How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Recreation
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The 21,000-acre Knoxville Wildlife Area is located approximately 1.5 miles north of Lake Berryessa and is a Type C wildlife area.
This special lottery draw deer hunt was created to limit the number of hunters in the wildlife area during opening week and to improve the hunting experience.
Because the Knoxville Wildlife Area was heavily impacted by the August 2020 LNU Lightning Complex Fire and habitat recovery has been slow, only 120 hunt permits will be issued for the special lottery draw.
The hunt permit is valid for the single hunt period, Aug. 14 to 20. The Knoxville Wildlife Area will be closed to all other users during the hunt period.
For more information and to apply for the lottery draw, please visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/3/Hunts/Knoxville-Deer-Draw.
Applications are being accepted until June 20.
Successful applicants will be selected through a random computerized draw and will be notified by email four weeks prior to the hunt.
Up to four hunters may apply as one party by including all required information on the online application.
Multiple applications from any hunter will result in disqualification from the drawing. Substitutions of hunt party members will not be permitted, and non-hunters and guests will not be allowed to accompany drawn hunters. Junior hunters must be accompanied by an adult hunter in the hunt party.
Hunters must possess a valid 2020-21 California hunting license prior to applying for the lottery draw.
Deer hunt preference points will not be considered for this lottery draw, nor will preference points be affected if drawn for this special hunt.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or CDFW, said the proposal is a historic moment for its budget.
The proposed budget increases show the Newsom Administration is deeply invested in California’s biodiversity both for its intrinsic, ecological value as well as for future generations of hunters, hikers, anglers, birders and outdoor enthusiasts.
The proposal increases the CDFW budget by $252.1 million and includes funds to safeguard California’s biodiversity, protect endangered species and their habitats, support the Cutting the Green Tape initiative, enhance drought preparedness through the water resilience package, increase renewable energy on land and in the ocean, cover payments for fishermen and women voluntarily transitioning out of the drift gill net shark and swordfish fishery, and address other CDFW’s budget shortfalls identified through years of in-depth budget analysis and research through the Service Based Budgeting, or SBB, Project.
Friday’s proposal includes 216 staff positions to deliver services and safeguard fish and wildlife in California.
SBB is a budgeting approach that identifies the tasks needed to accomplish the mission of CDFW.
Directed by the Legislature, and working with many diverse stakeholders, CDFW conducted one of the first and most comprehensive state agency reviews of its budget, tasks and labor needs.
In a report to the Legislature in January, the SBB project clearly defined CDFW activities, tasks and resources required to deliver our mission. It is through the continued engagement by a wide range of stakeholders that CDFW was able to show needed resource increases that are reflected in this budget proposal.
The proposal also provides funding that will assist CDFW’s human-wildlife conflict program, which is exacerbated during times of drought when animals travel farther to seek out water sources.
The plan provides monies for CDFW’s Law Enforcement Division as wildlife officers are nearly always the responders in human-wildlife conflicts.
It also includes funding increases for monitoring and management on CDFW lands, and provides seed money to grow the CDFW wolf program, including a comprehensive reimbursement program that incentivizes non-lethal measures for livestock producers as California’s wolf population grows.
The proposal will allow CDFW to augment major efforts underway to increase access to our natural resources throughout California.
This includes increasing access to our approximately 1.2 million acres of ecological reserves and wildlife areas across more than 700 properties in the state.
These efforts also include increasing tribal representation and care for cultural resources, and focusing on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion both within the CDFW workforce and among our constituents, with a vision of truly ensuring Nature for All and a California for All.
There is already some evidence suggesting these efforts are working. Through the pandemic, CDFW watched as hunting and fishing license sales increased significantly. CDFW issued nearly two million sport fishing licenses in 2020, an 11 percent increase from 2019.
California hunter numbers also spiked. CDFW issued nearly 300,000 California hunting licenses in 2020, a 9% increase from the previous year.
Though it’s clear that much of this is credited to Californians seeking safe outdoor activities, it also correlates with our recent rededication to learning reasons behind previously decreasing license sales through the nationwide recruitment, retention and reactivation, or R3, effort.
R3 aims to increase statewide hunting and fishing participation by collaborating with diverse stakeholders to transform barriers into opportunities.
The governor’s plan continues that vision by including funding to improve license purchasing technology and provide a mobile application to display fishing and hunting licenses.
