(Report) Camping During Deer Season Opener?

I was hoping to go camping near Stonyford this weekend, but just realized that it is opening weekend for A zone.
For those that know - will the campgrounds in the Mendo Nat'l forest be packed with hunters?

I think that Stoneyford is B zone.

I think that Stoneyford is B zone.

Yeah, the area I want to camp is literally a few hundred yards from the A/B3 zone border, which is Fouts Spring Road.
I'm worried it could be just as packed.

I have nothing against hunters. I just don't want to drive all the way out there and find the few cool spots I've marked already taken.
Unfortunately I won't be able to make it out there until Friday afternoon, so I'm guessing my chances of snagging one of these spots is iffy at best.

There are plenty of good roads further up into B zone. I poked around up there a bit on the South side back in the day. There was a something diamond, black diamond or double diamond, I don't remember and rattlesnake something or another; it was decades ago.
Always worth the stop down there to get wildflower honey from Pendell Apiaries anyways. Road hunters do travel quite a bit and smart hunters don't camp where they're looking to hunt, so if you have a cool spot, I imagine you'll have some company. Hope you find what you're looking for.

You will run into more atv/utv than hunters in that area this time of year check out the north fork campground you’ll likely have it to yourself

You will run into more atv/utv than hunters in that area this time of year check out the north fork campground you’ll likely have it to yourself

Yup. The plan is to hit South Fork Campground or one of the two dispersed sites up the road.

Nice drive to the top of St. John from there

Nice drive to the top of St. John from there

That was the plan!

Looks like I'm rollin' solo now so I'm going to jam out early tomorrow and hit the Mendocino Backcountry Discovery Trail (Blue route in the attachment) instead.
Hopefully find somewhere to camp up above Covelo tomorrow night then do the Anthony Peak loop on Sunday morning.

Sorry man, couldn't get out of work early.  Look forward to your trail pics

Sorry man, couldn't get out of work early.  Look forward to your trail pics

No worries, bro! I know it was last minute!

We'll plan another trip soon.

BTW - if anyone wants to join I'd love some company. The route I'm taking doesn't involve much actual "4 wheeling".

Take your blaze orange (hat, vest, whatever)!

I was up in Stanislaus NF last fall and felt really naked without something orange as I hiked down to the river with shooting not that far away.

 I've lived in the city too long--deer season didn't cross my mind until I was up there. Bought a hat next day and now keep it in the van.

Take your blaze orange (hat, vest, whatever)!

I was up in Stanislaus NF last fall and felt really naked without something orange as I hiked down to the river with shooting not that far away.

 I've lived in the city too long--deer season didn't cross my mind until I was up there. Bought a hat next day and now keep it in the van.

Great advice!

I usually don't have much time to wander too far from my truck and the trail but now that you mention it I'm going to grab a hat or a vest for the few times I may want to hike down to a creek or something. 

I ended up camping solo for the first time ever on the top of a mountain, in the middle of nowhere, and it was bad ass.

I hopped on M1 above Pilsbury to do that part of the MBCDT. I didn't have a destination in mind. I was just going to drive until I found a decent campsite to watch the meteor shower or until it got dark and I had to pull over somewhere.

Here's a few shots near Hull Mountain.

As I passed Hull Mountain I found an awesome spot to camp, but it was only around 4:00PM and I was itchin' to see as much of the MBCDT as possible, so I kept heading North.

Here's some shots of Monkey Rock. There is a few small spaces to camp near the base of the rock, but there was already somebody there.