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Trinity Fork Outfitters
California
(530) 945-3638
Shane Hante
info@trinityforkoutfitters.com
Trinity Fork Outfitters provides quality guided hunting, angling, spearfishing, and backpacking experiences in Northern California. We offer everything from half-day fishing trips to week-long or longer backcountry hunting adventures. Our biggest goal is to make you feel like you are on an excursion with a friend.
Beginning in spring and summer is the height of the fishing season where the priority is chasing high mountain rainbows or spearfishing for big toothy lingcod – and everything in between. Archery season kicks off in August and we shift focus to big-game hunting for big California black bears and Columbian black-tailed deer. We chase a variety of upland birds in between archery and the general deer season. Always keeping several pointing and retrieving dogs on staff. That only lasts for a short time before the general deer and bear season begins in mid-September; this is the best chance to find a mature hard antlered deer and a mature boar gorging on mast crops. Late October marks the end of deer season but there is still plenty to hunt – bear, waterfowl, upland birds, squirrels, rabbits and turkey. Throughout the winter is primetime for predator hunting for coyote, gray fox, and raccoons. As the furs go out of prime we start to hear the turkeys gobble. Nothing is more enjoyable than a spring day under towering oaks playing cat and mouse with a longbeard.
We pretty much do it all here at Trinity Fork Outfitters. Our goal is to make your experience unique and rewarding. We will teach you everything we know and I’m sure learn a thing or two from you..
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Mountain Quail 3-Day Hunt
California
Mountain Quail
2100
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2100
Are you searching for a mountain quail hunting guide to complete your upland slam? If we had to choose one upland bird to hunt the rest of our life, it would have to be the mountain quail. If it wasn’t for the beautiful landscapes they call home, they win the award for craftiness and excellent table fare. As the name implies, these are the birds of the mountains. The mountain quail loves brush choked hillsides next to water. It’s common to find mountain quail in the vicinity of sooty grouse, ruffed grouse, band-tailed pigeon, and squirrel, depending on the part of the state. We often find valley quail in the same spots as mountain quail in lower elevation locations, especially late in the season.
Folks often call amidst the season and ask if “now is a good time to hunt mountain quail?” The answer is always yes. While some years have better hatches than others – there isn’t the annual fluctuations in quail numbers like you might find in desert quail species. Mountain quail hunting in the early season is very different from the late season; however, no part of the season is better or worse. The early season the quail are more spread out across the mountains but never far from water. In the late season the snow pushes quail lower which concentrates the birds along lower elevation brushy south facing exposures. The season starts early, runs late, and bag limits are generous. There is no place better than California to chase mountain quail.
We use pointing dogs that are also trained to retrieve for quail hunts.
Includes Dogs
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Ruffed Grouse 3-Day Hunt in California Mountains
California
Ruffed Grouse
2100
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2100
Professional Ruffed Grouse hunting guide and outfitter in Northern California.
It comes as a surprise to many that California has a robust population of Ruffed Grouse in the very Northwest part of the state. Like all Ruffed Grouse – it takes a good dog to navigate the rough terrain and an even better shot to hit one through the trees. The subspecies of ruffed grouse in California has a beautiful russet color tail fan.
We use pointing dogs that are also trained to retrieve for upland bird hunts.
Includes Dogs
5-Day Tule Elk Hunt in Central California
California
Tule Elk
6500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
6500
Fully guided tule elk hunts in the North Central region of California, including the Lake Pillsbury, East Park Reservoir, Bear Valley, and Cache Creek zones.
No alcohol
Coyote Day Hunt in California
California
Coyote
500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Electronic Calling
Public
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
500
We target coyote with hand and electronic calls. Coyotes are smart and call sets must be well thought out to be productive. When done right it can lead to some fast action. The coyote season is all year, we primarily target them when fox season is open because that tends to be when the hides are prime.
Year Round Hunt
5-Day Roosevelt Elk Hunt in Marble Mountains: Packing on Llamas
California
Roosevelt Elk
6500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Sleep on Floor / Ground
Meals Provided
Unspecified
6500
Do you need a Marble Mountains elk hunting guide? Are you one of the lucky few holding a Marble Mountains Roosevelt elk tag? Or maybe you have quite a few points and are expecting to draw in the future. You’re in for a hunt of a lifetime, but are you prepared? Everything about the Marble Mountains bull elk hunts are big. Their bodies, antlers, the mountains… We know where the bulls are and can get you and the elk out. The Marble Mountains zone is huge but we focus our effort on the Marble Mountains and Trinity Alps Wilderness areas and the surrounding National Forest lands.
