Santa Cruz Island California Wild Pig Hunt.

[spectr17]

Santa Cruz Island Wild Pig Hunt.

Santa Cruz Island Wild Pig Hunt
Wildlife Programs Branch
CA Department of Fish and Game
1416 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

The DFG is pleased to announce a public wild pig hunt opportunity on Santa Cruz Island, off the coast of Santa Barbara. As the result of a great working relationship and common goals between the DFG and The Nature Conservancy, the west end of Santa Cruz Island will host 120 wild pig hunters in March and April of 2002.

This hunt begins the program to eradicate wild pigs from the island. Successful hunters drawn from the pool of applicants will be transported to and from the island by the DFG. Hunters will have three days and two nights on the island, to hunt as pairs in their exclusive area of the island. Hunters with special health considerations need to be aware that, because there is no medical facility on the island, there will be limited and/or delayed access to medical care.

This is a camp out experience, and no open campfires will be allowed. Hunters will be restricted to taking home only the amount of meat that may be packed into a standard (60 quart) ice chest.

Application Rules:
•Each hunter may apply for one hunt period only.
•Hunters may apply in groups of not more than two on one application.
•Each hunter may apply only once.
•Applications are standard postcards with both (or single) party members’ names, addresses and hunting license numbers. Mail to address shown above.
•The application deadline is Jan. 31, 2002.
•The drawing will take place by Feb. 6, 2002
•Only successful applicants will be notified by Feb. 15, 2002.

Santa Cruz Island Hunt Periods:

Period Date No. of Hunters

1 Mar. 18-20, 2002 12
2 Mar. 20-22, 2002 12
3 Mar. 25-27, 2002 12
4 Mar. 27-29, 2002 12
5 Apr. 01-03, 2002 12
6 Apr. 03-05, 2002 12
7 Apr. 08-10, 2002 12
8 Apr. 10-12, 2002 12
9 Apr. 15-17, 2002 12
10 Apr. 17-19, 2002 12

================================================== ========

Santa Cruz Island is a tough hunt and you should be in good shape and have some good boots to have any fun. The terrain is very rugged with many streams and valleys. No word yet on if any guides are going to be provided. Anybody know who is the outfitter for these hunts?

[paulc]

i sent in my card.. not sure what to expect though..

[Richard]

I sent in my card also. ###Would like to know if my card ever got there. I hope so. ###I hope I get drawn.

[LavaHunter]

Does anybody know is this hunt with a rifle or a bow or are both avaible

[Speckmisser]

I am pretty sure the hunt is open to archery or rifles. ###If someone else on the list has more intel on Santa Cruz island, though, it might help your decision. ###I'm applying for it too, and depending on the weather I'll probably take the -06 and the muzzleloader.

[BigDog]

Hey Speckmisser, is Kat going to apply with you? If not, maybe we can apply together. Let me know.

[Speckmisser]

Big Dog,

Drop me a note when you get home, and we'll figure out the date. ###Kat's not real big on pig hunting. ###Too much like work. ###

[sdbowyer]

Can you apply for this as a single hunter?

[songdog]

Yes, you can apply single but parties can be no more than two people.

[ropes]

What type of hogs are out there? Any Russian?

If you can just bring out 1 coolers worth of meat; what are the best boned out cuts to save? Sould you take 2 tags out there or would 1 medium hog boned out fill a 60 qt ice chest?

[Bishop]

The island pigs are ferals that were stocked on the islands by the Spanish in the 1700s. ###Recent research by a local university shows that they are of differant genetic stock than mainland pigs. ###One theory is that the Spanish brought them from the Philipines. They are very small in body, averaging 40-60 pounds. ###80 to 100 pounds would be a very large island pig. ###They do have nice tusks for small pigs. ###

[grtwythunter]

CA regs forbid the waste of meat. In other words...If you shoot it you're taking it home. I don't know if they'll bend the rules seeing as how this is an eradication hunt, but I doubt it. I would guess a medium pig would come pretty close to filling a 60qt ice chest. Seems pretty stupid to me...they want all the pigs off the island, but basically limit you to one pig over a 3 day time span. I see our tax dollars are being put to good use again. ### ### ###Scott

[grtwythunter]

Bishop and I must have been posting at the same time. I had no idea the island pigs were that small. You should probably be able to get 3 or maybe 4 into a 60qt chest. I wonder if I could get an extra ice chest onto the island by calling it a suitcase. Might be worth a try. ### ###Scott

[songdog]

I've heard that they fly you over there - thus, the reason for the limited size (weight) coolers.

