California Turkey Hunters

[BigGobbler]

How many of you guys hunt California? Can a person get a decent turkey hunt on public land?

[TRKYHTR]

Not much public land in CA but there is a couple. Spenceville WMA is probably the best. It doesn't open to the public until the second Monday of the season. There is also turkeys at Dougherty Hill WMA  but it has the same regulations as Spenceville. The only other one worth looking into is Cache Creek. It has some pretty good turkey POP in certain areas. There is some public land around some of the lakes. You have to know where the borders are or you can get into trouble. Good lcuk and let me know if I can help.

Joe

[RutnNStrutn]

The only other one worth looking into is Cache Creek.

I hunted Cali this spring, and went to Cache Creek on Joe's recommendation. The weather was absolutely awful, but when it finally broke to some good weather, the birds started gobbling and I was able to take a gobbler. It was hard hunting, and a lot of people, but if you have your game down, there are birds to take. Good luck!!!

[land cruiser]

Alas,  public land hunting in CA is also known as armed hiking

[mudhen]

I kill a few on public in Cali, but it's pretty tough in general....

mudhen

[BigGobbler]

Trying to put together a turkey hunt with a trip to disneyland this spring. I could care less about the disneyland part but the wife has been wanting to go to disneyland so i thought what better time to go than in the spring. lol Anyone want to go hunting with me while the ladys and the kids go to disneyland? Is it best to hunt the first of the season or the end? Are the turkeys still gobbling good at the end of the season with less newbs running around the woods?

[NorCal77]

The areas mentioned are 8-10 hours drive time away from Disneyland.  There are birds in the Los Padres National Forrest that is a couple hours from Anaheim.  However they are very hard to find.  I spent a couple days and a full tank of gas last year while the family was at Pismo Beach trying to find them.  Came accross a couple sets of tracks in mud puddles but never saw or heard a bird.  There are a ton of turkeys on private land in Santa Barbera County but the outfitters get $450-$850/day.  Not trying to discourage you.  California is loaded with turkeys, just not in the area you will be.

[Lumpy]

National forest and blm, actually shot my biggest Cali bird on a small chunk of BLM!
Wildlife areas get hit pretty hard!
God Bless