I’ve read a few posts already but a question. I’m hunting in CA and have a little lake picked out to hunt out of. I’ve seen tracks around the lake but I know there are also a few springs around the area. When I say “around” I mean within 1/2 mile or so and I have seen tracks in the area too.

My plan was to use the lake as a base camp for a few nights. Since I see tracks and I know this is a watering hole should I stay away from the lake and camp up the mountain away from the lake and glass the lake early and late? The springs do have some tree cover so it would be hard to watch them from a distance.

Thought??

Prohibitions for camping at a lake. Besides, why scare game away...use springs as a water source.

Any high ground within range with cover would be ideal.

If water sources are limited it is best to camp at least 100 yards from the water.


mike r

Elk country is full of hunters that camp right where elk have fed or watered. Some even close to bedding areas.Those are usually part of the 80% that never kill an elk and make it harder for those that do.

Uhh, I think that is 90%.....

Probably so. I was being generous.

I was not born in CA, but did lived and hunted there for about 20 years (before I moved away). It is my experience that those tracks around the lake that you see are probably being made at night. You will not likely see a mature California Mulie or Blacktail buck going down to a lake for a drink during daylight hours. Just my experience.

Nothing's changed, and your experience says it well.

Also, people tend to camp in low lying areas where it's colder and damper, like next to a stream or lake. Those are some of the poorest choices for camping spots in cooler weather.

I’ve been hunting mulies for over 60 years. Maybe it’s just luck but I don’t recall ever having seen a buck watering in daylight, at least not in the open. Maybe they’d drink from small streams in cover.

^^^ This is good advice. ^^^

Best to camp some place where you can glass and not scare game away. Place your camp where it's secluded and near your glassing spot.

I haven't seen animals at water sources during the day. I concentrate on travel corridors to/from water. Specially in the late afternoon when it's warm and dry. Arrive at your glassing spot at dawn. Take a nap in the middle of the day, just like the animals. Then start glassing again in the afternoon.

Great post OP. Enjoying the responses.

Solid plan right there

You have found a good hunting area. Do not ruin it by camping in it. Unless you don't want to hunt there.

This was an archery hunted mule deer. Very secluded wilderness, so undisturbed and unhunted deer. Came to water at 2pm.



I try to find places other hunters don't go, where deer can act naturally.

Or camping where the rocks are cooking you in the warm weather. Learned about cool and damp and hot and miserable the hard way. Wayyy wayyy too much cool and damp honestly.


This might not be perfect if hunting this area, however, it was a cozy overnight.