Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/67439
2B Daily News – Saturday, May 26, 2012 Outdoorlife living rative has been established as a partnership between the Tehama County Resource Conservation District (TCRCD) and the Western Shasta Resource Conservation Dis- trict (WSRCD). The Cottonwood Creek Collabo- public awareness of and participa- tion in environmental improvement and conservation projects related to watershed and riparian habitat health, ecosystem health, and water quantity and quality within the Cot- tonwood Creek Watershed. The Cottonwood Creek Water- shed lies within Tehama and Shasta counties, and to better serve the needs and concerns of landowners and the public within the watershed, the two RCDs have teamed-up. The Cottonwood Creek Collaborative welcomes input and participation from landowners and the general public within the watershed who would like to collaborate on or par- ticipate in watershed improvement, conservation, and/or education pro- jects. The partnership is to expand Planned projects include fuels reduction, vegetation/riparian habi- tat management and monitoring, and education and outreach on a range of topics of interest to landowners and the public within the watershed. For questions or to find out how you can become involved, contact Rose Calzontzi, Watershed Coordinator with TCRCD at (530) 527-3013, ext. 115 or rose@tehamacountyrcd.org or Leslie Bryan, Watershed Coordi- & New collaboration planned for Cottonwood Creek Watershed Courtesy photo An ariel view of the Cottonwood Creek Watershed. nator with WSRCD at (530) 365- 7332, ext. 215 or leslie@western- shastarcd.org. About the Resource Conserva- tion Districts (RCDs) The Tehama County RCD is a non-profit special district created to assist people to manage, conserve, and improve the natural resources of Tehama County. They are involved with many different pro- jects and educational endeavors ranging from free irrigation system testing and water quality sampling, to exotic plant removal and hosting hands-on workshops. For more information on the district, visit www.tehamacountyrcd.org. Formed in 1957, the Western Shasta RCD is a special district with a mission to "Collaborate with willing landowners, government agencies and other organizations to facilitate the conservation and restoration of Western Shasta Coun- ty's natural resources." District pro- jects include erosion control, fuels reduction to prevent catastrophic fire, and watershed restoration to improve fish and wildlife habitat for threatened and endangered species. For more information on the dis- trict, visit www.westernshastarcd.org. effort battling the spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels urges boaters to remain especially vigilant over the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Those who launch vessels at any body of water are subject to watercraft inspections, and are encouraged to clean, drain and dry their motor- ized and non-motorized boats, including personal watercraft, and any equip- ment that comes into contact with the water before and after recreating at a water- way. "Quagga and zebra mus- sels present a serious threat to our aquatic environment," said Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Director Charlton H. Bonham. "These invasive mussels can be detrimental to the state's waters, boats and recreation- al opportunities. Preventing their introduction is the best way to protect our aquatic resources." Boaters' help needed to combat invasive species A California interagency water to another attached to nearly anything that has been in an infested water- body, or via standing water from an infested waterbody entrapped in boat engines, bilges, live-wells and buck- ets. To ensure watercraft is clean, drained and dry, many local agencies are conduct- ing boat inspections. DFG has posted the list of these inspections on its website (www.dfg.ca.gov/inva- sives/quaggamussel) along with additional information about the invasive mussels and what you can do to help prevent their spread in Cali- fornia. Boaters should call ahead to check for restric- tions prior to visiting their destination. To prevent spreading ent bodies of fresh water. These measures are essen- tial to safeguard California waterways. DFG has also developed a short video demonstrating the ease of implementing the clean, drain and dry, pre- vention method, available at www.facebook.com/Cali- forniaDFG. In addition, a detailed guide to cleaning vessels of invasive mussels is available on the Depart- ment of Quagga and zebra mus- sels, non-native freshwater mussels native to Eurasia, multiply quickly and encrust watercraft and infrastruc- ture, and compete for food with native and sport species. These mussels can be spread from one body of invasive mussels and to breeze through an inspec- tion, before arriving