I've also heard that the pigs were smaller but still thought that they were bigger than 40-60 lbs.

If they really wanted to eradicate them, all they'd have to do is drop about 10 coyotes out there if they're that small...

[Hook]

Hey songdog, that's a good idea, dropping 10 coyotes on the island. Then in a few years we can go over their to erdicate the coyotes. Just kidding!
To be serious, why not just allow hunting on the island and control the population of pigs as apposed to eradicating them?

[Bishop]

The islands (Catalina & Santa Cruz ) are interesting subjects. ###At one time Catalina had Spanish goat, feral pig, mule deer, buffalo, blackbuck, turkey, and island kit fox. ###Santa Cruz had Merino sheep, and feral pigs. ###The only thing native to Catalina is the kit fox. ###I don't know if Santa Cruz had any native animals. ###There was excellant reasonably priced hunting on both islands. ###
Catalina was about $300 for 3 days including transportation and lodging. ###For that price you could shoot unlimited goats, 2 pigs, and if deer (D-11 & S-2) and turkey were in season you could shoot one of those too. It was great for hunting because there was no dead time. ###Pigs were active in the mornings and evenings, and goats were active all day long. It was nothing to see 400-500 goats in a day.
At Santa Cruz the price was $450 for a 3 day hunt which included air transportation, lodging, and food. ###You could shoot 2 rams, 4 eues, and 2 pigs.
These were eradication hunts, because the island conservancy's that owned the islands wanted all non-native species off the islands. ###Well the outfitters lost their liability insurance over a accidental fatal shooting, so the islands went archery only. ###The bowmen couldn't kill the animals fast enough so the conservancy brought in the choppers with door gunners (civilian shooters) to kill the goats and sheep by the thousands. ###They couldn't get all the pigs because they just went nocturnal and stuck to the brushy canyons. ###So, what they havn't trapped is left for these eradication hunts. ###
It's really surprising how a "conservency" group can slaughter thousands of animals that have been on the islands for over 200 years because it wants to preserve one or two native species.
I really miss those hunts. ###Sitting around the campfire with 18-20 hunters, seeing hundreds of game animals a day, and just 26 miles from Los Angeles. ### ### ###

[Fubar]

Hook After the coyotes eat some of the pigs we can send some of these damn lions to eat the yotes. ### ### ### ### ### ###Fubar

[ropes]

Is that 40 or 60 lbs live weight? How much meat yield do you think? How much boned out little piggy would you think will fit in a 60 qt Ice chest?

In other words how many tags should I buy. I am a Non-Res and have to buy a Ca hunting license ###just to apply. It sounds like a great time. Would a tent be needed or could you get by with just a tarp and bivi-sac or will those hogs attack in the middle of the night?

[songdog]

I'd probably just get one tag (I'm assuming you can buy one at a time for non residents vs. the book of five for residents).

A tarp would probably do you just fine. ###It will be a little cool and damp but nothing compared to the rest of the country in the early spring.

I think that the ironic thing about your post is that you're from out of state and coming to CA to hunt. ###That's a first... never heard of someone going <to> CA to hunt, normally it's <from>.

[ropes]

Even though Ca does not encourage Non-Res hunters I'm sure many Non-Res hunt Ca. especially Hogs. I have known of many Non-Res hunting Blacktail also. ###

I think the Island pig hunt sounds like a good time and one of the last times probably to get to go to that unique place. And the state is going to pay the charter fare, which usually runs a bit I’m sure. Cost is about as minimal as your going to get as a Non-Res for a good hog hunt.

Just another way to hunt a hog without going guided at $300 to $600 a day. Or having time to scout out hogs for a self guided hunt. The options a Non-Res usually have.

I'm thinking on it good. I'll need a break from the great white north by then.

[Hook]

Fubar,
Then we can send over some.........??? hunters to kill the lions? No, that's illegal in KA.

