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Jesse's Hunting > Jim Matthews > Jan. 2001 To June 2001
Jan. 2001 To June 2001
DIAMOND VALLEY, RABBIT OPENER, USFS FEES -- matthews column 27jun01
Diamond Valley Reservoir two-thirds full; bass fishery reported to be awesome.
The original projected opening date for the sprawling new reservoir in western
Riverside County -- Diamond Valley Reservoir -- was this year, but now the Metropolitan
Water District is saying the facilities will not be open until March, 2003,
when the marina and recreation areas will be completed.
With the lake 2/3s full and 140 feet deep in places that seems like a long
wait to allow for shore fishing and perhaps some limited boat fishing access.
The huge reservoir, which is located near Hemet, was created by building long
dams at the mouths of two valleys that drain off the north end of Black Mountain.
The dams block off the Diamond and Domenigoni valleys to create the largest
reservoir in Southern California, one that will hold 800,000 acre feet of water
when full. It is currently filled with about 570,000 acre feet.
The word is already starting to get out about the tremendous fishery that has
been created at Diamond Valley (once called Domenigoni Reservoir and then Eastside
Reservoir before the final name was bestowed). Mike Giusti, the Department of
Fish and Game biologist on more-or-less permanent assignment as the Diamond
Valley fishery and habitat specialist, has had generous MWD funding to create
a model fishery at Diamond Valley. The lake has been planted with the purest
strain Florida largemouth bass, Florida bluegill, redear, crappie, smallmouth
bass, channel catfish, blue cats, and rainbow trout. Silverside minnows and
shiners were added as forage for the gamefish, and the results so far have been
pretty spectacular.
Before the lake started to fill, a rearing pond was built in the future lake
bottom. Broodstock bass to eight pounds were released in the pond and there
was a spawn of those fish in 1999. Later that year, as water was pumped into
the new reservoir the lake level crested the pond and that years spawn
of fish had the whole growing lake where they could feed. Those two-year-old
fish are now in the 12- to 15-inch range and weigh from two to three pounds.
For fish that size, they are chunks.
Giusti likes to point out that the Golden Ruler used by bass anglers to estimate
weights would tell you that a 13-inch bass should weigh 1.1 pounds and a 15-inch
fish should weigh around two pounds. And that is true at most places. At Diamond
Valley, a 13-inch bass weighs right at two pounds and a 15-incher right at three
pounds. The eight-pound broodstock bass that was in the pond was recaptured
this year, and it weighed 12 pounds, putting on four pounds in just two years.
Giusti said the 2000 year class fish are all 10-inchers, and he estimates the
bass population in Diamond Valley is around 300,000 fish already.The sampling
Ive done out there is unreal, said Giusti, who has been taking scale
samples from 25 bass per month to chart growth rates. Four of us on the
electro-fisher, which is not the best boat to be fishing from, boated 300 bass
in 3 1/2 hours of fishing. Three casts in a row I caught two fish on a the same
jerk bait.
The first trout plants went in during November and December last year. These
were subcatchable-sized rainbows. These small fish are classed as to how many
of them it takes to weigh a pound. The stocks late last year consisted of six
to 15 fish to the pound. By May this year, those trout were in the one to 1
1/2-pound range.That gives you some idea of the growth rates were going
to see, at least initially, said Giusti.
It sure would be nice to see the lake open to at least shore fishing this year.
Giusti expects the two-year-old bass to be five-pounders by the end of the year.
While regulations havent been adopted for the reservoir, Giusti is leaning
toward a slot limit where two or three bass under 13 inches could be kept by
anglers and one or two over 16 inches could be creeled. Hed like a zero
limit on the smallmouth bass until they become established and regular limits
on other species.
Lets get this lake open by fall. At least to shore fishing. What do you
say MWD?
RABBIT SEASON OPENS SUNDAY
Summer may not be close to over, but since last Thursday, the days are getting
shorter. I swear I can feel the difference thanks to some primal part of my
genetic makeup, and I start looking at drying hillsides for game trails. It
is the hunter in me. I find myself drawn to regular hunting haunts to check
out this years population of small game and upland birds. I look for fawn
tracks on the deer trails, and if I run across bear tracks I search for the
footprints of cubs. One or two young this year? Three? Thanks to a wet, late
spring, it looks to be a good season. There are lots of young rabbits and the
quail and chukar broods are bigger than last year.
My hunting has become less expeditionary and more residential the last few
years. I like being able to leave the house before dawn or late in the evening,
hunt for an hour, and be back home. I almost hate to tell my avid hunting buddies
-- guys who yearn to travel all over the world for big game -- that my favorite
hunting is for cottontail rabbits these days. Each year on the July 1 rabbit
opener, which is this Sunday, I take an accurate .22 rimfire rifle, park myself
on a hillside at dawn or dusk and watch the openings in the draws below me for
moving rabbits. Scouting usually assures that Im in a spot with more than
a few rabbits, and we frequently have rabbits on the barbecue for the Fourth
of July.
Maybe rabbits are my favorite because they mark the first hunting season of
the fall cycle. Maybe its because there are few things I like to eat better
than marinated young cottontail. Maybe its because I envy the coyotes
and red-tailed hawks who get to hunt and eat them all year.
FOREST SERVICE FEES
As of June 15, the U.S. Forest Service fee program on four Southern California
national forests has been in effect four years, and over $10 million has been
raised through the daily and annual use fee. I have repeatedly caught flack
for supporting the fee program, but recent polls show Im not alone in
my belief that recreational users have a responsibility to pony up to help pay
for our impacts and enhance our enjoyment of public lands -- whether it be campground
and trail maintenance, water and habitat development for wildlife, or simply
regular trash pickups and outhouse cleaning. I like where the money is being
spent and you can see the results on the ground. A Los Angeles Times poll in
late April showed that 62 percent of all Californians believe the user fee is
a good idea and should continue.
Sportsmen and anglers are accustomed to this concept. You pay for a hunting
or fishing license and the money is used to benefit the fish and game and other
wildlife. We have even set up an excise tax program on sporting arms and ammunition
and fishing tackle to benefit fish and wildlife nationwide. We know the program
works, and the Adventure Pass is a natural extension of that concept that applies
to all forest users.
Come to think of it, I think I need to get my new annual pass.
EAST MOJAVE PRESERVE PLAN -- jim matthews column 20june01
East Mojave Preserves plan is prejudicial again hunters; restrictions
excessive, biased
The National Park Service has issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement
and General Management Plan for the East Mojave National Preserve. Two weeks
ago, I wrote about how the NPS was removing historic water sources from the
preserve without doing a careful analysis of their impacts on wildlife even
before the management plan was final. This week the final plan proves the park
staffs bias against hunting and hunters in its rules and language.
Let me just illustrate this with three points.
Overall Bias Against Hunting/Hunters: Under the plan, the preserve will be
closed to hunting from the end of January through August each year so non-hunting
visitors would experience fewer disruptions and greater safety with the restrictions
on the seasons, species, and areas where hunting would be allowed. That
is a direct quote from the plan.
Am I being too sensitive here or does it seem like hunters are somehow viewed
as lessor visitors whos activities are somehow less important than non-hunters
or deserve less consideration than non-hunters? If you were to substitute black
or Hispanic in that sentence (so non-black visitors....),
as a means of catering to racists who use the preserve and you begin to understand
my disgust with the documents language. Hunters and hunting are clearly
being discriminated against in the plan. The rationale for the move, according
to the final document, is because the park service also has obligations
to listen to the non-hunting community and has received many letters advocating
complete elimination of hunting. The proposal is our best attempt to provide
opportunities for all visitors to Mojave.
Excuse me, but there is nothing in the plan that says non-hunters cant
use the park during hunting season so they dont disrupt hunters, which
is far more likely to happen than the other scenario. Yet, hunters are restricted
because some people dont like a legal activity. Would the park service
also accept racist pleas to keep out any ethnic group for part of the year because
the NPS staff believes in the First Amendment that protects free speech -- even
for racists -- and would incorporate their wishes? The legislation that created
the preserve specifically called for hunting to be allowed and regulations
closing areas to hunting... shall be put into effect only after consultation
with the appropriate state agency.... Yet, the NPS is proposing closing
the whole area to all hunting for small game (cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits)
and predators (coyotes, bobcat and foxes), effectively shutting it down for
half the year, without consulting with the California Department of Fish and
Game.
No Small Game or Predator Hunting: Without any biological justification, the
preserve staff has somehow ordained that hunting for upland birds and big game
is acceptable, but that small game and predators should not be hunted. How did
they pull this rabbit out of the hat? Well, it fit in with their desire to rid
their preserve of hunters half the year, to give in to the racists --
I mean anti-hunters -- demands. The statewide season on jackrabbits is
all year, coyotes can be hunted all year, and cottontail rabbit season opens
July 1. If they allowed hunting for these species, they couldnt very well
close the preserve to hunters half the year. The ironic part of this is that
desert tortoises were also used as a scapegoat for closing the preserve to hunting
half the year, as though there were some connection to declines in tortoises
and hunting (there isnt). In fact, by stopping varmint hunting, the NPS
staff is likely to increase mortality on tortoises through greater predation
on young tortoises. They even admit that. Theyre worried about hunters
shooting tortoises, but its OK for coyotes to eat more. Its OK for
cars to run over more as we improve facilities and get more visitors. Its
prejudicial and it just doesnt make sense.
Excessive Hunting Closures: Lastly, under the guise of public safety, the
National Park Service staff further proves its bias against hunting and shooting.
The one-mile rifle hunting closure around seven main areas in the preserve is
totally bogus. There is no precedent anywhere in the state or nation for this
size of firearms closure for public safety. The standard law to protect public
safety is 150 yards from a road and 1/4-mile from an occupied dwelling. People
who understand hunting and firearms use, know this is more than a completely
safe margin. Yet, when this was pointed out the NPS staff in comments on the
draft plan, they blew off the suggestion that all law enforcement agencies across
the state and nation knew better how to set safety standards. Why? Because of
the well know fact that bullets fired from rifles may travel as much as one
mile.