This is a very special tag and we know how much it means. We spend countless hours scouting for bulls so that you can be in the perfect spot once the season finally arrives.
We use trained pack llamas to pack in a comfortable camp for the hunters and non-hunting guests. Bulls can weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds and llamas are also used to pack meat and trophies.
No alcohol
3-Day Columbian Blacktail Hunt With Pack Llamas
California
Columbia Black-Tailed Deer
4300
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Cot
Meals Provided
Unspecified
4300
Offering fully guided Columbian blacktail deer hunts in the backcountry and wilderness of California’s B zones. Guides spend the summer scouting and patterning big bucks so that they can get you in the perfect position for the shot when the season comes. If you are interested in a spot and stalk hunt in truly spectacular country chasing mature blacktail bucks this may be the perfect adventure for you. We have a team of pack llamas to haul in comfortable camps and aid in game retrieval.
We offer two styles of hunts to suit the guest(s) preferences:
A true wilderness experience where we will camp deep in the backcountry and in many cases can glass excellent country right from camp.
Hunts closer to the road system where we spike out for the day but make camp in dispersed or designated camping areas near roads.
Both styles are physically demanding and require early mornings and long days of glassing. Days are often hot, but we get our fair share of cold or even snow at times. The reward for hard work can pay off in the memories, meat, and antlers of the unique Columbian Blacktail.
The Hunt
A “typical” day with your blacktail deer hunting guide consists of rising well before the sun and having a quick bite to eat. Wilderness hunting camps are placed at or very near prime glassing locations. Using high quality optics on tripods we will pick apart the mountainsides looking for any part of a deer. Once a shooter buck is spotted we will plan a stalk based on the weapon, wind, the animals direction of travel, and the contours of the land. During archery season, when bucks are in velvet, we see 3-4 times as many bucks than during the general season; however, stalks must be made with patience. Just prior to the general season bucks lose their velvet and have developed a sixth sense for staying alive. These bucks tend to hole up in thicker country. Spotting them becomes the more challenging aspect – once located we can often slip within rifle range for a shot.
If a shooter buck has not been spotted by mid-morning, or if other hunters in your group have not yet had an opportunity, we may move locations slightly to get views of new territory. We move more with our glass than our bodies once in a good location. Bucks can be seen at any hour of daylight and we will glass all day if needed. As dusk approaches we will make sure to be in a strategic position to spot bucks as they rise from their day beds. At dark we will head back to camp for a good meal and to relive the days hunt before getting much needed sleep.
After a kill we immediately field process the animal to get it cooled off. Depending on the weather we may hang the trophy and quarters in camp or have the llamas pack them out to the vehicle to get them on ice.
Deer hunts may also be combined with bear hunts. During our summer scouting trips we see numerous quality black bears in the same areas deer hunts are conducted.
Notes: Our guides work extremely hard, year-round to get you in the right location, however, there is no guarantees in hunting. Very few outfits offer fully-guided Columbian Blacktail hunts on public land; that’s because it’s one of the most difficult animals to hunt due to their elusive behavior and the rough terrain. Some of the biggest bucks live in the remote locations that we hunt and we wouldn’t have it any other way. If a shot is made and blood is drawn, that’s considered your animal whether recovered or not. Be proficient with your weapon of choice.
Please contact us if you’re seeking a Columbian blacktail deer hunting guide. We’ll discuss your groups needs and we can tell you about the bucks we have been seeing and how best to get you on them.
Spring or Fall Rio Grande Turkey Hunt - 3 Day Hunt on Private
California
Rio Grande Wild Turkey
2300
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Private
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Cot
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2300
To put it mildly – we love our turkey hunting. Turkeys in California are expanding their range every year, opening up new opportunities. In the areas we hunt it’s typically considered the Rio Grande subspecies of wild turkey. We offer spring California wild turkey hunts where you can experience your heart pound as a longbeard struts into view. We can also put you on an autumn turkey which requires a different approach but can easily be combined with several other hunting opportunities.
We offer hunts on exclusive private ranches in the beautiful oak woodlands of California and also on public forestland where you can match wits with a truly wild mountain turkey. The choice is yours.
Spring California Wild Turkey Hunts:
Usually in February the male turkeys begin to gobble and that’s when we start hitting the hills listening and looking for strutting zones and roost trees. A day in the spring turkey woods is like magic. It starts early in the morning where we will set up near a roost tree long before first light. When the songbirds begin to sing their spring rituals is right about when the ring of gobbles echo from atop the roost trees. We will begin some light calling sequences to let the birds know there is a hen nearby. After the turkeys fly down it won’t be long before we will know if the plan worked out.