I am all for letting the hunters take care of the over population of pigs on the island but not the eradication of the pigs. I would like to go on the hunt, but a 40-60 lb. pig won't have alot of meat on it even if you bone it all out. Is it worth it??? Maybe

(Edited by Hook at 9:38 pm on Nov. 26, 2001)

[Speckmisser]

Actually, CA is pretty nice to non-residents for most kinds of hunting. ###Big game gets a little pricey, but compared to some other states it's not bad at all. ###Of course non-residents can't hunt some of our high demand game, like elk, but that stands to reason, since there's not enough elk to provide all resident hunters a fair shake. ###

But I can bring my brother from NC who is dying to bowhunt wild pigs, spend $40 to get him licensed, and we can be hunting public lands that are like nothing he's ever experienced in the east. ###It'll cost me three times that to go back home to NC and do the same thing. ###

Or I can bring my father-in-law out here for a duck hunt, give him the hunt of his life (even a slow day here is better than most days in the Southeast), and still come out cheaper than out of state hunts in most other places.

[Speckmisser]

Well, I stand corrected. ###To hunt any big game in CA, you HAVE to buy the full-season hunting license. ###The short-term license isn't valid, and that pretty well sucks.

Still cheaper than going to a lot of other states, but sure busted my groove. ###Thanks for pointing it out, Johnnie.

[mudwalker]

Hey Big Dog, you and Speckmisser can have all the pig hunting you want. ###That is some work. ###Just do me a favor and keep Speckmisser out of the Posion Oak.

[spectr17]

We used to train on the north end of San Clemente Island where they had a huge goat problem. One day while doing some diving we watched F-14s practice gun runs on them goats, they just exploded when the cannon fire hit them. Casper (the Knife) Weinberger, then secretary of defense, allowed the Navy to continue the goat shooting until a boatload of PETAs filmed it. End of goat practice.

I think they eventually removed the goats by trapping and shooting because of the damage they were doing to the grasses and shrubs.

The hogs I've seen on Catalina are mostly small also.

[limit7]

I used to live on Catalina. ###The hogs are not very big, but some would be over 100lbs. ### But they are pretty smart. ###They would usually send down one pig first to check out an area before the sounder would follow.

The hunt sounds like fun but I wonder if it will get harder as the weeks follow. ###I wonder if it is even worth it after the first couple of hunts. ###And will the DFG cancel the later hunts if the hogs are gone. ###Anyway I sent my card in.

[Fubar]

limit7 ###Welcome to Jesses Forum. Did you ever see any turkeys at Catalina? Did they ever let anyone hunt them? ### ### ### ### ###Fubar

[limit7]

Never saw turkeys, but I live there off and on during the 1970's and 1980's. ###Not sure if they were there then. ### ###Saw lots of fox, pigs, goats, buffalo and quail. ###Actually I did more fishing back then....caught lots of yellowtail and tuna. ###

[karstic]

Anyone interested on pairing up with me on this hunt? Never hunted pig, but willing to give it a try.

[mjohns2]

Get me a piggy or relax in Jamaica, go hunting or go on this cruise. I'm sorry. As bad as I want to go on the piggy hunt, I can't make it

Someone please take pictures.

(Edited by mjohns2 at 7:40 am on Dec. 27, 2001)

[CrossTimbers]

I got to participate in a pig collection (blood/tissue samples) on the island in 2000 (Spring I think?) as prep. work for the eradication program & potential public hunt. They hadn't had rain, & the pigs were walking dead (I see why they call them razorbacks).

I'm told soon after our effort, there was a die-off and there are now fewer animals and they are in better condition-- but I wouldn't expect roly-poly animals.

I know fish & game worked hard with nature conservancy to get a public hunt out there before the eradication formally begins, so you guys bashing them are looking a gift-horse in the mouth. There didn't have to be a hunt (like being invited to a party & complaining about the food).

Also, we were too heavy for the plane & had to leave about a third of our gear behind. They won't tell you that till the last minute as they weigh stuff, so be prepared if you get drawn. ###I assume that may be why some of the restrictions are in place.

A beautiful place, great fun to hunt (collect in this case).

Incidentally, the coyote idea won't work because the idea is to protect native species on the island like the island fox.

[Dakota]

I have hunted Santa Cruz before and the pigs are well over 60-80 lbs. ###I have a pic if someone tell me how you attach it here. ###It is a tough hunt. ###You must Pack in your own water, there are no sourses. ###Plenty of pigs though. ###At least in the late 80s. ###The pig I bagged was about 250. ###

The terrain is far to rough to eradicate pigs by hunting. ###They all ready tried using professional hunters once. ###It didn't work. ###There are a lot of funny politics involved with the island. And lots of rumors.