I thought it was well known that bullets from a big game rifle might travel
three or four miles, not just one mile. But apparently the NPS staff didnt
know this or their public safety zone distances might have been increased. Using
the NPS staffs logic, it would be wise to close all roads within a mile
of any tortoise habitat because a tortoise could wander out onto a road and
get run over. To protect children from being run over in campgrounds, all vehicles
should have to be parked, say, a mile away and everyone walk in. Kids probably
wouldnt wander a mile away from camp and get run over that way. It would
be safe.
I agree that it is the staffs responsibility to ensure.... safety,
but how they decide they know more firearms and hunter safety than agencies
that deal with the issue daily is beyond me -- unless they have a bias against
hunting and hunters. By and large, the document is a good one, but it has a
prejudice against hunters and hunting -- and even hunted wildlife -- that goes
beyond the bounds of rational judgment. This bias jumps out at any hunter who
reads the plan.
The biggest disappoint of all, for me, is that at least a couple of the people
on the staff that created this document are hunters and shooters who know how
this document is fundamentally wrong and wrong-headed as it relates to hunters
and hunting. These people shirked from their responsibility to stand up for
what is right. This total lack of integrity is shameful -- as shameful as this
document is flawed.
DUMB GUN LAWS: WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? -- matthews column 13jun01
California on verge of banning handgun sales; licensing handgun owners
The talking heads on the evening news and those editorials in many of the states
newspapers have been calling it a handgun safety bill. The reality
is that is a complete moratorium on the sale of all handguns made in the world
today -- from Olympic target pistols to single shot handguns used for big game
hunting and target shooting. Dont believe me. Read Assembly Bill 1219
yourself. It will make it illegal for you or I to buy or sell, loan, or give
to our grandchildren any pistol, revolver of other firearm capable of
being concealed upon the person, unless that firearm includes an integrated
mechanical safety device or other incorporated design technology that is designed
to prevent children or other unauthorized users from discharging the handgun."
The quote is directly from the text of the bill.
There is not a handgun made in the world today that meets the bills criteria.
None. After the bill takes affect in January 1, 2006, it will be impossible
to buy a classic Model 1911 .45 caliber. You can own one, but you will not be
able to buy or sell or give such a gun to a friend or family member. You couldnt
even loan your target pistol to another shooting buddy to fire a match. I would
not be able to give either of my sons my single shot Thompson/Center Contender
pistol chambered for the esoteric wildcat 7mm TCU cartridge. If your grandfather
wants to give you or your son his old .38 Special revolver that he carries around
in his flyfishing vest with shot loads for rattlesnakes, youd better have
him do it before the beginning of 2006.
The bill will effectively put out of business many smaller gun shops who deal
extensively with used firearms. There is some doubt that any company will have
a product available by 2006 that will meet the criteria outlined by our sage
legislature. Of course, that is what they want. They dont believe you
and I are responsible enough to own firearms. Its about prejudice. Never
mind that gun accidents are down, especially among children under 12. Never
mind that the bill will likely cause more deaths and assaults because wives
wont be able to use hubbys new smart handgun when the
rapist or robber comes to call. Never mind that the media ignores the fact that
firearms are used to avert crime millions of times a year, usually without a
shot being fired. (Are you going to try to rob or assault someone if they have
a .44 pointed at you? Most would-be crooks run.) Never mind the real number
of gun accidents is minuscule, especially in relationship to how many guns are
in circulation. Folks, this brain-dead bill passed the assembly of our state
legislature last week. It will likely have smooth sailing in the state Senate.
HANDGUN OWNER LICENSING: But AB 1219 is not the worst of the gun legislation
in California. The anti-gun legislature has passed two similar bills requiring
licensing and live fire testing of all handgun owners this week -- Assembly
Bill 35 and Senate Bill 52. Oh, the media jumped on the bandwagon when the bills
were amended before passage to have the licenses called safety certificates
instead of handgun owner licenses.But the result is the same. Youre
registered and licensed. If these bills pass both chambers and are signed by
the governor, anyone who wants to own a handgun will have to go through a fairly
elaborate testing and shooting program -- to be administered by local law enforcement
-- and then taxed for the license. The gun control crowd is big on saying, Why
shouldnt gun owners be tested and licensed just like automobile drivers?
We already have this requirement when guns are used just like automobiles --
out in public. For someone to carry (drive) a gun in busy shopping malls or
the workplaces of America, he has to have a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) permit.
In most states, if you go through the requirements outlined in AB 35 and SB
52, you can get a CCW permit.
But not here in California. Why is that? Its about bias.
Just like you dont need a drivers license to putt around on private
property or on many dirt roads on public lands, for that matter, why should
you need a license to shoot a gun at a range or out in the desert on BLM land?
Of course, you shouldnt. These two gun laws are the equivalent of requiring
that you have a license for a car that stays in the garage or for a golf cart
used to run you up and down the links.
The reality -- and a lot of my liberal, gun-owning friends dont like to
hear this because they just dont believe it could happen -- is that the
licensing scheme is just a registry for when the state bans handguns all together.
You will then get a letter to turn in those guns or youll be a criminal.
Cant happen here, you say? It has happened within the last decade in Australia
and Canada (crime rates have skyrocketed following gun bans, but never mind
that, somehow society is safer, according to the politicians). Even in a best
case scenario, there is just more taxation and more bureaucracy without tangible
benefit. In a worst case scenario, it is the first step to loss of a whole class
of firearms for reasons that really have nothing to do with public safety or
crime reduction.
These bills are all smoke and mirrors and bias. Mostly bias. There is a profound
ignorance about and prejudice toward guns and gun owners in the California legislature.
They dont know us. They dont want to know us. Self-defense, recreational
shooting, and hunting will be legislated away in a short matter of years if
gun owners dont get to know their elected representatives and their staffs.
And there is no better time than in the coming weeks. The thing to do is call
both your state assemblymans office and your state senators office
and ask to come the local office for a face-to-face visit. Write a letter --
dont just send an e-mail and dont just telephone -- write a letter
to the governors office. The goal: Let these people know youre a
gun owner, in addition to being a Little League coach or a season ticket holder
at the local theater or whatever to show them you are just a regular person.
Also make sure you let them know you vote.
The unfortunate reality of this debate is that there is not a Republican representative
(with maybe one Senate exception) in the state who has supported any of these
bills. There are darn few Democratic representatives in the state who have not.
I know too many Democrats who own guns in this state for this to be happening.
Gun-owning Democrats with Democratic representatives especially need to be making
those phone calls.
WHERES THE NRA?: Lastly, I want to have a simple questioned answered?
Wheres the National Rifle Association? As long as George W. Bush is in
the White House it is pretty clear there will be no more assaults on the Second
Amendment in Washington D.C. The NRA needs to move -- and I mean move -- the
majority of its staff and financial resources to California to fight politicians
here who just dont get it.
Gun owners can sound a little haughty in this debate. We know we are right.
The facts support our stand on gun ownership for self-defense, hunting, and
under the Second Amendment. The facts prove these gun control laws do nothing
to avert crime or benefit public safety, and in fact they often do the opposite.
Even the polls show non-gun owners support our stands on gun ownership and hunting.
But the politicians here just dont get it. The NRA is the one organization
that could make a huge difference in California. Political trends roll downhill
to Washington D.C. from California, and its time the NRA learned this
fact. Those of you who are NRA members should shoot e-mails their way. The NRA
needs to flex its muscle here. The one thing politicians understand is money
and pressure. The NRA, as our spokesman, has both. There is no better time than
now.
Third annual Youth Outdoor Safari Day set for July 21
NORCO -- The Third Annual Youth Outdoor Safari Day will be held at Mike Raahauge's
Shooting Enterprises complex in Prado Basin Saturday, July 21. This will be
an all-day event and is expected to draw over 2,500 youngsters to participate
in a wide variety of outdoor activities.This event will be the first outdoor
experience for kids attending and this is the best Stepping Outdoors
event that has ever been designed to educate the youth of Southern California,"
said Dennis Anderson, chairman of this years event for Safari Club International.
It will be a fun-filled day where kids can learn a variety of outdoor skills
in the field and put them to use. There will be wildlife exhibits, kayaking,
decoy painting, duck, turkey and quail calling, fishing and casting competitions,
falconry and dog training demonstrations.
Other featured events include the SCI Sensory Safari, where youngsters will
actually be able to touch life-size mounted big game animals. There will be
an archery range staffed by accredited bow hunters, smallbore clay target shooting,
handgun and rifle target shooting with .22 rimfire, a custom designed BB gun
range, and guided wildlife nature walks around a wetlands marsh. Sports celebrity
guests are scheduled to appear throughout the day, and nationally-know shooters
will put on shooting exhibitions for the kids. John Cloherty, nationally famous
trick shooter will put on a his amazing shotgun demonstration, and two-time
Olympian Dan Carlisle will attend the event. A special appearance by Cindy Shenberger,
International Skeet Olympian and three-time National Champion, will highlight
the shooting program.
Pre-registering for the event is highly recommended, and those attendees who
do sign up early will receive a free gift. Event day registration begins at
8 a.m. Kids planning to attend the event are required to be under the supervision
of a parent, grandparent or recognized group leader. Children under the age
of 17 will be admitted free ( includes all activities and lunch) youths over
the age of 17 and adults pay only $10 each, and couples bringing children will
be charged $15 for the day. For more information, to advance register for Youth
Outdoor Safari Day 2001, become a volunteer, make a donation or get involved
in the program, contact Mike Raahauge's Shooting The event is being co-sponsored
by the Orange County and Los Angeles chapters of Safari Club International.
