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Recreation
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Question: I heard there are some concerns with eating ground squirrels in general. Is there some truth to this? If so, why do I see recipes to cook and eat them? Are they like chicken and pork where if you ensure the meat is cooked thoroughly, you should be okay?
I like to go squirrel hunting with my son, but since tree squirrels may not be hunted now, ground squirrels are our only option. Any guidance would be helpful! (Highhorse L.)
Answer: Tree squirrel season runs between September and January. California ground squirrels are not a game animal though, so from a legal standpoint, they have no seasons, bag or possession limits. If taken in the condor zone, ground squirrels must be hunted with non-lead ammunition.
Before attempting to eat them though, according to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) veterinarians, there’s a lot we don't know about diseases in ground squirrels. We do know they carry fleas and are highly susceptible to plague and probably die within a short period of time after exposure to the disease agent.
Also, anyone even thinking of eating ground squirrels should first make sure there is no chemical ground squirrel control going on in the area because ground squirrels are commonly controlled by anticoagulant rodenticides. If the ground squirrel consumes a non-lethal dose, the rodenticide would still persist in their tissues for a few weeks or months.
Be aware that both the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, www.cdc.gov/plague/ , and the California Department of Public Health site, www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/discond/Pages/Plague.aspx , indicate the greatest risk of acquiring plague is being around infected rodents like ground squirrels due to their fleas.
Humans usually get the disease after being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an animal infected with plague.
During the Middle Ages, plague is infamous for killing millions of people in Europe. Today, modern antibiotics are effective in treating plague. Without prompt treatment, the disease can cause serious illness or death.
Plague is endemic everywhere in California, except the southeastern desert and the Central Valley. It is not active everywhere in that range though, so before your hunt I suggest you contact the county public health department in the areas you will be hunting to find out the status and history of plague in those areas.
Be aware the endangered Mojave ground squirrel also occurs in the desert region and are not legal to take, so be sure you can tell them apart from the California ground squirrel.
If after reading all this you’re still determined to eat ground squirrels, like with all wildlife, make sure they are cooked thoroughly. Proper preparation and cooking is key to avoiding and minimizing exposure to disease. Bon appetite!
Can my kids spearfish for carp?
Question: I have a question concerning spear fishing for carp. When I was a kid, we used to go into the creeks and spear big carp. On the Russian River during the fall, I would see tens of thousands of huge carp congregating.
Can I let my kids go into the water with a mask and fins and spear these 10-20+ pound carps? I would think that would be helpful for the river and we can pass the meat out to our multi-cultural friends. (Anonymous)
Answer: Spearfishing for carp is allowed only in the Colorado River District (all year) and in certain areas of the Valley District, Black Butte Lake and the Kern River (from May 1 to Sept. 15) (CCR Title 14, section 2.30).
Why no harvest odds this year?
Question: Why did the Big Game Digest omit the harvest odds for deer this year? Why do they not publish buck-to-doe ratios either? Other states share that information and it’s a lot more helpful than those colorful articles in this year’s booklet. I am afraid to spend my points blindly. (Todd S.)
Answer: The answer has more to do with timing than anything – harvest and ratio data were simply not available when the Big Game Digest was developed. We are still adapting the harvest analysis to the new Automated License Data System (ALDS). Harvest data first has to be entered into the database, and then the analysis takes place. The deer harvest data was posted on-line as soon as it was available at www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/deer/deerhunt.html .
Fishing license when practicing fly fishing?
Question: Will we need a fishing license at Big Bear Lake if we are only fly rod casting in the water? We just want to learn how to cast a fly rod and will be using a fly without a hook on it. (Patrick G., Las Vegas, NV)
Answer: You do not need to have a license if the fly is not capable of hooking a fish.
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: Editor
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Last weekend was a busy one of racing and other fun at the Lake County Fairgrounds and the Lakeport Speedway with the arrival of the inaugural Lake County Spring Fair.
The event offered a good time to visitors, who had many attractions to see on the midway and in the buildings.
The car show had many different types of cars on hand and the carnival had lots of fun for everyone that was there to ride the rides.
The action was intense in the main grandstands where the action on Friday night kicked off with the mud bogs. Chris Caudle took the win in the unlimited division, followed by Taylor Gordon and Nick Fairfield.
In the modified division it was Chris Fenno who took the win followed by Dave Tyrrell and Branden Russell.
In the Stock Division the win went to Mike Jefferson followed by Kevin Rampone and Kyle Medina.
The action continued on Saturday night where the action in the tuff truck and ATV races was very entertaining to watch.
The winner in the ATV class was Justin Oz followed by his brother John Franchuck and then Brandon Mendenhall.
The win in the buggies division went to Rob Galassi, followed in second by Matt Welch and then Kevin O’Brien.
In the stock truck division the win went to William Goforth, and second went to Steven Hicks followed by Clayton Wanzer.
The child who put the fans on their feet for all three of his runs was Tucker Murray, age 4, out of Kelseyville, who did not let any of the large obstacles stand in his way.
He ran to win his division and had a very good time at doing it, and sometimes he even wanted to make a few more trips around the tires.
With his dad running the course along with Tucker it was double entertainment as racing staff was on hand to make sure dad not need any oxygen during his run through the course.
As if the action in the infield was not enough already, there was a 50 lap Taco Bell bomber main event that took place on Sunday night with the win going to Scott Sabol of Lakeport and the 10-lap grudge race win went to Rick Tommilla of Kelseyville.