at a waterbody boaters should have inspected all exposed surfaces, removed all plants and organisms, drained all water, including that con- tained in lower outboard units, live-wells and bait buckets, and allowed the watercraft to thoroughly dry. Watercraft should be kept dry for at least five days in warm weather and up to 30 days in cool weather, between launches in differ- Boating and Waterways website at www.dbw.ca.gov/PDF/Boat ingQuaggaGuide.pdf. Travelers are also advised to be prepared for inspections at California Department of Food and Agriculture Border Protec- tion Stations. Inspections, which can also be conducted by DFG and the Department of Parks and Recreation, include not only a check of boats and personal water- craft, but also trailers and all onboard items. Contaminat- ed vessels and equipment are subject to quarantine or impoundment. first detected in the Col- orado River system in Janu- ary 2007 and were later found in San Diego and Riverside counties. They are Quagga mussels were California Outdoors Q&A Collecting Antlers from Carcasses Question: I was hiking on public land and came across a dead elk car- cass that had been there a while and still had a huge rack attached to the skull. I know it's legal to pick up shed antlers, but what about if they are still attached to the skull of an old elk car- cass? Would it be legal for me to take the antlers? (Matt, Hollister) Answer: There is no provision in the Fish and Game Code prohibiting someone from picking up a set of antlers attached to a skull and carcass found on public land. However, this would likely appear suspicious to a game warden. Anyone who chooses to do so should be aware that pursuant to Fish and Game Code, section 2000, possession of any part of a fish or mam- mal in or on the fields, forests or waters of this state while returning therefrom with fishing or hunting equipment is prima facie evidence the possessor took that fish or mam- mal. Carrie Wilson Answer: There are no regulations prohibiting the use of manual winches by sportfishers to assist in pulling crab traps or hoop nets. Use of power-driven winches is prohib- ited north of Point Arguello, but there is an exception for handling crab traps or nets (see CCR Title 14, section 28.70.) Junior hunter deer tag Question: If my junior hunter is only 11 years old right Winches for pulling sport traps and hoop nets Question: Can sport fishermen who are fishing crab traps and/or hoop nets use winches to assist in pulling the gear? now known to be in 24 waters in the Golden State, all in Southern California. Zebra mussels were discov- ered in San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County in Jan- uary 2008. Both species can attach to and damage virtually any submerged surface. They can: • Ruin a boat engine by blocking the cooling system and causing it to overheat • Jam a boat's steering equipment, putting occu- pants and others at risk • Require frequent scrap- ping and repainting of boat hulls • Colonize all underwater substrates such as boat ramps, docks, lines and other underwater surfaces, causing them to require con- stant cleaning • Cost the owners of these items a lot of money A multi-agency effort that includes DFG, the Department of Boating and Waterways, Department of Water Resources and State Parks has been leading an outreach campaign to alert the public to the quagga and zebra mussel threats. A toll- free hotline at 1-866-440- 9530 is available for those seeking information on quagga or zebra mussels. now but his birthday is before opening day of the junior deer tag, may he apply for it now even though he is 11? He will be 12 on the day of the hunt? (Shawn R.) Answer: Your son must be the required age (12) by July 1 to apply for an apprentice (junior) deer tag. He will, how- ever, be eligible to hunt in the junior hunt as a 16 year old because he will only be 15 on July 1 during his last year of eligibility. Gaffing salmon Question: Is it legal to gaff a keeper salmon in the ocean instead of using a net? Answer: Anglers fishing from boats are required to carry landing nets that are a minimum of 18 inches in diam- eter. It would be best to always land fish with minimum size limits or special regulations with a landing net to avoid killing the fish in case it must be released. Anglers can be cited for violating CCR Title 14, section 28.65(d) if they gaff an undersized salmon. Selling an ocelot coat? Question: I live in Santa Barbara and am the not-so- proud owner of a Brazilian ocelot coat that I inherited about 11 years ago from my mother's estate. She purchased it in New York from Christie Bros. Fur Company in August 1973, just before the Endangered Species Act (ESA) became law in December 1973. I do have the receipt for it. I don't want the coat and have contacted U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. I was advised to contact the California department for local ruling on such issue. