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California Outdoors: Wildlife officers and badges, rifle silencers, ab in a cab, fishing rod numbers
Shouldn’t wildlife officers display badges?
Question: During the 2015 Eastern Sierra Trout Opener, I was checked three times by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) wardens for license and barbless hooks. I was in compliance each time.
On the three contacts the wardens were wearing jackets and hats that did not have any CDFW insignias or badges on them.
On two occasions the wardens stated that they were wardens and I could see radio and gun holsters sticking out from under their jackets. They did not show me any credentials or badge. On the other contact the warden pulled open his jacket collar and showed me his lieutenant bars.
My question is what citizen rights do I have to ask to see a badge or credential during a contact, and what is the policy of CDFW for displaying and showing proper credentials when making a contact, not just telling me he's a warden?
I understand the need to be “undercover” before making a contact, but once the contact is made I think more than just saying you are a warden would be necessary.
After the third contact where the warden showed me lieutenant bars, this lack of identification was getting a little old and I believe unprofessional. I had no way of identifying these wardens by name or badge number. (Michael M.)
Answer: You have every right to ask to see their credentials.
As I’m sure you know, the Eastern Sierra Trout Opener is a very popular event that draws tens of thousands of anglers to the area during that weekend, and you were fishing in a high contact area, so it’s not unusual that you were contacted by wildlife officers, even multiple times.
And because that area is so open and highly visible, and because people are easily seen from a long distance away, wildlife officers often wear a cover shirt over their uniforms and a fishing hat to better blend in and look like another angler so that they can more easily watch everyone without being immediately detected.
Our goal is to encourage compliance even when anglers don’t see a wildlife officer in the area.
However, if you were uncomfortable with the contact(s) because you could not be sure the person really was a wildlife officer, by all means, you have the right to ask them, or any peace officer who is contacting you in a law enforcement capacity, for their identification.
That is definitely a reasonable request and the wildlife officer should not mind showing you their credentials upon request.
By the way, I spoke to the wildlife officer who likely contacted you (at least one of the times!). He welcomed your comments and wanted me to encourage you to request to see his credentials next time and he will be happy to show them to you.
Rifle silencers for a hunter with substantial hearing loss?
Question: I have substantial hearing loss and my doctor recommended surgery to correct my problem.
The issue is that my hearing will be very sensitive to noise afterwards and so shooting a rifle could actually damage it greatly.
I am wondering if, when hunting, can an exception be made to allow me to use a silencer on my rifle? (Carlos)
Answer: Unfortunately, the answer is no. It is a felony to possess silencers, except for law enforcement and military purposes (California Penal Code, section 33410).
Your best bet is to wear hearing protection while hunting.
There are many choices out there and some actually enhance your ability to hear ambient noise while minimizing any loud noises, such as gunshots.
Wildlife officers use this type of hearing protection during firearms training.
Ab in a cab?
Question: I found a sub-legal abalone shell in the stomach of a legally caught cabezon. Is a small abalone shell like this legal to possess?
My wife likes it and I want her to know it’s legal to possess. (Ken K.)
Answer: Yes!
How many fishing rods in possession at one time?
Question: How many fishing rods can be in one’s possession? I have a second rod stamp but want to know if I can carry more than two rods with me?
Although I may be on foot fishing from the bank, I see anglers on the bass tourney TV shows fishing while still having several rods on their boats. What advice do you have? (Joe P., Red Bluff)
Answer: The number of rods in your possession is not the issue, it is the number of lines that you have in the water fishing at one time.
You may have as many rods as you wish in your possession – just make sure to use only the number allowed for the species of fish or for the particular waters that you’re fishing.
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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UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Land Trust offers nature walks every Saturday at 8 a.m. at the Rodman Preserve.
The public is invited to come out and enjoy summer with an early morning cool walk along the slough.
The month of July offers some excellent hikes. Plants, grasses, birds, wildlife are in full summer flourish. Participants should meet at the Rodman Preserve and Nature Education Center.
The guided walks at Rodman Preserve offer visitors an opportunity to enjoy wildlife and the beauty of Lake County. Each Saturday walk is led by a different Land Trust volunteer.
Visitors often enjoy returning for walks and learning from the diverse guides for each walk. The July 4 walk was led by Roberta Lyons, who usually leads walks on the first Saturday. Roberta is a board member of the Land Trust who enjoys birding, sharing about the land and identifying wild grasses.
Saturday, July 18, provides visitors the opportunity to hike with Michael Friel a local attorney and president of the Land Trust, who shares his land protection insights and humor with visitors.
The month of July rounds out with Valerie Nixon guiding the hike on July 25. Nixon, a retired park ranger, has a wealth of observations and information to share with visitors.
