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Recreation
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- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
As California’s 2015 deer hunting season continues with the opening of additional hunt zones this weekend, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is urging hunters to research where they plan to hunt in advance, as access to some areas may be restricted due to wildfires.
Current information regarding closures and restrictions can be found on Cal Fire's California Statewide Fire Map Web page, www.fire.ca.gov/general/firemaps.php .
CDFW does not close or open areas due to fires, but leaves that authority to incident commanders with Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service.
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- Written by: CARRIE WILSON
Question: Is there anything I can do to deter or discourage sea lions from eating all my crabbing bait? I know that seals and sea lions are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act but I've heard there are exceptions for recreational fishermen to deter them to prevent damage to private property, including gear and catch.
What can I legally do to chase off these seals/sea lions or at least prevent them from chewing up my bait cages and hoop nets? Is it legal to shoot them with paintball guns? (Sam L.)
Answer: California sea lions and Pacific harbor seals have been federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act since 1972, and thus harassing, capturing, killing or attempting to do so is prohibited and carries a hefty fine.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in recent years the populations of these animals have increased dramatically and are now considered healthy and robust.
Unfortunately, with the good often comes the bad – the increased abundance of animals has also resulted in a growing number of negative interactions with humans and incidents of property damage.
People seeking legal methods for deterring marine mammals in order to protect their property, fishing gear and catch from damage by sea lions and seals can find recommendations and approved methods on NOAA’s Web site, www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/marine_mammals/deterring_qa.html .
Shooting wrong deer
Question: If you are out hunting and shoot a spike by mistake, what should a person do?
What kind of trouble could a hunter get into for that if reported to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)? (Steve C.)
Answer: If you shoot a spike deer by mistake, you should immediately contact your local CDFW office and/or your local wildlife officer to report it and explain what the situation was that caused the mistake.
You may still be cited for wrongly harvesting an animal that you are not authorized to take, and if convicted you could lose your deer hunting privileges for the following year in all wildlife violator compact states.
If you try to conceal the animal, don’t tag it, take it home or leave it in the field without field dressing it, you may be cited for additional violations that entail higher fines and penalties.
And these actions could lead to an extended revocation of your deer hunting privileges in all Wildlife Violator compact states, or may lead to the revocation of all hunting privileges in California and all wildlife violator compact states.
Archery for quail
Question: I am planning on archery hunting for quail this year. Do the same laws from shotgun apply to archery?
Does the quail have to be flying before shooting at it? Or if archery hunting, can the quail be standing on the ground or sitting in the trees? (John V.)
Answer: The early archery-only season for quail ended on Sept. 4, but using archery equipment generally allows you to hunt both during the archery-only season (listed under California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 300) and during the general season. Otherwise, the bag and possession limits are the same.
Whether to shoot the birds when flying vs. when they are standing on the ground or roosting in trees is not a legal question but rather an ethical decision that you must make.
Under the widely accepted “fair chase” principles that most hunters abide by, shooting upland game birds or waterfowl under conditions other than when they are flying would violate this principal and be considered unethical.
Six months residency requirement
Question: If a taxpayer is considered a California resident for tax purposes and pays about $6000 a year in California income tax, plus California sales tax, but has lived overseas for part of the year, why can't they purchase a resident fishing license until after they have physically resided in California for six months?
Under fishing regs it would be legal to purchase a license in January, leave the country and return in 11 months and the California license is still valid within the same year. What is the point of this rule? (Bob R.)
Answer: While there are many ways the legislature could have defined residency, for purposes of purchasing hunting and fishing licenses, Fish and Game Code section 70 defines a resident as “any person who has resided continuously in the State of California for six months or more immediately prior…” to the date of application for a license or permit.
The law also includes specific provisions regarding persons on active duty in the military and persons enrolled in the federal Job Corps.
The purpose of this law is to provide criteria to establish residency for the purpose of purchasing hunting and fishing licenses.
According to CDFW License Program Analyst Glenn Underwood, the law does not say that you cannot leave California while you are a resident.
However, if you live outside of California, your identification is based outside of California, or you buy resident licenses in another state or country, then you will not be able to purchase a resident California license. Many people attempt to purchase resident licenses in more than one state.
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: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
State and federal fisheries officials are asking for public assistance and offering a $20 reward for the return of each satellite tag from green sturgeon.
The satellite tags, which are programmed to release from the fish after a predetermined time, are most likely to be found along the open ocean coastal portions of San Francisco and San Mateo counties, and the shores and waters of San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay and the Delta.
Biologists use the tags to gather information on the Southern Distinct Population Segment of green sturgeon, a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The tag rewards are being offered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), in collaboration with the West Coast Groundfish Observer Program, UC Davis and central California commercial halibut trawl fishermen.
If you see a live fish with a tag attached, do not remove the tag from the fish. Instead, note the tag number and call or email the point of contact printed on the tag.
If you find a detached tag, please pick it up for return and contact Kristine Lesyna, CDFW Marine Region, 650-631-6742, or Ethan Mora, NOAA Fisheries, 831-420-3663.
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- Written by: Editor
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Middletown High School's cross country athletes – who are Valley fire evacuees – are asking for a show of support for their team at this Saturday's meet at Spring Lake in Santa Rosa.
The meet takes place from 8:35 a.m. to 12:35 p.m.
If you're willing to go support the team, please break out your best purple and gold attire to support the Middletown Mustangs and their school colors.
“We need all the support we can get to show that our community is one and can conquer anything in this disastrous time,” said team member Tiyanna Meese.
