U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service national survey to begin

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will begin conducting its national survey of fishing, hunting and wildlife-associated recreation and are requesting that hunters, anglers and other wildlife enthusiasts participate if contacted for interviews scheduled to begin April 1.

The information, collected by the U.S. Census Bureau primarily through telephone interviews to be conducted April to June and September to October this year and January to March, 2012, provides the only comprehensive statistical database available on Americans' participation in and spending on hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching in the 50 states.

"We appreciate the anglers, hunters, birdwatchers and other citizens throughout the United States who voluntarily participate in the survey when contacted," said the wildlife service's acting director, Rowan Gould. "The survey results help wildlife and natural resource managers quantify how much Americans value wildlife resources in terms of both participation and expenditures."

The survey, conducted every five years since 1955, will involve 53,000 households from the Census Bureau's master address file. From this information, the bureau will select samples of 19,000 anglers and hunters and 10,000 wildlife watchers and follow up with further detailed questions.

"The last survey published in 2006 revealed 87.5 million Americans enjoyed some form of wildlife-related recreation and spent more than $122.3 billion pursuing their activities," said Hannibal Bolton, assistant director for the service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program. "The survey is a critical information resource for federal and state wildlife agencies, outdoor and tourist industries, local governments, planners, conservation groups, journalists and others interested in wildlife and outdoor recreation."

Participation is voluntary and all responses are confidential. Preliminary survey findings will be available in spring 2012 with final reports issued beginning in the fall, to be posted on the restoration program's Web page.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Laying the groundwork for a day of duck hunting, Jim Fisher tosses a decoy as his dog, Willow, looks on. Credit: Fred Greenslade / Reuters

 

Fish and Game Q&A: Can trespassing wildlife be trapped and relocated?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: Is it illegal to trap and relocate raccoons? I live at the base of Tauquitz Canyon Mountain in Palm Springs and we have a population of raccoons. One of the residents is determined to trap any and all animals that venture onto his property. The problem is he is not trained to trap and he often keeps the animal for three to five days with no food or water until he feels like getting rid of them. I’ve even released a cat from one of his traps in 110 degree heat! Most of the other residents have been educated on how to keep raccoons from doing any damage and how to keep them out of the trash. They are wild and beautiful and I don’t want anything more to happen to them. Can something be done? (Laurie S., Palm Springs)

Answer: The situation described is illegal, cruel and inhumane. When trapping wildlife, traps must be checked every 24 hours and the animals either dispatched or released in the immediate area.

Fish and Game Q&A: Can hunters sell their game for medicinal reasons?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: If a person buys a hunting license and a bear tag and goes out and hunts a bear legally, then that bear belongs to that hunter. If that hunter takes all the usable parts of the bear, then those bear parts belong to that hunter. But if the bear and all the usable parts belong to the hunter, why can’t the hunter sell the parts of the bear to other cultures that use them for medicinal reasons? Why do Americans think they have the right to tell other cultures what they can and can’t use in their beliefs of medicine, as long as the animals are taken legally? Who knows, maybe they can find a cure for illnesses that we don’t have today. I am a legal and ethical hunter who is about to drive out of state for hunting because of all of the ridiculous laws, so please start thinking about changes in the laws in favor of making hunting more enjoyable for hunters.

-- James "Rufus" Smith

Answer: California Fish and Game laws are designed to protect and preserve California’s wildlife resources. Through the enactment of these laws, the Legislature grants people the privilege to take some species under very specific regulations but has prohibited certain acts that are considered a great threat to the species’ continued existence. Selling the pieces and parts of a bear is only one example of the threats that endanger California wildlife.

An angler's take on buying a 2011 California fishing license online

Veteran angler and frequent Outposts contributor Steve Carson recently purchased his 2011 California fishing license, and did so using the new online system. Here's his take on the process:

The 2011 California state fishing licenses are now available, but buying one is not quite the same as it has been in the past. Along with the traditional spots like local sporting goods stores, the Department of Fish and Game now sells licenses online.

California’s previous attempt at online license sales a decade ago ended in a technological nightmare. One benefit of waiting so long to start again is that much of the license-buying public is now very comfortable with online purchases.

Accordingly, this writer tackled the new online system this week, with apparent success. I was able print out a "temporary" license, with the permanent version hopefully to arrive by U.S. mail. It should be noted that I am only a moderately active online shopper, but was an actual license dealer for more than 30 years, and so was extremely familiar with the "old way" of issuing licenses.

The entire process took about 20 minutes; and the DFG’s online purchase form is slightly less intuitive than say, Southwest Airlines'. California has more different fishing license options than any other state. It helps to be familiar with the kind of license options you will need, or the process may take considerably longer.

