Wild Pheasants??

[lundy1179]

Hello everyone,
Im new to this forum and I must say it is wonderful. I could spend hours reading everyone's posts!! I am from the Bakersfield area and would really like to find a place to go chase some wild birds. Driving is not a problem and from what I can tell the Sacramento area seems to be the place to be. Does anyone have any ideas? I am mainly a waterfowl/quial/chukar hunter but would really like to get into some roosters this year. Any info would be greatly appreciated and if anyone in the area would like to tag along one day drop me a line!

Mark

[NewmanCA]

North of Sacramento is your best bet. If you want to hunt on private property it may be difficult to get permission without taking some time before the first day to find a place. South of Sacramento between Fresno and Sacramento state refuges are the best bet to find wild pheasants. The wild pheasant populations are poor to non-existant in much of this region.

[Metdawg44]

You have 2 options: Pay a guide and hunt on private land. Or, you can hunt the state and federal wildlife areas. There are a few in the upper Sac area that can be decent (Gray Lodge, Little Dry Creek, Sacramento, Delevan). Grizzly Island near the Bay Area had good numbers last year .

The quality of hunting at all of these refuges are subject to how good the hatch was durning the past spring. I think the the hatch was about average.

If you don't have a GOOD dog, your chances at the public areas goes down by at least 50%.

[Redleg1]

I've heard guided hunts over the border in Mexicali can be good. I read somewhere that phesants were brought to the Mexicali area first and later spread to the Imperial valley in the USA.

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-gunfighter-yellow.gif

[AnewBigDaddyB]

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/two-cents.gif I have some great pheasant hunts in the Sacto valley, there are multiple public areas as previously stated.
go to the DFG website, click on "Lands" and there will be maps of the WA and ER&#39;s that have hunting.
The "Wing Beat News" published by them is also another good source of info, you can read them online or have a copy mailed to your home?
Mendota, Los Banos and other WA&#39;s are only a couple hours from you in Bakersfield, I&#39;d certainly try the sweatlines there to get on for pheasants.
At this stage, all the drawings are over, so you missed that chance, so now, its first come sweat line action, but, don&#39;t downplay it, it could pay off! http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif

[NewmanCA]

Lundy,

I never get drawn at th refuges anyway. If you can go the day before, you can sign up for the lottery at any of the state refuges. I make it in to the refuge every year that way. We are going to the refuge in Los Banos this year. The DFG people I know tell me it was a good hatch this year and there are alot of birds in some of the refuges.

[CA_pheasant]

North of Sacramento.

1) Private property would be the best but work to get access.

2) There are hunting clubs like Wilderness Unlimited and Richmond in the areas north of Sacramento (Woodland to Willows on I-5). Best if you&#39;re local to make the most of a membership.

3) Others have commented about lottery draws at the refuges. Draws are done for 11/11 opener.
The refuges have great "natural" cover, but random free roaming hunters and newbies, and low flying birds, and out of control dogs all make the refuges pretty interesting. Bird counts vary from year to year.
If you have a good dog you might talk a ressie or sweatliner to join them on their draw.

4) I&#39;ve heard of people walking on at Delevan, Sacramento, Colusa late morning or early afternoon, on good years when ressies get their birds and leave. This is a crap shoot, but may be worth stopping by the refuges late morning after hunting some public spot. Refuges have ducks too. Don&#39;t show up too late as the refuges stop letting hunters in after 2pm or maybe even 1pm.

5) Sweat line is stressful (waiting at the refuge at 7pm or 8pm to get a number, and you&#39;re still not guaranteed to get in when you arrive the next very early morning, for 8am pheasant shoot time. ). Worth it if you get in. Lot&#39;s of time wasted if you don&#39;t get in - I have real trouble sitting in the parking lot until say 11am to go pheasant hunting (maybe) on opening day. My dogs will not tolerate this :-)

6) Colusa Bypass, public area, (north of Colusa) may be OK.

7) I thought Gray Lodge was first come first serve for non ressies??? But you&#39;d better be there wednesday and camp a couple days to get in. (that&#39;s what I&#39;ve heard).

8) The Monday after the opener the refuges open up the blind areas also, and most hunters have gone home. I hunted a refuge to be unnamed the monday after the opener and had large areas all to myself and bagged a rooster in a couple hours. I really like the cover at the refuges (except the thick areas at Colusa).

9) Others have mentioned guide/outfitter.


My gear is packed. Dogs are ready.

[Soccer Dad]

Except for opening day (Sat), Gray Lodge is the easiest to get on.
Have a good dog and be prepared to walk a lot through good nature cover.

Yolo Bypass has birds. They let fewer hunters on so wait time is likely depending on when you show.

Little Dry Creek, Delevan, Colusa and Howard Slough (in that order for birds (my opinion)) is a good bet for birds. Slow after the opening weekend.

You can get on any of these by mid-morning on any day other than the opener.

Good Luck.