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Recreation
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Question: I am a conservation advocate and an avid wildlife photographer.
Over the last several years, I have been photographing birds and landscape views of Southern California's wildlife areas. I am interested in expanding this documentation with video, and in particular aerial video taken from a remote-controlled electric helicopter.
While I am very aware of the need to not disturb or harass local wildlife, I am wondering if there are regulations that restrict or prohibit the use of RC-aircraft in or around the perimeter of ecological reserves and conservation areas? (Bill K.)
Answer: There is no general prohibition against using radio-controlled “vehicles” in wildlife areas (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 550). However, in ecological reserves, prohibitions against: 1) disturbing any bird, mammal, etc.; 2) operating vehicles; and 3) operating any type of aircraft or hovercraft without permission may apply (CCR Title 14, sections 630(a)(1) & (a)(4) and (a)(17)).
There also is a provision that prohibits the use of any motorized, hot-air, or unpowered aircraft or other device capable of flight or any earth orbiting imaging device to locate or assist in locating big game mammals beginning 48 hours before and continuing 48 hours after any big game hunting season in the same area (CCR Title 14, section 251(a)).
In addition, a permit could be required if there are concerns your aircraft will “ … herd or drive… or disrupt animal’s normal behavior patterns, which includes, but is not limited to breeding, feeding or sheltering …”
Under federal regulations, this may be illegal if you are using the video for any commercial purpose. Under current federal aviation rules, using unmanned aircraft — what commonly are referred to as drones — for commercial purposes is prohibited in the United States.
Please contact the regional manager for the area you intend to visit for information on the application of these laws. For a list of contact numbers available, please go to www.dfg.ca.gov/regions/ .
Serving abalone at a fundraiser
Question: My husband and I are residents of both Humboldt and Sutter counties. We occasionally dive for abalone in Humboldt where we live. If we don't consume them right away, we freeze them whole in the shell as the local game warden advised us years ago.
I also work for a nonprofit hospice in Sutter County and they are having a fundraiser in May at a private house, where many of our staff will prepare appetizers for 100 guests. I want to prepare abalone appetizers from three abalone that we already have tagged and frozen from last season.
The event is being professionally catered for the meal and dessert and so they are selling tickets, but no one is paying for or making money from the abalone I want to cook. The abalone is such a minuscule part of the meal. I just want to make sure I am allowed to bring it to an event like this and I was not able to find anything specific about that in the regulations. Please advise. Thank you. (Amy M., RN)
Answer: Sport-taken abalone may not be bought, sold, bartered or traded (Fish and Game Code, section 7121.) If sport-taken abalone are used for a nonprofit fundraising dinner, then the cost of attending the dinner must be advertised as a requested donation to the organization putting on the dinner.
In your situation, if you are just providing a few abalone for an appetizer, and as long as the dinner is not advertised to contain abalone in order to sell more tickets to the fundraising dinner, then I think that would be OK. However, you should contact your local game warden where you will be having the dinner to confirm they are in agreement.
Running dogs with GPS for pigs and coons?
Question: Since bear and bobcat hunting with hounds is now banned in the state of California, can we still use GPS collars on hounds for hunting pigs, coons, etc.? (Dean C.)
Answer: You may use dogs to hunt raccoons and pigs, however, the use of GPS collars is prohibited (CCR Title 14, section 265(d)(2)).
Poke poling – need a license?
Question: Do I need a fishing license to poke pole for monkey-faced eels? (Anonymous)
Answer: Yes, the only exceptions are if you are 15 years old or younger or if you are fishing from a public pier or the most seaward jetty of a public harbor. Otherwise a fishing license is required and all regular fishing regulations apply.
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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COBB, Calif. – The Friends of Boggs Mountain group is offering a nature hike on the Interpretive Trail on Saturday, April 27, at 9 a.m.
This is an opportunity to get some exercise, enjoy a hike, and note what is going on in the world of nature in the forest.
