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Recreation
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Why problem deer are not moved
Question: I live in the Christian Valley area above Auburn. The deer are overpopulated but they are protected in the area. The deer are starving and eat everything in sight.
I've bought deer-resistant plants and cover them at night, but then they rip off the covering and devour my plants. I've spent hundreds of dollars to try to keep plants on my property. I've even bought coyote packets to scare them away, but they tear them off and go right by them.
I try to chase these deer away but they are so domesticated now that they have charged me and kicked my dog. I need help!
How can I get Fish and Wildlife to transfer the deer to a higher location? I love animals but the deer here are destroying all I've put out. (Mary N., Auburn)
Answer: Unfortunately, because most of the deer in your area are migratory, moving them up the hill won't help as they will soon be moving back because of snow and forage availability anyway.
More than that though, according to Game Species Conservation Program Manager Craig Stowers, it is the policy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to not move depredating deer. There are several reasons for this:
1) Several studies (including one of our own) have indicated the survival rates for these animals are extremely low.
2) The benefits from all wildlife captures must be weighed against the risks of injury/death to the individual animals and personnel involved. Since the survival rates are so low in these instances, the benefits most definitely do not outweigh the risks.
3) There is a very real potential for introducing new diseases and/or parasites when moving animals from one area to another without health testing, and the only way that can effectively be done is through a quarantine process. Unfortunately, we don't have the facilities for that and couldn't take care of the deer long enough for test results to come back.
4) Physical deterrence is the only proven long-term solution (fencing or some type of barrier). Even if we could move a large number of deer, there are others which would eventually move in to replace them.
As California becomes more urbanized, these types of problems will continue to increase in frequency. Traditional methods of managing wildlife populations are becoming increasingly unavailable to us, primarily because of public safety issues and changing societal values.
CDFW has implemented a pilot project in the San Jose area to address a very similar problem and we are hopeful it can turn into something we can use in the future as these problems are only going to continue.
Breakaway lines on crab pots?
Question: Are cotton breakaway lines required on sport Dungeness crab pots? (Clinton M., Petaluma)
Answer: Breakaway lines are not required on sport crab pots, but using cotton twine to secure escape rings and crab pot doors is a very good idea.
On lost pots, the cotton eventually rots away and opens the pot so that crabs and other marine life can more easily escape.
Without the destruct device (such as rotten cotton or cotton twine), the pot essentially becomes a self-baiting trap).
We encourage you to use traps with self-destructing components. Rotten cotton also works well on the elastic or rubber between the band and the hook.
When the cotton breaks, the hook falls away and the door opens. The majority of sport crab pots do not have removable escape rings, so cotton between the hook and the elastic is better for the resource.
Duck hunting youth on refuge
Question: I am a minor (17 years old) but possess an adult hunting license. Can I transport a shotgun in my vehicle for duck hunting on one of the California refuges where you only have to be 16 years of age to hunt by yourself? (James M., Modesto)
Answer: Yes, as long as your shotgun is unloaded. Persons 16 or 17 years of age in possession of a valid resident or nonresident hunting license will be issued entry permits and may hunt by themselves, but may not be accompanied by apprentice hunters (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 551(h)).
Second rod stamp required for youth?
Question: My son is 11 years old. When I take him fishing at the lake and he fishes from shore. Can he fish with two rods or must he stick with one rod only? (H. Tran)
Answer: Your son can fish with two rods. However, once he turns 16 he will need a fishing license and a second rod stamp in order to fish with two rods.
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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HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The Hidden Valley Lake Men’s Niners Golf Club held its final tournament of the 2013 season on Dec. 5.
Forty four men competed in a three by three by three format with two-man teams.
The results were:
- “A” flight: The team of Don Dornbush/Jim Stratton was first with a combined net of 31. Bruce Hamilton/Bill Kyle was second, 32, and Fred Figg/Jeff Markham third, 33.
- “B” flight: The father/son team Jim Hodges/Jay Hodges posted the lowest net of the day, 27. Juergen Haller/Mike Higman was second at 29, and Jim DeRosa/Pete Gumina third, 30.
Closest to the par 3 pins were Jim Hodges and Jay Hodges.
