Trinity Fork Outfitters provides quality guided hunting, angling, spearfishing, and backpacking experiences in Northern California. We offer everything from half-day fishing trips to week-long or longer backcountry hunting adventures. Our biggest goal is to make you feel like you are on an excursion with a friend.
A Guides Year
Beginning in spring and summer is the height of the fishing season where the priority is chasing high mountain rainbows or spearfishing for big toothy lingcod – and everything in between. Archery season kicks off in August and we shift focus to big-game hunting for big California black bears and Columbian black-tailed deer. We chase a variety of upland birds in between archery and the general deer season. Always keeping several pointing and retrieving dogs on staff. That only lasts for a short time before the general deer and bear season begins in mid-September; this is the best chance to find a mature hard antlered deer and a mature boar gorging on mast crops. Late October marks the end of deer season but there is still plenty to hunt – bear, waterfowl, upland birds, squirrels, rabbits and turkey. Throughout the winter is primetime for predator hunting for coyote, gray fox, and raccoons. As the furs go out of prime we start to hear the turkeys gobble. Nothing is more enjoyable than a spring day under towering oaks playing cat and mouse with a longbeard.
We pretty much do it all here at Trinity Fork Outfitters. Our goal is to make your experience unique and rewarding. We will teach you everything we know and I’m sure learn a thing or two from you.
Please give us a call if you have any questions or to ask about availability.
About
As told by owner and guide Shane Dante.
It’s difficult choosing the perfect name for a business. Many different names were thrown around before deciding on Trinity Fork Outfitters, but the name comes with a story.
Can you spot the bear from a mile away?
Myself and my good friend, Blake, were on a backcountry hunt in the Trinity Mountains of Northern California. We had only a few days to hunt and fog kept us from glassing the first day. On the second morning, we worked our way along a ridge glassing diligently as we went. Being late in the season, we knew the hunting would be hard as the older bucks are dead or educated and hiding in steep nasty thickets. As for bears, we expected to see them fattening up on any food source they could find. What we didn’t know was what food would be left this late in the fall. During that afternoon, our excitement leapt and crashed as we glimpsed a bear on the move drift out of range and sight further along the ridge. That bear and any other bears or shooter bucks in the area continued to elude us.
In hopes another would appear, we glassed hard in the direction we had spotted the bear. Rather than being rewarded with the sight of black or brown fur, we spotted the blue denim of another group of hunters working their way towards us on the ridge. Only a little discouraged by the newly discovered competition, we stayed put and continued to glass. We did not want to intrude on their hunt and could tell they were thinking the same about us. Both groups behind the glass, we watched each other until they decided to slowly turn back the way they had come. Being familiar with the area, Blake and I assumed the other hunters would be camping in the saddle further down the ridge where we were planning to camp that night. It being Sunday, we also suspected they might be headed home to start the work week soon.
Our confidence in finding game was at a new low due to the presence of other hunters, we decided to slow down and spend more time behind the glass on the way to our destination, the saddle. This way we would leave the other hunters enough time to enjoy the rest of their hunt and possibly see something they may have missed.
Light was beginning to dim while we were glassing a canyon east of our position. Sitting on a prominent knob I spotted a beautiful golden-brown bear feasting on Ceonothus berries. A mile away, it was too far to make a stalk that evening. On the same canyon face, but slightly closer was another healthy-looking bear. Jet black, it stood feeding just as frantically. With daylight waning, I began to focus my optics on the areas closest to me. A third good-sized bear appeared just as shooting light faded to dark.
We camped near the glassing knob and dreamed of bears in hopes morning light would come with opportunity. Expecting the bears to hold tight and enjoy the bountiful berries, we crept out to the knob at first light. It wasn’t long after the first rays of sunlight hit the canyon that we spotted the closest black bear from the night before. Blake took the shot and his aim was true. The bear dropped and began tumbling downhill. I continued to glass as Blake went to process his bear.
The “Trinity Fork” buck – 100% Columbian Blacktail.
Soon after, I spotted a group of bucks near where the color phase bear was spotted the night before. About a mile away from me, I knew I would need to be quick because the bucks looked like they were going to crest a finger ridge into a sea of brush to bed for the day. At that distance, I couldn’t get a good look at the bucks, but I knew one was a shooter. I practically ran.
The bucks disappeared into the folds of the land as I approached shooting distance. I continued close the distance, maneuvering into the only shooting lane I could find. The bucks were back in view about 200 yards away. I positioned my tripod for a solid rest and took aim at the biggest buck in the group. I cracked off the shot and he ran a short downhill before he buckled and fell. I hiked down to retrieve him, excited to get a closer look.
I found the buck and was pleasantly surprised by his impressive and unique rack especially for a Columbian Blacktail. On his left side he had four solid points. His right side totaled seven points with the beam splitting into two near its base. It was a triple beam buck, or as we call it now – the Trinity Fork.
