of the thick brush line. My shortest day I ended up hiking 5.75 miles in total and longest day was almost 8 miles. Since I’m trying to figure this all out on my own I’m just not sure what I’m doing wrong.
 
Welcome from an A Zone refugee.

I used to hunt Pozo, Hunter Liggett, New Idria, and Ventana Wilderness.

Your approach seems good. Get in past the quads, glass and stalk. Focus on early morning and very last light. Blacktails can be ghosts. If you are not in your glassing spot before daylight, you're gonna miss a lot.

The best buck I ever saw there, I was walking in to my spot before legal light. I sat and hoped he would hold, but he bugged out.
 
Thanks for the replies. I’ll be back from vacation Monday (Labor Day) and getting back at it this next week hoping to my luck will change before season ends.
 
How can you hunt in a state where you can’t buy or shoot guns or ammo? Do you have to sneak in and hug them to death?
 
Thanks for the replies. I’ll be back from vacation Monday (Labor Day) and getting back at it this next week hoping to my luck will change before season ends.
Just remember they have shut down Los Padres now with fire danger. Pretty big fine if you get caught. Every thing else you were doing sounded great, sometime the deer just aren't there.
 
Happy to report I was finally successful this weekend in harvesting my first buck. Wow what an amazing feeling... With public lands all shut down I thought I was out of luck until a friend of mine offered to take me out on his ranch. I couldn’t thank him enough.
 

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Congrats and welcome to the club! Inexplicable feeling I’ll bet, but just wait until you put him on the table.
 
Congrats on your first buck! Private land sure beats public land in a zone.
 
Happy to report I was finally successful this weekend in harvesting my first buck. Wow what an amazing feeling... With public lands all shut down I thought I was out of luck until a friend of mine offered to take me out on his ranch. I couldn’t thank him enough.

Way to get it done in the A Zone!
 
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