[Fubar]

Dakota Welcome to Jesses Forum. For info on how to post pics go to the top of the Big Game Hunting Forum. The first post will explain how to post pics. ### ### ### ### ### ### ### Fubar

[Dakota]

The Picture, ###After a couple attempts I think a got it. ###Some quality was definaltely lost in the transfer. ###I believe this was from 88 or 89 to the best of my memory. ###Jeret Owen had the East end of the Island at that time. ###Alot of nonsense has taken place since.

http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/da...cruz%20boar.jpg (http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/dakota101/S.%20cruz%20boar.jpg)

(Edited by Dakota at 11:43 am on Jan. 4, 2002)

[Fubar]

Dakota ###Nice pig! Thanx for sharing the pic. ### ### ### ### ### Fubar

[Stryder]

Nice pig Dakota. I hunted sheep and pigs over there with archery in feb. '97 right before they shut it down and to say it was a bowhunters dream come true is an understatement. I'm glad I got the chance to go but boy do I miss it.
### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ###Stryder

[bloodsports]

What size rifle would you use for this hunt? ###Would a 30-30 do th job? ###

Thanks

[Dakota]

A 30-30 will certainly do the job, but I am not much of a fan of that rifle. ###Surely it was popular years ago and many animals have been harvested with it. ###I prefer something with a little better ballistics. ###With that said, a buddy on this same trip took one with a 30-30 at about 100 yards.

[colby18]

dakota,
would you say your pig was big compared to the rest of the pigs that you saw? ###Also when will dfg notify the people who won the drawing. ###I didn't enter, I have a game on that weekend but a couple of my buddies did.

[Bishop]

You can still apply for the hunt drawing until 1-31-02. ###There are 10 hunts from March 18 thru April 19. ###They are all on weekdays. ###Mon/tue/weds/ or weds/thurs/friday. ###The drawing is on 2-6 and notification is by 2-15.

[jackrabbit]

For a hunt this length, and having to fly in and out with weight restrictions, how is the meat supposed to be kept from spoiling. ###Even boned out and in an ice chest, I can't see the meat keeping ok without trucking a load of ice to the island in the first place. ###Does anybody know any details on how the meat is going to be kept?

[Dakota]

Colby,

I would say that is a pretty good pig for any area. ###But it was by no means the only good size pig we saw. ###There were several in the 150-200lb range spotted but the stalks there are brutal. ###Spotting something a couple canyons away and then trying to get there can be a challenge. ###And remember you have to pack in all your water so it is limited.

J.Rabbit,

A quick gutting and skinning is necessary to get body heat out. ###Hang it in the shade. ###This time of year shouldn't be a problem. I boned my pig out for pack out and hung it in game bags, it cooled nicely. ###Properly handled the meat does just fine. ###There was a time before refrigeration, when ice wasn't an option.

(Edited by Dakota at 8:56 am on Jan. 7, 2002)


(Edited by Dakota at 8:57 am on Jan. 7, 2002)

[Whtchooz]

Here is what Doug Updicke, DFG Biologist in charge of hunt, sent me when I emailed him some questions:

Regarding the wild pig hunt at Santa Cruz Island, here are some additional answers to commonly asked questions:

No limit on number of animals. Just a limit on volume to return... it needs fit into the 60 quart ice chest. I suggest planning to bone out the animals so that 4-5 medium-sized pigs can fit into the ice chest.

Bring lot's of pig tags.

No transportation costs to the hunters. We'll fly them to and from the island from the Camarillo Airport.

Hunters cannot bring their own boat. The Nature Conservancy doesn't want anyone anchoring offshore.

Hunters cannot bring a non-hunting partner/kid, etc. Only hunters will be transported, because space is very limited. I suggest that hunters apply with their partner.

I tell people to plan as if they are going to be hunting in the wilderness for two days. No open fires.

The plan is to drop hunters in pairs in areas where they will have exclusive hunting opportunities. They'll have a GPS unit, and walkie-talkies to call us if they need to.

They need to take all the food and water they'll need to the drop point. Then they're on they're own 'till we pick them up in two days.

Out of State hunters can apply. I'm only looking for them to give us a hunter safety certificate number. They can buy a hunting license after/if they're drawn.


I hope this answers some questions.