The simultaneous increase in CDFW’s ability to provide additional access to lands and outdoor recreation, while enhancing the ability to conserve water resources, habitat and native species is the beginning of making California’s wildlands, fishing, hunting, birding, and many other outdoor activities available for all Californians.
- Details
- Written by: Steven Blakesley and Nadine Strauss
MADERA, Calif. — Protect the Harvest North State Modified Series 2020 champion Kyle Tellstrom of Ukiah charged from 18th starting position to win Saturday’s Mission Modified 60-lap feature at Madera Speedway.
The victory paid a total of $2,000 including a $1,000 bonus from Terry Deal’s Economy Heating and Air after Tellstrom elected to start at the rear of the field.
“(It took a) little bit of patience. Man I’ve just had a lot of luck here and a lot of success. This place has been so good to me. Fits my driving. Did what we had to do and stayed disciplined,” Tellstrom said. “Early there it was kind of rough. Once I got clear of a couple of cars, I got the right restart, got to the outside and it just opened up for me.”
A caution flew immediately at the start when a 3-wide situation occurred among Keith Bloom of Redding, Rich Cobb of Oregon and Bakersfield’s Jim Coffey, resulting in Cobb spinning in turn 4. Chris Lyon of Greely Hill also spun to avoid Cobb’s stalled car.
When action resumed, Coffey went around the outside of Simi Tour to lead lap one. Dustin DeRosier of Cloverdale worked to the inside and took the lead on lap four. Cobb and Utah’s Jeff Longman spun in turn one for a caution on lap six.
DeRosier battled side-by-side with Ian Elliott of Lakeport for the lead but held the position. 2019 North State Modified Series champion Scott Winters of Tracy passed Hesperia’s Eddie Secord for third.
Tellstrom advanced to sixth by the 17th lap. He then went two-for-one on the inside of Secord and 2020 Roseville and Ukiah champion Jason Philpot of Sacramento to grab fourth.
The top-four went two-by-two with Elliott sweeping around DeRosier for the lead on lap 24. Tellstrom went upstairs to follow him into second as well.
A caution flew on lap 27 for Mike Neilson spinning in turn one. Elliott chose the inside for the restart and Tellstrom immediately took over the lead. The caution fell once more for Longman spinning on the front stretch on lap 29.
Winters advanced to the second position but couldn’t capitalize on a late restart to challenge for the victory. Tellstrom won by 1.791 seconds over Winters, Elliott, DeRosier and Philpot.
Philpot won a $750 bonus as the top finishing GM 602 Crate Engine, persevering over a long battle with Keith Bloom, Jr. Secord won $500 as the second highest finishing crate with Kern County Raceway champion Jim Coffey earning $250 for third place finisher among the crates.
Tellstrom also set a new Hoosier Tire track record of 14.789 seconds and won the Naake Hard Charger Award. Neilson won the Lucas Oil Dash for Cash. The Scribner jugs went to Neilson and Bloom.
The next race for the North State Modified Series will be at Redwood Acres Raceway in Eureka on June 5.
The North State Modified Series would not be possible without the support of Protect the Harvest, Lucas Oil, Sullivan Construction and Masonry, Hoosier Tire West, Sunoco Race Fuels, Naake Suspension, Five Star Bodies, Racer Bling, Mark & Sharon Baldwin, Scribner Plastics, Mort Houston, McMurray & Sons Roofing, Frank’s Radios, Economy Heating & Air, and Mission Foods.
MISSION FOODS MAIN EVENT:
Kyle Tellstrom, Scott Winters, Ian Elliott, Dustin DeRosier, Jason Philpot, Keith Bloom, Brian Collins, Eddie Secord, Rich Cobb, Jim Coffey, Jeff Longman, Mike Neilson, Darrin Sullivan, Ed Coffey, Chris Lyon, Simi Tour, Rick Avila, Sal Lopez, Kylei Keown DNS
ECONOMY HEATING & AIR 602 CRATE BONUS:
Jason Philpot, Eddie Secord, Jim Coffey
LUCAS OIL DASH FOR CASH
Mike Neilson, Keith Bloom, Eddie Secord, Jeff Longman, Jim Coffey, Ed Coffey
HOOSIER QUALIFYING:
Tellstrom (14.789 NTR), Winter (14.963), Elliott (15.072), Philpot (15.099), DeRosier (15.101),Collins (15.140), Cobb (15.188), Bloom (15.193), Tour (15.242), J Coffey (15.245), Secord (15.326), Longman (15.330), Neilson (15.409), Sullivan (15.412), E Coffey (15.531), Lyon (15.738), Avila (16.105), Lopez (16.105), Keown (DNQ)
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Wild pigs
Q: I live in Alameda County where wild pigs sometimes get onto my property and tear up my yard. If I see a pig actively destroying my property, do I need permission from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to shoot it?
