California Wilderness Unlimited members

[CaliCreole]

Do any of you California people belong to Wilderness unlimited? I have a meeting set up with a rep from WU tonight and was wondering if any of you are members there and can offer some incite into the club?

[legends1]

Im not a member anymore.It was fine,i just didnt use it enough.I like to spend time in the woods hunting with my buds and couldnt take them with me as much as i wanted.I hunt with them on public or private ground more.They would have to join and they just cant spend the money these days.

[CaliCreole]

So you cannot bring any friends with you even if you pay a extra fee?

[S.C. Hunter]

It's Ca. There is a sun tax on everything. No body plays for free. Disposal fee for lost arrows, tag fees, license fees, species fees, limit fees, parking fees, question fees, application fees, harvest fees, sales tax fees for the fees. I know I left some fees out but the book is about 19" thick       sorry I couldn't resist. I grew up in the south and if I didn't own the land I just asked the owners and most of the time permission was granted. We paid for a license and we were on our way. I miss America, don't get me wrong the communist state of Ca is a beautiful state. But the people running this prison, I mean state think the people don't have the brains to run their own lives.

[CaliCreole]

I know exactly what you mean SC hunter, when i was a kid My dad and i where able to just a few miles up the road and hunt quail and rabbit. Now its all houses, so I tried to go to a spot that is public land out in the middle of no where I checked with the sheriffs dept and they said no hunting is allowed since it is zoned riverside city limits even though there are no houses for miles. I love California as well but if an opportunity arises to to move to Louisiana, Tennessee or Arkansas I'M GONE!

[Steve H.]

I'd be aware of anybody with the word  "Wilderness" in their name.  No, I haven't check this org out BUT.......

[kung fu kid]

Sadly, I must agree with the posts here.  The State of Kalifornia is super big brother.  The entire county of San Bernardino (it's huge) has lots of open desert land, but target shooting is prohibited just because the entire southern California area is overpopulated.

I envy all the TG members in the mid-west and down south who posts pictures of their favorite hunting spot (practically their back yard).  Here, I would have to drive at least 2 hours just to target shoot a gun, and that may be illegal now.  You can't shoot an arrow even in large public parks (too dangerous, says the law).

I guess I could pack up and move.  Sorry about my ranting and raving.


“All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice; honor; duty; mercy; hope.”        
Winston S Churchill

[CaliCreole]

kung fu kid,
I live in the Inland empire and i know a few spots where you can shoot, shoot me a PM and I will fill you in they are still a couple hour drive for you. As far as my bow goes Im lucky enough to have an archery club near my house so that hasnt been a huge problem for me. But as far as hunting goes, its getting harder and harder every year thats why im thinking of joining a hunting lease

[Bjorn]

We were members of WU for two years and quit a few years ago. If you waterfowl hunt and everything else it is likely a good deal. We hunt pigs and deer for us there were just too many rules. When I pay money I want rules erased not piled on. California is quite OK tree huggers and all. Would not live anywhere else.

[Bivyhunter]

Sounds like you guys need to try NorCal, still have to deal with all of the jacked up laws that the less intelligent Californians have voted in, but at least there is plenty of room to roam and hunt on public land up here...and I've never even seen a snow shovel before.

[wtpops]

If you listen to the sell and you think it is for you then go for it but be perpaired for a pushy, hard sell, they will tell you that you have to decide that night and they wont come back later. My self, i dont go for that kind of thing, if they wont let me think about it then i dont want it.

For me i hunt pigs and was only allowed 2 pigs a year so it would not have paid for me to join.

[kung fu kid]

wtpops,
You are right in the heart of boar hunting.  Do you do your own hunts or use a guide, and on public or private land?

[trad_bowhunter1965]

Don't come to Northeastern California lots of public land but no Traditional Bowhunter I have to drive to Nevada 50 miles away if I want to shoot other Traditional Bowhunter but I am have the best time of my life.

[hvyhitter]

I was marooned in 29 Palms from 93 to 98. West of there is BLM land with nothing and nobody. My friends and I would take our bows and go trashshoot (californians are bad for taking trash, furniture and appliances out and dumping in the desert...it lasts 30 years or more)(no trees so no stumps). We also picked up maps that had all the old gold/copper/silver/uranium mines and would go explore....... some cool old stuff left in the middle of nowhere. I also hunted mulies in the Big Bear area. Get on the fringes away from the roads and there are good numbers of deer,some bears and even mountain lion. Be prepared for emergancies/getting stuck......lots of water,shovels,towrope.....usually had my pistol on my hip too.

[CaliCreole]

Met with a rep last night and i do have to say it seems like it would be nice to have, over 130 ranches. most are in Northern California, I almost signed up but decided to sleep on it (the sales guy was very nice and didn't give me a hard time about it) and after talking to my wife some more I decided this wasn't the right time for me I have a baby on the way and I'm not sure if i would be able to get my full moneys worth out of it this year, plus with most properties being N.Cal I haven't really given public land a fair shot up there and i should probably at least try it first. I'm just frustrated with the hunting situation in California and rather than give it up (like my dad) I just want to find some alternatives and still be able to go out and enjoy myself. Thanks for all your responses everyone.

[KEG]

I looked into joining a couple of years ago. Their rep came to my house and gave me the presentation. I told him that I wanted to check with a friend of mine to see if he was going to join and told the rep I would let him know in a couple of days if I was joining. I also told him I was about 80% sure I would join. He said I needed to sign up that night or I could not join. I thanked him for his time but I would not be pressured. into joining

As for the club, there were not many properties near me (San Diego) and the ones that were were mainly bird hunting.

I think you made the right call.

[moththerlode]

Never had a problem finding a place to hunt here in Calif...I'm surrounded by places to hunt including a Bow or Shotgun only area.. no one deer hunts with a shotgun around here so it's wide open even during the general season.. but then this might as well be two states.. North/South

[arrow flynn]

i was a member for 2 yrs they have some great properties but they have alot of rules and i think they overbook some of the ranches but if you have time and money and can hunt during the week it may work for you

[Thumper Dunker]

Make sure your arrows are condor safe.