The racing action continues this weekend at Lakeport Speedway with the Taco Bell Bombers, the Coors Light Extreme Asphalt Outlaws, the Bandoleros, the Volvo Rent Mini Stocks and the Jammers.
The gates open at 3:30 p.m. with the racing action starting at 5 p.m.
Make sure to like the speedway on Facebook and visit www.lakeportspeedway.com for complete event details.
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- Written by: Editor
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Konocti Junior Tennis League will start its summer program on Wednesday, June 19, at the Gard Street courts.
The summer program will begin at 10:30 a.m. and run until 11:30 a.m. every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for eight weeks through the summer until Aug. 10.
The Konocti Junior Tennis league is a United States Tennis Association officially sanctioned tennis league. Racquets are provided if needed. Players should bring water and wear a hat.
On Monday, July 15, a one-day United States Tennis Association tournament is going to take place at the courts.
All participants in the league and local high school players will be given a free membership in the United States Tennis Association and the fees will be waived for the July 15 tournament.
The league initiated through a small seed grant by the United States Tennis Association in 1983.
Throughout the intervening years, junior tournaments have been held by the league, as well as practice year-round, which is free to all local juniors ages 8 to 18 who wish to play.
Tennis in this local area is mostly enjoyed by older folks and the league has been established in order to introduce and promote the sport to younger people.
Many of the local youth have gone on to play high school and college tennis. After the league wrote letters of recommendation, several players went on to obtain scholarships from the USTA, as well as sportsmanship recognition in a statewide competition.
Some of these young boys and girls have gone on and made tennis a large part of their lives due to the experiences they have had playing in the tennis league.
New youngsters come out every year, many returning for years and summers-leading to knowledge of the art and sport of tennis.
Congratulations to the Kelseyville High School tennis team, winners of the Coastal Mountain Conference Girls’ Doubles Championships, Gabby McQueen and Mary McAllister.
Thanks go out to the Lake County Wine Alliance for its donation to enable the league to continue its efforts to provide tennis for Lake County children.
For more information call 707-279-9652.
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Question: I fish in Mexico and have a question regarding bringing them back to the U.S. I saw a statement on Facebook where the poster said we cannot bring cowcod or fillets into U.S. waters even if we have a signed declaration to present with the fish. Despite the fact cowcod are not legal to possess in California, they are legal to catch in Mexico.
I would like to know if this is true as many things posted on the Internet are not always correct. If it is correct, is this also true for the other three protected rockfishes – canary, yelloweye and bronzespotted rockfish?
If I take a legal Mexican limit of five bocaccio, would I be limited to bringing only three back into California?
Also, I hunt in Mexico where it is legal to take 60 doves. At the border, could I declare the 60 doves when I cross the border or would I only be able to have the California limit of 10 doves? What are the laws?
Since I am hunting and fishing in another country and abiding by their laws, do I have to also abide by California laws when I import game from another country? (Randy H.)
Answer: It is unlawful to import or possess birds, mammals, fish, reptiles or amphibians taken from outside of this state unless the following requirements are met (as per Fish and Game Code, section 2353):
- The animals were legally taken and legally possessed outside of this state.
- California and federal codes and regulations do not expressly prohibit their possession in this state.
- A declaration is submitted to the department or a designated state or federal agency at or immediately before the time of entry, in the form and manner prescribed by the department.
Therefore, even if the fish were legally taken in Mexico but are prohibited here in California, then they cannot be brought back here.
This means while cowcod, canary, yelloweye and bronzespotted rockfishes may be legally caught and possessed in Mexico, they cannot be brought back to California.
Filleting is also not allowed in Mexico, so no fish taken in Mexico can be brought back to California in a filleted condition.
There is an exception for migratory gamebirds. Migratory gamebirds, such as doves, taken in Mexico fall under the federal migratory bird regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 50.
Federal regulations allow importation of doves from Mexico “not to exceed the maximum number permitted by Mexican authorities to be taken in any one day: Provided, that if the importer has his Mexican hunting permit date-stamped by appropriate Mexican wildlife authorities on the first day he hunts in Mexico, he may import the applicable Mexican possession limit corresponding to the number of days actually hunted during that particular trip.”(see CFR section 20.61.)
Declaration for entry forms can be found online at www.dfg.ca.gov/enforcement/ .
Trolling for salmon
Question: There is a one rod per angler rule in Monterey Bay. This last weekend while trolling with my husband for salmon, we had three fish on board and needed one more for the two of us to have limits.
My question is, do we need to fish with just one rod as one of us has a limit, or may we fish with two rods until we catch one more fish? (Donna S.)
Answer: You can use two rods until you catch your final fish because boat limits apply in ocean waters. When there are two or more persons who are licensed or otherwise authorized to sport fish in ocean waters, fishing by all authorized persons aboard may continue until boat limits of finfish are taken and possessed aboard the vessel (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 27.60(c)).
Collecting starfish
Question: Our family was at Mavericks Beach in Half Moon Bay recently. I wasn't paying close attention when the kids were collecting things from the beach. My kids collected a starfish and snails and put them into a cooler.
When a ranger saw what they had he made me put them back in the water. We didn't know it was against the law. He wrote a ticket out to my husband as "CCR Title 14, section 29.05(d) Unlawful taking of invertebrate" and marked as misdemeanor.
We wouldn't have let the kids do it if we knew it was illegal. What will the fines or penalties be? (Laurice P.)
Answer: Sea stars (starfish) residing on nearshore rocks between the mean high tide line and 1,000 feet seaward of the mean low tide line may not be taken (CCR Title 14, section 29.05(b)). Pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 12000, the maximum fine for this violation is $1,000.
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