The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will offer several Monday pheasant hunting opportunities at Northern California Type A wildlife areas in 2013.
The general pheasant season opens Nov. 9 and extends through Dec. 22, 2013.
For the 2013 hunting season, wildlife areas will be open for pheasant hunting as follows:
• Most Type A wildlife areas in the Sacramento Valley (Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, Delevan National Wildlife Refuge, Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area and Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area) will be open for pheasant hunting on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays, and only the first Monday (Nov. 11) of the pheasant season. The exception is Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, which will be open for pheasant hunting on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays and only the second Monday (Nov. 18) of the pheasant season.
• Most Type A wildlife areas in the San Joaquin Valley (Los Banos Wildlife Area, Mendota Wildlife Area, North Grasslands Wildlife Area and San Luis National Wildlife Refuge) will be open for pheasant hunting on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays during the pheasant season. The exception is Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge, which will only be open for pheasant hunting on the first Saturday, Sunday and Monday (Nov. 9-11) of the pheasant season.
• The Wister Unit of Imperial Wildlife Area in Imperial County will be closed to pheasant hunting this year.
• San Jacinto Wildlife Area in Riverside County, which will be closed to pheasant hunting this year.
• Type C wildlife areas will remain open as normal.
In 2010, CDFW reduced the number of days that certain wildlife areas would be open for pheasant hunting due to a decline in the number of hunters targeting pheasant and the cost to operate check stations during the first week of the season. This reduction remains in effect.
In response to the continued decline, CDFW is using some of its upland game bird stamp funds to implement pheasant population assessments and research projects on public areas to develop potential management actions.
The modifications of the shoot days on Type A wildlife areas are pursuant to subsections 550(b)(1) and 550(b)(2) of Title 14, California Code of Regulations.
The Fish and Game Commission also authorized an early pheasant archery season this year from Oct. 12 through Nov. 3, on Type C wildlife areas only. Archery is not an authorized method of take for pheasant on Type A or B wildlife areas during the early archery or general seasons.
For more information on specific hunting opportunities, please contact your regional CDFW office; a list of offices can be found at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regions/ .
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