Recreation
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Tundra swans feed and rest in the Sacramento Valley's harvested, flooded rice fields.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is offering free swan tours in Yuba County near Marysville on select Saturdays, November through early January.
Held in partnership with Mathews Rice farming operation, this area boasts one of the largest populations of overwintering tundra swans in the Central Valley as well as abundant geese, ducks, shorebirds and raptors.
These popular, naturalist-led tours last approximately two hours. In caravan fashion, the tours traverse flooded rice fields filled with migratory and resident birds, with periodic stops to watch and learn about the wildlife.
The 2022-23 swan tour dates are:
• Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26;
• Dec. 3, 10, 17, 31;
• Jan. 7.
Two tours are offered each day at 9:30 a.m. and at 1 p.m.
Pre-registration is required by contacting Genelle Treaster, CDFW North Central Region, at
- Details
- Written by: Mendocino National Forest
They will be out in all types of weather conditions, wearing bright orange vests and will be near signs that say, “Traffic Survey Ahead.”
Information gathered from the survey is useful for forest planning as well as local community tourism planning. It provides forest managers an estimate of how many people recreate, which activities people engage in and how satisfied people are with their visit. Economic impact to the local economy is also captured in the survey.
The survey gathers basic visitor information. Surveys are voluntary and all responses are confidential; names are not included. Interviews last about 10 minutes.
Questions asked will include:
• Where you recreated on the forest,
• How many people traveled with you,
• How long you were on the forest,
• What other recreation sites you visited while on the forest, and
• How satisfied you are with the facilities and services provided.
• About a third of the visitors will be asked to complete a confidential survey on recreation spending during their trip.
“Although the survey is entirely voluntary, participation is extremely important so we can assess visitor experiences on the forest and work to make it a better place to visit,” said Paulette Kelly, Forest Recreation Program manager on the Mendocino National Forest.
“We would appreciate it if visitors would take the time to stop and answer a few questions. It’s important for interviewers to talk with local people using the forest, as well as out-of-area visitors, so all types of visitors are represented in the survey,” Kelly said.
Information about the National Visitor Use Monitoring program can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/nvum.
The contact for more information about the survey is Paulette Kelly, Forest Recreation Program Manager, Mendocino National Forest at
For more information on the Mendocino National Forest, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino.
- Details
- Written by: Mendocino National Forest
The hours for the front desk are 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Visitor information will also be available by phone at 530-934-3316. Staff at the front desk will be able to issue firewood permits.
Due to the amount of hazard tree abatement completed this year, the Mendocino National Forest and the Chico Seed Orchard have an abundance of firewood available to those with a permit. Firewood permits are free this year. The Grindstone District has provided a map with locations of wood rounds at Letts Lake and Mill Valley.
Beginning Monday, Nov. 7, the pedestrian gate at the Chico Seed Orchard will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except on federal holidays. These hours coordinate with sunrise and sundown after daylight saving ends on Sunday, Nov. 6.
The hours for the drive-through gate remain the same throughout the year, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., except on federal holidays.
Visitors are not allowed on the property after dark. Pet owners must have dogs on a leash at all times.
Forest Order 08-22-02 and the associated map for public use identifies orchard hours, parking and closed areas.
To get a permit and collect firewood at Chico Seed Orchard, please contact Orchard Manager Lisa Crane at 530-879-6627.
The orchard is an active production facility with heavy equipment, and anyone collecting firewood will need to check in for accountability before driving through the orchard to pick up firewood.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
CALTIP
Q: How many crime tips does the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) receive each year through CALTIP?
A: CALTIP, which stands for Californians Turn in Poachers and Polluters, was started in 1981 to serve as a tool for the public to report crimes involving wildlife - including plants, habitat and pollution. It is essentially a secret witness program where concerned citizens can report crimes and choose to remain anonymous.
CALTIP receives about 6,000 reports per calendar year. In 2015, CALTIP incorporated TIP411 as a tool for reporting violations using text, a phone app, or the “Report Poachers and Polluters” link on CDFW’s homepage. Currently about 2,000 reports are submitted via TIP411 per calendar year.
Reporting through CALTIP allows the public to be additional eyes and ears for CDFW’s wildlife officers while helping to protect California state resources from those who choose to act illegally by unlawfully killing animals, uprooting protected plants or polluting California waterways, for example.
The four ways to submit a crime tip through CALTIP or TIP411 are:
• Call 1-888-334-2258 (1-888-334-CALTIP).
• Text a message to 847411 (TIP411): Begin the message with “CALTIP,” leave a space, then text the violation.
• Use the free CALTIP smartphone app available at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Enforcement/CalTIP.
• Use the “Report a Violation Online” link located on the CALTIP page at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Enforcement/CalTIP.
To learn more, watch the Advanced Hunter Education CALTIP webinar on CDFW’s YouTube page.
Shotgun plug
Q: I’m a new hunter and plan on hunting upland game birds and small animals like rabbits and squirrels. I’ve been told that my shotgun needs to be “plugged.” What does that mean?
A: Wildlife regulations require that shotguns used for the take of game mammals and birds be restricted to a maximum capacity of three shotgun shells. This means that the total capacity of the shotgun, including the magazine and chamber, cannot exceed three shells. As some shotguns come from the factory “un-plugged” (able to accept more than three shells), you must check your shotgun to see how many shells it will hold. If it holds more than three, you must buy (or make) a plug to restrict the magazine capacity. See California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 14, section 311(a), which states:
“Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller using shot shells only and incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one-piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun.”
Also see CCR, Title 14, section 353(d), and CCR, Title 14, section 507(a)(4).
Grizzly bears
Q: Would CDFW support the idea of re-introducing grizzly bears into California?
A: While it is an interesting concept, CDFW isn’t convinced that reintroducing the grizzly into present day California is a good idea because of California’s high human population and intensive urban development throughout much of what was historically prime grizzly habitat.
Historically, grizzly bears inhabited the foothills, valleys and coastal areas. Inland, they could be found wherever there was an abundance of anadromous fish, acorns or large herds of pronghorn antelope and tule elk. Along the coast, they could be found wherever there was an abundance of marine mammals and invertebrates. These places have been subject to development. For example, major freeways have been constructed and the landscape no longer provides suitable space for grizzlies to roam. California already faces issues of wildlife connectivity, urban-wildland interface problems and vehicular deaths with species that currently exist. We believe reintroducing grizzlies would exacerbate these problems.
CDFW also has public safety concerns. California’s Sierra Nevada is not like a Yellowstone ecosystem. The Sierra Nevada entertains millions more visitors annually. More people live, play and work there. Human-wildlife and depredation conflicts involving species such as mountain lions, black bears and coyotes are on the rise throughout California creating a heavy workload on department staff. We fear that the reintroduction of grizzly bears would add to this burden.
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