[pct-l] Hunting near the PCT in northern California?

[dsaufley]

LOL! No, no banjos . . . just the sound of quads everywhere.  Gave me an
even deeper appreciation for the roadlessness and lack of firearms from
Kennedy Meadows to Tuolumne.  Thanks for the insights. I don't have a clue
about hunting culture, never having had much exposure to it. I strongly
suspect that hunters (of all types) laugh about people like me.  My best to
you and Helen.

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Bill Burge
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 2:23 PM
To: PCT mail box
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Hunting near the PCT in northern California?


As someone who's done a little hunting and hung around some hunters  
and some "hunters", I know it didn't seem like it at the time - but  
this is the kind of guy you want.

He meant it.  He was thoughtful and careful about what he was doing.   
Whether or not you knew he was there, he knew you were there and was  
going to be quiet and careful.

The scary ones are the "hunters" - people who think hunting season is  
a chance to get away from things and walk around in the middle of  
nowhere with a beer and a gun.  THEY have no clue you are there and  
will shoot at anything that rustles the bushes.

I have sat, with full camos, in a bush and watched three people  
("hunters") walking by talking their heads off within 10 feet of me.   
They never knew I was there.  A friend of mine was standing next to a  
tree (full camo) and about 20 feet away from him was a deer! and both  
of them stood stone still and watched three drinking "hunters" walk by  
within chatting distance.  After they had passed, my friend turned to  
the deer (not of huntable age/size) and said directly to it "That was  
pretty funny huh?" and the deer turned towards him and looked like it  
was gonna have a heart attack!  As it bolted into the brush, he  
thought it might have been funny (though hard to explain to a ranger)  
how he took game by cardiac arrest!  :-D

On the other side of the discussion, Helen asked me to ask you if you  
heard banjos...  (movie reference ;-)

BillB


On Aug 26, 2009, at 11:01 AM, dsaufley wrote:

> One of the scariest things I've encountered on any of my hikes just  
> happened
> north of Sierra Buttes, not far from Quincy/LaPorte Road.  Buckwheat  
> and I
> were camped on a saddle, not far from a jeep road. Early in the  
> morning, as
> I was sitting on a log having my tea, I saw a figure moving on the  
> road,
> between the trees. He moved very stealthily, and had something on  
> his feet
> that eliminated the sound of his footfall.  As he got closer, I  
> could see
> that he was dressed in camouflage from head to toe.  His entire face  
> was
> obscured by black netting, though I could see that he had a full  
> beard.  In
> his left arm he carried a huge crossbow.  When I asked him if it was  
> bow
> hunting season, he merely nodded and continued down the road  
> silently.  The
> funny thing is, Buckwheat thought I was talking to her, and answered  
> me back
> saying she wasn't sure, so we two started a noisy chat on the topic  
> that I'm
> sure Mr. Bowhunter wasn't at all happy about.
>
> Though I'm sure he is just a regular guy, his dress, armament, and  
> stealthy
> silence were as eerie and frightening as anything I've ever seen,  
> and I
> don't think I've ever felt quite so vulnerable on the trail.
>
> L-Rod
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net 
> ]
> On Behalf Of Meridith Rosendahl
> Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 8:04 AM
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Hunting near the PCT in northern California?
>
> In the area north of Belden to approximately Burney the deer hunting
> season begins with Archery season early in September.  Rifle season
> begins about September 19 and continues for 2 weeks into October.   
> Then
> the season moves north.  Other hunting areas in California have
> different dates.  Bear season dates may overlap or be different.
> Husband isn't hunting this year so he isn't sure of the dates and a
> quick search online didn't come up with the dates.  To be safe, hikers
> should assume hunting season begins early in September and continues
> through the hiking season.  Hunters will likely hunt anywhere  
> there's a
> forest road or a logging road and if the trail passes nearby ....
>
> Piper's Mom
>
>>
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