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Recreation
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May is “Be Bear Aware Month” and the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds the public to act responsibly when in bear country.
Spring is the time of year when California’s black bears emerge from their winter dens in search of lush, green vegetation.
As the grasses die in late spring, bears become attracted to bugs, berries, salmon and nearly anything edible or smelly. Their quest for food takes up nearly every waking hour.
With an estimated 30,000 bears in California, it is not surprising that from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the peak of the camping season, DFG is inundated with calls about bears breaking into homes, rummaging through trash bins and raiding campsites.
These bears often are labeled “nuisance” bears, but in reality, the bears are just doing what comes naturally to them, foraging for food.
“People are the root of the problem and it’s their behavior that we need to change,” said Marc Kenyon, DFG’s Bear Program manager. “By taking just a few precautions to secure food and trash, area visitors
and residents can save themselves thousands of dollars in property damage, can help protect their families from injury and can save the lives of bears. Bears that become habituated to humans or conditioned to eating our food and trash often have to be killed.”
Tips for bear-proofing your campsite:
No one wants to worry about housekeeping when on a camping trip, but DFG warns that keeping a clean campsite is the responsible and safe thing to do when visiting black bear country.
Here are a few tips for bear-proofing your campsite:
- Use bear-proof garbage cans whenever possible or store your garbage in a secure location with your food.
- Store food (including pet food) and toiletries in bear-proof containers or in an airtight container in the trunk of your vehicle.
- Clean dishes and store food and garbage immediately after meals.
- Clean the barbecue grill after each use.
- Never keep food or toiletries in your tent.
Tips for bear-proofing your home, rental or timeshare:
Bears have keen noses and can smell an easy meal from miles away. They can easily tear a front door off its hinges if they smell fried chicken left out on the kitchen counter or bacon grease splattered on a stove.
To protect your family and property from bear break-ins follow these simple tips:
- Purchase and properly use a bear-proof garbage container.
- Wait to put trash out until the morning of collection day.
- Don’t leave trash, groceries, or animal feed in your car.
- Keep garbage cans clean and deodorize them with bleach or ammonia.
- Keep barbecue grills clean and stored in a garage or shed when not in use.
- Only provide bird feeders during November through March and make them inaccessible to bears.
- Don’t leave any scented products outside, even non-food items such as suntan lotion, insect repellent, soap or candles.
- Keep doors and windows closed and locked.
- Consider installing motion-detector alarms, electric fencing or motion-activated sprinklers.
- Harvest fruit off trees as soon as it is ripe, and promptly collect fruit that falls.
- Securely block access to potential hibernation sites such as crawl spaces under decks and buildings.
Facts about black bears:
- The only species of bears in California are black bears. However, they do range in color from blonde to black, with cinnamon brown being the most common color.
- There are an estimated 25,000 to 35,000 black bears in California.
- Black bears will seek to avoid confrontation with humans. If encountered, always leave them an escape route.
- Males are much larger than females and can weigh over 500 pounds, although average weight is about 300 pounds.
- Black bears can sprint up to 35 mph and they are strong swimmers and great tree climbers.
- A typical wild bear diet consists of berries, plants, nuts, roots, honey, honeycomb, insects, larvae, carrion and small mammals.
- As winter approaches, bears will forage for food up to 20 hours a day, storing enough fat to sustain them through hibernation. Bears often hibernate in large hollow trees 40 to 60 feet off the ground.
- Bears that are accustomed to people can become too bold and lose their fear of humans.
For more information including bear-proof containers and where to buy them, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/bear.html .
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MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Forest products will not be available for sale Monday, May 14, through Wednesday, May 16 at any of the Mendocino National Forest offices.
Forest offices will be open for general visitor information during their regular business hours.
The forest products include personal woodcutting permits, National Forest maps, and all local and federal interagency passes (Red Bluff boat launch, senior, access and annual passes).
In the interim, forest maps can be purchased over the phone by calling 406-329-3024 or visiting www.nationalforeststore.com .
Federal Interagency passes can be purchased by calling 1-888-ASK-USGS or visiting www.nationalforeststore.com .
For Red Bluff boat launch passes, please call the Sacramento River Discovery Center at 530-527-1196 to check availability during regular business hours Tuesday through Saturday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Forest collections officers, responsible for the sales of forest products will be undergoing training on the new point-of-sale system being implemented on the forest.
The system will allow customers to use credit cards to purchase all Forest products, including personal woodcutting and Christmas tree permits. Currently on the Mendocino National Forest, credit cards are only accepted for maps and passes.
“We appreciate the public’s patience as we learn this new system, not only during the days products won’t be available due to the training, but also as we start using this system across the Forest,” said Forest Supervisor Sherry Tune. “Ultimately, this short period of inconvenience while learning and implementing this system will lead us to improved customer service.”