Getting turkeys soon after they land on the ground from the roost is an excellent tactic. Some folks end the hunt after the morning thunder turns silent. We don’t stop there. If everyone in the group hasn’t got their bird we will hunt all day. In our experience hunting gets better as the late morning turns to afternoon. If you can get a gobble out of a turkey at 2 pm, that’s a bird that wants to play.
Legal shoot time for spring turkey ends at 5 pm. On multi-day hunts the group is welcome to go and relax for the afternoon or join the guide to try and roost some birds in the evening for the next morning hunt.
Fall California Wild Turkey Hunts:
Fall turkey hunting takes a different approach. A common method is to break up the flocks of young-of-the-year turkeys that are still with the hen and use an assembly call to bring them back in. This technique doesn’t work so well for big Tom turkeys because they aren’t in the flocks with the young birds. The big turkeys are either alone or in bachelor groups. To kill a longbeard in autumn requires pre-season scouting to understand where they are loafing, feeding, and roosting. Our guides spend countless hours in the fall turkey woods observing sign and marking fall territories. When the season arrives it’s all about being in a strategic location to intercept the turkeys as they move about. Glassing openings and sneaking into shooting range also can be an effective method.
The great thing about a fall turkey hunt is that there are so many other species that can be hunted at the same time, that live in the same region – including, mountain quail, valley quail, dove, squirrel, rabbit, gray fox, coyote, raccoon, bear, or even fishing. There is never any downtime in November and early December.
Hunt can be extended for additional cost.
Spring or Fall Rio Grande Turkey Hunt - Day Hunt on Public
California
Rio Grande Wild Turkey
700
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
700
To put it mildly – we love our turkey hunting. Turkeys in California are expanding their range every year, opening up new opportunities. In the areas we hunt it’s typically considered the Rio Grande subspecies of wild turkey. We offer spring California wild turkey hunts where you can experience your heart pound as a longbeard struts into view. We can also put you on an autumn turkey which requires a different approach but can easily be combined with several other hunting opportunities.
We offer hunts on exclusive private ranches in the beautiful oak woodlands of California and also on public forestland where you can match wits with a truly wild mountain turkey. The choice is yours.
Spring California Wild Turkey Hunts:
Usually in February the male turkeys begin to gobble and that’s when we start hitting the hills listening and looking for strutting zones and roost trees. A day in the spring turkey woods is like magic. It starts early in the morning where we will set up near a roost tree long before first light. When the songbirds begin to sing their spring rituals is right about when the ring of gobbles echo from atop the roost trees. We will begin some light calling sequences to let the birds know there is a hen nearby. After the turkeys fly down it won’t be long before we will know if the plan worked out.
Getting turkeys soon after they land on the ground from the roost is an excellent tactic. Some folks end the hunt after the morning thunder turns silent. We don’t stop there. If everyone in the group hasn’t got their bird we will hunt all day. In our experience hunting gets better as the late morning turns to afternoon. If you can get a gobble out of a turkey at 2 pm, that’s a bird that wants to play.
Legal shoot time for spring turkey ends at 5 pm. On multi-day hunts the group is welcome to go and relax for the afternoon or join the guide to try and roost some birds in the evening for the next morning hunt.
Fall California Wild Turkey Hunts:
Fall turkey hunting takes a different approach. A common method is to break up the flocks of young-of-the-year turkeys that are still with the hen and use an assembly call to bring them back in. This technique doesn’t work so well for big Tom turkeys because they aren’t in the flocks with the young birds. The big turkeys are either alone or in bachelor groups. To kill a longbeard in autumn requires pre-season scouting to understand where they are loafing, feeding, and roosting. Our guides spend countless hours in the fall turkey woods observing sign and marking fall territories. When the season arrives it’s all about being in a strategic location to intercept the turkeys as they move about. Glassing openings and sneaking into shooting range also can be an effective method.
The great thing about a fall turkey hunt is that there are so many other species that can be hunted at the same time, that live in the same region – including, mountain quail, valley quail, dove, squirrel, rabbit, gray fox, coyote, raccoon, bear, or even fishing. There is never any downtime in November and early December.
Hunt can be extended for additional cost.
California Quail Day Hunt
California
California Quail
500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
500
Professional California quail hunting guide and outfitter in Northern California.
As the name implies valley quail inhabit lower elevation valleys throughout California. They can also be found higher in altitude along the mountain foothills and high desert riparian areas. Thick briars and brush pockets intermixed with grassy openings are the perfect place to begin the search. During optimally wet years the valley quail hatches can be large and winter flocks in the dozens. When cooperative they can hold tight for dogs and explode like bullets out of the briars.
