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2B Daily News – Saturday, February 4, 2012 Outdoor & living (MCT) — Randy Nelson admits that he wasn't happy when he found out that his son, Kevin, had bought a yel- low Labrador retriever to take duck hunting. "He wasn't supposed to get a dog until he was done playing baseball (in college) and he was between his sophomore and junior years," Nelson said. Now, he has to laugh, because the day that his son came home with Drake was one of the best days of Nel- son's life. That rambunctious puppy has become a duck-retrieving wonder. "I don't think I could ever go back to hunting without a dog," Nelson said. "He loves it so much. If he sees me getting dressed to go hunting, he's at the door waiting for me." When he's in a duck blind, Drake patiently scans the skies. When shots are fired and ducks fall, Drake leaps off the carpeted stand that Nelson had built for him, bounds through the water and grabs the downed duck. Then he nonchalantly returns to the blind, as if to let everyone know that retrieving ducks is no big deal. (And just in case you're wondering about duck dogs in Florida, Drake has never had a problem with alligators, who are wary of duck hunters.) Drake, who'll be 4 years old in March, is at his best when ducks drop far from the blind or into thick vegeta- tion. Once, Kevin Nelson killed a shoveler that sailed 250 yards away. He sent out Drake and, using a whistle, the term "back!" and hand signals, directed Drake close enough to the bird so he could pick up its scent, at which point he charged over and picked it up. Another time, Willie Fernandez shot an incoming gadwall that fell into a stand of cattails. Kevin came over with Drake, Willie pointed to where the duck fell and two minutes later, Mendocino fish planting The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will begin planting rainbow trout (triploids) in Lake Mendoci- no for the first time this Feb- ruary. Approximately 15,000 pounds of trout will be put into the lake throughout the winter and early spring, giv- YEARBOOK This would probably be it: If Red Bluff had a Red Bluff 2012 A Daily News Publication City Parks and Services Lassen Volcanic National Park North State's Wine Country Red Bluff Round-Up Victorian Charm MCT photo Drake retrieves a duck for his owners. Drake was back with the gadwall. Fernandez said he needs only one word to describe what it's like hunting with Drake. "Awesome," Fernandez said. "It's an experience in itself watching him retrieve." Kevin Nelson, who played baseball for Nova High School in Davie, played college ball in Tennessee for two years before transferring to Campbell Uni- versity in North Carolina for his junior season. A shortstop and an avid duck hunter, he had been thinking about get- ting a hunting dog and before he left Tennessee, he saw an ad by a breeder who had Lab puppies for sale for $250. "When I went to the breeder's house, I was walking around looking at all the puppies," he said. "Drake was the one running around in circles that I couldn't even keep up with." Randy Nelson and his wife, Terri, found out about Drake not from their son, but from a friend who had seen the photos Kevin posted of Drake on Facebook and said, "Did you see Kevin's new dog?" "Both my parents were ready to kill me," Kevin said. Their love affair with Drake began ing anglers an opportunity to enjoy one of the state's most popular activities. "There are very few trout fishing opportunities in Mendocino County," said DFG Environmental Scien- tist Scott Harris. "We are pleased that we can add Lake Mendocino to the annual allotment list as a winter trout fishery." This is the first time that Lake Mendocino has been stocked by DFG. Historical- ly, only the Mill Creek ponds east of Talmage have been stocked during winter and early winter months in Mendocino County. Fish will be put in the A Daily News Publication Advertising Space Reservation Deadline: Tuesday, February 7 at 5 PM City and County Information Recreation Guide Local places of interest City Map & Street Guide Schools Directory Church Guide Public Services Calendar of Events …and more! Glossy stock Magazine Format 10,000 distribution 7,000 as a special insert to the 3000 print for distribution to visitors, new and prospective residents through Chambers of Commerce, hotels and Information Centers D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY Peach Leaf Curl Blight 24/7 presence online version on www.redbluffdailynews.com for a full year, with links provided to Chamber of Commerce, RB City and County websites. Businesses: Make sure YOU are part of it! Advertising Representative Today! 527-2151 Call your Daily News Local Red Bluff Garden Center 527-0886 766 Antelope Blvd. (Next to the Fairground) and much more Great Weekend for Dormant Spraying Liqui-Cop Helps Control lake several times during the winter and early spring. To ensure there is a constant supply of fish in the upper East Branch Russian River area, fish will be planted in the East Branch Russian River (Potter Valley) from late April to October. The planted fish are between a half and three-quarter pounds each and are raised at the Darrah Springs Hatch- when Kevin brought the pup home to Sunrise for the summer. Since he did- n't have time to take care of Drake with his busy college schedule, when Kevin went back to school, Drake stayed in South Florida. Using tips from several books, videos and other hunters, Randy trained Drake in the basic commands and worked with him on his retrieving. When Drake was 9 months old, Randy took him on duck hunts. He kept Drake on a 100-foot check cord and did not do any shooting so he could focus on teaching the dog what to do. Drake has matured since then, growing big and solid and serious about duck hunting, but he's also sweet and gentle and almost never barks. "He's a family pet that lives in the house," Randy Nelson said. "This dog sleeps in my bed. "He's not the best-trained dog in the world, but he does what he's supposed to do." Over and over and over again. "That's one thing about Drake, he will never quit on you," Kevin Nelson said. "I've seen him retrieve 36 ducks and then come home and he wants you to throw