All right, I bought my license a few months back and got my D7 tag out of habit. But really I didn't figure I'd get a chance to hunt here in CA much if at all. Tomorrow is opening weekend but I discounted it completely because the only person I hunt with is my stepfather and he won't go opening weekend.

Imagine my excitement when a buddy I met through my uncle invited me to go wtih him, his son and grandson!!! These guys are AVID hunters, he hunts all over CA and other states, has many many trophies of various american animals. bow, rifle, he'd probably use a slingshot if there was a season.

Fortunately I had already been getting ready for my trip to Utah end of October, so my 06 has been taken out, the new scope sighted in, and the superformance 165's chrono'd and shot for group (doing pretty good at 100yds, and yeah, they're doing 2970 IIRC out of a 22" barrel!!!!). And I was smart so bought the load with the CA non-lead legal bullets.

only thing i didn't have ready was a day pack, I usually don't carry one, even though it is a good idea. my buddy said bring one if I had one, since I was gonna get one for Utah anyways (was looking at the camelbak hawg) I ran to local Big 5, gotta love their deals. they had one camelbak in a size that would work, i left with it cheaper than their list price and about what I could find it for online, can't beat that.

good luck to anybody else hunting tomrorow, please wish me luck too, I'm gonna take a shower and hit the sack to get up at 330.

Red

Good luck. I used to hunt D-5 over by Placerville when I was stationed out that way in the Navy. Hunted to "A" zone too. I took my share of blacktails but I had to work for each and every one of them.

Hogs were a different story. Had a buddy in Napa that had a lot of contacts on the vinyards. We shot a lot of pigs on various wine producing properties.

Red,
Give us a hunt report when you get back. I took a small fork a week ago and am now on the last week of the A zone season which is usually the best although I am not seeing many deer on my place but hope springs eternal when the rut is coming .
Russ

Down here in D8 I have seen a very nice buck for this part of the world twice on a ranch of ours bedding in the same area both times. We open next weekend, I'll post if any success.

Nothing opening day, in fact for all the shooting we heard we didn't see anybody that had one and only talked to one person who said their group got one. Worked from first light to last light with a small break for lunch. flushed three does and would have had a great shot if it hadn't just been a spike.

But it was a good time, first time hunting with this friend and the other guys, they were good guys all around and I had a blast. Got to test my new pack before Utah, discovered that being big (6' 260ish) around the shoulders isn't good, the straps where they bite in are at the narrow part which makes for discomfort. But it'll work, got a great suggestion to get those fleece/lamb pads for seat belts.

Time is short and although i have vacation days i don't think with things at the office I can take time off during week, but I'm HOPING for a day or two more up there trying.

Good luck to everybody else!!

Red

Filled my second tag yesterday evening. Nothing special but a little too good to pass up (a bird in the hand and all that). At least I don't have to keep getting up at 0 dark thirty anymore and the freezer is full.
Saw a really nice 3 point just below our neighbor's yesterday afternoon.