Valley quail hunts can be effectively combined with mountain quail, squirrel, dove, and rabbit hunting.
We use pointing dogs that are also trained to retrieve for quail hunts.
California Quail are also known as Valley Quail.
Includes Dogs
Combo 3-Day Columbian Blacktail Hunt + Black Bear With Pack Llamas
California
Columbia Black-Tailed Deer
Black Bear
6300
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Cot
Meals Provided
Unspecified
6300
Offering fully guided Columbian blacktail deer hunts in the backcountry and wilderness of California’s B zones. Guides spend the summer scouting and patterning big bucks so that they can get you in the perfect position for the shot when the season comes. If you are interested in a spot and stalk hunt in truly spectacular country chasing mature blacktail bucks this may be the perfect adventure for you. We have a team of pack llamas to haul in comfortable camps and aid in game retrieval.
We offer two styles of hunts to suit the guest(s) preferences:
A true wilderness experience where we will camp deep in the backcountry and in many cases can glass excellent country right from camp.
Hunts closer to the road system where we spike out for the day but make camp in dispersed or designated camping areas near roads.
Both styles are physically demanding and require early mornings and long days of glassing. Days are often hot, but we get our fair share of cold or even snow at times. The reward for hard work can pay off in the memories, meat, and antlers of the unique Columbian Blacktail.
The Hunt
A “typical” day with your blacktail deer hunting guide consists of rising well before the sun and having a quick bite to eat. Wilderness hunting camps are placed at or very near prime glassing locations. Using high quality optics on tripods we will pick apart the mountainsides looking for any part of a deer. Once a shooter buck is spotted we will plan a stalk based on the weapon, wind, the animals direction of travel, and the contours of the land. During archery season, when bucks are in velvet, we see 3-4 times as many bucks than during the general season; however, stalks must be made with patience. Just prior to the general season bucks lose their velvet and have developed a sixth sense for staying alive. These bucks tend to hole up in thicker country. Spotting them becomes the more challenging aspect – once located we can often slip within rifle range for a shot.
If a shooter buck has not been spotted by mid-morning, or if other hunters in your group have not yet had an opportunity, we may move locations slightly to get views of new territory. We move more with our glass than our bodies once in a good location. Bucks can be seen at any hour of daylight and we will glass all day if needed. As dusk approaches we will make sure to be in a strategic position to spot bucks as they rise from their day beds. At dark we will head back to camp for a good meal and to relive the days hunt before getting much needed sleep.
After a kill we immediately field process the animal to get it cooled off. Depending on the weather we may hang the trophy and quarters in camp or have the llamas pack them out to the vehicle to get them on ice.
Deer hunts may also be combined with bear hunts. During our summer scouting trips we see numerous quality black bears in the same areas deer hunts are conducted.
Notes: Our guides work extremely hard, year-round to get you in the right location, however, there is no guarantees in hunting. Very few outfits offer fully-guided Columbian Blacktail hunts on public land; that’s because it’s one of the most difficult animals to hunt due to their elusive behavior and the rough terrain. Some of the biggest bucks live in the remote locations that we hunt and we wouldn’t have it any other way. If a shot is made and blood is drawn, that’s considered your animal whether recovered or not. Be proficient with your weapon of choice.
Please contact us if you’re seeking a Columbian blacktail deer hunting guide. We’ll discuss your groups needs and we can tell you about the bucks we have been seeing and how best to get you on them.
Combo Hunt
Coyote 3-Day Hunt in California
California
Coyote
2100
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Electronic Calling
Public
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2100
We target coyote with hand and electronic calls. Coyotes are smart and call sets must be well thought out to be productive. When done right it can lead to some fast action. The coyote season is all year, we primarily target them when fox season is open because that tends to be when the hides are prime.
Year Round Hunt
Combo 3-Day Mule Deer Hunt + Black Bear in California
California
Mule Deer
Black Bear
6300
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Cot
Meals Provided
Unspecified
6300
Fully guided mule deer and mule deer/black-tailed deer hunts in California’s X and C zones. California’s limited entry units for mule deer consistently produces quality bucks for those willing to hold out and put in the work. The terrain and habitat is extremely diverse – ranging from sagebrush flats to alpine meadows with aspen groves.
Increase your chances of hanging that tag you’ve waited so long to draw by booking a hunt with us.
