Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/102007
2B Daily News – Saturday, January 5, 2013 Outdoor & living life GPS collars help owners keep track of dogs BY MICHAEL PEARCE The Wichita Eagle (MCT) EDWARDS COUNTY, Kan. — It can be one of the lowest feelings in bird hunting. Darkness is falling across a rugged and remote landscape at least five miles from the nearest house and 15 miles from the nearest town. Coyotes are howling in many directions and a beloved bird dog is nowhere to be seen. Too often such scenarios don't have a happy ending. Ted Gartner faced the above with total calm despite the absence of his wide-ranging English pointer, LuLu. "She's 175 yards over that hill," Gartner said as he looked at a palm-sized device. "She's coming in." Several moments later LuLu trotted into sight where Gartner had predicted. Thanks to technology produced by a Kansas company, hunters needn't worry about losing their dog while afield. It's been about seven years since Garmin International, of Olathe, Kan., first matched its global positioning system technology with hunting dogs. GPS units utilize satellites to mark their positions at all times, and record assorted information. The units on the Garmin dog collars also transmit their location to the hunter's handheld display screen. They've become a valued tool that Gartner, Garmin's communications director and a fanatical upland bird hunter, helped develop and test. "The main thing is the peace of mind you get with them. You know where your dogs are all of the time," Gartner said. "You're not hollering all the time and your dog's not wearing one of those annoying beepers. You just get to enjoy the hunt and the dog work." Gartner uses GPS collars on LuLu and Vegas, a German shorthair, on birds ranging from Kansas quail, Why is it so Difficult to Catch Abalone Poachers? The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) became the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), effective Jan. 1. The new name was mandated by AB 2402, which was signed Sept. 25 by Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. and is one of numerous provisions passed into law during 2012 that affect the department. "The name of the department was changed to better reflect our evolving responsibilities," said Department Director Charlton H. Bonham. "As our role has grown to meet 21st century expectations, we remain committed to our traditional responsibilities and to honoring our deep roots in California's natural resources legacy." Traditionally known as game wardens, the department's law enforcement staff will now be called wildlife officers. Californians will notice new Internet (www.wildlife.ca.gov) and email addresses for CDFW employees. The old URL and email addresses will continue to work indefinitely. Many department materials will continue to bear the old name because AB Question: As an avid abalone diver, it is disturbing to see all of the poaching going on. It is also disturbing that when the poachers are caught, they have such large numbers of Carrie abalone. Why do the wardens observe individuals poaching tens to hundreds of abalone over limit before making an arrest? We have read so many stories about time periods passing with observation before action is taken. Is it something about the law that requires such blatant damage before an arrest is justified? Is there a promotion incentive for taking down an especially large poaching ring? I dislike even asking a question this way, but along with applauding the department's efforts, I am often left with this very question. Please do discuss this. For one person who may ask you this out loud, there must be many thinking it. Thank you. (Peter A. Wolf) Answer: You ask some good questions. One of the greatest challenges of abalone enforcement is the task of separating poachers from the vast majority of honest abalone divers. According to Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) Lt. Patrick Foy, one of the primary ways wardens make a case is to contact divers after they exit the water. Contacting a diver in the water is not generally effective, especially on low tide days where there are hundreds, if not thousands, of abalone divers out. Poachers often try to blend into the mix of honest abalone divers and try to look just like everyone else to avoid unwanted attention. Other times divers use SCUBA to harvest their catch, further reducing the ability of wardens to make contact in the water. Whenever possible, evidence abalone are returned to the water. We use DFW certified divers to accomplish the task, or we work with State Parks rangers and lifeguards. The question wardens are frequently asked by honest abalone divers is, "What can I do to help?" The best action you can take is to be patient with abalone report cards and fill them out properly. Report cards are an excellent tool to help us differentiate between poachers and divers. Other than that, be aware of divers engaged in suspicious activity such as making multiple trips to their vehicle, stashing bags of abalone or gear along the beach, harvesting abalone for other people and giving it to them, etc. Report suspicious activity and suspect information such as physical descriptions, vehicle descriptions and license plates, etc. to CalTIP at 888334-2258. Wilson MCT photo Ted Gartner checks the GPS collar on Vegas, one of his hunting dogs. Minnesota ruffed grouse and Montana Hungarian partridge. He said waterfowlers utilize the collars to track retrievers working tall cattails. Houndsmen rely on them even more. "Our largest group is certainly the hound guys, guys who are running their dogs on raccoons, bears or big cats," Gartner said. "They're often hunting at night, or in really remote mountains and their dogs may be a mile away." Under ideal conditions, the collars might register on the hunter's tracking screen up to five miles away. Gartner said the collars are also popular with those handling law enforcement, rescue and military canines. The GPS collars provide more than a dogs' simple direction and distance. The screen unit vibrates and emits a sound when the dog stops, like if pointing birds. Gartner said one function is logging distances and routes traveled. Comparing the distances covered between four and twolegged hunters is always interesting. After quail hunts last week, Gartner checked the trails of both dogs and himself. True to her breed, LuLu, the English pointer, logged the most distance, covering 7.4 miles in one 75 minute trek. Vegas tallied 5.3 miles while Gartner totaled 2.1 miles on the same hunt. The units also provide trails so Gartner can later look at the workings of his dogs. The GPS units also allow him to log important locations as a hunt progresses. Gartner described it as a "digital diary" of his bird hunts as he records points made, birds flushed and shot at his hunting places. Such information comes in handy when he returns on future hunts. Some GPS collars come with pre-programmed topographical maps so hunters will more easily know how to get to a distant dog, or the easiest way back to a vehicle. Applications that feature aerial photography of wide areas are also available. Gartner is a big fan of a state-provided application that downloads the exact location and boundaries of