13 replies to this topic

[staffords]

I hunted Condon peak this morning hoping to get a coyote. I arrived about 530am and headed up the trail from the campground on the westside of the property. Map shows the BLM land extends further west, but there was a barbwire fence along the west side of the trail so I decided to play it safe and not cross over. I walked the fence line for what was probably less than 2 miles. It was a very steep climb! It wasn't easy and I'm young and in shape haha. I was expecting open grassy hills with scattered brush and oak trees, but there were hardly any clearings, its mostly overrun by brush and trees. Approx 645am I found a semi-suitable spot to make my first stand. It was only 20yards from the trail I came in on, positioned facing southeast on a steep mountainside overlooking a small clearing where I hoped to lure the coyote. I called on and off for 20 minutes, then waited an extra 10 min before leaving. Nothing. I backtracked from that spot back towards where I'd started because the terrain was just too steep and there didn't seem to be any other spots visible that weren't completely covered in dense brush. I moved east into the property and made a second attempt to call in a coyote on a grassy hillside I found with only a few oaks scattered around. No sucess. I scouted around a litttle more and then left by 10am. It was already hotter than heck when I got out.

I did see quite a bit of dog poop around (none of it fresh) and also droppings from something I am unfamiliar with: brownish red in color and composed almost entirely of these round nuts that seemed to not have been chewed well. Approximately the same size as the coyote droppings. Other than that I only saw 2 jackrabbits and a bunch of quail. I didn't find a drop of water.

If you're thinking about going there I would pack a 12guage and plan on close up brush-popping. I was carrying my AR15 with a 1-4x scope.

[GSH]

You might want to try Panoche or Tumey Hills area closer and more open. I'm thing of going next week. If you go to Tumey Hills you have to walk in from the road, gate is locked during fire season.

[Shoot-it]

upper an lower cotton wood will be opening up this weekend for deer season .lower is shotgun only and upper is rifle.It will be archery opener so not sure if a person can hunt for coyotes with a firearm.

[modoc squeek shooter]

The nuts in the poop was probably manzinita berrys, coyotes eat them and they don't all digest. Ed

[dangerranger]

Condon Peak is a steep climb for approx 3 miles back to where it opens up. The area mostly holds deer and pigs. the barbwire fence that you rightly didn't cross is patrolled by a Hog hunting ranch. This time of year there's not much back there because of the lack of water. it should still hold coyotes and rabbits. The water source for that area is Clear Creek. From where you parked you would have to walk up over the peak and back down the back side to the creek. If you were successful in taking a deer or pig you would be carrying it back the way you came in. Ive heard of quite a bit of spoiled meat trying to carry it out in the heat. The access where you parked has been long fought over with the pay per hunter hog ranches trying to close the access. Glad to hear you hunted it but try it again in the fall. I hunted that area a lot as a teenager in the late 60s and 70s. Before the cattle ranches gave way to the hunting ranches I could drive back over the peak in a Jeep or Tote Goat. DR

[GSH]

Isn't the Clear Creek Area closed, which Condon Peak is part of, because of asbestes hazard?

[staffords]

Thank you guys for the advice. I thought Panoche/Tumey would be no good as I had heard there are too many people target shooting or doing other things in the area to call coyotes in. It will probably be my next trip but i'm out of the country all next week.

GSH: Let me know how your experience out there goes, or if you don't get a chance to make it out next week and want to go there together the following week I'll be back in town and ready to hunt!

Isn't the Clear Creek Area closed, which Condon Peak is part of, because of asbestes hazard?

Clear Creek Management Area is just north of Condon Peak and from what I understand that property is closed but Condon Peak is open.

[dangerranger]

New Idra which is still farther north was the last asbestos mine in CA. the whole clear creek area has naturally occurring asbestos in the dirt. The area was an open off road area. I read that it was closed to off road travel But I'm not sure if the whole area was closed. Clear Creek even holds a fair number of bears. A lot of the area around Coalinga because of the oil, pipelines,and Oil pumps have been kept closed to any travel since 2001 under the guise of anti terrorism. I wouldn't be surprised if Clear Creek and New Idra were under the same umbrella. DR

[dangerranger]

I Haven't used Panoche or Tummey Hills in probably 15 years But it had a good sized gravel pit for target shooters. Ive never been there when I wasn't the only one there. So unless its really changed it was a great place for rabbits, and coyotes. DR

[tonyd]

I was at Panoche hills last year, didn't see much of anything other then a few rabbits, the area for target shooting is somewhat far out and pretty well shot up, too much regular shooting to do any real hunting. There is a lot of private land around the area, I suspect thats were most of the game is.

[dangerranger]

Tony
Panoche is over 26,000 acres! The gravel pit is only in a small corner . The trouble this time of year is that its closed to anything but foot travel. and Its not well marked at its boundarys. But it holds good numbers of rabbits and quail. Right next to it is Tummey hills. Its another 36,000 Acres of open hunting area. most drive right passed without even knowing its there. DR

[GSH]

On my latest map Panoche has over half of the area marked no motorized access, Wilderness study area.

[dangerranger]

GSH, During fire season Both are mostly closed to Motor vehicles. Panoches Main roads are open but the smaller feeder roads are gated. Walking or a Mountian bike will get you to alot of good hunting areas. I mostly use the Bass Lake Shooting Range now and I can tell you by experience, The local animals get used to the noise and mostly ignore it. Ive seen more than one deer wander out on to the range! DR

[MikeinFresno]

Im a dirt bike rider as well as a hunter. The Clear Creek area is still closed to even foot traffic except omn the main dirt road which is county property. The EIS is supposed to come out before too long and it is rumored to be closed to most vehicle traffic and open to foot traffic in the future. Time will tell.