Turners Outdoorsman sets August hunt date for wild pigs on Tejon
CHINO -- A series of non-guided hog hunts on the Tejon Ranch is being sponsored
by Turners Outdoorsman, Mike Raahauge Shooting Enterprises, and California
Hog Hunter newsletter. While the weekend hunts are not guided, they do include
all food and two nights stay in one of the Tejons premium hunting lodges
during the hunt. The next hunt is slated for August 3-5 and the cost is $500.
This hunt is limited to just 10 hunters and six spots are already taken. Future
dates are being set for November through June, with Turners planning monthly
hog hunts on the ranch during that time frame, so hunters need to get on the
mailing list and make reservations early.
Our first hunt was a blast, said Andy McCormick of Turners
Outdoorsman. The weather was miserable during the April hunt with snow
and rain nearly all weekend, and a lot of the best places on the ranch couldnt
be hunted, but our group still managed to have about a 40 percent success rate.
I expect our success to be better on the August hunt. For more information,
to be placed on the Turners hunts mailing list, or to make reservations,
contact Jim Matthews, the editor of California Hog Hunter, at 909-887-3444.
Matthews is handling the booking for these special hunts on the Tejon.
NATIONAL
PARK HYPOCRISY -- jim matthews column 6jun01
East Mojave National Preserve removing wildlife water sources
Even before the general management plan has been approved and adopted, it appears
the East Mojave National Preserve management staff has moved ahead with its
wholesale removal of man-made watering devices that potentially support a vast
network of wildlife in this desert region.Twice this past weekend at the Raahauge's
Shooting Sports Fair in Norco, I had hunters come by and tell me stock tanks
and windmills had been removed. These are places they had hunted for 20 years
in the East Mojave that have always had open water available for wildlife. That
water was gone."A stock tank and windmill about a quarter-mile from where
we camp on our quail hunts in the East Mojave were gone this past fall, and
several other tanks were also gone," said one hunter.
Dennis Schramm, a management assistant for the National Preserve, said that
the cattle tanks and windmills from one of the former cattle ranches in the
East Mojave were indeed removed this past year when the lease, patented property
within the preserve boundary, and water rights were purchased by the National
Park Foundation. The rancher choose to remove the tanks and windmills and use
them on other property when he sold out. Schramm said that agreements to purchase
two other major inholdings have approved, and that more tanks, windmills, and
water pipelines are pending removal if the National Park Service decides not
to either purchase the "cultural" resources, as the park staff call
windmills and stock tanks.
The loss of water for wildlife has not been carefully examined in this equation.
The NPS is intent on removing as much of man's imprint from the desert as possible.
Wildlife be damned in the process. Instead of adopting a go-slow, conservative
approach to see and examine when and where the man-made water could be removed
without damaging wildlife populations, the staff is willing to sacrifice wildlife
to make the preserve "natural" again. There was no effort made to
purchase the windmills and tanks on the one purchase, and all above ground pipelines
were removed by NPS staff. This system is gone, and the same thing is likely
to happen on the other two purchases.
These people just don't get it. On one hand, it is perfectly acceptable to
improve roads, increase visitor usage, enlarge campgrounds and visitor centers,
make trails -- all that have a negative impact on wildlife and habitat -- but
it's not OK to leave beautiful, historic windmills and stock tanks that support
wildlife. It just doesn't make sense. It is talking out of both sides of your
mouth.
Many of us who supported the creation of a National Preserve, in stead of leaving
the management of the East Mojave in the hands of the Bureau of Land Management,
are particularly frustrated. We supported the dirt road closures, we supported
the phasing out of cattle grazing and mining, and we supported bans on off-road
vehicle use. Why? These are things that protect and would enhance the area for
wildlife. We don't understand the move to get rid of desert water. All water
in the desert is precious and adds to the amount of habitat that can be used
by wildlife. The windmills and stock tanks are part of the reason why the East
Mojave has so much wildlife. Add this water to the 200-plus springs and 130
man-made guzzlers (and the jury is still out on these in the NPS eyes), and
you know why the area is wildlife rich.
Schramm said the final management plant for the preserve will be out the end
of the month and "that few changes were made to the final draft."
If that is the case, I am fairly certain that sportsmen and conservation groups
are likely to sue the agency to stop the implementation of the plan, to stop
them from destroying wildlife water sources before examining the consequences
of removing windmills and water tanks. If the California Department of Fish
and Game was truly interested in the state's wildlife resources, they would
lead this charge to get the NPS to change its wrong-headed ways.
FREE FISHING DAY: This Saturday (June 9) is free fishing day in California.
No, that doesn't mean that it is free to fish every place in the state, but
it does mean you don't have to have a fishing license to fish anywhere in the
state -- fresh or salt water. Many marinas, landings, parks, and private waters
also offer discounts on boat rentals or free rental tackle on "free fishing
day" to encourage people to try the sport. Saturday is a good day for anglers
to bring along friends and family who normally don't fish so they can find out
just how much fun it can be. In spite of the tremendous fishing opportunities
in California -- many of them right in urban centers -- the number of anglers
continues to decline in the state. With the ineptness of the state and federal
fishery agencies, and the fishing industry itself, in maintaining and recruiting
anglers, it is really up to individual fishermen to bring people back to this
great pastime. So, Saturday really should be "Take a Friend Fishing Day."
LAKE SKINNER FIASCO: The Balloon and Wine Festival will be at Lake Skinner
this Friday through Sunday. This is a fine event, but Riverside County Parks
and Open Space is so mismanaged that it can't figure out how to keep the park
open to fishing the same time it's leasing out part of the facility for the
Balloon and Wine Festival. The county parks staff has a communication problem
that borders on dysfunctional. The marina staff believed that anglers could
park in the festival parking area and walk down to fish. The head ranger at
the park, Ruben Rodriguez, first said the park was closed to fishing during
the show, and then he said it would be inconvenient for anglers to fish because
they would have to purchase a festival ticket and walk through the festival
grounds. So, no, it's really not open, he said. People staying in the campground
could fish, however. After talking with him, I really wasn't sure if the lake
was open to fishing or not. At the main office, parks director Paul Fransden
wouldn't talk to me, and no one else knew the answer or returned calls in time
to clarify the situation for this story.
Maybe the Riverside Parks people could call San Bernardino County Parks and
find out how to do two things at the same time. San Bernardino County has the
Renaissance Faire each year at Glen Helen (ongoing right now). Throughout the
run of the Faire, a major portion of the park is still open to regular visitors
and fishermen. Amazing. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors need to look
at the management of the Parks and Open Space District. Or lack of management.
The way the parks are run in Riverside County is a legendary, sad joke throughout
the region.
HUNTER SAFETY CLASS SCHEDULE
First-time hunters in California are required to pass a 10-hour hunter education
class before purchasing a hunting license. These classes also satisfy the California
requirement for a safety course before a handgun may be purchased. The following
is a list of regularly scheduled classes coming up in the next month:
Saturday, June 9, at the Inland Fish and Game Conservation Association Range,
Redlands. Registration is 7:30 a.m. and the fee is $8 per student. The class
includes live-firing and students should bring a lunch and drinks for the all-day
class. Classes are held the second Saturday of each month at the Inland Range.
Contact: (909) 781-HUNT.... Sunday, June 10, in Rancho Cucamonga, from 8 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Price is $10 per person. Kids under 16 are required to pick up a study
book in advance. Contact Gene Hubler at (909) 987-0811. Hubler runs classes
the second Sunday of each month.... Saturday, June 16, at Mike Raahauge's Shooting
Enterprises' Sporting Clays Range, Norco. Registration is 6:30 a.m. and the
fee is $35 per student, which includes instruction, hunter safety certificate,
lunch and refreshments. Participants must register at a Turner's Outdoorsman
store or Raahauge's Shooting Enterprises and bring their hunter safety booklet
the day of class. Classes are normally the second Saturday of each month. Contact:
(909) 735-7981.
Sunday, June 17, at the Walmart, Victorville. This class is held the first
Sunday of each month, and the first and third Sundays in June and September.
Fee is $15 per student. Students can sign up and pick up a study book at the
sporting goods department in Walmart or call Ken Crawford at (760) 948-4218....
Saturday, June 23, at the Maywood Rod and Gun Club, Perris. The club runs a
hunter safety class the fourth Saturday of each month at its range in Perris,
except for Nov. and Dec., when the class is the third Saturday. Contact Bob
Williams at (909) 685-3908.... Saturday, June 23, at Prado Tiro, Chino. The
one-day class begins 7:30 a.m. the fourth Saturday of each month in the Airgun
Hall. Cost is $15 (includes ammunition and range fees). Bring a lunch, snacks,
and drinks. Contact: (909) 656-3359.
Qualified hunter education instructors are available within a short distance
of most any Southern California location, and courses are conducted throughout
the year. For a recorded list of volunteer hunter education instructors, their
locations and telephone numbers, call (562) 590-5670, or access the list via
the Department of Fish and Game website at www.dfg.ca.gov.
Spanish language instructors can be found in Santa Ana, Orange County, Colton
in San Bernardino County, Escondido in San Diego County, and Lompoc in Santa
Barbara County. And in Los Angeles County, Spanish language hunter education
courses are available in Baldwin Park, Canoga Park, Inglewood, and Torrance.
URBAN LEGEND: LAKE MATHEWS -- jim matthews' outdoor column -- 30may01
Lake Mathews' legend looms larger than reality.
The sun was just starting to break through the morning fog and clouds when
the car stopped on the road above Lake Mathews, located nearly in downtown Riverside,
and the driver walked over to the edge of the road and yelled down at us."How's
fishing?"Considering that Mitch Southern and I were fishing a water that
has become an urban legend, we didn't want to burst the man's bubble. So we
lied."It's OK," said Mitch."You should have been out earlier,
the fishing's better early," said the man, sounding like someone who knew
more about fishing a closed lake than he should have. Then he paused. "I
mean, you can see the stripers jumping early in the morning." Then another
pause, realizing again that he knew too much. "I assume they're stripers."
