California sturgeon anglers will see a small change to sturgeon tags issued beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

Sturgeon anglers have been required to tag all retained legal sized sturgeon for many years.

In the past, the date, location and length of the fish caught were recorded on each tag.

Now, in addition to legibly and permanently writing the date, time, location and length, the new tags require the angler to physically punch out the date and month printed on each tag.

The bag limit for sturgeon remains at one per day and up to three sturgeon per year. Failure to attach a properly filled out tag to a retained sturgeon is a misdemeanor violation.  

The California Fish and Game Commission passed the regulation change on Oct. 2, 2013.

Changes were approved by the Office of Administrative Law then filed with the Secretary of State on Dec. 23, 2013.

Shooting birds on the water or on the ground?

Question: Is it lawful to shoot a bird that is on the water, or if I’m field hunting, to shoot a bird that is standing on the ground?

I do not consider it sporting, but I was with a group of hunters that took part in the above actions.

Just curious what the official word is on this. (Nick V.)

Answer: It’s not illegal, but it’s certainly not sporting as it violates the Fair Chase Principle. “Fair chase” is the ethical, sportsman-like, lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an unfair advantage over such animals.

In addition, it can also be unsafe to shoot birds on the ground or on the water because nearby hunters might be in your line of fire.

Is it legal to keep legal-sized fish caught in hoop nets?

Question: If I catch fish in a hoop net while lobster fishing, are they legal to keep provided they meet any size requirements?

I have been throwing them back because I’m not sure it is legal to catch them that way. Someone told me they must be caught on fishing line only.

What about sea snails and octopus that are caught in my hoops? Can other line-caught sportfish, such as tuna, be used as bait in lobster hoops? Please advise. (Steve G.)

Answer: You were correct to return fish caught in your hoop nets because hoop nets are not a legal method of take.

Finfish may only be caught by hook-and-line except in very specific circumstances listed under “Finfish – Gear Restrictions” in the Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 28.65).

Taking sea snails and octopus caught incidentally in your lobster hoop net is not allowed (CCR Title 14, section 29.10(a)).

Any finfish that is legal to take or possess in California may be used as bait in your lobster hoop net.

If license is forgotten, will a photo copy of license do?

Question: My son and I fish from our private boat almost exclusively and keep our sport fishing licenses aboard so they are always present.

On rare occasions we will attempt to fish without the boat, and a few times have forgotten to bring our licenses.

To prevent us from mistakenly being without our fishing licenses, can we show a photo copy of our licenses or can the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) issue more than one copy to a sport fisherman? (Murray C.)

Answer: Good questions, but the answers to both are no.

You must have a valid fishing license in your possession when fishing or attempting to take fish, and you must present it to a game warden upon request.

Additionally, only one license may be issued to a person per year.

Importing buffalo hides and products?

Question: Are there any restrictions on importing buffalo hides or buffalo art productions into California? (Anonymous)

Answer: No. American buffalo (Bison bison) are considered a domestic breed of bovine (like cattle, goats and sheep) and thus no Fish and Wildlife laws regulate them.

American buffalo hides are not restricted by CDFW and so they may be imported or possessed as long as they were obtained legally.

However, the live importation of other species of true buffalo (e.g. African Cape Buffalo, etc.) or their hides is restricted by law (CCR Title 14, section 671).

Is it legal to catch carp and trout by hand?

Question: I recently read a post from people saying they had caught carp by hand in a lake.

Is this legal in California?

I have caught trout by hand in streams when I was younger, but wasn’t sure if that was legal either.

Can you please clarify? (Nick)

Answer: There are no freshwater finfish species that can be legally taken by hand from any California lake waters within the state (only exception: a few fish species are allowed to be caught by hand during specific times in a few non-lake areas, as per CCR Title 14, sections 1.76 and 2.30.)

Electronics and hunting

Question: Is there any law against mounting a camera to the scope of a rifle to record my hunting experience? (Barry N.)

Answer: No, there is no law against this as long as there is no light emitted from the camera.

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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

If you are looking for the perfect holiday gift for the outdoor enthusiast in your life, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has some suggestions.

The 2014 Warden Stamp, a decal that can be displayed on vehicles and other items to show your support for California’s wildlife officers, is now available online for a donation of just $5.