Combo Hunt
Mountain Quail Day Hunt
California
Mountain Quail
700
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
700
Are you searching for a mountain quail hunting guide to complete your upland slam? If we had to choose one upland bird to hunt the rest of our life, it would have to be the mountain quail. If it wasn’t for the beautiful landscapes they call home, they win the award for craftiness and excellent table fare. As the name implies, these are the birds of the mountains. The mountain quail loves brush choked hillsides next to water. It’s common to find mountain quail in the vicinity of sooty grouse, ruffed grouse, band-tailed pigeon, and squirrel, depending on the part of the state. We often find valley quail in the same spots as mountain quail in lower elevation locations, especially late in the season.
Folks often call amidst the season and ask if “now is a good time to hunt mountain quail?” The answer is always yes. While some years have better hatches than others – there isn’t the annual fluctuations in quail numbers like you might find in desert quail species. Mountain quail hunting in the early season is very different from the late season; however, no part of the season is better or worse. The early season the quail are more spread out across the mountains but never far from water. In the late season the snow pushes quail lower which concentrates the birds along lower elevation brushy south facing exposures. The season starts early, runs late, and bag limits are generous. There is no place better than California to chase mountain quail.
We use pointing dogs that are also trained to retrieve for quail hunts.
Includes Dogs
Western Gray Squirrel 3-Day Hunt
California
Western Grey Squirrel
2100
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Private
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2100
An entire web page for squirrel? Yup. Squirrel hunting is underrated on the west coast compared to the east where squirrels get the attention they deserve. We target the Western Gray Squirrel. These big-meaty squirrels are excellent when fried like chicken wings or made into cream-of-squirrel soup, or?
There is no better hunt for introducing a new hunter to the sport. It’s peaceful underneath towering autumn oaks while listening and looking for squirrels above.
We hunt squirrels on private ranches and public forestland. There are thousands of acres of squirrel habitat available to us. We are on the ground nearly daily and know where dense pockets of squirrels live their lives virtually undisturbed.
We are on the ground nearly daily and know where dense pockets of squirrels live their lives virtually undisturbed.
The methods we use to hunt squirrels is to walk the woods quietly while scanning about, often seeing them jump from tree to tree. Or to sit down underneath a decadent oak and wait for the squirrels to lose caution and show themselves. We prefer to head shoot the squirrels with a rimfire rifle. Shotguns are equally as effective, but more damaging to the meat.
Most frequently combined with upland bird hunts.
Includes Dogs
5-Day Roosevelt Elk Hunt in NW California
California
Roosevelt Elk
6500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Sleep on Floor / Ground
Meals Provided
Unspecified
6500
In need of a Northwestern California elk hunting guide? A Northwestern California bull elk tag is perhaps the most coveted Roosevelt tag in the state. Only a handful of bull and either-sex tags are up for lottery every year and the hunt unit is expansive. Low pressure, rutting bulls, and room to roam – what more could a hunter ask for? How about someone who lives and works in the hunt unit who knows the elk, has years of experience calling, and who can get the animal out for you in a timely manner? Roosevelt elk are no stranger to steep, thick, nasty country. The primary tactic for targeting big bulls in the Northwest unit is calling, action can be fast and up close. There is also some opportunity for spot and stalk.
We hunt elk on public land in the Northwestern unit. The unit is so big and tags extremely scarce so some of the herds in the zone have never seen human hunting pressure because hunters often focus on private land.
If you have already drawn or you are sitting on a pile of elk points and are thinking about putting in for the Northwestern elk zone give us a call.
NO alcohol
Grey Fox Hunt in California - 3-Day Hunt - No Limit
California
Grey Fox
2100
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2100
During winter when hides are prime you can find big heavy coated gray fox throughout California. Gray fox are targeted with hand calls. It’s a blast watching 1, 2, 3, or sometimes more foxes come running into a call station where you have to be quick with the gun before they sense something isn’t right and disappear into the brush.
The foxes in California can be great for taxidermy or wall hangers. Let us know what type of hunt you’d prefer and we will make it happen.
Includes Dogs
California Quail 3-Day Hunt
California
California Quail
2100
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2100
Professional California quail hunting guide and outfitter in Northern California.
As the name implies valley quail inhabit lower elevation valleys throughout California. They can also be found higher in altitude along the mountain foothills and high desert riparian areas. Thick briars and brush pockets intermixed with grassy openings are the perfect place to begin the search. During optimally wet years the valley quail hatches can be large and winter flocks in the dozens. When cooperative they can hold tight for dogs and explode like bullets out of the briars.
Valley quail hunts can be effectively combined with mountain quail, squirrel, dove, and rabbit hunting.
We use pointing dogs that are also trained to retrieve for quail hunts.
California Quail are also known as Valley Quail.
