5 replies to this topic

[Davo]

Went to LPNF today. Long story short; shot 1 jack, 2 quail, saw a bobcat road kill, and found some weird battlefield. Seriously a battlefield. Let me know if you've seen this battlefield and why its built in the National Forest. It was not in private land; there were no fences; and it looked like a set for a b war movie.Long Story,Shot the jack by a river within a minute of hunting at around 9 am.http://i175.photobuc.../JackRabbit.jpgAlmost shot another one a 20 minutes later on the other side of the small river, but it flushed too far away.Then drove to a small creek along a hill where we shot some quail and cottontail a month ago. The small creek that I found was dried up now and we didn't find any quail or cottontail. So we checked out another canyon and wash up the street, but didn't flush any animals out. We did see lots of rabbit pellets in the dried up wash, but nothing came out and it was about 11 to noon. Took a quick lunch at a campground and went to some bunkers and trenches I found last time. Turns out this actually a battlefield about the size of a large football field. Looks like there are two sides to it, with bunkers on both sides facing each other, lots of trenches, and foxholes. Gotta see the pics to believe it.http://i175.photobuc...zonetopview.jpghttp://i175.photobuc...11/warzone5.jpghttp://i175.photobuc...1/warzone16.jpghttp://i175.photobuc...1/warzone12.jpghttp://i175.photobuc...11/warzone3.jpgAfter checking out the area we started hunting again around the area. Flushed 2 cottontail rabbits, but they were too far out. Then as I was walking along the hill, I stopped to look at some tracks on the ground carrying the gun with my sling. As I got up, a covey of 2 to 3 dozen flew around the hill. First big covey I've flushed, and I just stood there with my shotgun behind my back. I yell at my friends to rush over since 1 was about 30 yards away and the other 60 yards away. I wait for them to come so we can flush them together. We decided to go up the hill and flush them down, but when we did that, there wasn't a single quail left. I should have ran after them to see where birds went. They could have landed and gone up the hill, or went around the hill and landed in the field. So went back up the hill and worked all the sides of this big hill for 30 minutes. Eventually we flushed 2 birds, but we never found that large covey even after an hour of going up and down the hill.http://i175.photobuc.../Quailboth2.jpgCalled it a day around 4 after patterning our shotguns by the battlefield. We wanted to check out our coyote choke and loads.As we're driving back home we saw this bobcat roadkill. Looked about 18lbs, not too big. But, now I know there are bobcats in the area! Planning on going back for some predator hunting!http://i175.photobuc...2011/Bobcat.jpgI have a question for the quail hunters. I thought quail were supposed to be close to a water source? The first large covey I found were pretty far from the small streams I was hunting in earlier in the day. Did they already go to water in the morning and fly back about a couple miles back to this area? Or are they just in fields and hills during this time of year, since it rained a couple weeks back? What type of terrain have you been finding them and does it matter about the time of day?Thanks,Davo

[Trojans]

I have seen them do a WWII recreation off of Lockwood Valley Road. They have a Axis camp and an Allied camp. Where did you see this?

[Davo]

Hey Trojan,Yes, it was off of Lockwood Road, just found it looking for new places to hunt. Looked on google maps and saw how big it was and then went back this time to take pictures. Lots of fake grenades on the ground.It would be the perfect paintball field except, that would make the area a mess. Are people or companies allowed to just build stuff on public land and not restore it back?Fellow Trojan,Davo

[turkeyman85]

it could have been a real millitary training area. I know up by fort hunter ligget they do excercises on the national forest and they do it down here in cleavland national too.

[Trojans]

I don't know the details but the mock battles they put on are serious business to those guys. Keep scouting that area there are some gems there. Have you been to camp Scheideck and the Reyes Bar and grill? If not, go! the bar is a real throwback and the proprietors Oli and Tony are good people. Fight On! DavoTrojans

[Davo]

Hey Trojan,Yeah, I go to camp Scheideck whenever I need cellphone reception in that area. I've backpacked at Upper Reyes campground, and camped at Reyes campground. Never went to the bar & grill, always wondered if they had any customers. I assumed it was all just local farmers would know about that place. Every time I hunt around there, I check out another dirt road or canyon and have lucked out by finding something. Also, its not too crowded, just a few quail hunters here and there.Going back again this week to try for predators and more small game.Davo