In addition, CDFW’s award-winning publication Outdoor California is holding a special offer. Anyone who renews or purchases a new subscription in December and January can gift another subscription to a friend or family member at half the normal price.

Or, if there’s an angler on your list, consider purchasing a fishing license gift voucher for $46.44. All items are available for purchase online at www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/ols/ .

The Warden Stamp Program was initiated in 2010 to address the need for better equipment and training for the state’s wildlife officers and to provide funding for special law enforcement programs.

There are fewer than 400 wildlife officers (formerly called wardens) to patrol and protect 159,000 square miles of California's natural habitat.

All funds raised from the sales of the stamp go to purchase essential law enforcement equipment for wildlife officers and to support CDFW’s K-9 program.

“From catching poachers to stopping polluters, wildlife officers put their lives on the line every day to protect California’s natural resources,” said Chief Mike Carion of CDFW’s law enforcement division. “Due to funding levels, our enforcement staff often lacks the necessary equipment to get the job done safely and efficiently.”

CDFW’s Outdoor California magazine celebrates the state’s natural habitat and wildlife with compelling features and stunning photography.

The bimonthly magazine offers behind-the-scenes access to the fascinating work of department environmental scientists and chronicles enforcement cases brought by CDFW wildlife officers in the Thin Green Line feature. The special holiday voucher will be sent in the current magazine and the January/February issue.

Those who purchase the magazine in December and January through the Department’s online service will receive a gift voucher in the mail that they can fill out and send back along with the payment. Contact Editor Troy Swauger at 916-322-8932 for more details.

Dreissenid mussels (quagga or zebra) have been discovered in Lake Piru in Ventura County.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is working with United Water Conservation District and Lake Piru Recreation Area staff to contain the infestation.

All boaters are being required to clean, drain and dry their watercraft upon exit from the lake.

This discovery marks the first time quagga or zebra mussels have been found in a Southern California waterbody that does not receive water from the Colorado River.

On Dec. 18, Lake Piru Recreation Area staff reported the discovery of potential quagga mussels to CDFW.

The mussels were found attached to a Lake Piru patrol boat and several additional mussels were subsequently found on devices deployed in the lake for the purpose of detecting mussels and on the shoreline.

CDFW staff tentatively identified the mussels, which range in size from one-half to three-quarter inches long, as quagga.

Genetic testing is under way to confirm this identification. Lake Piru Recreation Area staff are working to determine the full extent of the infestation.

Lake Piru, which is managed by United Water Conservation District, is located downstream of Pyramid Lake. Lake Piru drains into Lower Piru Creek, a tributary of the Santa Clara River.

Quagga and zebra mussels, non-native freshwater mussels native to Eurasia, multiply quickly and encrust watercraft and infrastructure, and compete for food with native and sport fish species.

These mussels can be spread from one body of water to another attached to nearly anything that has been in an infested waterbody, or via standing water from an infested waterbody entrapped in boat engines, bilges, live-wells and buckets.

People who launch vessels at any body of water are subject to watercraft inspections and are encouraged to clean, drain and dry their motorized and non-motorized boats, including personal watercraft, and any equipment that comes into contact with the water before and after recreating at a waterway.

For more information on boat inspection programs and preventing the spread of quagga and zebra mussels visit CDFW’s Web site ( www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel ).

Quagga mussels were first detected in the Colorado River system in January 2007 and were later found in San Diego and Riverside counties. They are now known to be in 26 waters in California. Zebra mussels were discovered in San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County in January 2008.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Anderson Marsh State Historic Park will hold a free, guided nature walk over the newly reopened McVicar Trail beginning at noon on New Year’s Day as part of the nationwide “First Day Hikes” program.

The First Day Hikes offer an opportunity to begin the New Year connecting with the outdoors by taking a healthy hike on January 1, 2014 at a state park close to home. All 50 state park systems will be participating in the program.

Take this opportunity to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome the New Year with friends and family.

The work to reestablish the McVicar Trail, which has been closed due to fallen trees and landslides, is the result of the Partnership Agreement between the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association.

The McVicar Trail leads from the historic Ranch House and Barn complex, over Lewis Ridge and through the former McVicar Audubon Sanctuary, which was added to the Park in 1988.

