Well, last weekend was the California opener for archery deer on the coastal A zone. My wife and I went to my friend's vineyard Sunday morning. We got some action but no shots good enough to take. Four deer and a red fox. This is new property for us so we filed all we saw for a revamped plan for this weekend. Hopefully one of us will connect.
I'll see if I can remember to take some pictures next time to show you all the property. Classic California blacktail habitat. If it's not uphill it's downhill and the only flat spots are the creek bottom and the parking spots in front of the house. Deer, pig, turkey all call this area home along with black bear, mountain lion, coyotes, fox, and bobcat. And lots of rattlesnakes.

Would love to see some pics...sounds like a beautiful place.  Good luck to you and your wife this weekend.  Hunt safe.

Man, I grew up in that classic blacktail and didn't bowhunt back then!  Did you see any pigs?

I was out on our club's Sonoma County vineyard ranch lease west of Healdsburg about 20 miles down Skaggs Spring Rd. Set up for a huge 5X5 I scouted with a couple of smaller bucks in late May after finding his sheds and seeing the same group in early April. Chased around a herd of 10 or so pigs in the area each time too but no presentable shots. So I set my brother up in the honey hole and put myself where I thought I'd have a chance at either for the opener. My Bro got a couple of shots but missed a sow and then a smaller boar. Not a buck in sight Friday through Monday:( But I couldn't have asked for better conditions, a new moon and heavy morning fog to keep the game moving later. I'll be back  (as our Guvenator says) in a couple of weeks. Good luck.

Hey Arc!
We must be almost neighbors! I was hunting out Chemise Road West of Dry Creek and South of Skaggs Springs Road and Lake Sonoma. 100 acres with 30 or so in vineyard. Above the fog line but with a nice breeze keeping the heat down a bit. No pig sitings; two bucks, a doe, and a fawn by my wife and I and three does by the owner. And that fox trotting along was pretty cool. No shots worth taking. We'll be back Friday night or Saturday morning and set up at the base of the drainage that splits the vineyard. They have to pass that to get to the spring below for water.
You wouldn't happen to be TAC or SCB member would you? Or happen to go to the Rancho Neblina 3D shoots?

Man you guys just brought back a rush of memories for me.I was born in Petaluma and raised in Cotati.Hunting in the California summer...hot,dry and rattlesnakes  :eek:  .Long time ago...good luck you guys and gals.

Hi Toby, Well, not quite neighbors as I am out of Lafayette in the East Bay but the Hedgepeth Ranch where I hunt coastal is our closest A zone lease for me and the Dry Creek area has a special attraction to me for all the obvious reasons.

I haven't joined TAC and have two local clubs with ranges at Briones Park in Orinda and Mount Diablo so we have lots or great shooting on this side of the Bay. I saw the flyer on the Rancho Neblina shoot for '06. That would be something I'd like to attend this year.

Paul, you are in the land of plenty there in the Plains. Must have been some allure to draw you away from CA. Good hunting to you as well!

Hi Arc,
I was "drawn" away from California about 35 years ago by the Navy...then just kinda got sidetracked.
Yep,out here in the middle of the midwest it is a "land of plenty" for hunting and a lot less crowded with people too.

Memories galore!!! I worked for Elmer Hannen wrangling horses at the Russian River in Gourneville in the 60's, Stayed with my sister and her husband in Cotati,( Rohnert Park ), Hunted the Napa valley (Valley of the moon). I sure miss Calif, but my sis says I would not like it anymore, 35 yr. abscence. Biff

A22 is a split season Sep-Oct and Nov-Dec (not the whole month d-12 Oct-06-28. mix in Dove,Quail and Pheasent and I'll be hunting From 1Sep-31Dec then off to AZ for Javelina in Jan.

Hey Biff,
It was Cotati long before they surrounded it with Rohnert Park.I used to pheasant hunt where all those houses are now.Too danged crowded for this "native son"...

Hey, if any of you NoCal tradgangers need help dragging or want some company to shoot some time give me a shout, I'm in Livermore and a resident as of last week.

Tim