Hunting and Camping Around Wildlife Watering Holes

December 17, 2009

Question: I have a question about hunting big game around watering holes or guzzlers in northeastern California. I see tree stands and even camps around many of them, but some of my friends say these are illegal. Are there any restrictions as to how close you can be? Thanks for the info. (Ken)

Answer: Yes, there are restrictions.  Under the provision of CCR T14 Section 730(c) the following prohibitions are established:

1.   Camping/Occupying is prohibited within 200 yards of the following:

a.   Any guzzler or horizontal well for wildlife on public land within the State of California.

b.   Any of the wildlife watering places on public land within the boundary of the California Desert Conservation Area as depicted on the Bureau of Land Management maps of “Calif. Federal Public Lands Responsibility,” “Calif. Desert Conservation Area” and the new “Desert District, B.L.M.”

2.   Camping/Occupying is prohibited within one-quarter mile of the following wildlife watering places:

a.   Butte Well -T31N, R14E, Section 28, NE1/4, M.D.B.M., Lassen County.

b.   Schaffer Well -T31N R14E, Section 25, Center, M.D.B.M., Lassen County.

c.   Tableland Well -T31N, R14E, Section 17, SE1/4, M.D.B.M., Lassen County.

d.   Table Mountain Well -T31N, R14E, Section 32, SE1/4, M.D.B.M., Lassen County.

e.   Timber Mountain Well -T44N, R6E, Section 33, M.D.B.M., Modoc National Forest, Modoc County.

f.   Belfast Well -T31N, R14E, Section 31, NE1/4, M.D.B.M., Lassen County

Camping/Occupying Defined. For purposes of this Section, camping/occupying is defined as establishing or inhabiting a camp; resting; picnicking; sleeping; parking or inhabiting any motor vehicle or trailer; hunting; or engaging in any other recreational activity for a period of more than thirty (30) minutes at a given location.

In addition, section 730 defines “Wildlife watering places” as waterholes, springs, seeps and man-made watering devices for wildlife such as guzzlers (self-filling, in-the-ground water storage tanks), horizontal wells and small impoundments of less than one surface acre in size.

According to Game Warden Jason Chance, an ethical hunter should treat watering holes the same as bait piles. Like bait piles, watering holes attract game, especially in arid areas. Ethical hunters know there is no fair chase or challenge in hunting animals around waterholes or guzzlers because this provides the hunter with an unfair advantage over wild game.