What type of landscape is on Escondido Ranch?

The hunting terrain of Escondido Ranch is one of the reasons it is so perfect for so many different species of exotic and native animals. There are brushy hillsides, deep valleys and canyons, a river bed, pools and ponds and even mud wallows along with flat grazing pastures and rugged natural hillsides.. The animals can all move around throughout the ranch freely, allowing them to drift to various locations around the ranch based on grazing conditions, weather and even the location of feeders.

The landscape itself is perfect for hunting either from blinds or by the traditional stalking and tracking method. Guides can provide information on both types of hunts and the species you are after will determine what geographic features you look for in the landscape when determining where you will hunt. Evening and morning hunts may also vary in their location on the ranch as the herds and different species may move more in the open in the dusk and dawn hours while they stay more to the brush and deeper wooded areas in the bottom of the river area during the daylight hours. Weather temperatures will also impact the geographic location of the herds with most species tending to stay to the cooler lower wooded areas in the heat of the day and coming more into the open areas as the temperature cools off in the evening.

How many animals can I realistically expect to see on a hunt?

As with any type of hunting it depends a great deal on several factors as to how many animals you will see on any given day. Since Escondido Ranch does manage the herds very carefully as well as feeds regularly from feeders along game trails you definitely won't go without seeing animals. It isn't unusual to see the entire herds of Sika, Fallow, Axis and Blackbuck all coming up to feeders at the same time or spread out along the edge of an open field first thing in the morning or later on at dusk. Typically the majority of animals you will see will include does, fawns or juveniles, depending on the time of year which you are hunting.

Depending on the species the males may stay separate from the cows and does unless in the mating season. However with many of the exotics a few larger bucks will be right there on the edge of the doe herd, making it a truly remarkable sight. Feral hogs are often found in the early morning near the river and in the low areas and they also come up to feeders and move along the game trails.

Can I bow hunt on the ranch?

Bow hunting is available on Escondido Ranch and offers a unique opportunity to get into this very rewarding and extremely exciting style of hunting. Even hunters that traditional have only hunted with firearms will soon love the thrill of stalking that elusive whitetail buck or exotic trophy animal and taking them down with a bow. However, for a real test of bow hunting ability going after the incredibly tough and smart feral hog may prove one of the greatest challenge the ranch has to offer for sheer bow hunting talent.