This little oasis in the Carrizo Plain National Monument is quite the happening place!
I hated to do it, but this weekend we finally placed NO HUNTING/TRESPASSING signs around the property, explaining that this is a wildlife preserve. Cameras are welcome, but that is all the "shooting" that will be allowed on our 30 acres.
So exciting to see the Badger, Golden Eagle and Owl for the first time at the pond.

 
In July 2016,I discovered that the '51 Spartan Royal Mansion at the RideoutHideout.com had been broken into by miscreants unknown.  They helped themselves to some of the meager possessions cached there, and even stole one of the several Browning Trail Cameras that was mounted by the wildlife pond to record wildlife activity. 

The perps (a 74 yr old uncle and his nephew) were not aware that we have the 30 acre property "peppered" with motion-activated cameras, originally intended to capture the Carrizo Plain National Monument native wildlife to share with many fans of this amazing 250K acre sacred land. 

These donated still picture and video cameras (thanks Browning!) were equally effective at documenting big game, capturing these two "opportunists" committing this crime. Their identity was revealed, and after the SLO Sheriff spoke with them, almost all the stolen property was returned to our wildlife refuge in short order, with our agreement to not press formal charges against them. 

The SLO Deputy that I worked with deserves accolades for the time he and his department spent in pursuit of justice. Thank you Deputy McKenney and the SLO Sheriffs. 
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) needs your help out there! Visitors can be eyes alert for signs of misuse of the land, a special place that deserves our gentle stewardship to remain preserved as a vital and unique ecosystem.