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Recreation
California Outdoors: Using photo of a fishing license, concealment of a weapon while legally hunting
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- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Is a photo of my fishing license good enough?
Question: I have a picture of my current fishing license and hunting license on my phone (as well as my driver's license). That shows all of the legal stamps, stars and stripes that might be required for what I am doing legally.
As far as a game warden is concerned, would that work as proof that I have a license? It worked with the California Highway Patrol and I wasn't cited for driving without a license.
Before you say "no," realize that California only requires sportsmen to buy a state duck stamp, not to have it on them. Why wouldn't the same be true for a photo of the license?
If the department won't accept a photo on my phone, what channels do we go through to make it legal? (Bob)
Answer: The California Fish and Game Code (FGC), section 7145 (a) requires that every person aged 16 and older who takes any fish, reptile, or amphibian must have a valid sport fishing license on his or her person or in his or her immediate possession.
FGC, section 3700.1 provides that it is unlawful for any person, except a person licensed pursuant to section 3031, paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), to take any migratory game bird, except jacksnipe, coots, gallinules, western mourning doves, white-winged doves, and band-tailed pigeons, without first procuring a state duck hunting validation as provided in subdivision (b), and having that validation in his or her possession while taking those birds. FGC, section 3031 generally addresses the requirements and fees for obtaining a hunting license, and provides, at paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) special requirements for obtaining a junior hunting license.
Under the existing requirements, you must have your hunting or fishing license in your immediate possession, and not just a photograph of the license.
Any request to change the regulations or law should be addressed through your state legislator, and, ultimately, the California Fish and Game Commission. Complete details and procedures can be found at www.fgc.ca.gov .
Can't an officer ‘radio in’ my license info?
Question: I often fish off the dock where my boat is in a slip. My fishing license is in a folder on my boat with all the other required legal documents. I also have a photo of my license in my cell phone that clearly shows the license number on a valid license.
If I am contacted by a CDFW officer, will I receive a citation for not having the piece of paper in my possession? He could certainly check the number via his radio and see that it's valid, or walk over to my boat and view the license. (Dave M.)
Answer: As explained above, FGC, section 7145 (a) specifies that you must have your license with you while fishing.
There are a few exceptions – you don't need a license if you're fishing from a public pier (FGC, section 7153), and if you're diving, it's fine to keep your license in the boat or within 500 yards of the shore, as applicable (FGC, section 7145(a)).
Except for the diving exemption, when required, you must have your valid fishing license in your immediate possession when fishing, not just a photograph of the license. It's an urban legend that "wardens can look it up on the radio."
Concealment of a weapon while legally hunting
Question: If I am otherwise legally hunting (hunting license, lead-free ammo, legal magazine capacity, unincorporated public land, proper distance from roads, bodies of water, etc.) in California with a handgun or pistol, do I need to ensure that I don't conceal it while loaded if I do not have a CCW permit?
Is the answer different depending on the land management agency? I don't want to commit a felony or otherwise run afoul of the state gun laws. (Travis)
Answer: Your question relates to California Penal Code (PC), sections 25400 and 25850. Although section 25400 generally prohibits carrying a concealed firearm, there is an exemption that applies to hunters. Section 25640 provides that section 25400 "does not apply to, or affect, licensed hunters or fishermen carrying pistols, revolvers or other firearms capable of being concealed upon the person while engaged in hunting or fishing, or transporting those firearms unloaded when going to or returning from the hunting or fishing expedition."
Similarly, section 25850 generally prohibits carrying a loaded firearm "on the person or in a vehicle while in any public place or on any public street in an incorporated city or in any public place or on any public street in a prohibited area of unincorporated territory."
However, section 26040 includes a hunting exemption. This section provides, "Nothing in section 25850 shall prevent any person from carrying a loaded firearm in an area within an incorporated city while engaged in hunting, provided that the hunting at that place and time is not prohibited by the city council."
These exemptions do not apply to individuals who are otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms.
Be sure to comply with any restrictions relating to your location, including any rules or ordinances of a land management agency or local government pertaining to firearms.
Additionally, it is not lawful to carry a firearm when hunting under an archery-only tag or during some archery-only seasons.
If you have a question for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, email
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- Written by: Editor
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Kelseyville High School’s girls wrestling team had a very busy and successful North Coast Section wrestling championships last weekend.
Kelseyville has never had an NCS wrestling champ but after last weekend they have two – Bailey Huggins and Jasmin Clarke. As a team Kelseyville finished in fifth place out of more than 55 teams, according to Coach Orlando Zarate.