Then he scurried back to his car and drove away hurriedly. Mitch and I looked
at each other and started laughing."You think he might have some first-hand
knowledge about fishing Mathews?" I asked Mitch while he laughed. He was
just one of a half-dozen cars that stopped on the roadway to talk or merely
watch as we fished from Mitch's bass boat. One guy watched for a long time from
the cab of his big truck, then drove away shaking his head. We didn't catch
a fish the whole time he watched and it was clear that he either thought we
were incompetent and that all the stories he'd heard about Mathews for years
were lies. Knowing how legends take on a life of their own, (and that I was
picking out backlashes a couple of times while he watched) it was more likely
that he thought we were duffers.
First, I need to say the lake is not named after me or anyone in my family.
Lake Mathews is spelled with only one "T" and not two. Besides, the
only thing my family might have named in its honor is a pub in England or Germany
(depending on which of the many branches you want to follow back), or at least
a bar stool in a pub. Second, we were two of about 30 anglers last Friday who
got invited to fish Mathews by the Mike Giusti, a Department of Fish and Game
fishery biologist. The goal was to catch largemouths to transfer to Lake Skinner
and catfish to the new Diamond Valley Reservoir near Hemet. Mitch and I were
there the last of five fishout days set up by Giusti. Mitch thought it was going
to be Nirvana.
But as with many legends, it didn't live up to its billing. I was prepared
for this by Giusti, and I tried to convince Mitch the fishing probably wouldn't
be very good. Ya, sure. Mitch kept grinning like a kid in a candy store, and
it took three hours of tough fishing to convince him, and then he still wouldn't
give up."The fishing's been a lot better at Silverwood," said Mitch
after we'd pounded the water for four hours. Finally. I know this won't convince
you, either, because we've all heard stories about guys who've illegally snuck
into this closed lake and caught 10-pound bass."We have yet to see a 10-pound
fish come out of this lake," said Giusti. "That's after catching over
1,000 bass and moving them to Skinner. The biggest fish we've seen out of Mathews
is a six-pounder."
For years, Mathews received large and frequent bluestone (copper sulfate) treatments
in an attempt to clear the water of blue-green algae. The treatments become
more frequent and bigger and the fishery, which has been monitored by the DFG
for years, declined to nearly nothing. There was a time when it was indeed a
very good bass and crappie fishery, but it hasn't had much of the fishery for
10 years or more. All the bass we caught (all four of them) were relatively
skinny. All the bass in the pen caught by other anglers Friday were skinny.
And there weren't very many of them. Last year, at the catch-out, Giusti said
the two-day fishout produced 660 bass for about 100 anglers. This year, the
total five-day tally was only 480 bass for about the same number of anglers.
Timing was part of the problem this year, admitted Giusti, but the reality is
that the legend is far bigger than the reality. It's a good little fishery,
but certainly not better than Perris or Silverwood, or even Skinner.
Still, the question that all anglers always ask: Will it ever be opened? Giusti
doesn't think so. And certainly not in a Lake Perris sense. The water district
has to protect the water quality, and the DFG has endangered species obligations
on the land around the lake."The only way I could ever envision it opening,
is if someone approached Metropolitan (Water District) and gave them a proposal
for a limited entry program like at Barrett Lake," said Giusti, comparing
Mathews to a San Diego City water. Barrett is a permit-only lake with very limited
access. "But would it be worth it?"I'm of the opinion that any addition
to the number of places to fish is a good idea, even if it would spoil a legend.
Anyone out there interested in approaching MWD about running a small fishing
concession at Lake Mathews?
CATCHING A DREAM: The following note came to me from Ed White of 976-TUNA
in an e-mail this week, and I wanted to pass it on to all of you. It might make
you think a little differently about "fishermen" next time we fib
just a little about the size of the fish we catch or the one that got away.
These are the kinds of fishermen I know. The old expression about God not deducting
from a man's allotted time the hours he spends fishing makes us want this fishing
trip to never end.
"To `catch a dream,' that is what some very special kids were doing Saturday
aboard the sportfishing boat "Qualifier 105" out of Point Loma Sportfishing
in San Diego. I felt blessed to be there. There were 19 children, ages nine
to 17 years old, from the San Diego area on the boat that day. They were all
either oncology or hematology cancer patients who -- along with parents, nurses
and other volunteers -- spent a day on the ocean fishing, catching barracuda,
bass, halibut and other assorted fish. The air was filled with shrieks of joy
and excitement, and for most of theses kids it was their very first fishing
trip. For some, I struggled with the idea that it would be their last.
"These trips all started over 11 years ago when Natalie Cintas, owner of
Blue Porpoise Marine, asked some of her customers to take a couple of these
kids out fishing.
The program immediately out grew these small boats, and she contacted John
Klien, owner, operator of the Qualifier105 to see if he could help. Without
hesitation, John said "yes" and "Catch a Dream" became a
reality. "Over the last five years John and his crew have taken over 1,000
of these kids out fishing aboard the Qualifier 105. All the necessary fishing
tackle, bait, food, snacks and professional crew are all a donation from John
and his operation at Point Loma Sportfishing. The many volunteers came from
as far away as Topanga Canyon and Torrance to assist these kids in catching
fish. "I've known John a long time, and I asked him why I hadn't heard
of this endeavor before this year? John's reply was simple.
He was not doing it for the publicity, but rather for the pure joy it brings
seeing these kids catch their very first fish, their smiles and laughter, and
for a very brief moment, that opportunity they had to forget the other side
of their lives. Without exception, every last one of the volunteers, along with
John and his crew, left with a better understanding and love for these children,
their families and caretakers. I don't know if John would really want this to
become a newspaper story, but I wanted you to know about it. Maybe we could
get more boats and volunteers quietly involved in this program. "Catching
a dream is what all of these children and their parents pray for each day, and
this past Saturday they caught that dream for a while." -- Ed White.
SENSIBLE FACTORY AMMUNTION -- jim matthews unplugged column 23may01
Magnums and Reduced Loads
With hunting applications from three states scattered all over my desk, I
went and shot a couple of big game rifles this week. I realized I needed to
be working up some new loads for new .300 and .338 in the gun safe. The event
reminded me that I don't like guns that have a serious recoil. I like the performance
from those hard-kicking guns in the field, but they are not pleasant to shoot
while practicing. And most of use need to practice. I rarely notice recoil when
I'm hunting. I know this because I shoot a lot of three-inch 12-gauge high velocity
steel loads for waterfowl.
Since I'm not a very good shot, it isn't uncommon for me to shoot a box of
shells on a good hunt. I never notice the recoil when ducks are flying. But
those high-speed steel loads kick. I wanted to chronograph (measure the speed
of the shot, for those of you who might not know that word) some of these shells
and do some patterning. After about three rounds from the benchrest with the
shotgun, I started developing a headache and severe flinch. I decided a couple
of rounds on the patterning board were good enough, and that I would believe
the factory ballistic tables.
I can't get away with that for my big game hunting rifles. For every shot I
fire hunting big game, I probably shoot 100 to 200 rounds in practice, load
development, and accuracy testing. Maybe more. If there is anything more unpleasant
that shooting a .300 or .338 magnum from the bench, I'm not sure what it would
be. I'd rather go to my dentist. At least he blasts me up with Novocain before
inflicting the damage. The result is that we don't shoot our big guns as much
in practice as we should. We don't get used to the trigger. We don't take the
gun out to plink around with or shoot varmints because it just boots us too
much. How does this translate in the field? If all the pig guides I talk with
all the time are any indication, it translates into dismal field shooting ability."It's
an every other day event around here," said one guide Tuesday. "We
had a guy who couldn't hit a pig at 75 yards this week."
"Oh, it's just awful," said another guide. "It is such a surprise
and pleasure when a guy shows up who can shoot his rifle."They're talking
about MOST of us. Virtually every guide I know will tell the same story: Most
guys can't shoot in the field. I'll say that again: Most of us shoot poorly
in the field. The combination of excitement, little or no field practice on
how to shoot in the woods, and scanty bench-rest shooting with our rifles leads
to dismal shooting. Often the root of that problem is because we don't like
getting belted around practicing. So we don't do it. A lot of us are uncomfortable
shooting .30-06-class cartridges, and the .300 mags, .338s, or the new ultra
magnums are even worse. Yet, it's these guns that are touted in all the magazines
as the latest, greatest new guns. So we buy them.
After shooting five, full-power, tooth-rattling loads through the .338, I put
the gun away. This set me to thinking. Why don't the major ammunition makers
put together some light and medium loads, especially for the magnum rounds?
They do for rimfire and pistol shooters. It would really make sense if owners
of a .300 magnum could buy loads that ranged form a 150-grain load that rumbled
along at .30-30 velocities, around 2,200 fps or so, for close range deer hunting
and practicing. We should then be able to buy a medium-range 165-grain load
at 2,800 or 2,900 fps (.30-06 class) for most of our Western deer or pig hunting,
and then have the regular 180-grain loads at 2,960 fps and the high energy 180-grain
loads at 3,100 for whacking big boars or elk across canyons.
What a way to add versatility to the magnum rifles. But even more importantly,
maybe guys like us would shoot those .300 and .338 mags more if there were some
decent, light-recoiling factory loads available. I know I would have loved to
shoot a couple of boxes through the .338 to get accustomed to the trigger and
feel of the rifle. Just maybe we would end up being better field shooters.
