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Hunt Prime Private Blacktail Land at HREC 3 Days

Currency:USD Category:Hunting Start Price:3,300.00 USD Estimated At:NA
Hunt Prime Private Blacktail Land at HREC 3 Days
Please bid generously!
Please review the Terms & Conditions before bidding.
-Our donors are very generous!
-For hunts, we encourage you to upgrade your hunt with more days and/or animals.
Remember your participation and any donations will be used for efforts to protect our hunting heritage, wildlife conservation projects, youth and general education about conservation, veteran's support, and other core missions of SCI SFBA and SCI-F.
This is your chance to test your huntings skills on a private property with limited access, known to hold a great blacktail deer population.

You will get some great pre-scouting information but the hunt itself is up to you. This also presents unique learning opportunities around scientific blacktail research.

Bid here for a sure thing, or take a chance in a drawing for the same hunt.

Included in the Restricted Hunt are:
* Three days of hunting access to the 5,358 acre HREC site Friday-Sunday for last weekend of the season, September 18-20.
* One day of scouting immediately prior to your hunt days Thursday September 17 before the last weekend of the season. No hunting is allowed during scouting days.
* One site consultation with an HREC staff member that includes viewing a map of previous successful deer takes.
* Maps showing water sources, contours and satellite imagery of vegetation.
* Access to a skinning-shed, including power hoist, basic cleaning equipment and cooling room
* Access is limited to 1 hunter and one non-hunting participant.
* Hunters must provide their own CA Hunting License and appropriate deer tag.
* One deer tag can be filled as part of this package.
* Participation in active deer research activities

Not included:
* No second take opportunity.
* No overnight accommodation is provided as part of this package.
* Rifle rental
* A-Zone deer tag (available OTC)
* Accommodations: Note that accommodations, meals and any transport are not included. Hopland is very close, with two hotels, and Ukiah is 25 minutes away with multiple hotels and facilities

The University of California Hopland Research and Extension Center is a 5,358 acre property located in the Mayacamas mountains of Mendocino County, roughly two hour's drive North of San Francisco. Owned and operated by U.C. since 1951, the mission of the Center is to carry out a broad spectrum of ecosystem research. As a part of this mission, HREC has been recognized for decades as a center for wildlife research on Columbian Black-tailed deer, and as an integrated part of these studies HREC offers an annual deer hunt that ties into and helps support these activities.

The property is a beautiful mixture of rolling open oak woodlands, chaparral, and annual & perennial grasslands. The property ranges from 600 to 3000 feet in elevation, and is accessed via an extensive network of both maintained all-weather dirt roads and unmaintained four-wheel drive tracks. Spread around the property are various springs and ponds. The surrounding lands constitute a refugium/reservoir of deer to the estimated 500-600 resident blacktails, as HREC is bounded by private ranches, vineyards, and over 45,000 acres of rugged BLM land.

For most of the year, the vast majority of HREC (outside the Headquarters area), is lightly travelled with visitation limited to active researchers, occasional guided hikes and employees maintaining the property and managing a small flock of sheep that graze some of the lower pastures. Then, for a few weekends each year, the public has the chance to participate in very limited access hunts via a lottery, Our special "Restricted Hunts" are reserved for the opening day weekend (August 8th, 9th, and 10th, 2026), when only six hunters each weekend get access to the entire property (outside of a no-hunting area around the Headquarters complex) for one day of scouting and three days of hunting.

The dates for this hunt are fixed as follows:
- One day of pre-hunt scouting including a one-hour orientation with HREC Staff about the property and past hunting information (9/17).
- Three days self-guided hunting for one hunter (9/18-9/20).

An ALTERNATIVE. If you just can't see your way to bidding on this item, but are still interested in the hunt, our SCI Chapter is also providing a chance to enjoy this hunt (on opening weekend instead of closing weekend) with a very high-odds, low cost drawing. Need NOT be present to win. Only 150 tickets sold. You can find out more information on this alternative here. The drawing also includes accommodations.

By bidding on one of these very limited Restricted Hunt slots you will not only be able to take advantage of a great and rare opportunity to hunt on HREC, but you will also be helping to fund vital continuing research into California's wildlife and relevant land management practices to ensure our natural resources for future generations. 2026 only.

Contact:
Ms. Hannah Bird
Community Educator
Hopland Research & Extension Center
707.744.1424 x 1642