EISPIRATEN

Up above Cogswell Dam on Saturday, I ran across a couple bow hunters who informed me that it was the first day of bow hunting season. Does anybody know how long it runs or when it transitions into firearms and so on?

Bow hunting season starts 2-3 weeks before gun hunting is allowed. The gun season is pretty short around here (maybe two months), but bow hunting lasts through the end of the year.

Hunting is also done by 'zones', and each zone has different start/end dates sequential or overlapping). I believe So Cal has a few zones, with the earliest opening ones being farthest to the north (such as the San Gabriel Mtns/San Berdoo Mtns). Check the State Dept of Fish and Game's website for exact dates and details.

If I'm interpreting this correctly, the General Season in most of the ANF (Zone D11) and the LPNF (Zone D13) runs from Oct. 10 to Nov. 8.

Zone Map
https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Portals/0/I ... ne-Map.gif

Season by Zone
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx ... 577&inline

Good to know. Wish I could find a good wide brimmed blaze orange hiking hat.

HJ

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑Good to know. Wish I could find a good wide brimmed blaze orange hiking hat.

HJ

I'm not sure who came up with the idea of using orange for something as important as avoiding being shot at, but it was a horrible decision. Orange is bright to 90% of the male population, but to the other 10% who have some form of colorblindness it blends with green rather well. So, statistically speaking, 10% of the hunters out there are unlikely to notice the orange hat/vest. I suppose that's why safety vests have largely moved to bright lime green or yellow instead of orange.

Wish I could find a good wide brimmed blaze orange hiking hat.

Can't help you there Jimbo, but I do have this. PM me if you're interested in taking it out on the trails sometime later this month.

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑Good to know. Wish I could find a good wide brimmed blaze orange hiking hat.

Reminds of a time when I was browsing in a backpacking store. A man walked in and loudly said he was looking for a green pack, for hunting season. A salesperson politely said 'No, you want an orange pack for hunting season.' The answer: 'No! I had an orange pack last year, and they shot at me!'

Spent Saturday night(to get away from Halloweeners) up at Guffy. Unfortunately, the campground was overrun with hunters, but was still able to enjoy being there. Was cool but not cold at night, but the wind blew like crazy at times.

I was on my way to Ross Mtn via Baden-Powell on Saturday and saw a whole bunch of hunters, a few were wandering around the Vincent Gap TH in the morning with their rifles proudly on show. After 6 years in the Army I still get anxious when I see people I don't know strolling along the hiking trails with weapons. Maybe they should be more discreet or just hunt up North where there is plenty of game.

Phil

PS that aside it was a beautiful day to Hike Ross.