Cleveland National Forrest Alpine,CA
Mule Deer
I got to spend some time this past weekend in Alpine, CA (just out side of San Diego)my first trip west of Texas. What beautiful country! and I have a whole new respect to you guys that hunt those mountains after only a few short walks. My question is while I was driving around I saw several deer on the mountain side and to me they looked like black tail but I thought black tail were only farther north in CA. Were they Mulies or blacktails?
Southern Mule Deer, but some show a little blacktail characteristics. You just stumbled upon my local stompin grounds. A little east of Alpine, and a little north. Don't get too excited as the deer you saw were likely mostly on private land. The public land deer hunting around here is dismal at best. But it's here and it's cheap and those who work at it actually kill some deer, just can't be too picky. I'm embarrased to post the buck I killed last year. He defined legal buck language, barely. But he's mine.
This is a San Diego Buck.
Hopefully you got to partake in the area's true gem, the Alpine Brewing Company, home to the best IPAs ever made.
And there are some good deer in SoCal, but they take some tenacity or private land holding to get em. When you do, the info must be guarded to such an extent, that you even have to redact the grass and foot prints around the buck when taking pics.
I move my bucks before taking pics, then trim the bushes behind my pics.
That's a stud of a local buck there Zach. Be proud! What's the story on him, without divulging location obviously.
If you can drive up 395. Some beautiful country this time of year.
SDHNTR(Nate?) We've actually met once or twice, maybe run into you and One Track a few times as well, IIRC. I've since moved away from California.
That buck is a ex-coworkers buck. He hiked in 2 days prior to season(after scouting intensely all summer). Solo DIY hunt. Shot this buck on opening morning. He's got a buddy that shot bigger, but I don't have any of those pics(but I do know where, and saw the buck in person).
Largest buck I've seen in San Diego county in person was down near Lake Barrett, by the youth work camp. That was back during one of the fires, when I worked for MaBell.
Yep thats me! Wish I could still get ol' One Track to hill the local hills with me.
Cool. I sure miss the chili/cheese omelets at Majors.
Good luck out there in A22, I know it ain't easy.