The new point-of-sale system will be available for customer sales across the Forest by Monday, May 21.
For more information regarding the changes in Forest Service product sales, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/billpay/ .
For additional information about the forest or available products, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316, or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Question: I was wondering if it's mandatory to have to give up my salmon heads when the volunteer fish checkers come around to measure my fish? I thought it was my choice. (Gary B.)
Answer: Yes, it’s mandatory. The surveyors at the dock collecting heads are not volunteers but are paid, trained and educated biologists, and anglers in possession of a salmon with a clipped adipose fin are required to relinquish the head to these Department of Fish and Game (DFG) employees (Fish and Game Code, section 8226).
Section 8226 reads: "(a) … any person in possession of a salmon with a missing adipose fin, the small, fleshy fin on the back of the fish between the back fin and the tail, upon request by an authorized agent or employee of the department, shall immediately relinquish the head of the salmon to the state, at no charge, for recovery of any coded-wire tag. The head may be removed by the fish owner or, if removed by the official department representative, the head shall be removed in a manner to minimize loss of salmon flesh and the salmon shall immediately be returned to the rightful owner. (b) It is unlawful to intentionally conceal, cull or release into the waters a salmon with a missing adipose fin that it is otherwise legal to possess."
Banded red-shouldered hawk
Question: My daughter has a red-shouldered hawk that frequents her deck in San Rafael. The hawk seems to enjoy scanning from the railing for critters it might like to eat. This bird appears to have a silver tag on its right leg just above the claw but I can’t read the writing. I was wondering if DFG or any agencies that you know of have a tagging program for hawks? (Ken M., Oakland)
Answer: Yes, there are numerous researchers both in and outside of California that capture and mark birds. According to Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Raptor Biologist Carie Battistone, identification bands should be reported to the Bird Banding Lab (BBL) (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/), administered by USGS. If someone sees a marked bird, such as this red-shouldered hawk, they can report it by accessing BBL's website and clicking the "Report a Bird Band or Marked Bird" link. This national program allows researchers to study bird movement (dispersal and migration patterns), survival, population trends and more.
Many bands are reported when a bird is recaptured or dies. Reading the band number can be hard, but not impossible, on live birds. In addition to silver bands, researchers also use color bands which tend to be much easier to identify and report.
Can crayfish be taken in otherwise closed zones?
Question: If an area is posted "closed to fishing," like the stretch of the Feather River between the green bridge in Oroville and the fish hatchery, is it still ok to use crayfish traps there? Or are crayfish traps considered "fishing"? (Al C., Oroville)
Answer: No, you cannot use crayfish traps there. According to DFG Lt. Sam Castillo, in this particular area the law says, “Closed to all fishing all year” (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 7.50(b)(68)(A)). The law is inclusive of all species and is not specific to just trout and salmon. Some other no-fishing areas will allow for the take of amphibians, fresh water clams, crayfish and lampreys under CCR Title 14, section 7.50(a)(2), but this isn’t one of them.
Guns on boats
Question: We do not have a concealed carry permit but while camping we keep a loaded pistol in our camper for personal protection. We would prefer not to leave it in the camper while we are out on the boat fishing. Is it legal to carry a loaded firearm (pistol) on a boat while fishing in the ocean? If so, does it have to be in plain sight or can it be kept in a glove box on the boat? (Lisa G., Granite Bay)
Answer: In general, you may not possess a loaded, concealed handgun when in a public place. There is an exception for licensed anglers and hunters, who are allowed to carry a concealed firearm on their person when engaged in hunting or fishing (see Penal Code, section 25640). The exemption also allows the carry of an unloaded concealable firearm when going to or returning from a hunting or fishing expedition. A summary of firearms laws is available online at http://dfg.ca.gov/enforcement/ under Helpful Information on the right margin.
Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. While she cannot personally answer everyone's questions, she will select a few to answer each week. Please contact her at
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Dust off your old cleats! Alumni football is coming to Lakeport.
Gridiron Alumni is planning several full contact alumni football games.
Gridiron Alumni travels the nation pitting old football rivals against each other one more time.
Players are needed to sign up and the first 40 players on each team get to play.
The team that gets 30 people registered first gets home field advantage.
This spring, hundreds of players and thousands of fans swarmed stadiums to watch their hometown heroes strap it on one more time.
This year, Gridiron Alumni would like to bring alumni football to the whole state of California.
Teams from Clear Lake, Natural High School, Legacy School, Kelseyville High School, Upper Lake Union High School and other area teams are forming now.
Games are scheduled for August and September, but dates are limited and spots fill up fast.
All teams must be registered and paid before July 30.
If you or someone you know is interested in putting on the pads one more time, please go to www.gridironalumni.com to register.