The Nor Cal Region Abounds in Hunting Opportunities
Blessed with a huge variety of habitats, Lassen County is the premier destination for game hunting in the Northern California region. Hunters are awarded tags during the fall season for blacktailed deer and pronghorn antelope, which thrive in Northeastern California on BLM or Forest Service land. A large population of upland game such as pheasant, valley quail, chukar, and morning dove are also in abundance.
Ash Creek Wildlife Area boasts more than 13,000 acres of marshland and open field that support a number of waterfowl such as Canadian geese. Duck shooting opportunities are also plentiful in the Willow Creek Wildlife Area, a 2,700-acre range adjacent to Honey Lake off Hwy. 395.
Other good areas to hunt include the BLM-administered 62,010-acre Skedaddle Mountain Wilderness Area, near the Nevada border, as well as Fort Sage Mountain, running across the state borders in western Washoe County, Nevada and eastern Lassen County.
Plumas County ranks high in the state for California black bear harvests. In addition, a rich diversity of other animals including deer, quail, Sierra grouse, chukar, jackrabbit and squirrel are found throughout the county. Waterfowl hunters will find duck and geese at the north end of Lake Almanor near the town of Chester, as well as Lake Davis, Antelope Lake, and near Round Valley Reservoir. Sportsmen should check their Department of Fish and Game booklets for the boundaries of these zones and for season opening dates. Hunting expeditions can also be fulfilled in the 1,732-acre Croker Meadows Wildlife Area with the proper permit.
Shasta County is home to fertile foothills, woodlands, and sprawling pastures. Shasta is the number one producer of wild turkey in the state, with a lot of excellent hunting on BLM and National Forest lands. Anselmo Vineyards, a few miles west of the town of Shingletown, covers 2,600 acres of natural reserve where hunting expeditions for deer, waterfowl, turkey, pig, and upland game is available in the nearby rolling hills. Other areas of the county are ideal for hunting black bear and other game animals.
The Shasta Valley Wildlife Area in Siskiyou County permits authorized hunting for waterfowl, snipe, coots, moorhens, pheasants, quail, and doves. Other animals in this specific wildlife area are NOT permitted to hunt. Other regions of Siskiyou County, however, consists of large hunting territories and varied terrain, including lush forests, grassy flatland valleys, and high mountain wilderness, and is home to a wide variety of huntable game, including black bear, Columbian blacktail deer (found mainly on the west side of Siskiyou County), Roosevelt elk, and antelope. Upland game species include Rio Grande wild turkey, California mountain quail, grouse and pheasant, and boasts unparalleled duck hunting in the eastern part of Siskiyou. Tule Lake/Lower Klamath are both traditional hot spots for Canadian geese.
Tehama County hunting in designated areas is permitted for all legal species such as deer, quail and wild turkey, except for wild pig, which may only be taken in season with a special permit. The Tehama Wildlife Area features 46,862 acres of oak woodland, grassland, chaparral, and rugged canyons, and is a popular hunting destination. Tehama is located off Hwy 36 east of Red Bluff near Paynes Creek. Also, check out the Plum Creek Area for more hunting opportunities.
For those interested in hunting in Butte County, the 11,869-acre Oroville Wildlife Area is a woodland habitat along the Feather River, allowing upland game hunting in the grasslands of Thermalito Afterbay during open season for all legal species, and during the spring season when turkey only may be taken. Rifles and pistols are prohibited in the Oroville Wildlife Area at all times except for archery equipment. Other game species include deer, dove, quail, squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, and waterfowl. Butte Valley offers unmatched duck hunting during season.
The Upper Butte Basin provides opportunities for hunters to cull deer, rabbit, waterfowl, and other small birds like moorhen and snipe using firearms.
Additional hunting grounds can be found using professional guide services that are familiar with hunting opportunities in the various counties.
Chris Gallagher of Diamond Mountain Outfitters at (530) 249-0966, provides several hunting packages. They have the experience and expertise to help individuals or small groups experience a quality hunt.
Jeff Cagle and Kenny Fowler of Honey Lake Firearms in Susanville; (530) 310-3900, offer attractive hunting opportunities on thousands of exclusive leased acres located in highly populated duck and goose fields and waterways.
Jim Brown and Howard Hanlon operate Hunting Buddies Hunting Co., (530) 251-7623, a hunting club in Litchfield, providing hunting services for those looking to bag pheasant and chukar. The guides make use of 191 acres in a private setting located in grassland and brush cover near the confluence of the Susan River and Willow Creek.
Check out the California Department of Fish and Game website at: www.wildlife.ca.gov to find seasonal dates for hunting in various zones throughout Northern California counties, as well as detailed information on license fees, permits, regulations, harvest limits, and tag reporting requirements. The department has a complex lottery system of selling a quota of tags based on various animal populations in each hunting zone. Hunters can also hunt on private lands with the permission of the landowner, but a hunting license is still required and all regulations must be observed. Hunting is not permitted within Lassen Volcanic National Park.
PLACE IN BOX:
Additional Hunting Guides:
EB Guide Services (530) 249-3825
Family Outings Guide Services (530 249-4979
Bob Johnson’s Guide Services (530) 283-9174
Family Outings Guide Service (530) 249-4979
Quail Lodge (530) 284-0861
Skip-n-Hounds Guide Service (530) 249-3361
