WU

[Live2hunt]

For all WU members out there, what do you guys think of WU so far this season? To me it seemed like the productive of WU properties is going downhill. So far I've been out four times on three different WU properties and have not seen a legal animal yet. For the past several years I usually get my A-Zone buck by the second or third weekend of A-Zone season. Since WU lost the lease on two of my favorite properties "Twin Peaks and Ashurst", I haven't had any luck. What are your opinions?


L2H

[Mel Carter]

Hey L2H,

In my situation, I've had good success so far this year, and actually since i've been a member, I became a member in late `99. My first year of actually hunting deer on WU, I took a nice buck from Clarke, in 2001 I took a 20" forky from Willow Creek and this year I took a 15 1/2" 4X3 from Spring Valley. Each year I took these deer, it was my first weekend hunting for the season, maybe just got lucky. Just got back from Willow Creek this past weekend, saw 2 pigs and some deer but no bucks. I could have killed one of the pigs but I was trying to get my son on him. Even though WU lost some good ranches, there's still some good ones left, and they just got some more. Pig season's coming and I can't wait to hit Gallatin and Hill ranch again, I love those two properties. I've been on Willow Creek 2 times, once last year and once this year, saw pigs each time. So as for me, I'm looking forward to having a great time with my son hunting pigs this winter season away form all the crowds. This is just my 2 cents worth and my experiance with WU, I know your going to get different opinions on this subject, but keep in mind, success is measured by how much you put into the hunt, I see a lot of people just driving around and wonder why they're not seeing anything. Success for me is spending that quality time with my kids and knowing they're safe, that's priceless!

Good luck the remainder of the year.

Mel Carter

[mudroller]

I'm waiting for the cooler season in B zone, I may go to that new ranch way up by Callahan. Mule deer in a blacktail zone!! Going quail hunting with my shorthair next Tuesday at Garcia River, another new property. Gonna make deer reservations as soon as I get back. It may help to park the truck, never get into it all week and just foot hunt the ranches until the soil gets some moisture in it. It is very crunchy out there. I know a couple of friends of mine who both got 3x3 and a 3x2 on Big river ranch, sitting on a hill overlooking 4 ranch roads that came together. The bucks were running together and stopped on the trail and on the road. One shot his in the neck, one was a perfect heart/lung shot from 200+ yards. They saw hogs on Big river too, but neither had tags. From where you hunt, it sounds like you live in the south part of the state, hopefully it will rain soon. A lot of people say there are no deer out there, then quail season starts and deer are everywhere. I have to break my older shorthair from chasing deer, which she will do first chance she gets. I don't want her to teach that to the puppy. I have a half dozen motion sensor cameras I learned how to build from this website, and I have many pics of deer, pigs, bear, coyotes , even a couple of bobcats and 1 MT. Lion. Most move at night, between 11pm and 5 am. They hate the heat too. Some times it helps to go with a group of hunters and push a north facing brushy hillside bedding area, couple guys push and a couple block the escape route. I personally hunt the berrybush areas, deer love blackberries. Good Luck, keep hunting. PS> I wouldn't switch around so much, learn a ranch and the game patterns first, you will be more successful.

[Live2hunt]

Mel, fortunately you were lucky and got onto the two most productive A-Zone properties (Clarke and Spring Valley) WU always bragged about. I've been a member since mid 1995 and had not be able to confirm a reservation to Clarke or Spring Valley due to the tight work schedule which will not present me to make a reservation any earlier than a week or two in advance. I've been to Willow Creek twice and saw 5 pigs. Unfortunately last year I saw the five pigs during deer season, and members were not to shoot any pigs in Willow Creek during deer season. Last year I did got a buck from Mosby and one from Spy Rock.

Mudroller, I live in the Bay Area. I've been to several properties up north towards the coast. Most of the big properties are thick timber and are not the type of terrain I like to hunt. I would not go back to Juan Creek, Bailey Ridge, Elk Creek, and Big River. I liked to wander off on foot and away from the roads. Those properties just doesn't provide any foot hunting except walking the roads. I will try some of the B-Zone properties if I can get reservation which I think it will be difficult because of the 10 days wait into the season due to the fact that I hunted the opener of A-Zone. I like the Spy Rock property and I really missed the Covelo East. If I still don't see any legal animal throughout the B-zone season, I might put my membership on Inactive and wait to see if WU could acquire any properties similar to Twin Peaks, Ashurst, and Covelo East.



L2H

[SeaSpearo]

Hi L2H:
Got the reservation for Mike's Peak for next weekend. I am a new WU member since this year, only went out 3 times. Went to the Elk Creek on A Zone's last weekend, really don't like the terrain, timber is too thick and steep. In all my 3 hunts, I did not see any ohter hunter took a game.
From the WU's property report, Mike's Peak seems pretty hot, bear and bucks were taken for past two weekends. Anyone has any information and tips on Mike's Peak?
Check the reservation if you can get on next weekend, and maybe we can hook up. I am in bayarea too(Fremont).
How do you guys avoid the ticks while field dressing the deer? They can pass the lime disease to human. Any spray?

Thanks!

Victor