Fish and Game Q&A: Can I have a 'spare air' device with me when abalone diving?

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: While abalone diving, I would like to keep a very small, emergency supply of air on my person as a safety precaution. The device would be shrink-wrapped to indicate evidence of use. The idea being that if the seal is intact, there would be no evidence of "use" and I would be in compliance with the law. The product I’m asking about can be seen at www.spareairxtreme.com/.

Would I be in violation of any of the regulations if I were to wear such a device while taking abalone, assuming I did not use the device and had sufficient evidence to prove such a claim? (Aaron L.)

Answer: The law prohibits the "use of scuba gear or surface-supplied air to take abalone" (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 29.15(e)). According to DFG Lt. Dennis McKiver, this includes having it in your possession, even if you are not actually breathing off of it. The law also states that abalone may not be taken or possessed aboard any boat, vessel, or floating device in the water containing scuba or surface-supplied air. Since you are not allowed to have scuba gear in your possession on a boat while taking abalone (even if the scuba gear is not being used), to be consistent with the law, this "spare air" product would also not be allowed as the same principles apply.

Q: Spring turkey season is one of my favorite times of the year and I’m heading out for a gobbler next weekend. I do a lot of my hunting in prime hog country and like to combine my options when I’m there. I usually hunt with a bow but am considering carrying my .44 revolver for hogs, and a shotgun for turkeys. Could this cause a conflict if I’m stopped because the .44 is not legal for turkey hunting? If all lead restrictions are observed, would it be legal to carry the handgun while turkey hunting with a shotgun? What about carrying the handgun and the bow at the same time? (Phillip L.)

GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons under fire for Zimbabwe elephant-hunting video

GoDaddy.com Chief Executive Bob Parsons has been drawing angry comments and threats of boycotts and cancellations after he posted a video of him killing a problem bull elephant during a hunting expedition in Zimbabwe.

The video (viewer discretion advised due to graphic content) shows the CEO and his hunting party looking over a farmer's damaged crops, shooting at elephants at night, and Parsons posing with the dead bull. It also shows crowds of villagers field dressing the carcass the next morning.

"I kind of figured that this might happen. So be it, I'm not ashamed of what I did," Parsons, whose Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company provides domain and Web hosting services, told myFoxPhoenix Tuesday. "All these people that are complaining that this shouldn't happen, that these people who are starving to death otherwise shouldn't eat these elephants, you probably see them driving through at McDonald's or cutting a steak. These people [Zimbabwe villagers] don't have that option."

While a preponderance of the comments posted on Parsons' website blog were negative, he has his proponents.

"As long as it goes to good use as food then it's all good," posted Chad from Texas; "I'm sure local villagers appreciated the protein," wrote Alan Dean Foster of Arizona; and, from Jonathan Mackenzie of Zimbabwe, "As a Zimbabwean who has worked in ... areas where the necessity to kill [rogue] animals takes place I appreciate your actions regardless of your motivations."

Parsons posts an explanation on his hunts -- this was his second -- to take out problem elephants:

I spend a few weeks in Zimbabwe each year helping the farmers deal with problem elephants. The people there have very little, many die each year from starvation and one of the problems they have is the elephants, of which there are thousands and thousands, that trash many of their fields destroying the crops. The tribal authorities request that I and others like me, patrol the fields before and during the harvest -- we can't cover them all, there are just a few of us -- and drive the elephant from the fields. The farmers try to run the elephants away by cracking whips, beating drums and lighting fires. All of this is ignored by the elephants. When my team catch elephants in a field (there are never just one) we typically kill one of them and the rest leave for good. After we kill an elephant the people butcher the elephant and it feeds a number of villages. These people have literally nothing and when an elephant is killed it's a big event for them, they are going to be able to eat some protein. This is no different than you or I eating beef. If at all possible we avoid elephant cows and only kill mature bulls. By just killing bulls it has no effect on the elephant social structure (as it is matriarchal) as well as the herd size. The reason is another bull quickly steps up and breeds in place of the bull taken.

Parsons said that the hunts and helping the starving villagers is the most rewarding of everything he does, and that he hopes to go again next year.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: GoDaddy CEO and founder Bob Parsons, right, and his wife Renee pose on the red carpet at a recent event. Credit: Roy Dabner / European Pressphoto Agency

 

Fish and Game Q&A: What's the limit when fishing catch and release?

