Try and guess where it was.  (About 3 hours from north Orange county.) Less than 30 feet away.  And about an hour and a half later, maybe less I came across a family group of wild pigs.  At least 2 adults and 3 piglets.  They were almost right alongside a state highway.  I'll give detailed location for the pig hunters out there.



And to mollify those poor noobs that think I am too arrogant.  There is also a possibility that I was carrying at the time I saw the antelope. OK by that time I wasn't carrying but let's say things might not have been quite as stored in the car as the law prefers.  I may not carry 24/7 at home, but when I go out into the more remote areas, I usually upgrade my condition of readiness.

NICE!!! Tejon? Grapevine?

Carizo plains

Lompoc/Santa Maria area

I almost recognize those mountains, but I know I don't.

I am going to guess the fields just below Oak Glen.

oh my it's actually a thread that ISN'T about a CA legal AR or anything!

Carrizo Plains.  First time I've ever taken the family up there.  We've been across the bottom a few times and across 56 a few times at the top but a first for actually traversing it.  Weather will probably be reasonable for about another month and then wait till Fall.  No public water from 133 to 58 although might be some at the visitor center.

That's the first Pronghorn Ma has seen in the wild.

Not especially rugged terrain, but definitely on the remote side.  On the far side for a one day trip from OC especially as we crossed over to 101 and 1 to come home.  going up 5 to 58 and coming out the south end would make it a reasonable day trip.

Saw a family group of wild pigs about 3 miles east of the Salinas River bridge on 58.

As far as I know there are no Pronghorn in Antelope Valley.  Died out.  They apparently wouldn't cross the rr tracks and killed off all the forage, etc.  This herd was reintroduced but is mysteriously shrinking.

Quoted: This herd was reintroduced but is mysteriously shrinking.

Yeah, and I bet it has to do with people who would rather hunt a new animal than follow the rules.

Quoted: Quoted: This herd was reintroduced but is mysteriously shrinking. Yeah, and I bet it has to do with people who would rather hunt a new animal than follow the rules.

It's not hunting, way too big a population drop (90% or so apparently).  They have had hunts in the past for pronghorn and elk.  this year only elk, varmint hunting in most areas is allowed.  In any case, I don't think you could easily get away with poaching on a grand scale or even small scale here.  Way too flat and open.  I also got the impression that they keep an eye on things pretty good.  Lets just say when I went off the main road, I had at least two vehicles check me out.

Mammals:
The CPNM is the only place in California, and indeed the world, where the Tule elk and pronghorn antelope have been reintroduced into historic habitat.  Limited hunts, previously held for both species, are now only available through the lottery process for Tule elk. The pronghorn antelope hunt has been canceled due to a dramatic decrease in numbers within the Monument.

Big game species such as deer, elk, antelope and wild pig, generally have more stable populations, usually changing relatively little from year to year. They can, however, be significantly affected by weather factors. Wild pigs, for instance, can be severely affected by drought, leaving the National Monument boundaries and moving to better available habitat. They can suffer significant reductions in population size, and take quite some time to bounce back when the rains return.

Elk are commonly found west of Soda Lake in the hilly areas of the northwest portion of the CPNM or on the adjacent private land. The Soda Lake San Diego Creek Road (Sprague Hill Road) can be used as a focal point for viewing elk. They are also found on the southwest flank of Caliente Mountain, near and below the cell phone tower and the FAA VORTAC site. These areas also have private lands adjacent to the east.  Please respect private property!  Public lands are accessed (during dry weather) from the Selby camping area via Caliente Ridge Road.

Pronghorn antelope are commonly seen near the Education Center and Painted Rock, by the entrance to the Washburn Administrative complex, near the KCL Campground, and sometimes in the southern portions of the Elkhorn and Carrizo Plains. They are sometimes quite unconcerned, and allow cars to stop relatively close-by without running away, and at other times, the same group will run if a car is seen approaching. The reasons for these different behavior patterns are not known. It is also not clearly known why numbers of pronghorn seem to be diminishing within the Monument.

We might just take another trip up there late next month to check out wildflowers and see if we can spot more elk and pronghorn.