his Frisbee for him." OUTDOOR BRIEFS ery in Paynes Creek. Other popular fish species inhabiting the lake include large and small- mouth bass, striped bass, channel catfish and black crappie. Shasta poaching The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is seeking assistance from the public regarding recent deer poach- ing in the Cassel area in Shasta County. On Dec. 10, the remains of a buck were discovered by wardens in the Cassel area. On Jan. 20, a second illegally killed buck was dis- covered in the same area. Both of these animals were taken outside of the legal hunting season. It is unknown if the cases are related. Local wardens are asking for the public to come for- ward with any information regarding the illegal take of these animals. If you have any information regarding the above incidents, please contact CalTIP (Californi- ans Turn in Poachers and Polluters) at 1-888-DFG- CALTIP (888-334-2258). Proposal rejected The California Fish and Game Commission today took final action to reject proposed changes to striped bass regulations. In a unanimous decision, Commissioners voted not to pursue a proposal that would have changed sport fishing regulations related to anadromous striped bass, including increasing bag limits and decreasing size limits. The proposal that was introduced by the Depart- ment of Fish and Game arose out of a settlement agreement resulting from a 2008 lawsuit. In that lawsuit, the Coalition for a Sustain- able Delta, a group of San Joaquin Valley water dis- tricts, asserted that striped bass are harming native species, including endan- gered salmon and Delta smelt. life This dog makes hunting ducks extra special FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. California Outdoors Q&A Slingshot Hunting Question I have been searching for any regulations specifically regarding slingshots but have found no clear reference to them within the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) hunting regulations. As written, sling- shots are not a legal method of take for any game. Yet there are inferences that under certain sections, such as Fish and Game Code, section 4186, that a slingshot would be considered a legal method of take. Further, varmints such as jackrabbit and ground squirrel do not fall under the regulations for fur-bearing mammals. I have not been able to find any source Carrie Wilson of reference on the DFG website or credible interpretation of the regulations by any warden or lawyer. Can you please pro- vide clear references relating to the use of a slingshot for tak- ing any game or non-game animals? (Ron Rios, Jr.) Answer Slingshots may only be used to take nongame birds and mammals (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 475). However, the only nongame birds that may be taken by any method are English house sparrows and star- lings (FGC, sections 3800(a) and 3801). There is also a crow hunting season, but crows may only be taken by shotgun, fal- conry or archery (CCR Title 14, section 485). Common nongame mammals ("varmint" is not a term used in Fish and Game law) that may be taken include coyotes, bobcats, opossums, ground squirrels and orange-belly marmots. Take of bobcat requires possession of a bobcat tag (CCR Title 14, section 478.1). Rabbits and tree squirrels are game mammals, and their take with a slingshot is illegal. Nongame mammals are those species not otherwise categorized in the law as resident small game (CCR Title 14, section 257), big game (CCR Title 14, section 350) or fur-bearing mammals (FGC, section 4000). The complete Fish and Game Code is available online at: http://dfg.ca.gov/enforcement/. Keeping lobsters whole for the trip home? Question Is it true that spiny lobsters must be kept whole (and not tailed) until brought into our home and ready for immediate consumption? That's what I just heard but I thought they just needed to stay whole until they could be brought ashore so that size can be determined. That's what we've always done. Is it OK to tail them once ashore? AnswerNo. Lobster must remain in a whole, measurable condition, until being prepared for immediate consumption (CCR Title 14, section 29.90(e)). Who is authorized to take nongame animals causing prop- erty damage? Question In one of your recent columns, you stated that property owners or their tenants or agents do not need a hunt- ing license to shoot nongame mammals that are doing crop damage on private property. What is the definition of an agent? We can get a license from a large local alfalfa ranch to shoot Belding ground squirrels. They will even give us .22 shells. Do we also need a California hunting license? My grandson is coming next month and he has no license. (Ken K. Answer Nongame animals causing crop or property damage do not require a depredation permit to be taken by the landowners and/or the specific people they have desig- nated to work on their behalf to eliminate the offending ani- mals. On public land, or in situations where the take is not for depredation by a landowner or agent, a hunting license is required. Special precautions should be taken to ensure that any animals causing property/crop damage are not endangered species. If someone shoots/kills an endangered species, they will have to have evidence of the property amage or face sig- nificant fines and penalties. In order to be considered an "agent" of the landowner, you will need written documentation from the landowner stating you are taking the nongame mammals on his or her behalf for depredation purposes. This will serve as proof that you have permission to be on private land and will eliminate the need for a hunting license. If you are in condor country, be sure to use non-lead ammunition. For more information on requirements for non-lead ammunition, go to http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/condor/. Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. While she cannot personally answer everyone's questions, she will select a few to answer each week. She may be contacted at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov. 1705 Airport Blvd. Suite E, Red Bluff 530-528-1225 February is Reloading Month! 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