Why Us
Hunting Opportunities
There are dozens of guides and outfitters to choose from all over America. Land access is getting scarce, pressure is increasing on public lands, and tags are becoming increasingly harder to draw. Our goal is to bring attention to the exceptional hunting that gets overlooked in California. Who says you can’t have just as much fun hunting Columbian black-tailed deer as you would on a Colorado mule deer hunt? Hunting is about the people and camaraderie. We work tirelessly year-round to put guests on the intended game but we all know the kill is much more enjoyable when in good company. We like to say that hunting with us is “like hunting with a friend.”
How often do you see California license plates while hunting in Idaho? All the time. How often do you see Idaho license plates hunting in California? Never? Why is that? California is not often thought of as a destination hunting location. Maybe the state doesn’t market itself well enough. If you are a non-resident there are some exceptional hunting opportunities that you are missing out on. If you are a resident – you don’t need to spend $12-20K on an elk hunt in Wyoming. Exceptional hunts and unforgettable experiences are much closer than you think.
Guided Hunts
Roosevelt Elk – If you are lucky enough to draw any of the Roosevelt elk tags in California than you are in for a hunt of a lifetime. We guide elk hunts in the Marble Mountains and Northwestern California elk zones where the bulls and terrain are sure to impress any hunter.
Columbian Black-tailed Deer – Only 3 states host pure Columbian black-tailed deer. Sure, the antlers don’t get as big as Rocky Mountain mule deer but the experience is just as thrilling. This subspecies is one of the toughest animals to hunt in some of the most unforgettable terrain. Most of the harvest in the state consists of forked-horns but to kill a mature blacktail buck is truly an accomplishment. California offers a unique environment for blacktail deer hunting because there is ample opportunities for spot and stalk style hunting and always the possibility at a monster.
Black Bear – California has a generous autumn bear season, piles of bears, very low targeted bear hunting pressure, and the bears are absolutely delicious. A little under half the bears we see are color phase bears. The fur in the fall is beautiful for rugs, and mature bears always have plenty of fat for rendering. California definitely needs to be on the list for folks who are after big bears.
Rio Grande Wild Turkey – A lot of states have their fair share of turkeys. California has a load of them and the season starts early and goes late, and the bag limit is generous. All you need besides a hunting license is a game bird stamp.
Upland Birds – there is an assortment upland birds to hunt in California. We specialize in mountain quail, California (valley) quail, sooty grouse, ruffed grouse, and band-tailed pigeon. Doves and rabbits can be found incidental to many upland game hunts. We can point you in the right direction on where to go for other fowl. Do you need to complete your quail slam? You can get your California (valley) quail, mountain quail and Gamble’s quail all in one state. We are working on adding chukar and Gambel’s quail properties to the list.
Western Gray Squirrel – Hunting squirrels seems to be more popular in other parts of the country, such as in the south and east. You almost never see someone out on a dedicated squirrel hunting trip in California. I’m not sure why it’s not as popular here especially considering the robust squirrel population. They make excellent table fare and are a blast to hunt for the entire family.
Predators – California has tons gray fox and coyote. We target fox with hand calls and coyote with electronic callers. The foxes here are often big and heavy coated, perfect for taxidermy or wall hangers.
The best part is that often you can combine multiple species into one hunt as long as the season is open and the hunter has the appropriate licensing, tags, or stamps. Our hunts are fully customizable.
The Unique Fishing:
California’s fishing opportunities are just as varied as its hunting. You can catch anything from rainbow trout in an alpine lake deep in the wilderness or dive for tasty lingcod hidden beneath the coastal reef. Maybe you don’t have the tackle, or knowledge of where and when to fish, but we do and we want to share what we know to make fishing accessible for you.
Guided Angling and Spearfishing
Kayak fishing for king (Chinook) salmon, California halibut, lingcod, rockfish, cabezon, and leopard shark. Northern California is extremely unique because of the multitude of tasty fish that can be targeted just a short paddle away from the shore. Landing a chrome ocean king from a kayak is not an experience that would soon be forgotten.
Spearfishing and Diving – We can take you freedive spearfishing for lingcod, rockfish, and cabezon in the cool waters of Northern and Central California. If you haven’t tried the cheek meat of a fat lingcod you are missing out. The best part? You can spearfish all year long for most legal species with generous bag limits. Depending on the time of year and locality there are opportunities to spear CA halibut and CA sheephead. It’s also not uncommon to luck into some scallops clinging to the wash rocks. We offer shore-based freediving and kayak trips.
Dungeness Crab – who doesn’t like crab? Come crabbing with us and we will show you have to catch your own crab, clean them, and cook it. Crabbing is easily combined with other ocean fishing species.
Clam Digging – The coastal sloughs, beaches, and bays of California host several species of delicious clams. Only a few days each month is the tide low enough to access the clam beds. After the water rises and inundates the beds we can check crab pots, or throw a line out for perch or shark.
Trout – Spend a warm summer day with us on a wilderness stream or lake fishing for rainbow or brook trout. Nothing is tastier than fresh whole trout while camped above a pristine lake. Combine fishing with a hunting trip for a cast and blast adventure.
Every trip is designed to fit your needs. We have something for everyone, from the avid fisherman to the beginner.