The preserve is located at 6350 Westlake Road, Upper Lake. To get there take the Nice-Lucerne Cut-off from Highway 29, between Lakeport and Upper Lake. Turn east onto the Nice-Lucerne Cut-off, then left on to Westlake Road. The preserve entry is to the immediate right after turning on to Westlake Road.
The preserve is owned and operated by the Lake County Land Trust, a local, nonprofit organization directly involved in protecting important land resources, wetlands, wildlife habitats, parks, forests, watersheds, riparian stream corridors, lakeside areas and trails.
For more information about the Lake County Land Trust, go to www.lakecountylandtrust.org or “like,” the Land Trust’s Facebook page.
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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Come and enjoy summer in Clear Lake State Park Saturday, July 18, with retired California State Park Ranger Val Nixon.
The two-hour walk will begin at 8 a.m. at the visitor center parking lot and will be a slow walk along Cole Creek, Kelsey Creek and Kelsey Creek Slough.
The walk will cover about 1 mile of paved road and established trails.
Participants should wear sturdy shoes and bring binoculars, mosquito repellent and water.
Clear Lake State Park is located at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.
Entry into the park is free for those participating in the walk.
Anyone having special needs should contact the Clear Lake State Park Sector Office Tuesday through Thursday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 707-279-2267.
For further information on California State Parks visit www.parks.ca.gov .
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Is a fish caught on another angler’s line legal to keep?
Question: I am hoping you can resolve a question that came up in one of our recent fishing club meetings.
On a recent trip to Lake Isabella, I caught a very nice rainbow trout (18 inches long!). The way it was caught is the subject of debate within our club.
I was fishing on a pontoon boat and when I landed the fish, it wasn’t on my hook. Apparently, the fish had been hooked by someone else previously, and broke off. I don’t know who or when, but when I reeled the fish in it had a couple of feet of the previous fishing line, with a hook and split shot still attached to it.
The previous angler’s hook was still hooked into the fish’s mouth. Somehow the split shot and old line became tangled in my tackle. The fish was landed after a brief fight, netted and added to my bag limit.
The question is: Is this considered a legally caught fish? We await your response. (Luiz D.)
Answer: No fish may be retained that did not voluntarily take the bait or lure into its mouth (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 2.00(c)).
Although you accidentally snagged the broken off line from a previous angler, you may have saved that fish from an otherwise slow death.
If that old line had instead gotten hung up on a rock or bush, preventing the fish from freely moving around, the fish could have died of a lack of gill movement or starvation.
Since your fish had taken an angler’s bait or lure into its mouth, it was legal to keep. The intention of angling is that the fish take a hook in its mouth, and this was accomplished.
If you had instead snagged this fish by impaling or attempting to impale it in any part of its body other than the mouth by use of a hook, hooks, gaff, or other mechanical implements, this would have been illegal (CCR Title 14, section 2.00(b)). This does not include the lawful use of a gaff to land the fish.
Which firearms and ammo can be used for night hunting?
Question: I am having trouble finding a specific section related to which firearms you are allowed to hunt with at night.
Word of mouth has always been that only rimfire rifles and shotguns may be used at night.
I know that in other states you can use a regular centerfire rifle so I am wondering if we can also use them here.
If not, are we only allowed rimfire and shotguns? Also, are there any exceptions for mounting a flashlight to a gun? (Taylor F.)
Answer: If you are in an area where night hunting is legal, you may only take nongame mammals and furbearers.
Night hunting is restricted to the method of take allowed for these animals (under CCR Title 14, section 475).
You are not restricted related to the use of rimfire, centerfire or shotgun except you may only use and possess non lead ammunition in the condor zone.
For regulations on the use of lights, please check the California Mammal Hunting Regulations booklet at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations (CCR Title 14, section 264 on page 18 and Fish and Game Code, section 2005 on page 20).
Why is abalone season closing during July?
Question: Just curious, why is abalone season closed in July? (Ashton H.)
Answer: The July break in abalone season was instituted to help conserve the resource. Originally, a two-month summer closure was proposed for the recreational abalone season, but it was reduced to one month – July – to avoid the possible negative economic impacts on North Coast areas that rely on tourism.
Because weather and ocean conditions are usually better in July, and many people take vacations and visit the North Coast at that time, July was chosen as the summer month to give abalone a "break" from the heavy take that occurs during the summer.
This measure is to help California’s red abalone population remain a healthy resource.
Where’s the best beach to watch a grunion run?
Question: Where is the best beach to take my son to in Southern California to see the grunion run? I realize it’s a bit of a guess but I would really like him to see them.
Do you have any educated guesses? (Jeffrey D.H.)
Answer: You are correct that it really is anyone’s guess where grunion will run ashore since just about any sandy beach in Southern California is fair game to the grunion!
But, for a list of known grunion beaches, please visit our Amazing Grunion web page at www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/grunion.asp#hunter (look under Best Locations).
Best of luck! I hope you and your son are able to see a grunion run!
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