Kansas' roughly million acres of Walk In Hunting Areas. "It's nice to know for sure where you can legally be and where you can't," said Gartner, who enjoys hunting public lands. "You don't always have those friendly white WIHA signs in sight." The application is available for downloading to GPS units at www.kdwpt.state.ks.us. Last week, Gartner and friend Tom Turner hunted vast private lands for quail in Edwards, Stafford and Reno counties. Gartner could have gotten by with Garmin's Astro, a basic GPS collar system that does all of the above. Instead, he fitted LuLu and Vegas with the company's Alpha, which incorporates an electronic correction collar with the GPS. The latter technology became available when Garmin purchased Tri-Tronics, a leading training collar company, about 18 months ago. Gartner monitored the collars of both dogs from the same monitoring screen. As well as a correcting electric charge, the collars could also emit a tone to signal the dogs to come to him. Such conveniences don't come cheaply, though. Gartner said the GPSonly Astro normally sells for around $600. The Alpha, with its correction collar capabilities, retails for about $800. "That's a lot," Gartner admitted, "but I've never met anyone who's desperately looking for a lost dog who wouldn't gladly pay twice that amount. It's much more fun to just hunt, and not have to worry about lost dogs." OUTDOOR BRIEFS DFG changes name California Outdoors Q&A 2402 reduced the cost associated with the name change by preventing CDFW from undergoing a wholesale turnover of materials, including signs, uniforms and supplies. The mission of the department continues to be "to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public." In furtherance of that mission, the department carries out numerous responsibilities related to the commercial, recreational, educational and scientific use and enjoyment of California's natural resources. New Sturgeon Regulations New regulations for sturgeon fishing went into effect Jan. 1. The regulations are meant to increase the survival and spawning success of sturgeon caught and released by anglers in California and will support development of data for management of the fishery. The regulations promote sustainable management of the white sturgeon population and are consistent with federal regulation regarding the take of green sturgeon, which are protected as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Several regulatory changes that affect sturgeon fishing were approved the Fish and Game Commission in 2012, including measurement methods, size limits and methods of take. They include: • Measurement method — Sturgeon now must be measured by fork length, the straight-line distance from the tip of the head to the center of the tail. Tip of the head shall be the most anterior point on the fish with the mouth closed and the fish lying flat on its side. (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sections 1.62, 5.80, and 27.90) • Size limits — No fish less than 40 inches fork length or greater than 60 inches fork length may be taken or possessed. (CCR, Title 14, Sections 5.80 and 27.90) • Methods of take — Only one single barbless hook may be used on a line when taking sturgeon. Use of a snare to assist in landing or killing any sturgeon is prohibited. A snare is a flexible loop made from any material that can be tightened like a noose around any part of the fish (CCR, Title 14, Sections 5.80 and 27.90) • Removal from the water — White sturgeon greater than 68 inches fork length may not be removed from the water and shall be released immediately. Green sturgeon may not be removed from the water and shall be released immediately. (CCR Title 14 Sections 5.81 and 27.90) • Clarification of Special Sierra and Valley District Sturgeon Closure — It is unlawful to take any sturgeon from the Sacramento River between Keswick Dam to the Highway 162 Bridge in Shasta, Tehama and Glenn counties. (CCR, Title 14, Sections 5.80 and 5.81) Any person fishing for white sturgeon must have a non-transferable Sturgeon Fishing Report Card in their possession and complete it in accordance with regulations. The daily bag and possession limit remains one white sturgeon. The annual bag limit remains three (3) white sturgeon. See the California Ocean and Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations for complete sturgeon information. An informational flyer depicting the regulation changes is available at https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=58288. Tackle shops, charter boats, fishing clubs and others are encouraged to print and post the flyer where it is likely to be seen by sturgeon anglers. Tagged deer antlers Question: Since deer antlers must have the tag on them for only 15 days after the season, why does the tag have to stay on the frozen head afterward? (Geoff V.) Answer: They don't. Tags are required to remain on the antlers for 15 days after the close of the season (Fish and Game Code, section 4336). However, since it is very difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between fresh and frozen meat, you are much more likely to avoid any questions if you keep documentation showing that any deer in your possession was legally taken. Net required for kayak fishing? Question: I do a lot of fishing and diving off my kayak. Someone recently told me that I need to carry a net for landing my fish. I have looked through the regs but I cannot find that provision. Can you help me? (Matt Sullivan) Answer: Yes, that's correct. If you are fishing from any boat or other floating device in ocean waters, you must carry a landing net with an opening that is not less than 18 inches in diameter. (CCR Title 14, section 28.65(d)). Dredging in ocean outlets? Question: I know suction dredging is not allowed in most streams and rivers without a permit, but what about the ocean inlets or outlets for streams and rivers? Would it be ok to dredge these points without going into them? (Anonymous) Answer: DFW's authority for suction dredging is limited to rivers, streams and lakes and does not extend to the ocean (see Fish and Game Code, section 5653). Our authority for regulating suction dredges does not extend seaward from the mouth of a river or stream. However, permits may be required by the state Coastal Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or local agencies (e.g. a harbor district). We recommend anyone proposing to suction dredge in the marine environment contact those organizations directly to determine what requirements apply. Crab Hawk Traps Question: I bought a "crab hawk-like" castable crab trap at a major sporting goods store in Northern California. Can I use this in San Francisco Bay or in the ocean? I have used this same trap in Washington State. (Cris C.) Answer: No, crab hawk traps are not legal to use in California. For crab regulations, please check the crustaceans section of the current Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, available wherever sport fishing licenses are sold, at your local DFG office, and online at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations. Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone's questions, she will select a few to answer each week. Please contact her at CalOutdoors@wildlife.ca.gov.