Fish and Game Q&A: Will I be in violation if I clean lobsters once the boat is docked?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I run a six-pack charter boat business and we often hoop net for crab and lobster. My deckhands and I make money by cleaning our passengers' catch. This includes both rock crab and lobster. We always wait until we make landfall before we tail the bugs. This year the new regulations say: "(e) Spiny lobsters shall be kept in a whole, measurable condition until being prepared for immediate consumption." What is the definition of immediate consumption? Will I be in violation if I clean the lobsters for my passengers after hitting the dock? (Captain David Y.)

Answer: Yes, prior to this law, there was a big enforcement problem with people who were already on the shore tailing undersize lobsters before the Department of Fish and Game could contact them to measure their catch. Because lobsters must be measured across the back of their carapace rather than the tail region, this was allowing them to get away with possessing short lobsters when the carapace and tails were separated. This is one of the reasons why this section was changed.

According to DFG Lt. Eric Kord, captain of the San Diego-based patrol vessel Thresher, by the letter of the law, "prepared for immediate consumption" means cooked and on a plate ready to be eaten immediately. Or in the case of sushi, it means ready to be eaten immediately raw on a dinner plate. He advises not cleaning or tailing the lobsters for your passengers as doing so would be a violation. If they are stopped by a game warden on the way to their car, they would be cited for illegal possession of tails under this section.

Fish and Game Q&A: Why are tags and licenses needed for hunting feral pigs?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: Please explain why the Department of Fish and Game requires a hunting license and tags to hunt and kill feral pigs. Feral pigs, as the name implies, are domestic pigs that have gone wild. They are an invasive species that destroy the environment and spread disease. Proper and responsible environmental management would mandate the eradication of this invasive species; yet DFG has a policy that discourages killing feral pigs by charging fees. Why is this? (Curtis A.)

Answer: DFG requires a valid license and tag to legally take a wild pig. According to DFG Wild Pig Program Coordinator Marc Kenyon, Fish and Game Code, section 4650 says that any free-ranging, non-domesticated pig is classified as a wild pig, and therefore is considered big game. DFG instituted the tagging requirement as a means to continuously monitor California’s wild-pig population. This information is used by DFG biologists, in concert with private and public landowners, to develop pig-management plans that are intended to protect cultural and natural resources from the damage wild pigs are known to cause. Without the wild-pig harvest report information, private and public land managers would lack the information necessary to develop these plans of action. Furthermore, the revenues generated by the sale of wild-pig tags are used by DFG to monitor disease transmission, evaluate environmental impacts of wild pigs and provide the public with additional hunting opportunities. Your participation in this process is greatly appreciated.

Fish and Game Q&A: Can scent attractants be considered bait?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I understand the baiting issue, but I would like clarification on deer and elk attractant scents, like "Tink’s" or "BuckBombs." There are also scents for bears, hogs and predators and I want to be in full compliance for whatever I’m hunting for. (Michael J., Mojave)

Answer: California Fish and Game Commission regulations do not specifically prohibit using the products you mention. However, the regulations do prohibit taking resident game birds and mammals within 400 yards of any baited area.

The definition of baited area is, ". . . any area where shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or other grains, salt or other feed whatsoever capable of luring, attracting, or enticing such birds or mammals is directly or indirectly placed, exposed, deposited, distributed or scattered, and such area shall remain a baited area for ten days following complete removal of all such corn, wheat or other grains, salt or other feed."

According to retired Department of Fish and Game Capt. Phil Nelms, scents sprayed into the air and allowed to disperse over a wide area in the wind generally do not fall within the definition of bait. Scent products that have to be applied directly to a surface such as a rock, tree or bush generally cause the game to come to that specific place, and if they feed on it, it is bait.

Fish and Game issues advisory against eating parts of Southern California lobster, rock crab

The California Department of Fish and Game is warning all consumers of California spiny lobster to eat only the tail meat until further notice. Elevated levels of domoic acid toxin have been found in the internal organs of lobster sampled from waters adjacent to the northern Channel Islands, as well as in recent samples of rock crab. This warning applies to all lobster and rock crab harvested in Southern California.

The meat of the lobster and crab is not affected by the toxin, but all internal organs, including the roe, should be discarded.

Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include nausea or diarrhea, cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms typically disappear within several days, but in severe cases the victim may experience life-threatening symptoms.

"DFG biologists are working with the Department of Public Health to increase the level of sampling for domoic acid along the coast," said DFG Senior Invertebrate Specialist Kristine Barsky.

Fish and Game Q&A: Once I arrive home with sport-caught lobster, am I permitted to discard the bodies?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: Once I arrive home with sport-caught lobster in a measurable condition, am I permitted to freeze the tails and discard the bodies? (Ben W.)