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 I fish for trout using a barbless lure and catch five during the day but release them all, is that still considered my limit for the day?

Answer: Fish caught and immediately released do not count toward your daily bag limit unless the fish dies or is not released in a viable condition. If fish are not released, they are counted toward your limit whether you keep them or give them to someone else. Fish that are maintained and later released may also count toward the daily bag limit if they show signs of stress or other indicators they can not swim off in a viable condition. Keep in mind that any fish with a zero bag limit may not be retained or possessed at any time, so these fish must be released immediately no matter what condition they are in upon landing.

Q: I legally shot a black bear last year in California and then took it to a taxidermist in Nevada who was  going to create a bearskin rug for me. Somehow the taxidermist mistakenly gave my bear away to another customer and so then gave me a different bear rug to replace it. This wasn’t a good solution for me though because I don’t want this bearskin from an animal I didn’t take. Can I legally sell it since it was taken in another state? (Anonymous)

'Meet the Grunion' Monday at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

The grunion are back in Southern California, and with them comes the return of the "Meet the Grunion" program, Monday evening at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro.

The aquarium exhibit hall will open at 8 p.m., with a film on grunion to be screened at 9 p.m. The cost to attend is $5 for adults and $1 for seniors, children and students. Tickets can be purchased on site, cash only.

Afterward, those who wish to participate will head to the beach to await the spawning run, which has a projected two-hour window of 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m.

Grunion runs are a sight to behold. For four consecutive nights, beginning on full- and new-moon phases during spring and summer, the small silvery fish leave the water to spawn on beaches. The shoreline may glisten with fish as the silversides attempt to lay and fertilize their eggs.

Grunion may only be caught in the months of March, June and July, and only by hand. Catchers 16 and older must possess a valid state fishing license.

There is no limit to the number of fish that may be caught, but the California Department of Fish and Game asks that people only catch what they will eat.

The program will be offered again on April 5 and 19, May 5 and 19, June 3 and 17, and July 16.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro. Directions and parking information is available on the aquarium's website.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Grunion scramble to get onto the beach to spawn. Credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

Fish and Game Q&A: Is it legal to shoot downed game after shooting time ends?

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: Five minutes before the end of shooting time I knocked down a snow goose that fell out of range and started swimming. I waded after it in the flooded rice field but couldn’t catch it or get within range until after shooting time ended. In a case like that, do I shoot late or let it go and risk a waste of game citation? Do wardens consider "spirit of the law" as opposed to "letter of the law?" (Jim S.)

Answer: According to Department of Fish and Game assistant chief Mike Carion, if you are "in hot pursuit" of the goose, you should be able to reach it before the end of shoot time, or at least within a minute or two. Bottom line answer is this: It is illegal to take the bird after legal shoot time. If a warden was watching you pursue the game and shoot late, they would use their judgment as to whether a crime was committed. On the other hand, waste of game only applies when a person does not make a reasonable effort to retrieve. If the hunter tries to catch it and it swims off, it is a reasonable effort. Breaking the law is not a reasonable effort. So, if the hunter doesn’t shoot late, no laws are broken!

Q: I just saw some new trout lures containing little glow sticks to attract fish. Someone told me that using light to attract fish is illegal and hence these lures are illegal to use. What do you think? (Shawn A.)

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

 

California Department of Fish and Game offers wild pig-hunting clinic

The next advanced hunting clinic offered by the California Department of Fish and Game will focus on wild pigs.

Co-hosted by the Pacific Coast Hunter Education Assn., the class will take place Sat., April 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City.

The topics covered will include the biology of wild pigs, techniques for locating the animals, methods of take, how to handle and properly care for the game, plus recipes for preparing wild pig. They will also be field dressing and skinning a pig during the clinic.

Wild pig-hunting season is open year-round in California for licensed hunters, with no daily bag or possession limit, so this clinic seems well worth the registration cost for those wanting to learn more about the quarry.

The cost is $45 and space is limited, so those interested are advised to register early. A barbecue lunch is available for an additional $10.

Those 16 or younger will be admitted free but must be accompanied by an adult. Registration, including fee payment, closes two weeks before the workshop date and can be completed online. For more information e-mail or call DFG Lt. Dan Lehman at (916) 358-4356.

