May 3, 2024

Question: Is it possible to take a 5-year-old duck hunting in California?

Answer: Yes, it is legal to take your 5-year-old duck hunting in California. It is ultimately up to the parent or guardian to decide what age is appropriate to take their kids along on a hunt and at what age they are mature enough and have the reading comprehension skills necessary to take and pass hunter education. Many kids begin their hunter education journey between age 10 and 12. Before then, unlicensed youth observers are welcome into the field at any age.

If you are interested in introducing someone young to a lifelong skill like waterfowl hunting, starting them off in a positive and encouraging way is key. Here are some tips to consider. Bring properly fitting hearing protection for their size, consider purchasing or borrowing youth clothing that matches the conditions (including waders), bring sunscreen, snacks and quiet activities for the blind (like a photobook of birds they can seek out). Very young kids can also have fun with a duck or goose call.

It’s a good idea to commit to flexibility and the idea that you’re there to introduce a child to the activity and not the hunt itself. That usually means making shorter trips, adjusting to the conditions and stamina of the child and being willing to interrupt a hunt based on the attention span and needs of the child. A few questions to ask before making plans: Are they okay waking up early? How far of a walk and what terrain will be crossed to get to your blind? How will you keep them occupied while waiting for a blind on public refuges? Is it cold, dark and raining? How will you keep them engaged and safe while putting out your decoy spread? Will they need a life jacket or personal floatation device? Are they able to walk through water, mud and muck while keeping their balance? Another recommendation is to have them assist throughout the hunting experience. Have them hold the flashlight, help push the decoy cart or pull the sled, help them build a blind or brush in your pit or tank or even invite them into the pond with you to retrieve birds if they’re tall enough and strong enough to withstand the pond or water conditions and terrain. Remember, taking your kids out on their first hunting experience should be about the kids, not the hunt.

As a reminder, 12 is the minimum age to hunt big game in California. Youth hunters under the age of 12 may hunt:

1.  Ssmall game, like squirrels and rabbits ( https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Small-Game?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery )

2.  Upland game, such as turkeys and doves ( https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Upland-Game-Birds?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery )

3.  Waterfowl ( https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery ). A hunting license is required to hunt regardless of age. Some National Wildlife Refuges and state wildlife areas also have youth ponds available for licensed junior hunters. To find more information about youth ponds, visit the specific lands area or wildlife refuge webpage you wish to visit for more information.

May 3, 2024

Question: I came upon a dead animal in Santa Barbara County that I first thought was a wolverine. It turned out to be a badger. Is that a common mistake?

Answer: From a distance it could be possible to make that mistake, but a closer look reveals the big differences between the two animals. First, wolverines are substantially larger, weighing up to 60 pounds, and can grow beyond three feet in length. Badgers are roughly two thirds the size of a wolverine and much lighter in weight. Wolverines have been described as looking like a combination of a bear and a dog, while badgers have shorter bodies and a distinctive white stripe running from their snout up and over its forehead.

Their habitats would also assist in identifying the animal. While badgers can be found living in deserts, grasslands and mountains, wolverines are fond of cold areas and are usually found in alpine settings.

Wolverines are also rare in California. The most recent wolverine sighting in California was in winter 2023 when what appeared to be the same animal, was spotted several times high in the Eastern Sierra. The previous confirmed wolverine sighting in California was in 2018. Prior to that, a wolverine hadn’t been seen in California since the 1920s.

CDFW appreciates sightings reported to the Wildlife Incident Reporting web site ( https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery ) or to regional offices, as the information can assist biologists in their research.

Regulation changes include the following:

1.  A large number of groundfish regulation changes. Groundfish include many species of fish including rockfish, lingcod, greenlings, cabezon, and others.

2.  A change in purple sea urchin regulations.

3.  Complete Pacific halibut regulations.

April 23, 2024

The California Fish and Game Commission acted on several issues affecting California’s natural resources at its April 17-18, meeting in San Jose.

The Commission approved a major amendment with special conditions as recommended by the Department of Fish and Wildlife to an experimental fishing permit related to pop-up gear testing in the Dungeness and rock crab fisheries.

Several Private Land Management (PLM) areas were approved for five-year or annual plans and one area was approved for their initial plan. More information on the PLM Program, including lists for hunters and applications can be found on the Department’s PLM website.

The Commission voted unanimously to readopt, for an additional 90 days, emergency regulations for the recreational take of white sturgeon to support recovering populations and to track fishing pressure and success.

A unanimous vote confirmed the Commission’s determination that listing Southern California steelhead as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act is warranted. Findings for the determination will be adopted at a future meeting.

The Commission adopted proposed amendments to waterfowl and mammal hunting regulations, which are expected to be effective June 30, and July 1, respectively.

A unanimous vote confirmed the Commission’s determination to list the Mohave desert tortoise as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act. Findings for the determination will be adopted at a future meeting.

The Commission also hosted several speakers to recognize the 100-year anniversary of the extirpation of California’s grizzly bear, including Chairman Octavio Escobedo III of the Tejon Indian Ranch. A resolution recognizing the anniversary was adopted by the Commission, and two commissioners plan to provide an updated version in the future for Commission consideration.

The Department’s Director, Chuck Bonham, also announced the release of a Black Bear Conservation Plan for California. The public comment period is open, and comments must be made by June 14, 2024.

Commission President Samantha Murray, Vice President Erika Zavaleta, Commissioner Eric Sklar and Commissioner Darius Anderson participated in-person and were joined by a variety of Commission and Department staff.

The agenda for this meeting, along with supporting information, is available on the Commission website. Archived video of past Commission meetings is available online. The next California Fish and Game Commission meeting is scheduled for June 19-20, 2024, in Mammoth Lakes and via Zoom and phone. A location will be determined and updated on the Commission’s website soon.