Western
deer herds recovering -- jim matthews unplugged column 16may01
Hammered by drought and severe winters over the past decade,
deer herds declined throughout the West. But the last four years of mild
weather has precipitated deer increases throughout the region. However,
biologists say the way we manage public lands will have to change if we
want to turn around the long-term deer decline. The bottom line for this
fall is that hunters are likely to see more mule deer bucks and the chance
for a trophy class animals is better this year than for a nearly 10 years,
but Western game managers in all the states still say the long-term prognosis
for mule deer is gloomy, and the trend is for steadily declining populations.
The reasons for the short-term increase are four mild winters
in a row that led to great overwinter survival of fawns. There has been
enough moisture that good feed conditions have also led to vigorous antler
development, and there are a lot of deer born in the years immediately after
the dieoffs of the 1992-93 winter that are reaching maturity and should
be sporting quality antlers this fall. The opportunities for trophy class
deer will increase each year until another major winterkill crops off the
older age class of bucks again. On the dark side of this silver lining,
however, game biologists are reporting a steady downward trend in mule and
blacktail deer numbers throughout their range. In California, the statewide
deer herd has dropped from 800,000 deer just 10 years ago to around 500,000
deer or less this year. Colorado's deer harvest continues to be at record
low levels -- less than it's elk harvest.
What are the reasons for the decline? Several things are working
together to drive deer numbers down, but the number one reason given by
scientists is gradual shift over the past 30 years to mature habitats. Whether
the habitat is Great Basin sagebrush, pinon-juniper woodlands, or forest
lands in the Rockies or Pacific Northwest, all are approaching and being
managed for a climax-type forest. This might benefit the spotted owl, but
it is dismal for mule deer, and dozens of other species, that depend on
successional habitats with lots of brush and open space.
Wildfires are put out before they can burn any significant
amount of ground. Controlled burns are done in novelty acreages instead
of in the size and number that would really have any impact on the health
of the forest. Timber harvests are being curtailed, and where they are allowed,
replanted areas are treated with herbicides to kill all brush. U.S. Forest
Service lands are being managing as though mature forest are the only "good"
forests, or -- the other extreme -- as though they were tree farms for private
industry.
Western sage lands are being overgrown with pinon and juniper,
choking out the brush that support deer, and they are become so old as to
be decadent and useless as wildlife habitat. Or they are burning and being
turned into grassland. Biologists in Utah say they have less than five percent
of the sagebrush habitat they had 25 years ago. Nevada biologists say that
if the conversion of sage habitat was happening in any other habitat type,
it would be a national disaster. Human encroachment into prime mule deer
habitat is happening at an unprecedented rate. Once rural areas in central
Oregon, southwestern Idaho, the front country in Colorado, and Montana's
river valleys are turning into suburban, ranchette neighborhoods that gobble
up the best mule deer winter ranges, and the new residents kill more deer
on roads than are legally taken by hunters during the season.
Now add into the habitat declines, booming predator numbers.
Bans or restrictions on hunting mountain lions and fur trapping, fur prices
that have bottomed out so there are few plying the trade commercially, and
reductions in federal, state, and local control measures on predators all
have led to huge increases in coyote, bobcat, and mountain lion numbers
-- and a proportional increase in their predation on game. Small, localized
deer herds have been all but wiped out by predators, and many populations
are not recovering their numbers in the face of much better habitat conditions.
While we may never have the numbers of mule deer we had in
the 1960s, more even-handed management of our public lands to benefit all
species -- not just late seral stage species -- could be a first major step.
It will take major pressure on Washington D.C.'s offices of the Forest Service
and Bureau of Land Management by hunter and conservation groups to change
the current management directions. While the long-term prospects for Western
deer are clouded, there are still millions of these great game animals throughout
the region, and this fall is shaping up as one of the best for hunters in
nearly a decade. Here's a state-by-state summary for hunters heading out
of state.
Arizona
Mule deer numbers continue to be at near-record lows in much of the state,
and tag numbers reflect the low herd numbers.
There is one glimmering exception to the poor overall picture -- the Kaibab
Plateau in the northern part of the state which continues to see good herd
growth. The Kaibab produces more huge mule deer bucks than any single place
in the nation, and this is the fourth year in a row with adequate rainfall.
The rains translate into better feed which means better antler growth. Hunters
here can expect to see some real monsters this year. The Kaibab annually
produces several bucks with 35 to 40-inch spreads and massive non-typical
racks. While rifle tags are nearly impossible to draw for the Kaibab, archers
can still hunt the region with an over-the-counter tag. The one other moderately
bright spot has been the southwestern desert regions which saw a good carryover
of bucks and good production for the third year in a row. While comparatively
few tags are issued in these areas, there were increases in tag numbers.
For more information, write Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2222 W. Greenway
Road, Phoenix, AZ 85203; www.state.az.us/gf/welcome.html;
602/942-3000.
Colorado
For the third season in a row, Colorado has issued all of its deer licenses
through a drawing in hopes of improving buck-doe ratios in its herds and
more closely controlling harvest on different herds. Only the Uncompaugre
Plateau and the Gunnison areas are still well below herd objectives. Mule
deer herds in the northwest, in the traditional hunting areas near Craig,
Rifle and Meeker, along the Front Range near Boulder and Denver, and in
the north-central region north of Steamboat Springs are at or near objectives
set by the agency and should provide good hunting this year. There will
also be more mature bucks in the population thanks to a better carryover
of bucks. Colorado's deer license jumped to $270, and all tags were issued
through a drawing already. Elk tags, however, are still available over the
counter. Costs will make you gasp at over $400. For more information, contact
the Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216; www.dnr.state.co.us/wildlife/;
303/297-1192.
Idaho
Mule deer herds in Idaho were devastated throughout the state during the
1992-'93 winter, but habitat conditions since then have been generally very
good, according to Ed Mitchell with the Game and Fish Department. "We've
had good to tremendous fawn production and where ever there are deer, there
are lots of them," said Mitchell. He said the state was issuing more
antlerless permits and that more and more trophy bucks are being taken.
Deer tags, which are sold first-come, first-serve to non-residents, once
sold out within days of being offered for sale, but since a tag and license
fee increase in 1993 -- which happened to coincide with one of the worst
deer seasons in recent history -- tag sales have fallen dramatically and
the non-resident statewide quota has not sold out since. This is one of
the only places where you can still probably pick up a mule deer tag. For
more information, contact the Idaho Department of Game and Fish, P.O. Box
25, Boise, ID 83707; www.state.id.us/fishgame/fishgame.html;
208/334-3700.
Montana
Whitetail deer are on the verge of another population boom in Montana, while
the mule deer herds are recovering slowly from a major winterkill in the
1996-'97. Mule deer were already at low numbers when they were mowed down
even further by that severe weather, and many critics of the Montana Department
of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks contend that last general season hunts on mule
deer in the rut have all but wiped older age class animals. Montana simply
is not a trophy destination for mule deer hunters any longer. Whitetails,
however, are a completely different story. They are moving up all of the
major rivers and into the forests in the Western part of the state. Their
population have proven very resilient and the trophy quality of bucks coming
from Montana is impressive virtually where ever the whitetails are found.
The Bitteroot Valley and Flathead River country are two top spots for trophy
bucks. For more information, contact the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife
and Parks, 1420 E. Sixth Avenue, Helena, MT 59620;
www.fwp.mt.gov/; 406/444-2535
Nevada
Outstanding overwinter fawn survival for the fourth year in a row has game
managers in Nevada excited about the near-future for mule deer here, according
to Greg Tanner with the Nevada Division of Wildlife. "We suffered the
same drastic dieoff in the winter of '92-'93 that a lot of other states
also saw, and it's been kind of along recovery process. But we've finally
recovered and our deer are generally doing well," said Tanner of the
agency's spring surveys. The top deer units are along the northern third
of the state, with Area 10 showing some of the best numbers and highest
quality bucks in the surveys. It is also one of the toughest to draw in
the April drawings. For more information, contact the Nevada Division of
Wildlife, P.O. Box 10678, Reno, NV 89520-0022; www.state.nv.us/cnr/nvwildlife/;
775/688-1500.
New Mexico
Overall, mule deer herds are at very low levels, although there have
been some gains in deer numbers in northern units and the Guadalupe Mountains
continue to have high deer densities, according to Darrell Waybright with
the New Mexico Game and Fish Department. Waybright said the northwest region
continues to have the biggest bucks, especially those units right along
the Colorado border in regions B and C. The Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation,
once regaled as the finest trophy mule deer spot in the West, has again
become a hotbed for monster bucks, and the draw units surrounding the reservation
are also very good again. For more information, contact the New Mexico Game
and Fish Department, State Capitol, Vallagra Building, Sante Fe, NM 87503;
www.gmfsh.state.nm.us/; 505/827-7911
Oregon
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reports its mule deer population
have increased again this year in most areas. The southeast has been slower
in its recovery from the '92-'93 winter, but even those drier, desert units
are improving. In the northeastern and northcentral parts of the state,
the deer herds have really bounced back. The Steens Mountain and Trout Creek
units are still the most coveted tags for hunters seeking a trophy mule
deer buck, and another mild winter bodes well for carryover of those older
age class animals. Blacktail herds are generally stable, although there
have been declines in herds at lower elevations due to outbreaks of hair
loss disease. Other blacktail tags are available over-the-counter, while
all mule deer tags are issued in drawings. For more information, contact
the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department, P.O. Box 59, Portland, OR 97207;
www.dfw.state.or.us/;
503/872-5268.
Utah
Utah's mule deer population has continued to grow due to mild and generally
moist winters, and the population is at the statewide goal of 400,000 deer.
Once a state with over-the-counter tags, hunters should write or call now
to get leftover tags in a second drawing coming up soon. Utah's Paunsaugunt
limited entry hunt grows the biggest mule deer in the United States, sharing
that honor with Arizona's Kaibab, which is right next door. Hunters face
tough draw odds to get a Paunsaugunt tag and pay higher tag fees for this
premium opportunity. But it is well worth the expense. A second unit, Elk
Ridge, is also being managed with greatly reduced tag quotas so more deer
will reach trophy size, and more and more monster bucks are being seen in
this area. Many hunters believe it will rival the Paunsaugunt in a few seasons.