This is a fabulous opportunity to experience the Anderson Marsh Natural Preserve, with the McVicar Trail passing through grasslands, oak woodlands, willow and cottonwood riparian habitats and the tule marsh habitat of Anderson Marsh.

This will be a leisurely walk that will cover about five miles of mainly flat terrain and should take between three and three and a half hours, depending on how many times the groups stops to admire what we see along the way.

Participants are welcome to walk part way and make an early return at their own pace.

Participants should bring water and snacks and binoculars if they have them, and wear sturdy shoes.
Rain will cancel the walk.

Anderson Marsh State Historic Park is located on Highway 53, between Lower Lake and Clearlake.

For more information about the walk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-995-2658.

For information about how you can help support AMIA’s campaign to keep the park open and thriving, please visit www.andersonmarsh.org , or contact us by telephone or email.

Why problem deer are not moved

Question: I live in the Christian Valley area above Auburn. The deer are overpopulated but they are protected in the area. The deer are starving and eat everything in sight.

I've bought deer-resistant plants and cover them at night, but then they rip off the covering and devour my plants. I've spent hundreds of dollars to try to keep plants on my property. I've even bought coyote packets to scare them away, but they tear them off and go right by them.

I try to chase these deer away but they are so domesticated now that they have charged me and kicked my dog. I need help!

How can I get Fish and Wildlife to transfer the deer to a higher location? I love animals but the deer here are destroying all I've put out. (Mary N., Auburn)

Answer: Unfortunately, because most of the deer in your area are migratory, moving them up the hill won't help as they will soon be moving back because of snow and forage availability anyway.

More than that though, according to Game Species Conservation Program Manager Craig Stowers, it is the policy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to not move depredating deer. There are several reasons for this:

1) Several studies (including one of our own) have indicated the survival rates for these animals are extremely low.

2) The benefits from all wildlife captures must be weighed against the risks of injury/death to the individual animals and personnel involved. Since the survival rates are so low in these instances, the benefits most definitely do not outweigh the risks.

3) There is a very real potential for introducing new diseases and/or parasites when moving animals from one area to another without health testing, and the only way that can effectively be done is through a quarantine process. Unfortunately, we don't have the facilities for that and couldn't take care of the deer long enough for test results to come back.

4) Physical deterrence is the only proven long-term solution (fencing or some type of barrier). Even if we could move a large number of deer, there are others which would eventually move in to replace them.

As California becomes more urbanized, these types of problems will continue to increase in frequency. Traditional methods of managing wildlife populations are becoming increasingly unavailable to us, primarily because of public safety issues and changing societal values.

CDFW has implemented a pilot project in the San Jose area to address a very similar problem and we are hopeful it can turn into something we can use in the future as these problems are only going to continue.

Breakaway lines on crab pots?

Question: Are cotton breakaway lines required on sport Dungeness crab pots? (Clinton M., Petaluma)

Answer: Breakaway lines are not required on sport crab pots, but using cotton twine to secure escape rings and crab pot doors is a very good idea.

On lost pots, the cotton eventually rots away and opens the pot so that crabs and other marine life can more easily escape.

Without the destruct device (such as rotten cotton or cotton twine), the pot essentially becomes a self-baiting trap).

We encourage you to use traps with self-destructing components. Rotten cotton also works well on the elastic or rubber between the band and the hook.

When the cotton breaks, the hook falls away and the door opens. The majority of sport crab pots do not have removable escape rings, so cotton between the hook and the elastic is better for the resource.

Duck hunting youth on refuge

Question: I am a minor (17 years old) but possess an adult hunting license. Can I transport a shotgun in my vehicle for duck hunting on one of the California refuges where you only have to be 16 years of age to hunt by yourself? (James M., Modesto)

Answer: Yes, as long as your shotgun is unloaded. Persons 16 or 17 years of age in possession of a valid resident or nonresident hunting license will be issued entry permits and may hunt by themselves, but may not be accompanied by apprentice hunters (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 551(h)).

Second rod stamp required for youth?

Question: My son is 11 years old. When I take him fishing at the lake and he fishes from shore. Can he fish with two rods or must he stick with one rod only? (H. Tran)

Answer: Your son can fish with two rods. However, once he turns 16 he will need a fishing license and a second rod stamp in order to fish with two rods.

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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .