8 replies to this topic

[Bassinprof]

Hi everyone,I'm new to the forum and a relatively novice hunter as well. I'm taking up quail and pheasant hunting but haven't had any success in my first few trips which were to public lands in Northern California. Am I wasting my time going to public lands instead of the hunting preserves? No offense, but the idea of shooting pen raised planted birds is not my idea of sportsmanship. I'm not against paying to hunt, as long as the birds are wild. Are there any places like that near the Sacramento area? Or better yet, are there any public lands that aren't completely hunted out? Feel free to send me private messages if you don't want your secret spots posted on the internet.p.s. I have a dog, a 6 month old german shorthaired, but he's as inexperienced as me. I'll be getting him professionally trained when he's old enough but in the meantime his trainer says to just let him run around and have fun.Thanks,Jeff

[Jeff]

Hey Jeff! The preserves aren't planted birds. Those are "pay per bird" hunts as I like to call them. The preserves usually have pheasant, but quail hunting usually isn't allowed (and there not there anyway.) I happen to have private access to my quails, but I do a lot of refuge hunting for ducks, you should give it a try for pheasant, you'll probably enjoy yourself.Good luck and welcome aboard!

[bzzrd feedr]

Jeff I've been hunting upland and waterfowl in Nor Cal for 45 years. There are still some quail, grouse and chucker to be had on public ground and on some of the state refuges you can eek out a pheasant once in awhile, but you better have a group of hunters that know the land and some really good labs to get them out of the heavy cover. I used to hunt with labs and pointers but the wild birds won't hold very well for a pointer. The preserves offer some great opportunity for a pointer. The delta has some good wild pheasant hunting but it's all private and costly.

[Bassinprof]

Thanks guys. Can you give me some recommendations for hunting preserves with wild birds near Sacramento? I'm from the Placerville area so nearer to the foothills would actually be best. I found lots of preserves on the web but can't tell if the birds are wild or planted. Jeff

[bzzrd feedr]

Jeff I think the other Jeff is confusing you. I don't about any preserves/with planted birds or pay for birds that will have wild birds. The preserves that plant birds, plant pen raised birds, some are raised in flighted pens where they can exercise by flying a little but they are not wild. Camanchee Hills near Ione is fairly close to you and they plant pheasant, chucker, and bobwhite quail on special order. I hunt there often and it is a nice facility with sporting clays and five stand also with a real great staff. I understand there is another preserve around Rocklin but I've never been, maybe someone with some experience will chime in.

[Jeff]

Yep, sorry about that. I'm saying the same thing as Buzzard, but in a round about way. Reserve/preserve/refuge/private/public/blah/sorry...

[Gunorea]

Here's a place to check out;http://www.quailpoint.com/index.html

[20/20]

they are not wild. Camanchee Hills near Ione is fairly close to you and they plant pheasant, chucker, and bobwhite quail on special order.

Yeah Camanchee Hills is a fun place to shoot sporting clays and some trap but the hunting is purely pen raised... If you have a fast dog they might get more birds than you if you know what I mean. Camanchee does give a good opportunity to shoot though.

[clampdaddy]

My uncles dad was president of the Comanche hills club at one time and I got to hunt there a few times.....take a pair of steel toed boots because after those overweight pen fed birds run more than fifty yards you darn near have to kick 'em to get them to fly.