For more information, contact the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 1596
W. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116; www.nr.state.ut.us/dwr/dwr.htm;
801/538-4700.
Washington
Washington deer herds are still recovering from a severe winter in 1996-97
and disease problems in both whitetails and blacktails. But, on the upside,
this is the fourth year in a row of average or improved fawn production
and Rolf Johnson, deer and elk specialist for the Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife, said they have turned the corner of the declines of
the past decade. Johnson said some mule deer units have bounced back better
than others, and suggested the Okanagon was a good bet, and he called the
Blue Mountains southeast corner of the state, managed with a shorter season
and three-point restriction, a "sleeper" unit for better quality
mule deer bucks. The extreme northeast part of the state has also become
a tremendous whitetail trophy area. For more information, contact the Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98504;
www.wa.gov/wdfw/; 360/902-2200.
Wyoming
Good to excellent fawn recruitment the past three years has led to what
Wyoming Game and Fish officials are saying will be the best deer hunting
year in a decade. There is still some apprehension for this spring's dry
conditions and how that might affect the future, but the picture was generally
bright for this fall. Regions G and H have long been the hotspot for big
deer in Wyoming, but the best single trophy hunt is probably the late season
buck hunt in units 128-129 around Dubois when the deer are in the rut and
have moved onto winter range. The biggest problem is getting a tag -- only
seven percent of those who apply draw a tag in the March application-drawing
period. For more information, contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department,
Information Section, Cheyenne, WY 82002; gf.state.wy.us/;
307/777-4600 for general information, or 307/777-4597 for license information.
SHOOTING SPORTS FAIR: JOHN CLOHERTY FEATURE -- 16may
John
Cloherty sees the world through rose-colored glasses
NORCO -- John Cloherty buys aspirin by the hundreds but he
doesn't use them to ease the pain of headaches. In fact, he might give a
few headaches as he shoots the aspirin out of the air with a .22 rifle.
But he also likes to blast clay targets in flight with his revolver, and
he prefers making his tossed salads with a shotgun. While some people might
see this activity as a bit odd, Cloherty is seeing the world through rose-colored
glasses -- both figuratively and literally. The 46-year-old Pasadena resident
has the reputation as one of the finest exhibition shooters in the West,
reviving the era when all of the major firearm manufacturers had traveling
road shows with trick shooters who used shotguns, rifles and pistols in
their often incredible displays of marksmanship. It's like living a dream
for the long-time shooter and hunter.
"This career has developed well past my wildest dreams,"
said Cloherty, who will be returning the weekend of June 1-3 to the place
where his career was launched 14 years ago. "I watched Dan Carlisle,
one of the best exhibition shooters in the world, perform here. I was just
amazed, and 10 minutes later I decided I wanted to learn how to do some
of those tricks." Cloherty had watched Carlisle, an Olympic medalist
in shotgun shooting, at the Raahauge's Shooting Sports Fair. This year,
Cloherty will return to the Raahauge's Shooting Sports Fair as the headlining
exhibition shooter at this annual event. And he's adding some new twists
to the succession of outstanding exhibition shooting programs that have
been a benchmark of this show since its inception.
"I'm trying to bring a wider range of guns into my act
than has ever been done in recent years,'" said Cloherty of his daily
performances. "Using shotguns, rifles, and handguns hasn't been done
since the 1920s and 30s." Cloherty, who set a world record at the Sports
Fair for the most clay targets broken in one hour at 4,551, also sees his
exhibitions as a benefit to the shooting sports and gun ownership in general.
"This is a way for all people to see that those of us who like to use
guns are not insane whackos in a tower some where. We are just people who
like to go out with their guns and have fun," said Cloherty. He uses
the booming growth of sporting clays shotgun shooting, as an example of
a tremendously fun and safe sport that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
The Raahauge's Shooting Sports Fair, which was the first firearms
show in the nation that was a hands-on affair, allowing those attending
the show to both look at and shoot the latest in firearms, has never had
an exhibition shooter that used anything other than shotguns in his program.
Cloherty uses a .22 rifle to break a succession of smaller targets in the
air, finishing with Alka-Seltzer and aspirin tablets. He also uses a .45
auto handgun to break aerial targets. But shotgun shooting is his specialty.
His trademarks are a brilliant-colored gun and an over-the-head shooting
style. He can also break targets shooting between his legs like a football
center, while holding the gun upside down. He calls this stunt the "quarterback's
nightmare."
The perennial favorite of his program is something all of
the shotgun exhibition shooters call the "quarter-acre salad."
There is something about watching cabbages and watermelons explode that
delights an audience. Attendees of the Shooting Sports Fair have watched
Dan Carlisle, John Satterwhite, and Tom Knapp do their versions of the salad
in the past. Cloherty says "I do believe that I'm 10 times messier
than anyone who does it. It just has gotten messier and messier over the
years. I go through a supermarket now and wonder, `how would that blow up?'
Everyone loves it." Cloherty brings more than a visual element to the
show. He has found that shotgun-exploded onions add a wonderful aroma to
the program. In fact, it brings tears to your eyes. But for Cloherty, who
wears rose-colored shooting glasses, they are tears of joy because it has
allowed him to turn his avocation into a career.
The Raahauge's Shooting Sports Fair will be held June 1-3
at Mike Raahauge Shooting Enterprises in Prado Basin in Norco. Admission
to the show is $12 for adults per day, and parking is free. You can pick
up a $2 off admission discount coupon at all Turner's Outdoorsman stores.
Women and kids get in free. Show hours are noon to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information or
directions, call Mike Raahauge's Shooting Enterprises at (909) 735-7981.
BIG GAME APPLICATION TIME -- jim matthews unplugged (outdoor
commentary) -- 09may01
It's application time for California hunters
With the close of spring turkey season this past Saturday,
it might seem like a long dry spell until the first deer seasons open in
July (if you're a bowhunter) and August (for rifle guys), but now is the
time to start thinking about applying for California big game permits for
special deer, elk, pronghorn, and bighorn hunts. The application deadline
is June 4, less than a month away.
Those of you who applied for tags last year should have received
a nice packet from the Department of Fish and Game that included the 2001
Big Game Hunting application booklet, mailing labels, and mailing envelopes.
The DFG deserves a lot of credit for making this process as easy as possible
through this mailing, and it is a great service for those of us who apply
every year -- even through, if you're like me, you never seem to get drawn
for anything. For those of you who didn't apply, the application booklets
are available at all license agents, along with new licenses.
Deer hunters will want to spend a fair amount of time looking
at page 15 of that booklet looking over the drawing odds of the special
hunts. You should also remember that this is the second year in a row where
all first-choice applications are sorted by the computer and each special
hunt or zone is filled with first-choice apps before it even looks at second-choice
hunts.
Did you follow that?
It's like the old days when the DFG did the drawings by hand. Let's say
you put the G3 late season Goodale hunt as your first choice on the deer
tag application and X12 as your second choice, and then, say D11, as your
third choice. The computer now sorts everyone who put G3 as a first choice
into one spot and draws from those applications to fill the 25-tag quota.
It also does that with all X12 applications.
The reality of this is that you don't have a chance of getting
an X12 tag as a second choice pick because there are more first-choice applicants
than there are X12 tags available. That is why looking at the number of
first-choice applicants on page 15 of the booklet is so important.
There were nearly 2,200 first-choice applications for the
25 G3 tags, and there were over 4,000 first-choice applications for the
800-plus X12 tags. If you look at the numbers, you can see there were only
a couple of hunts where a second choice on your application would have had
a chance to get you a tag.
Prior to last year, the computer simply "drew"
tag applications out of a microchip hat and filled the first choice on your
application that still had tags available. If all the G3 tags were taken,
it went to your second choice. If all X12 tags were taken, it went to your
third choice. Now, you can only draw your second choice, if there were not
more first-choice applications than tags available. Only then will the computer
resort the tag applications for second choice applications of hunters not
drawn for their first choices and conduct a second drawing.
The moral of the story is that for premium hunts, only your
first-choice now really counts in the drawing, so you better fill in the
one you want the most and not gamble on getting a good tag with your second
choice.
Oregon, Utah deadline dates also approaching
The deadline for California hunters to apply for deer permits
in Oregon is May 15 and in Utah it is May 21.
After the first drawing in Utah, there are still general
statewide archery buck deer, and Northern, Central and Northeastern region
general buck deer permits available for nonresidents. The second drawing
for these permits will be held and the deadline to apply is May 21. The
following nonresident Utah general buck deer permits are still available:
Statewide archery 868, Northern rifle or muzzleloader 1,997, Central rifle
or muzzleloader 579, and Northeastern rifle or muzzleloader 1,205. Both
the Southeastern and Southern Regions, the two most popular regions for
Southern California hunters, had their quotas sold out in the first drawing.
Hunters can apply for the second drawing on-line at the Utah Division of
Wildlife Resources' Internet web site
http:www.nr.state.ut.us/dwr/dwr.htm or get applications from the DWR
and apply through the mail. For information, call (801) 538-4700. The Oregon
deadline is even closer. All of this fall's controlled big game hunts have
until Tuesday, May 15 to purchase and return tag applications. Hunters may
also apply by faxing or mailing the application form.
Hunters who are unsuccessful in the draw may participate
in general season hunts with tags available over-the-counter.