Includes Dogs
Fully Guided 3-Day Pronghorn Antelope Hunt in NE California
California
Pronghorn Antelope
4300
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Cot
Meals Provided
Unspecified
4300
Fully guided California pronghorn antelope hunting trips in Northeastern California’s coveted antelope hunt zones. We guide in the Clear Lake (zone 2), Likely Tables (zone 3), Lassen (zone 4), Big Valley (zone 5), and Surprise Valley (zone 6) hunting zones.
Our guides spend miles in the boots and hours behind the glass scouting thousands of acres of public ground to give you the best opportunity at fixing your tag on a mature pronghorn buck.
No alcohol
Ruffed Grouse Day Hunt in California Mountains
California
Ruffed Grouse
500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
500
Professional Ruffed Grouse hunting guide and outfitter in Northern California.
It comes as a surprise to many that California has a robust population of Ruffed Grouse in the very Northwest part of the state. Like all Ruffed Grouse – it takes a good dog to navigate the rough terrain and an even better shot to hit one through the trees. The subspecies of ruffed grouse in California has a beautiful russet color tail fan.
We use pointing dogs that are also trained to retrieve for upland bird hunts.
Includes Dogs
Sooty Grouse 3-Day Hunt in the California Mountains
California
Sooty Grouse
2100
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2100
Professional Sooty Grouse hunting guide and outfitter in Northern California.
Another favorite for the amazing terrain they call home. Sooty grouse are birds of the mountains. When the valley is still scorching hot in September, go high for a sooty grouse hunt. Commonly found along the edges of mountain meadows where a brush or conifer pocket meet. To some they are just a dumb bird, to target them with dogs is a totally different experience that won’t be easily topped.
We use pointing dogs that are also trained to retrieve for upland bird hunts.
Includes Dogs
Grey Fox Hunt in California - Day Hunt - No Limit
California
Grey Fox
500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
500
During winter when hides are prime you can find big heavy coated gray fox throughout California. Gray fox are targeted with hand calls. It’s a blast watching 1, 2, 3, or sometimes more foxes come running into a call station where you have to be quick with the gun before they sense something isn’t right and disappear into the brush.
The foxes in California can be great for taxidermy or wall hangers. Let us know what type of hunt you’d prefer and we will make it happen.
Band-Tailed Pigeon Hunt - Great for Combo with Big Game!
California
Band-Tailed Pigeon
500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
500
Quality Band-tailed Pigeon hunting guide and outfitter in Northern California.
The little-known band-tailed pigeon is nothing like the feral pigeons at the local feed store. For a short window during autumn band-tailed pigeons can be seen in large flocks along mountain ridge tops in Northern California before they fly south further. Few hunters target the band-tailed because the opener coincides with the opener of general deer and bear season. For that reason, most band-tailed pigeon harvest is incidental to a deer or bear hunt.
For those interested in some fast shooting this is the hunt for you. The season only lasts for one week but during that week you can find excellent shooting where tall roost trees are growing near prominent ridges.
The hardest part is often finding the downed bird off the cliff – that’s where the dogs come in.
Most often combined with other upland and even big-game hunting trips.
Price is for 1 day. Additional days can be added.
Includes Dogs
Spring or Fall Rio Grande Turkey Hunt - 3 Day Hunt on Public
California
Rio Grande Wild Turkey
2300
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Cot
Meals Provided
Unspecified
2300
To put it mildly – we love our turkey hunting. Turkeys in California are expanding their range every year, opening up new opportunities. In the areas we hunt it’s typically considered the Rio Grande subspecies of wild turkey. We offer spring California wild turkey hunts where you can experience your heart pound as a longbeard struts into view. We can also put you on an autumn turkey which requires a different approach but can easily be combined with several other hunting opportunities.
We offer hunts on exclusive private ranches in the beautiful oak woodlands of California and also on public forestland where you can match wits with a truly wild mountain turkey. The choice is yours.
Spring California Wild Turkey Hunts:
Usually in February the male turkeys begin to gobble and that’s when we start hitting the hills listening and looking for strutting zones and roost trees. A day in the spring turkey woods is like magic. It starts early in the morning where we will set up near a roost tree long before first light. When the songbirds begin to sing their spring rituals is right about when the ring of gobbles echo from atop the roost trees. We will begin some light calling sequences to let the birds know there is a hen nearby. After the turkeys fly down it won’t be long before we will know if the plan worked out.
Getting turkeys soon after they land on the ground from the roost is an excellent tactic. Some folks end the hunt after the morning thunder turns silent. We don’t stop there. If everyone in the group hasn’t got their bird we will hunt all day. In our experience hunting gets better as the late morning turns to afternoon. If you can get a gobble out of a turkey at 2 pm, that’s a bird that wants to play.
