Hunting with Fog in CA

My go to hunt area here in southern CA has been socked in fog nearly every morning I have been able to get out.
I know where the heavily used bedding areas are for the does. This area also holds good bucks but until the rut they go unseen.
With approximately 10 days left in the deer season and the rut coming into play. I'm curious to know how others would approach this as to not waist valuable time in the field.

Option #1 Hike into my glassing knob before first light and try to wait the fog out as I have done previously. Some days the fog doesn't burn off until after 10-11am, sometimes 2pm. Missing the entire morning hours to spot and stalk hunt the area.

Option #2 Hike into the lower outskirts of the bedding areas at first light. Playing the wind and still hunting from the edges in the fog. Visibility should be 100-150yds. If the bucks are pushing does my thought is I might be able to catch them moving and use the fog and wind to my advantage to make a stalk and/or take a shot from where I am.

Option #3 Skip the morning hunt all together. Hike into my glassing knob midday and spot n stalk hunt the afternoon into the evening.

I would scratch option #1 and from what you are saying I wouldn't consider it a option. No sense in getting up well before daylight just to look at fog for hours.
If I knew the area I would definitely go with option #2 and if it didn't work you could possibly fall back to option #3 that same day or the next outing.
Good luck and hope you get er done in the last 10 days.

birddog 68 said:

I would scratch option #1 and from what you are saying I wouldn't consider it a option. No sense in getting up well before daylight just to look at fog for hours.
If I knew the area I would definitely go with option #2 and if it didn't work you could possibly fall back to option #3 that same day or the next outing.
Good luck and hope you get er done in the last 10 days.

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Agree with this as well

Option #1 is only an option because its an hour drive from my house and the weather at home differs from the trail head. I have also found that my weather apps on my phone do not reflect the conditions accurately once I've hiked the 3 miles from the trailhead.
I do know the area well and playing the wind is not a problem.
I guess I'm looking for some reassurance on option #2 with the limited amount of time left in the season.

T&Es_Dad said:

Option #1 is only an option because its an hour drive from my house and the weather at home differs from the trail head. I have also found that my weather apps on my phone do not reflect the conditions accurately once I've hiked the 3 miles from the trailhead.
I do know the area well and playing the wind is not a problem.
I guess I'm looking for some reassurance on option #2 with the limited amount of time left in the season.

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I thought SoCal was on fire with 3 arson fires or something. I hate to ask, but you're sure it's not smoke…?

dfanonymous said:

I thought SoCal was on fire with 3 arson fires or something. I hate to ask, but you're sure it's not smoke…?

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It doesn't smell like smoke and it tends to be pretty wet. I'm not as far south as those fires

Option #2, sounds like you have it figured out already. If you have a good idea of where the deer are and know the area, you should be just fine with #2

I pulled a D14 tag this year and now half of it is on fire , just can't win.

Just to echo the previous posters, options 2 & 3 combined sound like the most productive choice. With 10 days left (9 now I guess) I would try to maximize my time in the field. Please post pictures of your buck!

I live in the Pismo Beach area and our morning marine layer can be pretty thick here also. I do notice, we get random mornings that are clear and devoid of any fog. How that translates to a forecast and being able to predict it, I don't know. Back when I lived in Nebraska and hunted geese out of corn fields, I had a blind partner that had a saying:

"You gotta be there to get them". In other words, we spend tons of time afield staring at nothing in the hope that something changes and an opportunity appears. Your hour drive and 3 mile hike makes it a mental challenge to take that first step out of the door not knowing what conditions are going to be like when you get there.

Good luck on your hunt. I hear they are starting to move more and some real studs are showing up on game cameras. Hunt hard right up until the end of season because it's a long time until next year!

I am with most others going with #2 option. But two thoughts. If there is any chance for an off shore wind over night be ready for #1. If you go with #2, with numerous days left don't get to aggressive and blow it up. The later the season the more aggressive.
Just my thoughts. Good luck.

shamu2240 said:

Option #2, sounds like you have it figured out already. If you have a good idea of where the deer are and know the area, you should be just fine with #2

I pulled a D14 tag this year and now half of it is on fire , just can't win.

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The Line fire is burning my old hunting grounds. I hunted D14 for 45 years. Have family in Redlands near fire and in Corona. I still think of San Bernardino National Forest a lot. I grew up in it. A biddyvsaid its in my blood. Maybe correct Drew a non resident second choice D14 last year . Season came and I couldn't afford the trip. Ate $500 plus in tag and license fees. X12 is my favorite area then X9A. Having to buy a $216.00 license just to buy an $8.00 point is BS. $362..00 for deer tag is bad enough.
T&Es_Dad, good luck on your hunt. The damp fog could be quiet walking and not blowing your scent around. Im guessing your hunting coastal A zone. I'd go with Birddog's plan.

Thank you guys for all the input! Looking like I'm gonna have some time to get out this Sunday. Gonna try for all 3 options. Hike in before first light. If its foggy ill drop down to hunt the perimeter of the bedding area as the sun comes up. If its clear then straight to the glassing knob. Aiming for an all day sit so option 3 will come into play at some point.

I love still hunting in the fog. Other choices likely more productive, I just like the feel

Like Harperc, I love hunting in the fog if I know the area fairly well. #1, go slow! No, no, much slower than that! I don't think you can go too slow! Once you get onto your hunting area, stop and glass as far as possible. Then glass it again. Look for bedded bucks and skirt far around any does you see... the bucks won't be far away! #2, go slower! Take a step, glass the area *well* before taking another step. #3, cover your clothes in scent blockers. #4, you can't wear too much blaze orange! You might not be the only one out there! #5, are you going too fast? Probably.

Watch where you put every step, don't brush up against anything if you can help it. This stalking stuff takes the patience of an old man and the body of a young man because it gets tiring after a while! Stick with it and you might be able to sneak to within 20 yards or less of a big bedded buck that's watching over his does while they graze.

It's not all roses, though. I once put a sneak on a great looking set of antlers and got within 25 feet before I realized it was just a dead branch! But it was a great looking branch, honest! This was one of those foggy Northern California mornings that I loved. It took me almost an hour to get that close without making a sound. However, it all paid off when a couple of days later i was able to put the sneak on a nice 4 x4 in which I pulled off my ultimate sneak - I killed him in his bed from 20 yards away! He tried but never was able to get up. The old .270 and Nosler 130 gr Partition worked perfectly! I like being able to take those long range shots but I like sneaking up and killing them in their bed even better!
Cheers,
crkckr