Interesting.... I hunt Palomar mountain...... I live just up the road from you in Escondido.

Welcome to the site. Let me see what I can give you for advice.

The license isn't hard to get. The lottery drawing for tags is in June, covering elk, deer, sheep, and antelope. Most of the premium tags go in that lottery. Left over tags are then sold over the counter. The deer tags for the San diego area can be had over the counter, as they are never sold out during the lottery. the only ones that go in the lottery in San Diego are the Antlerless hunt and the Muzzleloading hunt ( I got one of those).

The tag for rifle is D-16. It's 3 weeks or so long in October, and it's a legal buck. A legal buck has to have at least 2 points on 1 side. So, anything over a spike is OK.

The tag for Archery is A-22. It's open now. It will close for the rifle season, then pick up again after and run through the end of December. You can get either an antlerless deer (No horn longer than 3 inches) or a legal buck (see above). So, basically any Spike over 3 inches is the only deer that can't be taken.

You are allowed 2 deer, therefore only can purchase 2 tags, per year. Don't buy both up front. If you archery hunt, go buy your license and an A-22 tag. Then, if you get one, you can buy another A-22 tag and keep hunting archery. Or, you can wait and buy a D-16 tag. Whichever combo you do is up to you.

Anyway, I could go on. Look into maps of the Cleveland National forest, as that is all public hunting, including Palomar. Be prepared for alot of hunting pressure. The only time they close the public land is with fire dangers being high. The license and tags can be purchased at the DFG office on Viewridge ave, just a few exits down the 15 from you. I think you get off Balboa ave, west, and right on Viewridge. it's a 1/2 mile down on the right side.

If you need more info, feel free to email me at seanmcv2002@yahoo.com

Good Luck.

Sean

I'm from the Bonita/Chula Vista area. I arrowed a 2x3 yesterday evening around 4:30 at Wooded Hills in Mt. Laguna. Haven't seen much of anything in the morning. They are still pretty much nocturnal with some movement before daylight, or right before sunset. Unfortunately, the shot was a bit high. Good blood trail, but after 350 - 400 yards, searching in darkness, I had to give up. I think I clipped the top portion of the neck. Need to get one of those new range finders with ARC technology to adjust for the slope.

I also grew up in Michigan, and have a two week trip planned for Mid-November this year.

If you are hunting up in the Palomar area, try "Love Valley." I pulled two bucks out of there in my first three weeks of hunting in San Diego. After that, it turned into a pumpkin patch. Also, try Pine Hills fire station. There's about 20-30 acres of National Forest Land around the fire station. I have taken a couple of deer out of there. If you really want to find the deer, you need to get up on Palomar mountain, which is predominately private, or Mt. Laguna. If you can get in with some private land owners around the San Diego Wild Animal Park, you are golden. I haven't bothered, as it sounds as if it is an impossible mission. There are some big southern California mule deer around there.

Mt Laguna.... Check your PM's.... I am hunting Mt Laguna tomorrow (Wed.).....