If you miss this one there will be two more DFG clinics this year on wild pig hunting: June 11 at the Russian River Sportsmens Club in Sonoma and July 30 at Tejon Ranch.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Wild pig. Credit: Department of Fish and Game

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: What to do about injured wildlife?

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: We have seen an injured buck in our neighborhood with a gash in his left hind leg and bone sticking out. It’s swollen, probably infected and he can’t put any weight on that leg at all. I don’t see how it will get better and he doesn’t seem to have much to look forward to other than a lot of suffering and a painful death. He needs to either be given a fighting chance by tranquilizing and treating him or to be put out of his misery so this injury won’t fester and cause him to suffer anymore. Is there anything someone can do? (Jennifer P., Pacific Grove)

Answer: There are wildlife rehabilitation facilities that are able to help fawns in some situations, but for safety reasons they cannot possess or take in adult deer. According to Nicole Carion, DFG’s statewide coordinator for wildlife rehabilitation and restricted species, adult deer can be very dangerous and do not fare well in captivity to undergo medical treatment, so a rescue is not a good option. In this particular case, it sounds like humane euthanasia may be the best solution.

World Elk Calling Championships Friday and Saturday in Reno

Elk callers from across the U.S. will be converging on Reno next weekend, hoping to bugle, grunt, bark, mew and whine their way to victory in the World Elk Calling Championships, Friday and Saturday at the Reno/Sparks Convention Center.

The championships are a centerpiece of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s annual Elk Camp & Expo, held Thursday through Sunday. The four-day convention helps raise awareness of elk, their habitat and RMEF conservation initiatives.

The elk-calling competition will be held in six divisions: professional, men, women, natural voice, youth and pee-wee. Amateur-level callers have 30 seconds to mimic cow elk sounds, followed by bull sounds. Professionals are required to make specific calls such as barks, whistles and screaming bugles. Most callers blow across a latex reed placed inside the mouth. In the natural voice division, however, no reeds are allowed. A variety of plastic tubes are used like megaphones, giving the sounds realistic resonance. Judges score each competitor anonymously.

Preliminary rounds begin Friday at 9 a.m., and championship rounds begin Saturday at 9 a.m. Winners receive prizes and cash ranging from $500 to $2,500.

Elk Camp also includes seminars led by authorities on bowhunting and other hunting skills, horse packing, marksmanship, wild game cooking, game calling strategies and more. There will also be displays of record elk, plus a 450-booth expo hall filled with outfitted hunting and fishing opportunities, art, gear, firearms and everything elk.

Show hours are Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Daily admission is $12 per person or $25 per family, and free for children 5 and younger.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Video credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation via YouTube

Outdoor Life magazine introduces Outdoor Life Survival website

Outdoor Life magazine recently announced the launch of Outdoor Life Survival, a new website chock-full of informative and possibly useful topical survival news, advice and tips for outdoorsmen, travelers and urban dwellers.

With more than 20 years experience studying survival skills and primitive technologies, survival expert and instructor Tim MacWelch -- the site's lead contributor -- will share strategies on all aspects of sustaining oneself in the wild through photo galleries, videos and how-to guides, as well as frequent postings to the site's new Survivalist blog.

Outdoor Life Survival's content is divided into five sections, designed to provide ideas and solutions for almost any survival situation:

Wilderness, focusing on classic outdoor and wildlife dangers, including surviving animal attacks and bites, extreme weather and finding safe wild food sources;

Urban, which addresses skills such as burglar-proofing a home, freeing a stuck car from ice or mud and creating a family emergency plan;

Conflict, offering tips on staying safe abroad and protecting yourself in dangerous situations;

Disasters, which focuses on preparing for and surviving hurricanes, floods, blizzards and other natural catastrophes;

Gear, a resource for the best in survival essentials such as knives, watches, food and survival kits.

"The essential skills for survival are no longer just the purview of those who love the outdoors," said Todd Smith, editor-in-chief of Outdoor Life magazine. "With unpredictable weather, global unrest and even the increasing congestion in our cities, the tactics that have long kept outdoorsmen safe are of interest to a general audience. OL Survival channels the expertise of top survivalists into tips anyone can use to be prepared and stay safe, whether they're on a wilderness adventure or close to home."

Other features of the site include a forum where visitors can post questions and receive answers from Outdoor Life experts and fellow online members, and a gallery offering readers the opportunity to share their survival tales and photos.

-- Kelly Burgess

twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Image courtesy of Outdoor Life

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.