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Recreation
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- Written by: CARRIE WILSON
Question: I am new to Southern California and have been hearing about javelina in the southeastern part of the state. Can I use a pig tag or can I even hunt them? (Jared O.)
Answer: Although javelina (Pecari tajacu or Tayassu tajacu) resemble and are often mistaken for a rodent or type of wild pig (Sus scrofa), they are not rodents and are not wild pigs that are hunted commonly in California. Instead, they belong to a completely different family and are not hunted in California.
According to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Environmental Scientist, Gerald Mulcahy, javelina are a member of the peccary family, a group of hoofed mammals originating from South America.
In the U.S., they typically occur in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. There are no established permanent populations of them in California. Only rarely do they make their way into southeastern California. We have documented that they do occasionally cross the Colorado river in low water events, but then they return back into Arizona to their home ranges.
Javelina are very interesting animals that many people may not know much about. They live and travel in family units comprised of anywhere between two animals up to a herd of more than 20 individuals.
One of the reasons why they often travel in herds is to help defend their territories and ward off predators. They stand about two feet tall and can weigh between 35 to 55 pounds. Their vision is fairly poor but they do have a very well developed sense of smell, along with a scent gland on their lower back.
They are very social among themselves and the scent gland previously mentioned allows them to better identify one another. Contrary to popular belief, javelina really are good tasting, if handled and prepared properly.
Because javelina do not normally occur in California and thus are not listed in the California Code of Regulations Title 14 as a huntable species, they would be considered nongame mammals (pursuant to the Fish and Game, section 4150). Therefore, since they are nongame mammals and no hunting regulations exist for them, javelina cannot be hunted (see the California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 472).
Bottom line … even if you were scouting around in the southeastern part of the state and came upon an individual or a family group of them that had strayed across the state line from an adjacent state, consider yourself lucky to have seen them but know javelina are illegal to hunt, period.
If you’re interested in learning more about these interesting animals, please check out the Arizona Game and Fish Department “Living with Javelina” Web site at http://www.azgfd.com/wildlife/livingwith/javelina/.
Can sport fish be donated to charity for a tax credit?
Question: You mentioned in an article that sport fish cannot be assigned a value for donation purposes.
I would appreciate a code/regulation that directly prohibits this for tax purposes. In San Diego we were given a form from Fisherman’s Processing with Federal Tax ID for registered 501(c)(3) charities.
Is this a state regulation? It’s all very confusing and I would appreciate clarification as there is contradicting information floating around out there. (Paul G., San Diego)
Answer: It is unlawful to sell or purchase fish caught via a sport fishing license (FGC, section 7121). Therefore, fish taken via a sport fishing license cannot be easily assigned a monetary value. It would be very difficult to determine the fair market value of a sport-caught fish because sport fishing and commercial fishing are very different.
However, there is a provision that does provide for the exchange of certain sport-caught fish for filleted, smoked or canned fish (CCR Title 14, Section 231).
This regulation only applies to a limited range of species though, primarily tuna, and they include: albacore, bluefin, yellowfin and bigeye tunas, as well as skipjack and yellowtail.
This regulation may be helpful in determining the value of a donation if you decide to donate a portion of any of the above-listed species to a qualified non-profit charitable organization.
Are rosy red minnows legal baits?
Question: Are “rosy red minnows” legal baitfish in California? They are a species of “fathead minnows.” I have read the handbook and fatheads are legal to be used as bait. Considering rosies are fatheads, I’d assume they are legal. Please clarify this for me. I plan to go fishing in the Central Valley region of California. (Za Y.)
Answer: You are correct! Rosy reds are just fatheads of a different color. California is divided into seven sport fishing districts and the use of fathead minnows as baitfish is legal throughout a large portion of California.
However, fathead minnows are not legal baitfish in the Southern, Sierra and North Coast districts, though they may be used in Shasta Lake.
A map of the California sport fishing districts can be found on the back of the annual California Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (CCR Title 14, sections 4.00-4.30; 6.31-6.37.)
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
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Fast runners (ages 20 and over) are encouraged to register for the 10k distance to vie for the top prize.
