Guides for B and D

[Chileman]

I live in the Sacramento area. I want to hunt the D3-D5 zone for deer and I need to know it there are any quides that work those areas. Since I have never hunted these areas before, I thought it would be wise to use a guide for my first outing in those areas.

Also, I have been invited to hunt the B zones with some friends. Are
there any quide services you know of who work those areas.
Northern Cal is large and vast, so I don't want to waste two deer
tags staring at foilage and not bringing home the meat.
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> I would appreciate any feedback
>
Chileman

[Quacker Wacker]

Chileman, I don't know of any guides in the D3-5 area, but if you find any most likely what you'll be paying for is essentially access to a private ranch. If your'e looking to kill a deer find the access, have fun, and ignore the rest of this post. If what your looking for is to learn the area and get a boost on the learning curve for hunting the deer there then don't hire a guide. I'm am pretty sure you won't find any serious guides that work the public lands in these areas. I live in D3 and grew up and hunt primarily in D5. The biggest problems in these areas are 1) Amazing amount of opening day hunters(almost 20,000 tags alloted) and 2) recent forestry practices of using herbicides to kill most plant growth in areas logged. Most area's above 5000' elevation are National Forest and open to public hunting. There are three main highways that dissect these forests: I80, I50, and highway 88. I would start in the 6-8500' areas, I would concentrate on I50 and 88 first due to better populations. I have never done it, but if you are willing to pack in I would look at the Wilderness areas west of Lake Tahoe Basin. Good non-wilderness areas to start would be Ice House Resevoir along Hwy 50 and Bear River Resevoir on Hwy 88. From these two area's I would work my way up in elevation. Opening weekend find an area and just sit, because there will be thousands of hunters pushing the deer which will head for more remote canyons and thick cover before sunlight and because you don't want some yahoo mistaking you for a trophy. Later in the season look for 2-4 year old clear cuts and hunt the timber surrounding them, look for beds and fresh sign. If you have some time flexibility, if it snows get up in the mountain asap, the deer will be moving. Don't plan on too many long shots and don't plan on them staying still long, the pressure makes them very wary. Good Luck. If you have other questions e-mail me.

[Hoghunter]

Chileman,Like Quacker Wacker said holds true for the B zones there are a few guides but I don't know them.As for hunting the B zones There is alot of National forest to hunt without a guide.If you want to get away from most hunters try one of several wilderness areas or try the Shasta Trinity forest.I hunt out of a little town called Wildwood off Highway 36. and have had prety good success. If you want more details send me an email. I tell you what I know
Good Hunting Hoghunter