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Recreation
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Middletown Youth Football/Cheer is now accepting applications for PeeWee football head coach, varsity football head coach and JV cheer head coach.
Applications will be available at the next board meeting on Wednesday, March 5, at the Hidden Valley Lake Water Building at 6:30 p.m.
If you would like an application emailed to you, please contact MYF Secretary, Danita Collins Shook through Facebook or at
All completed applications are due no later than March 15 and should be mailed to: Middletown Youth Football, P.O. Box 172, Middletown, CA 95461.
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WILLOWS, Calif. – The California Department of Parks and Recreation and the Mendocino National Forest have maintained a successful partnership for nearly 30 years.
This partnership has provided funding assistance for the management of off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation on National Forest system lands through the California State OHV Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program.
Current regulations mandated by the state of California require annual public participation in this fund allocation process.
The purpose of this notice is to share information and to solicit public input specific to the Mendocino National Forest’s upcoming grant application for the State’s 2013 – 2014 grant cycle.
These grants will support on-going OHV management activities, with categories including Ground Operations (trail maintenance and facility operation and maintenance) and Law Enforcement.
“The Mendocino National Forest offers over 200 miles of designated OHV trails providing exciting riding opportunities for a wide range of ability levels and vehicle types. In addition, over 1,300 miles of roughly graded roads are available for use by Off-Highway Vehicle enthusiasts,” said Forest Engineer Shannon Pozas. “We appreciate your support and comments on our grant request. Your comments will help the State determine the level of funding to provide the Mendocino National Forest for on-going trail maintenance, facility maintenance and law enforcement.”
In order to view and comment on the Mendocino National Forest’s Preliminary grant application, please visit the State of California website at www.ohv.parks.ca.gov then click the grants tab.
Additionally, a link to the State’s Web site may be found on the Mendocino National Forest Web site at www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
Comments may be provided between March 4 and April 7. Instructions for providing comments can be found on the state of California Web site.
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Diving for lobsters with hoop nets
Question: In regards to catching California spiny lobster, the regulations say the following: Both rigid and collapsible hoop nets may be used from piers and boats.
When fishing from a boat, five nets per person are allowed with no more than ten traps on a boat. When fishing from a pier, two hoop nets per person are allowed. Divers are limited to catching lobster by (gloved) hand only.
This leads me to my question. Is it legal for a snorkeler/diver/free diver to swim their hoop nets out to the desired location to drop and then retrieve their traps by hand, while floating in the water?
This seems like a good option for people who do not own boats to set traps from and for divers when visibility is so poor that it’s impossible to see lobsters to catch by hand. (Joshua)
Answer: No, you cannot legally take fish hoop nets out to a fishing location while free or scuba diving. The law says that when diving for crustaceans (free or scuba diving), you may take crustaceans by the use of hands only (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 29.80(g)).
If you are in the water, you are diving. You can scout where you want to set your nets when diving, but then you need to stop diving and get out of the water to set and retrieve your hoop nets.
If you don’t want to buy or borrow a boat, you can set traps from a kayak, a long board or even a stand up paddle board. Just be sure to wear a life jacket if you do!
Property rights via access by ATV down a dry river bed?
Question: During the last week of deer season, I approached a man riding a four-wheeler who was obviously hunting since he had a rifle case.
He was riding down the dry river bed for over a mile where it’s private property on both sides of the river. He argued with me that he had a right to be there as long as he stayed under the high water mark.
I told him he could not be there and could not cross private property at all unless if in a boat and didn’t touch the river bar/land. He got huffy with me so I let it go and he proceeded on his way.
What is the law when it comes to a river running through private land? (Heather D.)
Answer: This is a very complicated area of the law and will vary based on the characteristics of the waterway, the ownership of the land, the agencies involved and a number of other factors.
In other words, before people get on their ATVs thinking they have the right to ride down dry river beds through private property, they should do some research to see exactly who owns or manages the land, what the characteristics of the dry waterway are and be absolutely sure they have a right to be there and won’t be trespassing.
All situations are not the same and the laws may vary from place to place.
Pooling crabs?
Question: What is the boat limit for taking crabs other than Dungeness? I plan to have between two and four people (all with fishing licenses) on my private boat and need to know the answer to this question. Thank you very much for your help. (Jay T.)
Answer: You may not pool your crabs since boat limits apply only to finfish and not to invertebrates (CCR Title 14, section 27.60 (c)). With crabs, individual bag and possession limits apply.
For crabs of the Cancer genus (excluding Dungeness crabs) including yellow crabs, rock crabs, red crabs and slender crabs, the limit is 35 crabs per person.
Each crab must measure a minimum of four inches from edge of shell to edge of shell at the widest part (except there is no minimum size in parts of Humboldt County).
Bow and arrow hunting with a slingshot?
Question: Can a slingshot be used as a bow or crossbow? Would it be legal to hunt with an arrow and slingshot? (Anonymous)
Answer: Yes, a slingshot can be used as a bow or crossbow as long as it can cast a legal hunting arrow (except flu-flu arrows) a horizontal distance of 130 yards, and as long as it meets one of the definitions of bows and crossbows listed in the Title 14 regulations.
To be sure your slingshot meets the requirements, please go to www.dfg.ca.gov/enforcement/ , click on “CA Code of Regulations, including Title 14” and look up Title 14, section 354, subdivisions (a), (b) and (f).
Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Hunters seeking opportunities during the upcoming spring turkey season can visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Upland Game Bird Stamp Program’s Web page to apply online.
The CDFW Web page lists numerous hunts statewide, including opportunities in the department’s North Central Region, which includes Plumas, Sierra, Butte, Glenn, Lake, Colusa, Yolo, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Sacramento, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras and San Joaquin counties.
The North Central Region will offer wild turkey hunts at the following locations: Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area, Spenceville Wildlife Area, Oroville Wildlife Area, Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, Cosumnes River Preserve and the Bureau of Land Management’s Kanaka Valley in El Dorado County.
Applications and information are available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/hunting .
Hunters must create an account using a valid e-mail address and submit an application for their choice of hunts. Hunters may apply only once for each hunt, either as an applicant or as a guest. Submitting multiple applications will result in disqualification.
To apply online requires a valid e-mail address, the hunter’s name, address and phone number, and a current hunting license GO ID. Hunters will be selected by a computerized drawing for only one hunt and only successful applicants will be notified.
Special hunts are provided in cooperation with volunteer organizations. The purchase of an Upland Game Bird Stamp supports these special hunts and other programs that provide additional Upland Game Bird hunting opportunities. All upland game bird hunters, except those with Junior hunting licenses, must purchase an Upland Game Bird Stamp.
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