The first-place male and female winner of the 10k will be awarded a free entry into the 2018 Napa Valley Marathon happening the first Sunday in March.
The Napa Valley Marathon is in its 40th year and is recognized as a top small marathon in the United States.
The Milers will support both Lower Lake High School and Upper Lake High School track and cross-country programs with net proceeds from this event.
The Middletown High School Cross Country team along with Coach Carlisle will aid the Lake County Milers at the Vine Run by overseeing course set-up and runner support along the course. For their help they will also receive a donation.
To register or to find out more information including last year’s results go to www.runsignup.com/vinetowinerun. Register soon for best prices and event shirt options.
The 5K walk/run (3.1 mile) and 10K run (6.2 mile) will offer participants a beautiful vineyard road experience among the vines and the surrounding countryside.
Because Cache Creek Vineyards is in a mountainous area, participants in both distances will traverse varying terrain including some hills and witness pristine views of the winery property on hardpack vineyard roads and some trail.
This event will be chip timed by NorCal timing and Medals will be awarded three-deep (male and female) in each age divisions.
This upscale 5K and 10K event will include chip timing, a vibrant long sleeve tech shirt with Event logo (while shirt supplies last), a logo Wineglass and 5-ounce pour of wine if you are 21 or older, and a flavorful wine country lunch complete with dessert created by Rosey Cooks Catering.
The current price for adults is $65 (ages 8 through 20 registration prices are discounted), but event shirts are first-come, first-served so entrants are encouraged to register as soon as possible.
Questions can be directed to
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- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Question: What’s happening with abalone for this year? Does the season close at the end of October or November? And what is the season limit? (Dahn N., Benicia)
Answer: Abalone populations in California have been in decline over the last few years due to unprecedented environmental and biological stressors, including warming ocean conditions and a dramatic reduction in kelp in many areas.
Abalone eat kelp and they are adversely affected – even starving – as a result.
The California Fish and Game Commission adopted emergency regulations to reduce the open season length by two months by closing April and November.
The annual limit was also reduced from 18 to 12 (except for Sonoma County, which remains at nine).
Based on California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or CDFW, creel surveys and biologists’ in-water reports and observations made in 2017, early indications suggest that conditions are still very poor and are not likely to quickly improve.
Of more than 3,800 samples of red abalone assessed from nine sites throughout the fishery in May and June 2017, 25 percent were shrunken and starving.
Gonad condition data also indicates minimal reproduction will occur this year, adding to the two previous years with similar conditions.
Kelp resources continue to be poor and the density of purple sea urchin, a competitor of abalone for food resources, remains high.
The commission’s emergency regulations remain in effect through the end of the 2017 season, meaning the season will close on Oct. 31, 2017.
In the meantime, CDFW prepared a standard rulemaking for the commission’s consideration to make the 2017 emergency regulations (or possibly even more restrictive regulations) effective for the 2018 season. As an overview, the regulations affected by the rulemaking are summarized as follows:
California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 29.15: Abalone may be taken only during the months of May, June, August, September and October. The bag limit and yearly trip limit is three red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, per day. No more than three abalone may be possessed at any time. No other species of abalone may be taken or possessed. Each person taking abalone shall stop detaching abalone when the limit of three is reached. No person shall take more than 12 abalone during a calendar year. In open areas defined in subsections 29.15(a) and 29.15(a)(1), not more than nine abalone of the yearly trip limit may be taken south of the boundary between Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
See the rest of CCR Title 14, sections 29.15 through 29.16, for more abalone regulations related to size, tagging, possession, gear requirements, etc.
Using radios to assist in finding deer
Question: I told my fellow hunter that you cannot use radios to guide another hunter to the exact location of a deer (laying down) to kill it.
You can say something like “it’s 200 yards below you,” but that’s it. He told me that he didn’t see it in the regulations.
Can you clarify this for us, please? (John)
Answer: While this is illegal in some states, it is legal California.
Currently, California has no such law to prevent a hunter or group of hunters from using radios or cell phones.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife thanks Dahn and John for their questions. If you have a question, email