15 replies to this topic

[stevenseq]

Hello all,Does anyone know of any good areas for cottontail in the San Joaquin County or Northern California area? I'm new to rabbit hunting and I'm looking to go sometime in the next month before the season closes. I was considering New Hogan Lake or Feather River Wildlife Area. When I was researching public places to go on Jesse's Hunting and Outdoors, it said that Feather River Wildlife Area has an abundance of cottontails.Anyone have any suggestions on a good place to go, particularly in the San Joaquin County area?Thanks for the help!-Steve

[ShooterJohn]

You only have till the last weekend in January to take cottontails so you'll need to get going on them. Be careful where you hunt down that way as there is an area where you are wanting to hunt that is off limits in the regulations. Good luck...

( d ) The take of brush and cottontail rabbits is prohibited within the area described as follows: That portion of San Joaquin County generally located between Stockton and Tracy that is enclosed by the following lines: Beginning at the intersection of Stewart Road and Interstate 5; west along Stewart road to the intersection of Stewart Road and Old River; southwest along Old River to the intersection of Old River and Tom Paine Slough; south along Tom Paine Slough to the intersection of Tom Paine Slough and Sugar Cut; south along Sugar Cut to the intersection of Sugar Cut and Interstate 205; east along Interstate 205 to the intersection of Interstate 205 and Interstate 5; north along Interstate 5 to the intersection of Interstate 5 and Stewart Road.

[stevenseq]

Good to know. I'll be heading out probably mid-January so we'll see how things go.

[hunting guy]

I've hunted that general area for ducks and it is crawling with cottontails. Nearly stepped on one holed up in the grass.

[stevenseq]

Excellent! That's just what I wanted to hear! I'll have to consult google maps and see which area is still open. I figured that there would be some cottontails in the area, as well as Jacks. My sister used to live on a 12 acre ranch in Valley Springs and I used to see the cottontails bolting around as I would drive down the road to her place. Unfortunately, I never got around to harvesting any. Harvested plenty of quail, duck, and geese, though!

[hunting guy]

I was hunting in the Mendota Wildlife area. You should check it out. I don't know if cottontail season is open there, but it is a beautiful place with excellent hunting opportunities and an abundance of cottontails. One of my favorite places to hunt in the waterfowl season, though it is sometimes crowded. You can easily find a secluded spot, though, as it is a large area- 11,000 acres. Hope this helps ya!

[ShooterJohn]

Hey Steve just so you know both the Feather River Wildlife area and Mendota Wildlife area are shotgun only areas too. I believe they both have a closure period too but I think it's the end of January to around October.

[stevenseq]

I was hunting in the Mendota Wildlife area. You should check it out. I don't know if cottontail season is open there, but it is a beautiful place with excellent hunting opportunities and an abundance of cottontails. One of my favorite places to hunt in the waterfowl season, though it is sometimes crowded. You can easily find a secluded spot, though, as it is a large area- 11,000 acres. Hope this helps ya!

I'll have to check this place out as well. Any idea on wether or not the season there closes before January 30th?

[stevenseq]

I've hunted that general area for ducks and it is crawling with cottontails. Nearly stepped on one holed up in the grass.

Would that have been at New Hogan Lake, or Feather River WA? I'll travel but of course I'd like to go some place local...

[hunting guy]

I myself actually hunt in Mendota wildlife area itself, and, as I said, it is great for waterfowl and cottontails. Hopes this helps.

[ShooterJohn]

Must be a long drive from your home in Colidge, AZ to Mendota Wildlife Area. I'm not saying you haven't hunted there but what I am saying is I've read the regulations for the area and they have very strict rules on when you can hunt there, for what and what with.Here is the season for cottontails in California.

§308. Brush, Cottontail and Pigmy Rabbits, and Varying Hare (Snowshoe).( a ) General Season and Area: The general season shall open on July 1 extending through the last Sunday in January, and shall be open statewide except for that area described in ( d ) below.

But there are restrictions on hunting at Mendota and here they are.

Hunters and anglers will also find opportunities at Mendota. Game species include ducks, geese, snipes, coots, doves, pheasants, cottontail rabbits, black tailed hares and raccoons. The 600 acres that make up the Fresno Slough offer the angler a chance to catch crappie, catfish, bluegill, carp, and black and striped bass. Of course, all Fish and Game codes and regulations apply. Hunters should note that the use of firearms is limited to shotguns only. The area is open 24 hours a day for all recreational use from the close of waterfowl season in January to Sept. 16, though one portion of the area is closed to dog training during nesting season from April 1 to June 30. The area is open to fishing 24 hours a day, but only by boat during the waterfowl-hunting season.

So you can see it is shotgun only and the area is closed a portion of the cottontail season as it doesn't open until Sept. 16.That's all but I want to be sure our members know what the law is regarding hunting there. Not everyone reads the regulations fully for these special areas.

[stevenseq]

Anyone have anything to say about New Melones in regards to cottontail? Good idea or bad idea?

[hunting guy]

I don's get out to California as much as I'd like to nowadays.

[hunting guy]

I like to take trips to go skiing up in the mountains of California, nothing can beat Mammoth mountain. I like to stop by my favorite hunting places while I'm there, though I can't go to Mendota all the time as it closes. I also have an unlce who shows me some spots he hunts as he lives up in that area. I generally make three to five trips to California a year for hunting/skiing/fishing. I also used to live ther when I was younger. And, of course, my weapon of choice for rabbits and waterfowl is the shotgun, almost exclusively in the case of the rabbits. And, by the way, you're right Shooter John. It is a long drive.

[littlejoe]

You would think the islands west of Stockton would be pretty good, dont know how much public ground there is but gotta be some, Check Varmint Al's he may have some info.