Another Pig Hunt...

  Joined up with an NCKA Legend for my FIRST paddle of Lake Sonoma ever! We launched in the darkness and paddled a bit over a mile to the happy hunting grounds for the first leg of our journey. We hiked up some pretty steep hills....over the top and into some pretty dense and steep canyons. Lots of pig sign but they just didn't want to play. Back down the hill only to miss the landing spot which would require going back up the hill or walking the shore and crossing some steep ravines in the process...should have gone back up the hill.
  Back in the kayaks and crossed the lake to try our luck there. My partner told me the happy hunting grounds was only .85of a mile from that landing. I looked and the hill and asked...you mean as the crow flies and he nodded then laughed. We made our way up hill where again there was tons (almost literally) of fresh sign (poop) but again no one was home. This "hill" was the site of a former logging camp as there is lots of remnants spread all over.
  We did come away with some treasure for all the hard work. On our paddle back we saw a bald eagle towing a huge load of nesting materials....it looked like some sort of mythical phoenix trailering all the nest materials. Another Great Adventure in the woods and on the water!

Very cool report Allen.  No pain, no gain and it sounds like you gained alot, even if no piggie was to be had.  It will just make it that much sweeter when it happens.

I wonder who this NCKA legend might be?

I wonder who this NCKA legend might be?

All the NCKA'ers I have met are Legends in my eyes...

gorgeous chanterelles, think im off for a lake sonoma hike, cameron

Nice report Allen Thanks that fat newt looks Hip-moe-Tized

Thanks that fat newt looks Hip-moe-Tized

The newts were all over the mountain and pretty tough to spot as they are moving reeeal slow. We got back down the the waters edge and spotted one and then many of them underwater crawling on the mossy bottom. Tried to get an underwater picture of them but those little buggers can swim off pretty fast. Just before pushing off my hunting buddy spots something flipping around on the bank at least two feet from the water. He went over to check it out and it was a bluegill. It must have been chasing food or being chased for food. We tossed it back in the water but it didn't look too promising for him.

I wonder who this NCKA legend might be?

All the NCKA'ers I have met are Legends in my eyes...

+1

There was two legends on the hike.