A: Wild pigs can be a common challenge for residents who live near open land in the Bay Area and elsewhere throughout the state. During the dry season, pigs may work their way into residential areas to take advantage of food resources that have dried out where they usually feed.
California Fish and Game Code (FGC) section 4181.1 allows for immediate take of any wild pig encountered damaging, destroying, or threatening to immediately damage or destroy land or other property, by the owner of the land, the property owner’s agent or employee, or by an agent or employee of any federal, state, county or city entity when acting in an official capacity.
Known as the “encounter provision,” it most commonly applies to chance circumstances or unexpected issues.
A person who takes a pig by encounter must report the take to CDFW no later than the next working day and must make the carcass available to department staff for inspection.
For individuals such as yourself who are aware of an ongoing issue, the most appropriate mechanism is the depredation permit process.
Depredation permits can be obtained through CDFW’s Wildlife Incident Reporting System. With either depredation provision – encounter or permit – safe discharge of firearms and use of non-lead ammunition apply.
Additionally, these authorizations do not supersede local ordinances that may prohibit discharge of a firearm where you live, so be sure you do not run afoul of local law.
Airguns
Q: Are airguns included in the “archery only” spring turkey special seasons beginning in May? (Bill)
A: No. Airguns are not considered archery equipment and may not be used to hunt wild turkeys during the archery-only season. Section 354 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 14, describes what constitutes archery equipment, starting with the definition of a bow. CCR, Title 14, section 354(a), defines a bow as any device consisting of a flexible material having a string connecting its two ends and used to propel an arrow held in a firing position by hand only. Bows include long bows, recurve or compound bows (but not crossbows).
Wolverines
Q: I read about the elusive wolverine that scientists documented in the Truckee region of the Tahoe National Forest from 2008 to 2018. I’m not interested in hunting wolverines but I can’t find the law which says you can’t. Aren’t they non-game weasels, which would mean you can legally hunt them?
A: No. Wolverines are fully protected mammals as defined by section 4700 of the FGC. It is not legal to hunt them. Your confusion may stem from the taxonomy (scientific name) of a weasel family and genus, and CCR, Title 14, section 472(a). That section states, in part: “The following nongame birds and mammals may be taken at any time of the year and in any number except as prohibited in Chapter 6: English sparrow, starling, domestic pigeon (Columba livia), coyote, weasels, skunks, opossum, moles and rodents (excluding tree and flying squirrels, and those listed as furbearers, endangered or threatened species).”
Weasels and wolverines are in the same family Mustelidae, but wolverines are not in the weasel genus Mustela, so they do not meet the definition of “weasel” by this regulation.
Wolverines have a well-deserved ferocious reputation. But other than the lone wolverine recorded living north of Truckee, there have been no verified detections in California since the 1930s. Legal protection of the species is provided in FGC section 4700, which states “fully protected mammals or parts thereof may not be taken or possessed at any time.” That FGC section also states, “No provision of the code or any other law shall be construed to authorize the issuance of permits or licenses to take any fully protected mammal, and no permits or licenses heretofore issued shall have any force or effect for that purpose…”
In addition to being listed as threatened pursuant to the California Endangered Species Act, the wolverine is number nine of nine mammals on the fully protected mammal list in California: (1) Morro Bay kangaroo rat (Dipodomys heermanni morroensis). (2) Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), except Nelson bighorn sheep (subspecies Ovis canadensis nelsoni) as provided by subdivision (b) of Section 4902. (3) Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris). (4) Guadalupe fur seal (Arctocephalus townsendi). (5) Ring-tailed cat (genus Bassariscus). (6) Pacific right whale (Eubalaena sieboldi). (7) Salt-marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris). (8) Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) and (9) Wolverine (Gulo luscus).