Legal shoot time for spring turkey ends at 5 pm. On multi-day hunts the group is welcome to go and relax for the afternoon or join the guide to try and roost some birds in the evening for the next morning hunt.
Fall California Wild Turkey Hunts:
Fall turkey hunting takes a different approach. A common method is to break up the flocks of young-of-the-year turkeys that are still with the hen and use an assembly call to bring them back in. This technique doesn’t work so well for big Tom turkeys because they aren’t in the flocks with the young birds. The big turkeys are either alone or in bachelor groups. To kill a longbeard in autumn requires pre-season scouting to understand where they are loafing, feeding, and roosting. Our guides spend countless hours in the fall turkey woods observing sign and marking fall territories. When the season arrives it’s all about being in a strategic location to intercept the turkeys as they move about. Glassing openings and sneaking into shooting range also can be an effective method.
The great thing about a fall turkey hunt is that there are so many other species that can be hunted at the same time, that live in the same region – including, mountain quail, valley quail, dove, squirrel, rabbit, gray fox, coyote, raccoon, bear, or even fishing. There is never any downtime in November and early December.
Hunt can be extended for additional cost.
5-Day Rocky Mountain Elk Hunt in NE California
California
Rocky Mountain Elk
6500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Unspecified
Yes
Unspecified
Unspecified
Meals Provided
Unspecified
6500
Fully guided Northeastern California elk hunting trips. The far northeast corner of California is home to a robust population of Rocky Mountain elk. A vast area and an extremely limited amount of tags historically produces quality bulls.
Spot and stalk and calling are both productive methods in this zone. Most importantly is time behind the glass pre-season locating groups of elk.
NO alcohol
Spring or Fall Rio Grande Turkey Hunt - Day Hunt on Private
California
Rio Grande Wild Turkey
700
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Private
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
700
To put it mildly – we love our turkey hunting. Turkeys in California are expanding their range every year, opening up new opportunities. In the areas we hunt it’s typically considered the Rio Grande subspecies of wild turkey. We offer spring California wild turkey hunts where you can experience your heart pound as a longbeard struts into view. We can also put you on an autumn turkey which requires a different approach but can easily be combined with several other hunting opportunities.
We offer hunts on exclusive private ranches in the beautiful oak woodlands of California and also on public forestland where you can match wits with a truly wild mountain turkey. The choice is yours.
Spring California Wild Turkey Hunts:
Usually in February the male turkeys begin to gobble and that’s when we start hitting the hills listening and looking for strutting zones and roost trees. A day in the spring turkey woods is like magic. It starts early in the morning where we will set up near a roost tree long before first light. When the songbirds begin to sing their spring rituals is right about when the ring of gobbles echo from atop the roost trees. We will begin some light calling sequences to let the birds know there is a hen nearby. After the turkeys fly down it won’t be long before we will know if the plan worked out.
Getting turkeys soon after they land on the ground from the roost is an excellent tactic. Some folks end the hunt after the morning thunder turns silent. We don’t stop there. If everyone in the group hasn’t got their bird we will hunt all day. In our experience hunting gets better as the late morning turns to afternoon. If you can get a gobble out of a turkey at 2 pm, that’s a bird that wants to play.
Legal shoot time for spring turkey ends at 5 pm. On multi-day hunts the group is welcome to go and relax for the afternoon or join the guide to try and roost some birds in the evening for the next morning hunt.
Fall California Wild Turkey Hunts:
Fall turkey hunting takes a different approach. A common method is to break up the flocks of young-of-the-year turkeys that are still with the hen and use an assembly call to bring them back in. This technique doesn’t work so well for big Tom turkeys because they aren’t in the flocks with the young birds. The big turkeys are either alone or in bachelor groups. To kill a longbeard in autumn requires pre-season scouting to understand where they are loafing, feeding, and roosting. Our guides spend countless hours in the fall turkey woods observing sign and marking fall territories. When the season arrives it’s all about being in a strategic location to intercept the turkeys as they move about. Glassing openings and sneaking into shooting range also can be an effective method.
The great thing about a fall turkey hunt is that there are so many other species that can be hunted at the same time, that live in the same region – including, mountain quail, valley quail, dove, squirrel, rabbit, gray fox, coyote, raccoon, bear, or even fishing. There is never any downtime in November and early December.
Hunt can be extended for additional cost.
Over-The-Counter Bear Hunt Using Pack Llamas
California
Black Bear
4300
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Cot
Meals Provided
Unspecified
4300
Premier archery and general season black bear hunting guide in California. Bear tags can be bought over-the-counter and are valid for a large chunk of the state. It’s no secret that California has a lot of bears, including both large and color phase bears. Our hunts provide the opportunity to explore remote regions of Northern California where we have permits to access thousands of acres of forest that host a robust bear population.