Huggins, a sophomore, won the 116-pound weight class. She came in as the No. 1-seeded wrestler in her weight class and she lived up to her seed. Zarate said she wrestled extremely hard and had a drive and a focus the entire tournament. She pinned her way into the finals and had one of the most exciting finals matches of the night.
Huggins wrestled Katelyn Pham of Deer Valley who was the No. 2 seed. The finals match came down to the final 30 seconds where Huggins scored a last takedown to take the lead and win 5-4. The match has some early scrambles that had the entire crowd into it.
Zarate said Bailey improves last year from her seventh place medal as a freshman. It will be her first time qualifying for the CIF State Wrestling Championships.
Clarke, a junior, won the 189-pound weight class in which she was the No. 1 seed. Zarate said she looked good throughout the entire tournament, constantly getting takedowns and controlling the offense. “She was clicking on all cylinders.”
Clarke pinned her way into the finals but her finals match against Hollie Espinoza from Rancho Cotate was closer and came to a 4-2 decision win. Zarate said Clarke improves from her third place finishes as a freshman and sophomore but after last weekend she is now a three-time state qualifier.
Kylie Marlin, a senior, medaled with an eighth place finish at 101 pounds. Zarate said she had a great tournament and made it to the quarter finals where she lost to the No. 1 seed, Lizette Rodriguez, from James Logan.
Zarate said Marlin battled back tough through consolation and made it to the medal rounds.
“I’m really happy Kylie was able to get that NCS medal her senior year,” he said. “She’s worked so hard to achieve the goal and to see her receive it was a great feeling. “
Vanessa Gonzalez, a junior, placed eighth at 143 pounds. Like Marlin, Gonzalez reached the quarterfinals and ultimately lost but worked her way through the consolation to land in the medal rounds.
Zarate said it was extremely gratifying to see Gonzalez finally compete in the section finals, which she missed her freshman and sophomore year due to injury, “so for her first time to compete and come away with a medal makes us really happy.”
Senior Korbyn Marlin, 106 pounds, missed medaling by a match.
Brianna Thomas, a junior, also missed medaling but still had a good tournament.
Sophomore Melanie Guerrero went 0-2 and did not make it to the second day or medal.
Elisa Jaquez a freshman, missed medaling by a match.
“She put on such a strong performance and definitely turned some heads into the process. We are really excited what she can accomplish in the future she has so much potential and we’re lucky that we get to have three more years with her,” said Zarate.
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- Written by: Editor
This is always a great walk with the likelihood of seeing numerous songbirds and wildfowl as well as raptors, great blue herons and egrets.
Please check in at the gate and pay the entry fee.
Participants will meet in the parking lot area near the visitor’s center and begin the walk at 9 a.m.
As with all Audubon events, the public is cordially invited to join them.
For information call 707-263-4977.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
The 125,000 fish released Monday were the first of the fish reared from eggs rescued from the Feather River Fish Hatchery during last year’s Feather River spillway failure. Plants will continue through Thursday near Yuba City.
More than a million steelhead eggs were endangered in February 2017 when silt and debris overwhelmed the hatchery water system following the spillway failure.
With less than 72 hours to complete fixes on aeration and filtration systems CDFW engineers went to work to save the steelhead eggs stacked in hundreds of trays at the hatchery.
Feather River steelhead are on the state and federal list of species of concern, and the hatchery is key to maintaining the viable run in the Central Valley.
The eggs in the hatchery during the Feather River spillway event represented a year-age class of steelhead.
Engineers redesigned the water in-flow system using city water for the incubating steelhead. They also brought in massive six-foot-tall charcoal filters to purify the city water and reconfigured the aeration system. These alterations made this week’s release of more than 500,000 steelhead possible.
“CDFW engineers did something that had never been done successfully before on a massive scale,” said Feather River Fish Hatchery Manager Anna Kastner. “The eggs were in a fragile state of incubation and could not be moved, so innovation was the only option. The use of city water for incubation paid off.”
CDFW Engineers George Heise and Beth Lawson, working with hatchery personnel, pathologists and biologists, conferred on the requirements of redesigning the system. Once agreed upon they went to work.
“Our options were limited and something had to be implemented immediately. The team told us what they needed and we went to work making it happen,” Heise said.
Thousands of anglers fish these waters annually, significantly boosting the local economy. Finding an emergency fix for the potential catastrophic loss of a year of hatchery production of steelhead was critical – recreationally, economically and biologically.
John Church, a local fisherman from Yuba City, is one of the many anglers who value and rely on steelhead fishing opportunities on the Feather River. “It’s really important to me and family … I take my daughters to the Feather River for the chance to catch a steelhead each year,” he said. “It is what we go there for.”