Answer: If you tailed the lobster at home and then froze it, you would be in possession of a lobster in an unmeasurable condition. The law requires you to keep the head attached to the tail until prepared for immediate consumption. By the letter of the law, this applies to lobsters in your freezer at home too. The likelihood of someone’s freezer at home being checked by a game warden without a search warrant is almost nonexistent. On the other hand, if you store tailed lobster in a freezer on a boat, the likelihood is much higher.

Department of Fish and Game Lt. Eric Kord has this suggestion for freezing lobster for future consumption:

"You could de-vein the lobsters, bleed them and then freeze them in a whole condition [carapace still attached to the tail]. That way you just need to remove the head when you get ready to eat them at home."

Q:I have a question regarding flapping wind duck decoys. I know that spinning wing duck decoys are not allowed until after Dec. 1, but what if they flap up and down rather than spin? Is this type of flapping wing decoy legal for the whole duck season? (Yoshio O.)

Fish and Game Q&A: Can landowners get a depredation permit for crows or ravens?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I am having problems with crows damaging my crops. Based on size, I think we also have ravens at work here. I know there is a crow hunting season, but what about ravens? Since "corvids" (crows and ravens) are very problematic predators for song birds and marbled murrelets on the coast, can landowners get a depredation permit for either species? If so, where? (Patrick)

Answer:  There is no hunting season for ravens. They are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Check with the Permit Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at www.fws.gov/permits/. Crows are also protected by the MBTA, but there is an open season between December and April each year (CCR Title 14, sections 472(d) and 485). Fish and Wildlife may provide a permit exemption for crows causing damage. Check in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 50, section 21.43, available online at www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html.

Q: A friend recently hit a deer, causing about $1,200 in damage to the vehicle. He picked up the deer and put it in his truck to take home for food. He was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy who told him to take the deer out of his vehicle or he would be cited. I heard that it is legal to pick up "roadkill." Can you please clarify this? (Sandy B.)

Undersize lobster poaching cases on the rise in Orange County

California Department of Fish and Game wardens have been dealing with a spate of lobster poaching cases in Orange County recently, all of which involved undersized crustaceans.

On Dec. 13, a father and son from Dana Point were caught with 22 lobsters, 21 of which were undersized.

On Jan. 29, a Bloomington resident was found in possession of 39 lobsters, 38 of which were undersized.

On Feb. 2, David Frederick of Norwalk was sentenced to 33 days in jail for selling 22 undersized lobsters for $85. Witnesses at the scene told wardens that Frederick had sold lobsters at the same location in the past.

The legal limit is seven lobsters per person, with a minimum size limit of 3 1/4-inch carapace length. Anything smaller than this is undersized, or "short."

These regulations are in place in an effort to allow lobster the chance to reproduce at least once before they grow large enough to be taken.

"Poachers who profit from the sale of California's fisheries put the resource at risk," said Dan Sforza, a lieutenant with Fish and Game's Law Enforcement Division. "Local lobster populations will suffer severe declines if poaching activity is left unchecked."

The effort that Fish and Game officers put into investigating these cases is commendable. But there are only a few hundred wardens spread throughout California, so anyone who spots what appears to be nefarious activity should call the confidential toll-free tip number, (888) 334-2258, to report it. After all, these people are stealing natural resources from all of us.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: Legal-sized lobster caught along the Ventura County coast during a day of fishing aboard the lobster boat Arlene M. Credit: Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times

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Fish and Game Q&A: Can my neighbor sell his deer and elk trophies?

In support of California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday afternoon or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I would like to help keep a long-time neighborhood friend out of trouble. This person is 73 years old and is gradually trying to tidy up a lifelong accumulation of "treasures," including a massive garage covered in deer and elk antler "trophies" and hides. This friend said that he had some ideas for generating some revenue from them, including offering them up on craigslist or eBay. This set off an alarm in my head so I suggested he make very sure of the legality of what he had in mind before going ahead with his possible plans. I believe that many of these antlers were from hunts in California, Colorado and Wyoming over his lifetime. He is leaving shortly for another hunting expedition in Wyoming.

I vaguely recall some of your prior columns about selling animal parts. If you could clarify this matter of disposing of a lifelong accumulation of antlers for money, I will pass it along to this neighbor. I assure you that I am not the party in possession of the antlers. (Jim L., Lodi)

Answer: Please advise your friend not to try to sell his deer or elk trophies. It is unlawful to sell, trade or purchase any species of bird or mammal or part thereof found in the wild in California (Fish and Game Code, section 3039[a]). Mule deer and elk are found in the wild in California, so unless his mounts are white-tailed deer or some other species such as caribou or moose that are not found in the wild in California, he would be breaking the law.