Recreation
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
What's the latest on chronic wasting disease in cervids?
Question: What is California doing to protect our deer and elk from Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) this season? What do I need to know if I am hunting out of state? (Bud)
Answer: As many hunters are aware, CWD is a fatal neurological disease affecting deer and elk. It has not been found in California's deer or elk populations to date. However, it has been detected in captive and free-ranging deer in 26 states and abroad.
Increased testing is critical to ensure early detection and quick implementation of management options in response to a detection in California. This year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is focused on expanding the scope of its monitoring and testing efforts. CDFW's Wildlife Investigations Lab set a goal of testing 600 cervids statewide during this year's hunting seasons as a step toward increasing surveillance to around 2,000 animals per year in the future. CDFW has been testing for CWD since 1999, averaging about 300 tests annually.
Hunter cooperation will be key to achieving CWD testing goals. CDFW is setting up sampling stations during the various deer seasons allowing hunters to voluntarily bring in their harvest for a quick removal of lymph nodes for CWD testing. Information on sampling locations is available on CDFW's website. CDFW is also partnering with professional meat processors and butchers throughout the state to take samples from deer and elk at the request of hunters. Hunters who are unable to visit a station for sampling are encouraged to ask their butcher ahead of time if sampling is available at the time of processing.
If you harvest a deer or elk out of state, you will be responsible for abiding by regulations related to CWD for that state. To prevent the accidental importation of CWD-infected tissues into the state, California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, section 712prohibits hunters from importing or possessing any hunter harvested deer or elk (cervid) carcass or parts of any cervid carcass imported into the state, except for the following body parts:
(a) portions of meat with no part of the spinal column, brain or head attached (other bones, such as legs and shoulders, may be attached).
(b) hides and capes (no spinal column, brain tissue or head may be attached).
(c) clean skull plates (no brain tissue may be present) with antlers attached.
(d) antlers with no meat or tissue attached, except legally harvested and possessed antlers in the velvet stage are allowed, if no meat, brain or other tissue is attached.
(e) finished taxidermy mounts with no meat or tissue attached (antlers in the velvet stage are allowed if no meat, brain or other tissue is attached).
(f) upper canine teeth (buglers, whistlers, ivories).
If hunting in a state where CWD is present, make sure to check with that state's wildlife agency for information about hunter check stations and how to get your animal tested in the state where it is harvested. An animal that is taken in a CWD endemic zone should be processed in that area or state. The best and safest approach is to bring back only packaged meat or prepared taxidermy specimens. If a harvested animal tests positive for CWD, CDFW supports the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization to not consume the meat. Additionally, we request that the hunter contact a CDFW office or the Wildlife Investigations Laboratory to have all remaining tissues incinerated.
How to properly measure a fish
Question: I am under the impression that striped bass are to be measured using the "total length" measurement, and not the fork length. Is this correct? (Stu)
Answer: Yes. Most freshwater fish with a size limit, including stripers, are measured to total length. This is the longest straight-line distance from the tip of the head to the end of the longest lobe of the tail (CCR, Title 14, section 1.62). The first rule when measuring fish is to lay the fish flat on its side and always pinch the mouth closed. The most accurate method is to place the fish's snout against a perpendicular surface and then measure along the intersecting horizontal surface to the end of the tail. Don't measure using a flexible "tape" over the fish itself or you will be given a longer (false) reading.
On the ocean side, most saltwater fish with size limits are measured to total length, but there are some that are measured to fork length instead (e.g. bonito, albacore, barracuda and yellowtail). Fork length is the straight-line distance from the tip of the head to the center of the tail fin (CCR, Title 14, section 1.62). So again, lay the fish flat on its side, pinch the mouth closed and take your measurement from the tip of the head to the center of the fork of the tail. These are the only two measurements that you will need to know for the purposes of the regulations when measuring whole fish.
Two rifles while hunting?
Question: Can I carry two rifles when hunting – one for deer and one for squirrel? For example, a rimfire and a center fire? (TC)
Answer: Yes, for your example, you can carry a centerfire rifle to take deer (and squirrel) and a rimfire rifle to take squirrel.
If you have a question for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, please feel free to ask us via email at
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The reopened properties are Butte Valley Wildlife Area in Siskiyou County, Heenan Lake Wildlife Area in Alpine County, and By Day Creek Ecological Reserve and Pickel Meadow, West Walker River, Green Creek, East Walker River, Cartago, and Burcham & Wheeler Flats wildlife areas all in Mono County.
All other fire-related closures remain in effect through Monday, Sept. 21.
Fire danger is extreme in California currently. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts are strongly encouraged to check for closures before leaving on any recreational trip.
The following links show up-to-date closures.
CDFW Land Closure List
Map of closed ecological reserves
Map of closed wildlife areas
U. S. Forest Service Lands
Bureau of Land Management Lands
- Details
- Written by: Nadine Strauss
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The North State Modified Series, presented by Protect the Harvest, returned to Lakeport Speedway Saturday night for the second time in 2020, and when it was all done Charlie Collins of Upper Lake blew away his competition in the last 15 laps to win $2,000 in the Napa Lake Parts Fall Special.
Collins was followed across the finish line by Ukiah’s Kyle Tellstrom (July’s winner) and defending NSMS champion Scott Winters of Tracy.
The beautifully prepared race track was blistering fast with the current Hoosier tire track record of 12.578 seconds set by Tellstrom in July broken four times during qualifying.