For more information, contact the Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife at (503) 872-5264, or on the Internet at: www.dfw.state.or.us
Sarah Brady and the targeted NRA
Last week, the New York Post reported that Handgun Control
Inc., chairperson, Sarah Brady, the wife of President Ronald Reagan's press
secretary who was shot in the attempt on the president's life, will have
a book out next year. The article said the book recounts how in 1981, when
Jim Brady and the president were shot, she apparently contacted the National
Rifle Association and said, "You don't know me, but my name is Sarah
Brady, and I'm going to make it my life ambition to put you out of business."Since
Sarah Brady and Bill Clinton and our two anti-gun California Senators, not
only is NRA not out of business, but it has thrived. The irony is that the
NRA has thrived because of these people threatening our Constitution. In
those days when Reagan was shot, the membership was around 2 million. Today,
it has a membership totaling approximately 4.3 million. Brady convinced
me I need to join
Quail Unlimited-NRA SportingClays event set for May 18-20
NORCO -- Over 300 participants will compete for over $75,000
in cash and prizes in the Quail Unlimited/National Rifle Association National
Sporting Clays Tournament at Mike Raahauge Enterprises in Norco May 18-20,
2001. This is Quail Unlimited's second national sporting clays event to
be held in the West. The entry fee is $125 for a 200 target, two-day shoot
(May 19 and 20) with a Lewis Class System awarded to six classes. Prizes
will be awarded to 10 places in each class. The entry fee includes 200 targets,
eight boxes of Winchester ammo, and admission to the shooter's party and
dinner on Saturday evening.
On Friday, there will be a smallbore tournament for 410, 28
and 20 gauge shotguns. The $50 entry fee includes two boxes of Winchester
Ammo. Prizes will be awarded to the top three places. The course is being
set up Jay Braccini, who has has been setting up tournament courses around
the country for past 20 years. Braccini will again have the five-stand and
other fun games set up for shooter's to warm up on and compete for additional
prizes. Saturday night there will be a live auction featuring new and functional
wildlife art from Dave Chapple, custom knives, carvings and more. For more
information, call Mike Raahauge at (909) 735-7981.
Greg Gutierrez wins; lunkers set hot pace for Clear Lake
event
KELSEYVILLE -- Greg Gutierrez of Red Bluff topped the field
at Clear Lake over the weekend (May 5-6) as the WON BASS Miller High Life
Tour was staged on this renowned Northern California bass water. The fishing
was spectacular for the 224 anglers with 5 to 8 pound fish common and a
pair of 11 pounders were featured. Gutierrez had one of those, at 11.05
pounds, as he led the first round and ended up the two-day tournament with
an astounding total of 51.95 pounds for 10 bass to take the $35,000 top
prize."I had two great partners in Owen Nolan and Charles Huffman and
they let me do sight fishing both days. It's really tough on the partner
in this kind of fishing as you often have to sneak up on the bass and the
back seater doesn't really get a shot at the fish," said Gutierrez,
a captain with the California Dept. of Forestry.
Second place went to local pro Mark Crutcher of Upper Lake,
who had 50.93 pounds to win $5,750. Another local pro, Wayne Breazeale of
Kelseyville also finished over the 50-pound mark with 50.37 pounds. He won
$4,500. Breazeale also was the highest finishing Ranger Boat owner and received
a $500 bonus in the Ranger Cup program. The second day's biggest stringer
was a whopping 30.01 posted by Dave Rush of Palmermo and Roger Diaz of Salinas.
The largest bass of the day, at 9.11 pounds, earned $1,500 in the Miller
High Life Daily Double for Kelly Puppo of Garden Grove. Dusty Kahler of
Atascadero earned $500 for an 8.75 pounder.
In the AAA division, Owen Nolan, a pro hockey star with the
San Jose Sharks, placed first with 53.96 pounds, with two great draws. He
got the first day weight of 28.95 pounds with Gutierrez and his second day
partner, Tim Turner of Kerman, gave him another 25.01 pounds. The tournament
anglers accounted for 970 bass in the two days, totaling 3,423 pounds for
an incredible average of 3.53 pounds.
Colorado Wildlife Commission sets 2001 big game license
numbers
DENVER -- The Colorado Wildlife Commission approved a slight
increase in the number of antlerless elk licenses will dramatically reducing
the number of antlerless deer licenses at its meeting May 3 in Colorado
Springs. The Commission unanimously approved recommendations of Division
of Wildlife game managers are designed to reduce Colorado's elk population
and increase the state's deer herd. Antlerless elk licenses will increase
from 106,899 in 2000 to 109,104 in 2001, a two percent increase. The increase
in hunting licenses is designed to help reduce an elk population that is
still well above the Division's population objectives. Colorado has more
than 260,000 elk, which is higher than the long-term objective of 188,000.
The state has far more elk than any other state or Canadian province. The
recovery of Rocky Mountain elk is one of the 20th century's most notable
wildlife success stories.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were fewer than
2,000 elk left in Colorado. "We are still substantially over our population
objectives despite the fact we had a record elk harvest last year,"
said John Ellenberger, the Division's big game manager. "We're increasing
license to maintain the pressure on antlerless animals." The hunting
of antlerless animals is the Division's primary tool for managing deer and
elk populations. Hunters killed 60,120 elk in 2000, the largest elk harvest
in North American history. But Ellenberger said even that harvest resulted
in only a slight decrease of 1,300 in the state's elk population. "We'll
need at least another three to four years of large harvests before we will
come close to reaching our population objectives," Ellenberger said.
Bull elk licenses during the first limited rifle elk season will decline
seven percent from 22,252 in 2000 to 20,729 in 2001.
The 2000 bull harvest of 28,611 was one of the largest on
record. While Colorado's elk population is at near-record levels, the state's
deer population is well below the Division' population objectives on the
Western Slope. As a result, the Commission decreased the number of Western
Slope antlerless deer licenses from 10,667 in 2000 to 6,559 in 2001, a 39
percent reduction. Many game management units, including those in the San
Luis Valley, extreme southwestern Colorado, North Park, along the southern
Front Range and on the North Fork of the Gunnison River, will have few if
any doe licenses in 2001. Other areas, including Middle Park around Kremmling,
the northern Front Range and the area around Meeker, Craig and Rifle will
have fewer antlerless deer licenses than last year because herds have been
brought closer to the population objectives but some fawn/doe ratios have
fallen, Ellenberger said.
Either-sex deer licenses, will increase from 1,941 in 2000
to 3,538 in 2001. About 75 percent of the animals taken with either-sex
licenses are bucks. Buck licenses will decline 12 percent from 95,913 in
2000 to 84,298 in 2001. Hunters killed 37,940 deer in 2000, the best harvest
since 1998. The number of moose licenses will increase from 82 in 2000 to
131 in 2001 because the North Park moose herd is slightly over the population
objective and the illegal harvest of moose has fallen sharply in the last
three years. In 1998, 38 moose were illegally killed, primarily by elk hunters
who mistook then for elk. Last year, the number fell to less than 10, the
result of Division information efforts and regulation changes. The Commission
reduced pronghorn antelope rifle licenses by 10 percent, from 11,654 in
2000 to 10,460 in 2001 in accordance with population objectives. Limited
black bear licenses will decline three percent from 2,702 in 2000 to 2,612
in 2001. The Division adjusts the number of licenses available for a species
as its population increases or decreases due to various factors. "There
are a number of environmental factors that affect the big game animals in
Colorado," Ellenberger said. "Hunting pressure is one factor we
can control." END
SALTON SEA NEWS: Retired Salton Sea State Recreation
Area Superintendent Tex Ritter will be conducting an in-depth fishing clinic
this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park's visitor center. Ritter
will teach anglers how to catch all four species of fish in the sea -- corvina,
croaker, tilapia, and sargo -- and how to clean them and demonstrate cooking
techniques. Prizes and fish fry will be included. The fee is $20. To sign
up, contact Tina Townsend at (760) 767-5311. The first Imperial Valley "Take
a Kid Fishing" Tournament will be held Saturday, May 19, beginning
at 6 a.m. out of Red Hill Marina on the Salton Sea. The event ends at noon.
Adult entrants must be accompanies by at least one child to enter. Entry
fee is $20 for adults, $5 for kids. Biggest three fish win cash prizes of
$500, $250 and $125. For more information, contact Gerry Merten at (760)
356-4084 or Rudy Schaffner at (760) 356-4100, or e-mail your request to
entry@mail.holtville.com.
The Salton Sea Beach Marina Memorial Weekend Fishing Derby
will be held from 6 a.m. Saturday, May 26, through noon Monday, May 28.
Entry fee is $10 per angler. First place for biggest fish is $500, second
place $100, and third place is $50. For information, call the Salton Sea
Beach Marina at 760-395-5212.
UASC FUNDRAISER: United Anglers of Southern California
will have its 10th annual fundraising banquet beginning 6 p.m., Saturday,
May 19, at the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach. Advance tickets are $85
per person or $850 for a table of 10. For more information, call (714) 840-0227.
Don Kent will be presented with the Bill Ray Memorial Conservation Award
at this year's event.
EASTERN SIERRA TROUT FOLLOW -- jim matthews unplugged (outdoor commentary)
02may01
Biggest Sierra trout on opener was caught and released at Hot Creek?
Most everything that has been written about this past weekend's trout season
opener has focused on the big brown trout that were caught from June Lake
and Bridgeport's Lower Twin Lake. Matt French of Sacramento is roundly credited
with catching the biggest trout of opening weekend -- a whopping 12-pound,
15-ounce brown from June Lake. Harvey Neill of Smith Valley, Nev., caught
browns at 11-pounds, 13-ounces and 11-pounds, one-ounce from Lower Twin Lake.
Both anglers were trolling big plugs when they caught their trophy fish, and
there is no question these are the biggest trout to be caught on an opener
in several years. But I'm here to tell you those three trout might not have
been the biggest trout caught opener.