Chip-ins were scored by Paul Peterson, Don Dornbush and Bill Brewster.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Clear Lake High School wrestlers put in a strong performance at a tournament this past weekend.
Coach Aden Pierson said all seven Clear Lake High wrestlers taking part in the event brought home medals in Saturday's Coastal Mountain Conference Novice tournament.
He said big congratulations go to gold medalists Emily Psalmonds and Andreas Tejada; silver medalists Markus Estrada, Amelia Tejada and Aireon Banuet; and bronze medalists Izak Wynacht and Holden Braider.
“The kids looked really good this year at novice,” Pierson said. “I am very proud of the performance they gave and their hard work definitely paid off.”
Next week the varsity squad will be at Green and Gold in Novato, with the girls and younger squad to compete at the Lower Lake tournament, Pierson said.
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Charity dinner with donated game
Question: An organization I belong to wants to do a benefit event with donated fish and game meals prepared for the homeless and the hungry.
I know that waterfowl regulations are set by the federal government, but wonder if it may be possible to accept donated wild ducks and geese and turn them into a meal for a few hundred.
It would be a one-day event to draw attention to a local shelter and help boost the image of us hunter types as charitable people who help to conserve our resources.
At some point, someone is going to be over their possession limit to make this happen.
Obviously, we won't charge for the event, and our organization often leaves a generous donation to the facility, but I always thought there was a possession problem. Whaddaya think? (Scott L.)
Answer: Yes, an event like this can be done. A designated person may receive and possess game birds and mammals from multiple donors to give to or prepare for a charitable organization or charitable entity (under Fish and Game Code, section 3080) as long as they have:
1) Copies of the hunting licenses and validated tags for the species possessed. They must be issued for the current or immediate past license year and signed and dated by the donor confirming the donation.
2) The charitable organizations or charitable entities receiving and distributing game birds or mammals for charitable or humane purposes, must maintain the documentation described above for one year from the date of disposal.
Fishing license for collecting seaweed?
Question: Is a fishing license required to collect seaweed? (Jane S., Monterey)
Answer: A fishing license is not required to take seaweed but there is a daily bag limit of 10 pounds wet weight in the aggregate. There are three prohibited species that may not be cut or disturbed: eel grass (Zostera), surf grass (Phyllospadix) and sea palm (Postelsia).
Legal shoot time
Question: If you are sitting in your duck blind waiting for legal shooting time, and you have a shotgun loaded and ready to go (in other words shells in the magazine and chamber), can you be cited for hunting before legal shooting time?
Some say yes since you're loaded up and ready to go, so you are technically “hunting” (even if you have the shotgun sitting in the corner of the blind and never touch it until the legal shoot time).
Others say it’s legal because you aren’t shooting … so as long as you don't fire the gun, you're good.
Who's right? (Eric M.)
Answer: As long as you make no attempt to take a duck, there is no violation for loading your gun as you wait for legal shooting time. However, having a live round in the chamber while you are waiting is not advised for safety reasons.
Abalone reporting
Question: How do I go about reporting my annual abalone harvest take? I just want to find out where I should go on the Web site to report my abalone harvest. Otherwise, do I have to mail the original in by mail? Please advise. (Richard S.)
Answer: You have two options. You can either report your abalone harvest date online at www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/harvestreporting , or you can mail your completed Abalone Report Cards to:
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
32330 N. Harbor Drive
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Cards or card data must be submitted to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), even if the card holder did not take or even try to take abalone. All card data provides information necessary for annual take estimates.
Fishing for sturgeon
Question: When sturgeon fishing, is it true we cannot use sinkers on leaders or steel leaders? I don’t find these laws stated in the regulations booklet, so are they true? (Mon S., Stockton)
Answer: When fishing for sturgeon, only one single barbless hook may be used on a line (see California Code of Regulations Title 14, sections 5.80 and 27.90.)
The use of sinkers or steel leaders while fishing for sturgeon is not prohibited in most waters, but the use of any hook that is attached closer than 18 inches to any weight exceeding one half ounce is prohibited (CCR Title 14, section 2.10(b)(2)). (Exception: Sacramento River from Keswick Dam to the Highway 162 Bridge, no wire leaders may be used and no sturgeon may be taken.)
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