April 19, 2024

Question: Is it legal to set up and hunt mule deer from a hunting blind in California?

Answer: Yes, it is lawful to hunt deer from a blind. Setting up a hunting blind for deer hunting is a common strategy, whether a ground blind or a tree-stand. A hunting blind is a tent-like construction that camouflages the hunter and allows the animal to come into view and, eventually, within range for a clear shot. Hunting blinds take many forms, and some are permanent while others are portable. Some are on the ground, while more expensive blinds are elevated with legs, and require a ladder to enter. Hunters are encouraged to be considerate of their surroundings and remove any blind that’s been built or brought to the area when their hunt is completed. The full set of regulations for deer and all mammal hunting can be found at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Deer#54775-regulations.

April 18, 2024

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) this week successfully released approximately 500,000 juvenile salmon into the Klamath River just below the Iron Gate Dam.

On Tuesday, April 16, joined by leaders from the Karuk, Yurok, Shasta Indian Nation and the Quartz Valley Indian tribes, CDFW released about 90,000 yearling coho salmon. It was the first major release of coho salmon, a state and federally listed threatened species, into the Klamath River since dam removal began in earnest late last year.

The fish were trucked about 7 miles from CDFW’s new, state-of-the-art Fall Creek Fish Hatchery in Siskiyou County and released following remarks and a Tribal blessing.

“We’re all here for the same reason. We’re all here to pray for these fish to make it and to see justice for our people down river,” said Kenneth Brink, Vice Chairman of the Karuk Tribe. “It’s a different time we are living in now. Our kids no longer have to see our river die. We are watching our river heal now. It’s a great time.”

“These baby fish represent hope,” said Yurok Tribal Council Member Phillip Williams. “The Klamath was mistreated for more than a century, but now the river is healing and so are we. Through dam removal, habitat restoration and hatchery augmentation, we are building a brighter future for the next generations.”

Jason Roberts, Inland Fisheries Program Manager for CDFW’s Northern Region, said, “These will be the first fish from the hatchery that will come back to a free-flowing Klamath River. They will help repopulate the newly opened habitat above the dams and provide us with brood stock for future years of coho releases.”

The following day, April 17, CDFW released more than 400,000 fall-run Chinook salmon fry from the same location below Iron Gate.

The coho and Chinook salmon released this week are expected to return to an undammed Klamath River in two to four years after life in the Pacific Ocean with access to hundreds of miles of new spawning and rearing habitat as a result of dam removal.

Roberts said river conditions were ideal for the salmon releases this week with water temperatures at 51 degrees, high dissolved oxygen levels and low turbidity.

In the two weeks prior to release, CDFW further tested river conditions by placing “sentinel” juvenile salmon in holding enclosures for 48 hours at various locations in the Klamath River. All 200 salmon in the sentinel study survived showing no ill effects from their time in the river.

Later this spring, CDFW will release about 1.75 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts into the river. CDFW varies the ages of the fish and release strategies to improve survival. All future salmon releases will take place below Iron Gate until dam removal is complete. The Iron Gate Dam is scheduled for removal later this year.

April 4, 2024

Question: The annual Peace Officer’s Memorial ceremony is happening soon. How many wildlife officers or wardens have died in the line of duty?

Answer: While the memorial contains more than 1,600 names of California officers who died in the line of duty, 16 of those names belong to wildlife officers. The first death (Bert Blanchard) came in 1913 in Contra Costa County. The most recent were two officers who died in 1984. They were Lt. Robert Flynt, killed in a vehicle accident in El Centro, and Lt. Roy Reed, killed in an accident while pursuing another vehicle near Bakersfield. Two officers died in the same 1916 investigation of fishing violations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Raymond Heacock and Richard Squires.

The California Peace Officers’ Memorial Monument is located in Sacramento on State Capitol grounds. Ceremonies to honor fallen officers happen each year in the first week of May. President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day in 1962. Ceremonies have taken place in Sacramento since 1977.

This year’s remembrance takes place over two days with a candlelight vigil happening Sunday, May 5, starting at 8:30 pm. The enrollment ceremony (to unveil the names of 2023 fallen officers) happens the next morning, May 6, beginning at 10:30. The enrollment ceremony is a ticketed event for designated family members and guests. Additional seating is provided so all may view the ceremony on an adjacent large-screen television.

April 4, 2024

Question: With so much discussion about human-wildlife conflicts, can something be done about nuisance raccoons in my neighborhood?

Answer: Raccoons are found throughout most of the state (except alpine and desert regions) and are lured by the same attractants that bring other wildlife to our communities: pet food and trash. Their diverse diet also includes fruit, nuts, birds, eggs and small mammals.

But raccoons also present a potential health issue for humans because of their droppings. Raccoons are known to carry a number of internal parasites, including Baylisascaris procynois, a roundworm found in racoons. Infection spread can happen to both humans and pets when contact is made with raccoon feces.

Raccoons often leave their droppings in the same spot, often called raccoon latrines. Cleaning a latrine should be done carefully, while wearing disposable rubber gloves and rubber boots. Gently shovel or scoop the droppings into a heavy-duty garbage bag, then clean and disinfect the clothing and tools thoroughly.

As with other wildlife, humans can play a big role in preventing conflict. Remove access to any sources of food, including garbage and pet food. Clear brush, cover sandboxes, remove any fruit on the ground from fruit trees, and cut back branches that hang over a roof. Also, be sure your pets are properly vaccinated to mitigate this threat.

Extensive information on the behavior of raccoons and the risk they prevent is at https://wildlife.ca.gov/HWC/Raccoons?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.