Paul Smith of Lake Arrowhead caught a brown trout from Hot Creek near Mammoth
Lakes that he guessed at 10 pounds, photographed the fish, and then released
it. That's the law on Hot Creek. It's a catch-and-release stream. The photos
were one-hour processed and a shot was dropped off at The Trout Fly in Mammoth
Lakes. Smith called a fishing chum back home to rub in that he didn't abandon
his teaching job and come with them to fish for the opening week of the season.
Then Smith and his partners went back fishing. They weren't due back home
until Thursday some time. We tried to get a cell phone number to find out
about the fish, but Smith was fishing without a cell phone. Imagine that --
someone not packing a cell phone. It's difficult to really tell the weight
of a fish from a photo, but guide Steve Osterman, who works at The Trout Fly
in Mammoth, didn't mince any words looking at the photo.
"It's approximately 15 pounds," said Osterman."I was told
it was about 10 pounds," I said."I'm looking at the picture and
it's bigger than 10 pounds, I guarantee it. It's got some girth to it. It's
at least 12 to 15 pounds," said Osterman. For anglers not familiar with
Hot Creek, it is a flyfishing-only stream in addition to being completely
catch-and-release. Osterman said Smith was fishing with a light leader and
a No. 18 pheasant tail nymph fly. A No. 18 is about the size of a single dandelion
seed. The big gold and black G-9 Rapala that French used to catch his big
June Lake brown is about the size of a hatchery rainbow trout. Having fly-fished
a little, I know that you just about can't get leader heavier than about six-pound
test through the eye of a No. 18 fly. It's likely that Smith was using something
on the order of two-pound test. Hot Creek is a weed-filled mess and the big
brown should have been able to break the leader handily by merely diving down
under a patch of weeds and then heading downstream.I can't wait to talk to
Smith later this week. There's bound to be a heck of a story here.
Crowley Update
Lake Crowley had the bulk of the fishing pressure this opener, as with most
openers. Jeff Topp at Crowley Lake Fish Camp estimated there were 8,000 to
10,000 people on the lake for the weekend. According to the Department of
Fish and Game's boat angler survey, most of them caught limits of trout. But
Curtis Milliron, the DFG Bishop biologist who's been studying Crowley fisheries
for several years, was a little perplexed about what was happening at Crowley.
"We don't know what happened to the Kamloops rainbows," said Milliron.
Crowley is planted with several strains of rainbow trout each fall, including
the Kamloops strain. Normally, they make up a lot of the opening day harvest
on the lake. While they are smaller than some of the other strains, they are
easier to catch. This year, they were almost absent, in spite of heavy plants
last fall. Milliron admits that he's baffled. There are two likely scenarios.
First, the fish simply aren't there. Milliron believes this is likely the
case. Another strain of trout, the Colemans, were bigger than they've ever
been on a trout opener. Milliron figures that the mild winter and lack of
competition from the Kamloops led to the greater growth in the Colemans. That
still wouldn't tell Milliron what happened to the Kamloops. The second scenario,
which Milliron would like to believe, is that the mild spring allowed the
Kamloops to run up Crowley's tributary streams earlier than normal, spawn
right before the opener, and then drift back into the lake where they are
having a little postpartum depression and simply not eating while they recuperate.
Did anyone count cormorants and pelicans on Crowley last fall after the little
Kamloops were planted?
Anglers aren't too worried either way. Crowley is planted with nearly a half-million
trout each year and the fishing was excellent on the opener. Boat anglers
landed .88 trout per hour and the average catch was 4.1 fish. The trout averaged
about 1 1/4 pounds, and 1/3rd of them were greater than 15 inches long. All
those numbers are higher than normal. Topp said the biggest trout from Crowley
was a 7-pound, 10-ounce brown caught by Jim Early of Simi Valley trolling
a Cultiva Mirror Shad in McGee Bay.
Opener Ice Fishing
Tracy Rockel at Ken's Sporting Goods in Bridgeport didn't mean to make it
sound like she thought the anglers who went up to the Virginia Lakes for trout
opener to fish through a couple of feet of ice were crazy, but you could hear
it in her voice.
"We had a couple of guys who went up to Virginia," said Rockel.
It was as if she were trying to keep from snickering. "But they had limits
in an hour." Maybe they are originally from Minnesota and just miss home.
Eighth largest largemouth of all time caught at Dixon
While thousands of anglers were driving up Highway 395 last Friday, Mike
Long of Poway was pitching a Castaic Soft Bait trout lure -- about the size
of most fish the Sierra anglers would catch -- in front of a huge largemouth
bass at Dixon Lake in San Diego County. Long hooked and landed the huge bass
and found it weighed 20-pounds, 12-ounces, the eighth largest ever caught
on rod and reel. After weighing the fish, Long released the bruiser back into
the lake. And Dixon's not even a catch-and-release water.
OUTDOOR NEWS UPDATES -- ons -- 02may01
Jim Reese goes for his thirdWON BASS win at Clear LakeKELSEYVILLE -- Jim
Reese of Ukiah will go for his third straight Clear Lake victory on the WON
BASS Miller High Life Tour this Saturday and Sunday. He successfully defended
his Clear Lake title captured in 2000 and set a new Pro Circuit and Clear
Lake tournament record in the process. The "King of Clear Lake"
title surely was earned by Reese as he accumulated a record total of 59.93
pounds for 10 bass in the two-day tournament that saw 262 anglers competing.
It was the second straight year Reese set a WON BASS record total for 10 bass.
In 1999 he had a 58.20 pound total for a 5.8-pound average and in 2000 missed
by only an ounce of establishing an incredible 6-pound average. Another WON
BASS record fell for the biggest fish on the Pro Circuit in 2000 as Jared
Lintner of Arroyo Grande weighed in a 14.85-pound largemouth that hit on a
green four-inch Gitzit tube bait. The former record was 12.76 pounds by Aaron
Martens of Castaic in 1997.
The overall fishing was spectacular last year at the "Bass Capital of
the West," and Clear Lake gave up more than three dozen fish tipping
the scales at better than 7 pounds. The big fish each day in the Miller High
Life Daily Double is worth $1,500 to the angler, and second biggest bass is
worth $500 each day.First place on 2001 WON BASS Miller High Life Tour is
a $35,000 boat, motor and equipment package. For more information and tournament
results, see the Internet at www.wonbass.com
or contact WON BASS, 3197E Airport Loop Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626; (714)
546-4370, ext. 38.
Hunters heading to Oregon must apply for big game controlled permits by
May 15
PORTLAND -- California hunters waiting until the last minute to apply for
this fall's Oregon controlled big game hunts have until Tuesday, May 15 to
purchase and return tag applications. Hunters may also apply by faxing or
mailing the form provided in the 2001 Oregon Big Game Regulations on page
21. All fax or mail-in applications must be received in Portland by May 15.
The applications cost $4.50 each per species. Actual tag numbers will be established
during the June Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting, and the lottery
draw process will begin immediately afterward. Results from the drawings will
be available on June 20, at which time successful applicants may begin purchasing
controlled hunt tags. Hunters who are unsuccessful in the draw may participate
in general season hunts with tags available over-the-counter. For more information,
contact the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife at (503) 872-5264, by writing
ODFW, PO Box 59, Portland, OR 97207, or on the Internet at: www.dfw.state.or.us
.
Nonresidents who want a Utah buck deer permit should apply by May 21
SALT LAKE CITY -- Nonresidents who want a Utah general buck deer hunting
permit for this fall should strongly consider applying for one in May.Results
of Utah's 2001 Big Game Draw were posted April 30, and general statewide archery
buck deer and Northern, Central and Northeastern region general buck deer
permits for nonresidents are still available.A second draw for these permits
will be held. Applications for the draw will be accepted until 5 p.m., May
21, with results of the draw posted by June 30. Beginning July 26, any remaining
resident or nonresident permits will be available to Utah residents and nonresidents
on a first-come, first-served basis. This is the first time Utah residents
have been allowed to purchase permits not taken by nonresidents and they'll
probably buy most of them.
"If nonresidents want a Utah buck deer hunting permit for this fall,
it's crucial that they get their application in by 5 p.m., May 21," said
Judi Tutorow, wildlife licensing coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife
Resources.The following nonresident Utah general buck deer permits are still
available: Statewide archery 868, Northern rifle or muzzleloader 1,997, Central
rifle or muzzleloader 579, and Northeastern rifle or muzzleloader 1,205. Both
the Southeastern and Southern Regions had their quotas sold out in the first
drawing. Hunters who have an American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa
credit card can apply for one of the remaining permits online at the Utah
Division of Wildlife Resources' Internet web site (www.nr.state.ut.us/dwr/dwr.htm).
Nonresident hunters who don't have a credit card can apply by mailing an
application and a cashier's check or money order. The same application form
used in the initial Big Game Draw will be used to apply in the draw for remaining
permits. Applications are available on the Division's web site or by calling
any Utah Division of Wildlife Resources office, including its Salt Lake City
office at (801) 538-4700.
SIERRA III -- the scourge of hatches -- jim matthews unplugged (outdoor
commentary) 25apr01
New Zealand mud snail invades the Eastern Sierra
No one wants to be a prophet of fishery doom on the eve of one of the most
hallowed events in trout fishing -- this weekend's opening of the trout fishing
season throughout the Eastern Sierra Nevada. But there is a dark cloud looming
on the horizon. The cloud is in the form of a tiny, dark snail called the
New Zealand mud snail. It is invading North American trout fisheries and is
rapidly choking out the food chain. The fishery biologists are looking at
the data and gasping, and then whispering among themselves when they envision
the scenarios. The mud snail could dramatically change the face of fisheries
in North America. "It really scares me. We're not going to be able to
contain this," said Dawne Becker, a fishery biologist with the California
Department of Fish and Game in Bishop.
Becker said the small species was discovered in the Owens River in 1999,
and it is spreading rapidly and dramatically. It has been in the Western United
States since at least 1987, when it was fi |