The Interpretive Trail has more than 50 signs identifying the plants, shrubs, trees, mosses and wildflowers encountered on the path.
Every season has its special gifts, so the focus of this walk will be seeking out wildflowers as well as other signs of spring.
The 1.3-mile hike will be on moderate terrain and will be led by Darlene Hecomovich.
Wear study shoes, dress appropriately for weather conditions, and bring water and enthusiasm.
Meet at the parking lot kiosk promptly at 9 a.m.
The forest entrance is located on Highway 175 just one and a half miles north of Cobb Village (Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/ZbF0j ). Turn at the blue State Fire Station/Boggs Mountain Forest sign.
For further information phone Darlene Hecomovich at 707-928-5591 or email at
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Join Lakeside Wellness Center’s Tai Chi instructor Arch Kottler, along with individuals around the globe, as they celebrate World Tai Chi/Qi Gung Day, Saturday, April 27.
Kottler will hold a free outdoor Tai Chi class on the lawns of the Healing House directly below the Wellness Center, 5196 Hill Road East, Lakeport, from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Spectators and Tai Chi enthusiasts are welcome to join in the global health and healing celebration.
When attending the April 27 event at Sutter Lakeside please use right rear lower parking lot and follow signs to the Healing House.
Kottler offers weekly Tai Chi classes on Tuesday and Thursday from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the SPMF Lakeside Wellness Center.
For more information on World Tai Chi and Chi Gung Day, visit http://worldtaichiday.org or call the Wellness Center at 707-262-5171.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – It was an action-packed opening night at Lakeport Speedway for the second race in the 2013 Lakeport Ukiah Challenge Series race last Saturday, April 20.
The action brought fans from all over to be treated to some of the best stock car racing on the West Coast.
On the agenda for the night events were the Gravitate Modifieds, the Volvo Rents Mini Stocks, the Bandoleros, the Legend Cars and the Taco Bell Bombers.
The weekend saw new drivers take to the seat in the modified division, as well as Colby Furia starting the season off with another victory, along with a repeat winner in the Legends of Robert Gilliland.
The racing action started in Legend division with local and visiting drivers taking to the track for the action packed night of racing. The fast time was set by Robert Gilliland at a 14.309 with Bill Kistenmocher coming home with the second place time.
The racing action saw local driver Ian Elliot have mechanical problems in the heat race, at the drop of the green flag it was Kistenmocher who jumped out to the early lead over second place legend car of Gilliland. At the checkers in the heat it was Kistenmocher, Gilliland and then Mark Miller.
The main event saw Miller starting on the pole with Elliot starting on the outside pole. Coming to the acceleration line it was Elliot who jumped out to the lead followed by Gilliland. Elliot continued to hold a strong lead over Gilliland till a late race caution came out, and at the restart it saw Gilliland jump out to the lead and not look back to take his second main event win for the 2013 racing season.
In the Volvo Rents Mini Stock division, the fast time was set by James Stillman with a 14.075. At the start of the heat race it was Sean Keown, who returned to the mini stock division for this race night, who jumped out to the lead followed by Eddie Barnett. The pair stayed nose to tail for the remainder of the race with James Stillman working his way up through the field to finish in the four spot.
At the start of the main event, sitting on the front row was Mike Peterson Sr. and Sean Keown. Coming out of turn number four Sean Keown lost control of his car, bringing out a yellow before the race got started.
On the restart it was Barnett who jumped out to the early lead followed by Peterson Jr. It did not take long for Stillman to work his way up through the field to the second spot on the field.
The pair of Barnett and Stillman battled it out for many laps as they weaved in and out of lapped traffic until Stillman was able to make the pass for the lead on lap 24 to go on to take his first victory for the 2013 racing season. At the checkers it was Stillman taking the win, followed by Barnett and Peterson Jr.