Guides start hitting the mountains in the summer scouting for bears. We’ve had eyes on dozens of bears before the season begins. Food sources change throughout the year and the key to finding bears is to find the food. Our guides will have several feeding locations scouted before guests arrive and we will put you in the ideal location to glass for bears getting fat before winter.
We have a team of pack llamas to haul in comfortable camps and aid in game retrieval.
Similar to deer hunts we offer two styles of hunts to suite the guest(s) preferences:
A true wilderness experience where we will camp deep in the backcountry.
Hunts closer to the road system where we spike out for the day but make camp in dispersed or designated camping areas near roads
Both approaches are physically demanding and require rising early and long days of glassing. Days can be hot, but we get our fair share of cold or even snow at times.
The Hunt
A bear hunt begins before first light where we will move to a vantage point where bears are known to frequent. Bears are almost constantly moving unless they’ve found a reliable food source. Once we’ve spotted a bear we will assess whether it’s a mature boar and that it meets the guests expectations. Next we will determine if it’s coming, going, or staying – and plan our stalk accordingly. In the early season it’s not uncommon to see 6-10 bears in a day. As the season progresses into late October and November, especially after severe storms, we tend to see less bears. The ones we do see in the late season are big, fat, and have beautiful coats.
Bears are most active at dusk and dawn, however, we’ve killed bears throughout the day and will continue glassing until we find the right bear, switching our position occasionally to move to a new vantage. Even big bears can be hard to spot as they move about the brush. As evening approaches, we will make sure to be in a good glassing position as the bears begin filtering into openings. As darkness closes in we will head back to camp for a solid meal, story-telling, and a good night’s sleep.
After a kill we immediately field process the animal to get it cooled off. Depending on the weather we may hang the hide and meat in camp or use the llamas to pack meat out to the vehicle and put it on ice.
Bear hunts are often combined with deer hunts when the seasons overlap.
If a shot is made and blood is drawn, that’s considered your animal whether recovered or not. Be proficient with your weapon of choice.
3-Day Mule Deer Hunt in California
California
Mule Deer
4300
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
Tent
Yes
Unspecified
Cot
Meals Provided
Unspecified
4300
Fully guided mule deer and mule deer/black-tailed deer hunts in California’s X and C zones. California’s limited entry units for mule deer consistently produces quality bucks for those willing to hold out and put in the work. The terrain and habitat is extremely diverse – ranging from sagebrush flats to alpine meadows with aspen groves.
Increase your chances of hanging that tag you’ve waited so long to draw by booking a hunt with us.
Western Gray Squirrel Day Hunt
California
Western Grey Squirrel
500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Private
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
500
An entire web page for squirrel? Yup. Squirrel hunting is underrated on the west coast compared to the east where squirrels get the attention they deserve. We target the Western Gray Squirrel. These big-meaty squirrels are excellent when fried like chicken wings or made into cream-of-squirrel soup, or?
There is no better hunt for introducing a new hunter to the sport. It’s peaceful underneath towering autumn oaks while listening and looking for squirrels above.
We hunt squirrels on private ranches and public forestland. There are thousands of acres of squirrel habitat available to us. We are on the ground nearly daily and know where dense pockets of squirrels live their lives virtually undisturbed.
We are on the ground nearly daily and know where dense pockets of squirrels live their lives virtually undisturbed.
The methods we use to hunt squirrels is to walk the woods quietly while scanning about, often seeing them jump from tree to tree. Or to sit down underneath a decadent oak and wait for the squirrels to lose caution and show themselves. We prefer to head shoot the squirrels with a rimfire rifle. Shotguns are equally as effective, but more damaging to the meat.
Most frequently combined with upland bird hunts.
Sooty Grouse Day Hunt in the California Mountains
California
Sooty Grouse
500
Trinity Fork Outfitters
Fair Chase
Public
None - Day Hunt
No
N/A
N/A
Meals Not Provided
Unspecified
500
Professional Sooty Grouse hunting guide and outfitter in Northern California.
Another favorite for the amazing terrain they call home. Sooty grouse are birds of the mountains. When the valley is still scorching hot in September, go high for a sooty grouse hunt. Commonly found along the edges of mountain meadows where a brush or conifer pocket meet. To some they are just a dumb bird, to target them with dogs is a totally different experience that won’t be easily topped.
We use pointing dogs that are also trained to retrieve for upland bird hunts.
Includes Dogs
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