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Recreation
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- Written by: Editor
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will hold five public workshops to discuss groundfish management in California. Attendees will hear an overview of recent groundfish management and science developments and then participate in focused stakeholder discussions on potential changes to recreational and commercial fishery management measures for 2017 and 2018.
Several new groundfish stock assessments conducted in 2015 show some previously overfished stocks have been restored, possibly allowing for increased fishing opportunities.
The meetings are scheduled from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the following dates/locations:
– Eureka: Dec. 2. Eureka Public Marina, Wharfinger Building, Bay Room, 1 Marina Way, Eureka.
– Fort Bragg: Dec. 3. California Fish and Wildlife Office, 32330 North Harbor Drive.
– Sausalito: Dec. 9. Bay Model Visitor Center, 2100 Bridgeway.
– Monterey: Jan. 6. California Fish and Wildlife Office, 20 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Suite 100.
– Los Alamitos: Jan. 7. California Fish and Wildlife Office, 4665 Lampson Ave., Suite C.
Staff will interact with participants about their preferences for various management measures, including season dates, potential changes to Rockfish Conservation Areas and bag limits – including the possibility of retaining canary rockfish.
CDFW is also seeking input on strategies to best minimize interactions with cowcod and yelloweye rockfish, which remain overfished.
The public is encouraged to provide input to managers and representatives based on their own personal experience that will assist in the development of groundfish management.
Groundfish fishing regulations are developed through a collaborative regulatory process involving the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the National Marine Fisheries Service, CDFW, other West Coast states and the California Fish and Game Commission.
Please visit the CDFW Web site for more details regarding these scheduled public meetings and groundfish management at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Groundfish/2017-2018 .
Please visit the PFMC Web site for more information about the federal regulatory process at www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/current-season-management/ .
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- Written by: Editor
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) reminds bobcat trappers that recreational and commercial bobcat trapping is no longer allowed in California.
At a meeting in Fortuna on Aug. 5, the California Fish and Game Commission adopted regulations to ban bobcat trapping statewide.
On Nov. 13, the Office of Administrative Law approved those regulations to be effective Nov. 20.
As a result of the new regulations, related to hunting and trapping of bobcat (Section 478 of Title 14, California Code of Regulations): It shall be unlawful to trap any bobcat, or attempt to do so, or to sell or export any bobcat or part of any bobcat taken in the State of California.
Any holder of a trapping license who traps a bobcat shall immediately release the bobcat to the wild unharmed.
Also beginning Nov. 20, CDFW will no longer mark bobcat pelts for personal use or issue shipping tags for commercial sale of bobcat pelts taken in California.
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- Written by: Editor
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has released its schedule of Advanced Hunter Education classes for 2016.
Several new offerings have been added, including hunter marksmanship, hunt planning and basic game processing.
Other popular clinics are still on the roster, including wilderness first aid, wild pig hunting, deer hunting, turkey hunting, land navigation, waterfowl hunting, upland game hunting and game cooking.
“If you are new to hunting or just want to explore a skill you haven’t tried before, these clinics may be for you,” said Lt. Alan Gregory of the CDFW Advanced Hunter Education program. “Even though they’re sponsored by the Advanced Hunter Education program, these clinics offer something for students of all ages and skill levels, from beginner to experienced.”
The clinics are held at various locations throughout the state. Preregistration is necessary and enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis. Students under 18 are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult.
To register or to learn more, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/huntered/advanced/ or contact Lt. Gregory at 209-274-9923.
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- Written by: Carrie Wilson
Drifting for ducks
Question: Is it legal to drift down or anchor a boat in a river to hunt for waterfowl? The river is in the “Balance of the State” zone and is surrounded by unincorporated privately owned farmland, with the occasional house or barn visible from the water.
I know you cannot discharge a firearm within 150 yards of a dwelling or near a public road, and I know that all motors must be out of the water. Would drifting be considered forward motion? (Anonymous)
Answer: Drifting is not considered “under power.” What you describe would be legal as long as you access the river from a legal access point, and once you’re hunting, your motion is not due to momentum provided by the motor before it was turned off.
You must also take into account the retrieval of the birds you take. Should you take a bird that lands on private property that you do not have the authority to access, you run the risk of a hunting trespass for retrieval, or waste of game if you do not retrieve it.
Also, you need to remember not to discharge a firearm within 150 yards of an occupied dwelling, and these may be difficult to see from the river.
Finally, there may be other state or local ordinances and regulations (such as no shooting zones) or other restrictions that may prevent you from hunting the section of water you want to hunt.
Importing insects?
Question: I would like to start up a business importing exotic dead insects into California to preserve and sell as curiosities. I realize that if they were alive, that’d be easy (No Bueno!), but what about dead ones?
I propose to import them dead but not preserved, and then preserve them myself. Would it make a difference if I imported them already preserved?
Aside from this sounding like the intro to a bad ‘50s giant bug movie, is what I am proposing to do legal? (Brent G.)
Answer: State fish and wildlife laws don’t prohibit importation or sale of insects, but there are other laws that you may need to be aware of. You should contact the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Some creatures, although dead, may still contain live eggs within. And if any of the species you propose to import are restricted species, border inspectors will not likely differentiate between whether they are dead or alive.
Compound bow fishing for sharks?
Question: Is it legal to bow hunt sharks? Someone told me a man in California took a 550 pound mako shark with a compound bow. (Robert S.)
Answer: Spears, harpoons and bow and arrow fishing tackle may be used for taking all varieties of skates, rays and sharks, except white sharks.
Such gear may not be possessed or used within 100 yards of the mouth of any stream in any ocean waters north of Ventura County, nor aboard any vessel on any day or on any trip when broadbill swordfish or marlin have been taken.
Bow and arrow fishing tackle may also be used to take finfish other than giant (black) sea bass, garibaldi, gulf grouper, broomtail grouper, trout, salmon, broadbill swordfish and white shark (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, section 28.95).
Regarding crossbows, under hunting regulations, a crossbow is not considered archery equipment. But under fishing regulations, crossbows may be used for bow and arrow fishing tackle.
It does not matter what type of bow or crossbow is used under legal bow and arrow fishing, but a line is required to be attached to the bow and the arrow/bolt (CCR, Title 14, section 1.23).
Carrying rifles through a game refuge?
Question: How do I legally travel through a wildlife game refuge on the way to hunting on the other side of the refuge? With bolt action rifles, we take the bolt out so that it’s not a functioning gun anymore.
What about with a lever action gun? How can we legally cross through the game refuge? (Erin)
Answer: The possession of firearms is not prohibited “when traveling through any game refuges when the firearms are taken apart or encased and unloaded.
When the traveling is done on a route other than a public highway or other public thoroughfare or right of way, notice shall be given to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) at least 24 hours before that traveling.
The notice shall give the name and address of the person intending to travel through the refuge, the name of the refuge, the approximate route, and the approximate time when that person intends to travel through the refuge” (Fish and Game Code, section 10506).
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