The Bandoleros saw Frankie Pickrell set the fast time with a 14.121. At the start of the heat race it was Washburn starting on the pole with Nuno on his outside pole. At the drop of the green it was Nuno wjp jumped out to the lead. On lap 6 it was 2012 track champion Colby Furia who went the lead, going on to take the win in the heat race.
At the start of the main event it was Washburn on the pole with Nuno on the outside pole. At the drop of the green it was Washburn who jumped out to the lead. Furia was working his way up from the back of the pack and made the pass for the lead on lap number 8, with Frankie Pickrell working his way up to the front as well. From lap 9 on it was Furia and Pickrell battling for the lead, and at the checkers it was Furia, Pickrell and Washburn.
In the Taco Bell Bombers it was a full field of 20 cars that took to the track for a very exciting set of heat races followed by a very action0packed main event to cap the events off for the night at Lakeport Speedway.
The heat race wins went to Brian White, Joey Bracket and Mike Collins, and the fast time for the night for the bombers was set by Scott Sabol at a 13.931.
The main event saw Braid Laird start on the pole with Don Cox starting on the outside pole. The race started like any other race at Lakeport Speedway with the fast guys starting at the back of the field, putting on a show, working their way through the field making their way to the front.
Coming out of turn number four the number 20 car of Trevor Abella spun as the leaders where approaching behind. That left rookie driver Trystan Mucci no place to go, so he tried to avoid the wreck by moving to the high side of the track. He collected the leaders of the race as they came around and sent Eddie Klein hard into the outside retaining wall and collected Andrew Snider, causing a length cleanup.
Some cars retired to the pit area for the night, but others went in to make repairs and return before the cleanup of cars and fluid was complete.
On the restart after the red flag, the pole position was taken by Jackson Long with Mike Collins on the outside poll. It was Collins who jumped out the lead and was working his was on putting cars laps down as he progressed through the field.
It was Sabol starting in the rear on the restart the guy that was making up the most ground. He made his way up to the fifth spot by lap number 20. It was lap 21 when going into turn number three contact was made between Cox and Kollenborn, causing a large crash the collected four cars and brought out another red flag condition for the following clean up.
At the restart it was Collins who jumped back out to the lead over Smith. At the checkers it was Collins, Sabol and Buzzard.
In the Gravitate Modifieds’ first race for the 2013 racing season it saw many familiar faces in the division, as well as rookie driver Sierra Furia making her first start in the Modifieds.
Race fans could have thrown a blanket over the top three drivers in the division with Thomas Wright setting fast time at 12.723, followed by David Lyndall at a 12.735 and then the rookie driver making her first start set the third quick time with a 12.753.
In the heat race it was Richard Knight who took the early lead followed by Steve Taylor. Contact was made between David Lyndall and Thomas Wright, sending right for a flight between turns one and two coming to rest just short of the wall. At the restart it was Knight in the lead, going on to win the main followed by Nielson and Taylor.
Sitting on the poll of the main event it was Richard Knight and Steve Taylor. Knight jumped out to the lead followed by Taylor, but it was not long until Wright and Lyndall were all over the rear bumper of Knight trying to make the pass for second.
On lap 21 there was contact between Lyndall, Knight and Wright, which sent Lyndall hard into the outside wall bring out the caution flag.
At the restart it was Nielson on the poll with Robert Byers sitting on the outside poll, and in the third spot it was Sierra Furia who had made her way up through the field from the back of the pack to start in third spot. At the checkers it was Nielson who got the win, followed by Byers and Furia.
The action continues this next weekend on Saturday, April 27, at Ukiah Speedway for the next round in the Lakeport Ukiah Challenge.
On the racing ticket it will be the Extreme Asphalt Outlaws, the Modifieds, Bandoleros, Bombers, Legends and Pro-4 Modifieds.
The gates open at 3:30 p.m. with the racing action starting at 5 p.m.
There is a full slate of racing action planned that is sure to entertain all members of the family.
For complete events details visit www.ukiahspeedway.com and make sure to follow the track on Facebook.