[Fubar]

Whtchooz ###Welcome to Jesses Forum. Thanx for the info. ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### ### Fubar

[T F Coyote]

My brother-in-law and I applied for this hunt. ###I am really hoping to get drawn as I've always wanted to hunt pig. ###(I can't afford to pay for a guide on private land, and I don't know of any good public areas to hunt them.) ###I am very thankful to the DFG for their efforts in bringing us this hunt. ###There was a lot of politicking on their part, and the animal-rights people fought them every step of the way.

If anyone could give a quick lesson on field dressing and butchering pigs, I would appreciate it. ###(The only things I've ever field dressed are rabbits, quail, and pheasants.) ###If I had to select just the best cuts of pig, which should I choose? ###Should the pigs be skinned on the spot, or can they be dragged back to camp first?

Anxiously waiting,
TFC

[JBarn3]

I put in an app for my father and I, now just hopin' and waitin'. My dad plans to use a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 mag. for hog hunting, be it on the island or elsewhere. Any opinion on how this will do the job? And for myself, would a .30-06 or a 12 guage be more effective? Thanx.

(Edited by JBarn3 at 11:09 pm on Jan. 25, 2002)

[Dakota]

The .44 is enough gun for pigs but requires a very effective stalk even if it is scoped. ###I have hunted the island before and would definately take the 06 over a 12 gauge. ###the 06 will give you a significant range advantage and accuracy. ###This is not an easy hunt. ###There are a lot of pigs but the work required to pack in and bag one is significant.

If drawn, take the maximum about of water you think you will need for two days...... and then double it.

[Speckmisser]

Dakota,

What kinds of ranges are we talking about on the island? ###I was planning the carry my -06, but also thought about the .50 cal Hawken. ###I'd love to get a pig with the smokepole, and I was thinking this would be my best chance outside of paying a guide. ###

Great info from you and lots of the other guys. ###Thanks!

[Dakota]

If you are experienced I wouldn't tell you not to bring your ML but while I hunted there I spotted several hogs, always a canyon or two away. ###My stalks sometimes took over an hour. The first couple of times when I got there -NO PIG. ###

I assume that you would land on the east end of the island as we did. ###The best hunting is on the west end. ###It is a hike of several miles from the air strip over the large hill/mountain to the other side. ### Some of the island is rolling hills but the pigs seems to be on the steeper hills above the brush choked canyons. ###A muzzleloader could get awful heavy on a hunt like that.

Having been forewarned I ###took along my model 760 instead of my 700. ###I was glad I did. ###I was sucking up water as it was.

Does anyone know if they still have those sheep (I forget the name) on the island? ###Not that I would shoot one they are just a bit more wild than a bottle fed lamb. ###I had one run up to within 20 feet of me while I was gutting my hog. ###Just wondered why they are so down on pigs if there a still thousands of sheep on the island.

(Edited by Dakota at 7:13 am on Jan. 27, 2002)

[Speckmisser]

Thanks for the info, Dakota.

I'll probably carry the -06, then, and not worry with the smokepole..although my Hawken is actually lighter than the modern rifle, there is a bunch of extra crap to carry along. ###

According to the DFG, they'll be putting hunters in various spots around the island, so not too sure where the hikes will go. ###

As for the sheep, I don't know if they're still there, but if so, they're planning to get ALL the non-natives off. ###Maybe there'll be an eradication hunt for sheep too. ###Dunno.

Bottom line, I think it's very cool and righteous that the DFG is going to let sport hunters do some of this work before they pay professional killers to come finish it off. ###

[spectr17]

Jim Mattews Column 1/30/02

SANTA CRUZ PIGS: While a total count hasn't been done, Doug Updike with the DFG in Sacramento reported on Wednesday that something on the order of 2,500 postcard applications for the Santa Cruz Island wild hog hunt had been received by the agency. There are 120 hunting spots available for this hunt.

### ### "A big stack of express mail envelopes arrived today with postcard applications inside," said Updike. The deadline to have the applications in the DFG's hands was Thursday this week.

[songdog]

Let's hope that enough of us put in for at least one of us to get drawn so we can get some first person reports...

[Speckmisser]

Man, the odds of this one are gonna be worse than the odds for Tule Elk. ###Oh well, I have my fingers crossed.

[karstic]

Speck,

As the sayin' goes, " You gotta be in it, to win it."

[SlipSliding]

Non-Resident Pid tags in Ca. are $13.90 for a packet of 5.

[JBarn3]

Non-Res pig tags in Ca aren't sold in books of 5, only Resident. The price for Non-Res. is per tag