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, because it was purchased by my mother before the ESA, and then inherited by me at her death, I would be able to sell it within state lines. Does it mean I could also donate it to a local nonprofit organization and take a tax deduction? I would greatly benefit from either the income from the sale or the tax deduction if I could donate it. My first thought was to donate it to the Oregon Zoo in Portland, which I understand is the foremost center promot- ing the care and birth of Brazilian ocelots in captivity. I read somewhere that sometimes the fur from the same species is used to promote newborn kittens' comfort. Would that be an out-of-state transaction, should they be interested? Are there any other options? (Maura Lundy) Answer: No Fish and Game Code provisions are applic- able. The California Penal Code does prohibit importing and selling the pieces or parts of ocelots (and other species), or even possessing them with the intent to sell (CPC, section 653(o)). But the law does not prohibit donating the item. 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. Please contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov. Hunting licenses, big game drawing applications available Hunters can now purchase 2012-2013 hunting licenses and apply for the Big Game Drawing online, the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) announced. Transactions can be conducted at any DFG license sales office, license agent or online. All premium deer hunt tags, and elk, antelope and bighorn sheep tags are awarded through the DFG Big Game Drawing. To qualify for the Big Game Draw- ing, the sales transaction must be completed before midnight on June 2, 2012. When the transac- tion is complete, the customer will receive a receipt to show their hunt choices have been entered in the drawing. Mail-in applications will not be accepted. Beginning June 22, hunters can contact a DFG license sales office or look online to check the results. To find a license agent near you or to purchase items online, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing. To learn more about the Big Game Drawing application process, please view the 2012 California Hunting Digest (2012 Big Game) at www.dfg.ca.gov/publica- tions/digest/. tunities dom draw fund-raising program initiated in 2011 through its Auto- mated License Data System. Last year, chances for a deer tag and an elk tag were offered to the public and those two opportunities alone generated more than $130,000 for conservation. For 2012, there are four tags Additional Drawing Oppor- DFG has expanded the ran- the deer tag and elk tag offered last year, a pronghorn antelope tag and a bighorn sheep tag are avail- able. The drawings for deer, elk and antelope are open to anyone 12 years of age or older as of July 1, 2012. The sheep drawing is open to anyone 16 years of age or older as of July 1, 2012. The cost to enter the drawings is $5.66 per entry, per hunt. Applicants do not need a valid hunting license to apply, and may apply for the drawings as many times as they wish by June 2, 2012. Winners will be required to purchase an annual hunting license. However, the tag will be issued at no addi- tional cost. Kelso/Old Dad Mountains available through fund-raising random drawings. In addition to Bighorn Sheep Tag DFG has added one Kelso/Old Dad Mountains Bighorn Sheep tag to the Fund-raising Random Drawing. The Fund-raising Ran- dom Drawing sheep tag allows the hunter to hunt in the Kelso/Old Dad Mountains zone with any legal method. The hunt dates are from Nov. 3, 2012 to Feb. 3, 2013. As an added bonus for the hunter who draws the sheep tag from that random drawing, a pri- vate entity, San Gorgonio Wilder- ness Outfitters, has offered free guide services to the recipient of the tag for the Kelso Peak/Old Dad Mountains zone. Northeastern California Pronghorn Antelope Tag DFG has added one Northeast- ern California Pronghorn ante- lope tag to the Fund-raising Ran- dom Drawing. The Fund-raising Random Drawing antelope tag allows the hunter to hunt in any of the Northeastern antelope zones (Mount Dome, Clear Lake, Like- ly Tables, Lassen, Big Valley and Surprise Valley) with any legal method. The hunt dates are July 28 through Sept. 16, 2012. Open Zone Deer Tag An Open Zone deer tag allows the hunter to hunt during the authorized season dates of any hunt, using the specific method and meeting any special condi- tions of the tag for that hunt. Owens Valley Elk Tag The Fund-raising Random Drawing tule elk tag allows the hunter to hunt in any of the Owens Valley zones (Bishop, Tinemaha Mountain, Tinemaha, West Tinemaha, Independence, Whitney and Lone Pine) with any legal method. The hunt dates are from July 28 to Aug. 26, 2012.