Tellstrom holds the new record at 12.414. The other three drivers running under the old record were Winters (12.437), Jeremy Nowlin (12.513) and Collins (12.544.)
Tellstrom drew the No. 6 pill for the line-up inversion for the 60 lap feature, putting local drivers Darrin Sullivan and Ian Elliott in the first row. Collins and Nowlin shared the second row, and Winters and Tellstrom started in row three.
Sullivan forged ahead at the start, and when Elliott tucked in behind Sullivan, the side-by-side battle was on between Collins and Nowlin. Winters and Tellstrom also ran next to each other as Sullivan was pulling away.
The race was yellow-flagged on lap 10 when Noel McCormack made contact with Richard Knight causing Knight to spin in turn two. Nowlin beat Elliott to the line the previous lap setting up a Sullivan-Nowlin restart.
Sullivan shot out in front again, and just when it seemed Nowlin was losing ground on the high side, his car hooked up and he took over the lead on lap 17. Tellstrom also chose the outside groove and passed Sullivan for second the following go-round.
The race was slowed again on lap 21 when Elliott and three-time NSMS champion Darrin Knight hooked their cars together and crashed on the front stretch. Elliott’s car was towed to the infield and Knight limped to the pits.
When racing resumed, Tellstrom powered into the lead. Meanwhile, Collins and Cody Braund were gaining ground, and by the half-way mark it was Tellstrom, Nowlin, Collins, Braund, Winters, Darrin Sullivan, Dustin DeRosier, and 2020 Lakeport Speedway modified champion Mike Sullivan.
For the next 10 circuits, Braund and Winters swapped places back and forth, and on lap 42 Mike Sullivan snuck under DeRoiser for sixth. Nowlin was riding tight on Tellstrom’s bumper, but luck was not on Nowlin’s side as on lap 45 he lost a radiator hose, slid up the track in his own water and climbed the turn four concrete. Nowlin was uninjured, but his car suffered major damage.
Tellstrom chose the outside lane for the restart, but his car did not hook up the same and Collins took over the lead. Collins pulled away from the pack, turning the fastest lap in the race to earn the Competition Carburetion Fast Lap Award of $50. Winters drove back by Braund in the closing laps, and at the Sunoco Racing Fuel checkered flag it was Collins, Tellstrom, Winters, Braund, Darrin Sullivan, Mike Sullivan, DeRosier, Chris Salmina and Richard Knight.
The Lucas Oil 6-car Dash for Cash was won by Darrin Sullivan. The Economy Heating and Air dash was won by DeRosier. Ecomony Heating and Air donated $550 to these two events so that all 12 competitors took home some cash.
Cody Braund won the Naake Suspension Hard Charger award for passing the most cars. Jeremy Nowlin was the recipient of the Mark and Sharon Hoosier Tire award. The Scribner jugs went to DeRosier and Keith Bloom. Unfortunately, Bloom later lost a transmission and was unable to start the feature.
North State Modified Series heads North to Redwood Acres Raceway in Eureka for its next event on Sept. 26. The McMurray and Sons Roofing 60 will also pay $2,000 to win. Then the following week will be the Lloyd Burton Against the Wind Modified Challenge at Shasta Speedway on Oct. 3. The final race of the series will be the Bob Lehman Classic at Stockton 99 Speedway on Oct. 14.
The North State Modified Series is presented by Protect the Harvest, Lucas Oil, Napa Lake Parts, Hoosier Tire West, Sunoco Race Fuels, Naake Suspension, Five Star Bodies, Racer Bling, Mark & Sharon Baldwin, Scribner Plastics, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Economy Heating and Air, and Competition Carburetion.
HOOSIER TIRE TIME TRIALS: Kyle Tellstrom (12.414 NTR), Scott Winters (12.437), Jeremy Nowlin (12.513), Charlie Collins (12.544), Ian Elliott (12.599), Darrin Sullivan (12.654), Chris Salmina (12.658), Robert Schmidt (12.670), Darrin Knight (12.692), Noel McCormack (12.729), Mike Sullivan (12.763), Cody Braund (12.785), Rich Cobb (12.846), Dustin DeRosier (12.859), Richard Knight (12.924), Keith Bloom (12.986), Sal Lopez (13.326)
LUCAS OIL DASH FOR CASH: Darrin Sullivan, Tellstrom, Winters, Nowlin, Elliott, Collins
ECONOMY HEATING & AIR DASH FOR CASH: Dustin DeRosier, Bloom, Richard Knight, Lopez, Cobb, Braund
NAPA LAKE PARTS FEATURE: Charlie Collins, Tellstrom, Winters, Braund, Darrin Sullivan, Mike Sullivan, DeRosier, Salmina, Richard Knight, McCormack, Schmidt, Cobb, Lopez, Nowlin, Darrin Knight, Elliott.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The closures were put into place on Saturday, Sept. 12, due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions.
All closures are CDFW wildlife areas or ecological reserves, and they cover many parts of the state. They were closed following the USFS announcement of the temporary closure of all national forests in California.
Fire danger is extreme in California currently. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts are strongly encouraged to check for closures before leaving on any recreational trip.
The following links show up-to-date closures.
CDFW Land Closure List
Map of Closed Ecological Reserves
Map of Closed Wildlife Areas
U. S. Forest Service Lands
Bureau of Land Management Lands
CDFW acknowledges that hunting opportunities will be impacted. Tag return and preference point eligibility requirements and additional information may be found on CDFW's website.
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