Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/85154
2C Daily News – Saturday, September 29, 2012 Outdoorlife living The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is reminding people who see bear cubs to leave them alone. Even if they appear orphaned, the most appropriate thing to do is to leave them in the wild. Throughout the year, sows teach their young to gather food and eat what is available in their natural habi- tats. By fall, cubs can survive even if they are completely separated from her. "Sows normally wean their cubs around the beginning of August," said DFG Statewide Bear Program Coor- dinator Marc Kenyon. "Depending on the sow's parenting ability, these cubs have already learned how to fend for themselves. Plus, bears of this age are extremely resourceful, making their chances of surviving on their own rel- atively good." & DFG reminds people to leave bear cubs alone Approximately 40 percent of bear cubs die in their first year. Those that survive are driven off by their mothers at approximately 18 months of age. By Aug. 1, California's black bear cubs are roughly 5 months of age. Research and DFG's experience over the decades indicates that while orphaned cub survival is lower than that of cubs with sows, cubs this age can survive on their own. The DFG's policy regarding orphaned cubs favors leaving them alone unless they are obviously sick or in dire need of assistance. The DFG assesses cubs on a case-by-case basis for diseases, parasites, overall condi- tion and human habituation. The alternatives to leaving a cub in the wild are limited, and include tem- porarily holding a cub in a captive facility until winter sets in, placing it in a long-term captive facility such as a zoo, or euthanasia. Reducing wildlife to captivity is inconsistent with the DFG's goal to keeping wildlife in the wild, where they can California Outdoors Q&A MCT file photo A yearling black bear cub in his den. behave naturally. With approximately 30,000 black bears in the state, encounters between people and bears are becoming more commonplace. In order to keep bears in the wild, where they belong, it is important that residents and visitors in black bear habitat stash their food and trash properly. Feeding wildlife is harmful to wild animals and illegal. Urban fishing and fish-stocking programs survive series of lawsuits A Sacramento judge last week ruled in favor of the California Depart- ment of Fish and Game (DFG), resolving a series of lawsuits brought by both industry and envi- ronmental groups attack- ing the state's hatchery and fish stocking pro- grams. Taken together, the rul- ings mean that the DFG can continue its Fishing in the City program, its Classroom Aquarium Education Program, its own anadromous and trout stocking and the issuance of private fish- stocking permits. "This decision rein- forces what we have known here at Fish and Game for some time: that our fish-stocking program adopted in 2010 strikes the right balance by affording public fishing opportunities while main- taining our stewardship of California's rivers and streams," said DFG Director Charlton H. Bonham. ified that we were able to protect our Fishing in the City program which ben- efits thousands of urban anglers each year," Bon- ham added. salmon and steelhead hatcheries, its stocking programs, including stocking for Fishing in the City, and other pro- gram elements. "I am particularly grat- In 2010, DFG certified its Hatchery and Stocking Program Environmental Impact Report, which described how DFG would operate its trout, lawsuits brought by two environmental groups alleging that DFG's pro- gram violated the Califor- nia Environmental Quali- ty Act. Those lawsuits were brought by the Cen- ter for Biological Diversi- ty, Californians for Alter- natives to Toxics. DFG had earlier settled a simi- lar lawsuit brought by the Owens Valley Commit- tee. In August, DFG won the final challenge to its fish stocking program. Last week, DFG won That lawsuit, brought by the California Associa- tion for Recreational Fishing and joined by the Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability, challenged DFG's ability to have certain restric- tions in the contracts DFG enters into for its Fishing in the City Program. The lawsuit could have Property Question: I recently shot a doe with my A31 tag in Los Angeles County (Archery Only- Either Sex). It appeared to be a lethal shot from 22 yards with decent shot placement. I tracked the blood to a privately owned ranch 100 yards away. I stopped tracking it when it appeared she went onto the ranch property. I then approached the ranch manager to get permission to continue track- ing my deer. The owner initially agreed but after one of her coworkers talked to her, she retracted her per- mission (approximately 10 minutes from the time we spoke in her office). She requested that we leave her property at once as she didn't want people to think they approved of hunting. I didn't have enough time to locate my deer and left broken-hearted. I don't like seeing animals die or suffer for no reason. I would never have shot if I would have known I couldn't recover her. I believe I did every- thing legal and correct but it shouldn't be right that a deer goes to waste because of the bias of a proper- ty manager. Is there anything I could have done to recover my deer? Do I have any rights or is there anyone I could have contacted? I'm still sick over the situation. (Luke G., Loma Linda) Answer: It's unfortunate that this happened. Although the law prevents one from wasting the deer, the law does not permit the trespass to retrieve it. Perhaps, if you'd contacted the local game war- den, they may have been able to contact the ranch manager or owner for some possible assistance to prevent the deer from going to waste. According to Department of Fish and Game Lt. Prohibited from Retrieving Deer from Private Carrie Wilson Todd Tognazzini, when archery hunting it is recom- mended to hunt farther from private property bound- aries to avoid this type of problem as deer taken with archery usually travel farther after a lethal wound than those shot with a rifle. Tognazzini says he has never been refused when a fresh and legiti- mate blood trail is found leaving public land onto private property. Live Mouth Bass for sale? Question: I recently noticed an advertisement in the seafood section of our local Los Angeles Hong Kong supermarket newspaper where they are selling "Live Mouth Bass." Is there really such a fish? The picture looks like they are largemouth bass. I didn't think our precious game fish could be sold for food. If these are largemouth bass, is it legal to sell them in the market? (Doc H., Walnut) Answer: I am not aware of a species called "live mouth bass." It is not legal to sell largemouth bass caught in the wild or under the authority of a sport fishing license. Often times the Asian markets have aquariums where they display live fish for sale. Largemouth bass can be sold if acquired from a pri- vate aquaculture facility with appropriate sales receipts. shut down the Fishing in the City Program and pos- sibly crippled DFG's abil- ity to issue private stock- ing permits. DFG's Fishing in the City program started in 1993 to allow fishing opportunities for resi- dents of Los Angeles, OrangeCounty, San Fran- cisco and Sacramento. California receives grants to LIQUIDATION SALE EVERYTHING MUST GO BY JAN. 1 THE MONTH OF OCT. 10% OFF EVERYTHING* *Except new firearms Come by and check us out! Store Hours M-Th 10-5:30 / Fri 10-6:30 Saturdays by Appt. 1705 Airport Blvd. Suite E, Red Bluff 530-528-1225 tuscanoutdoors@gmail.com support land acquisition California has been awarded $12.7 million in feder- al grants to support conservation planning and acquisi- tion of habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife and plants. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awards annual competitive grants from the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund to states. The grants are authorized by Section 6 of the federal Endan- gered Species Act. Nearly $33 million was granted to 21 states in 2012. These funds are administered under three grant programs: Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Planning Assistance, HCP Land Acquisition and Recovery Land Acquisition. California received $4.2 million in HCP Planning Assistance Grants, which sup- port the development of HCPs and, in California, Nat- ural Community Conservation Plans (NCCPs). HCPs and NCCPs are large-scale, ecosystem-based plans designed to protect plants, animals and their habitats while allowing compatible and appropriate economic activity. Grants fund baseline surveys and inventories, document preparation, public outreach and similar planning activities. Seven plans were awarded grants: including HCPs and NCCPs in the Bay-Delta, North- east San Luis Obispo County, Kern Valley Floor, Butte Regional, Bakersfield Regional, Town of Apple Valley and the city of Colton. A total of $7 million was awarded to the state for HCP Land Acquisition Grants, which fund the purchase of land to meet the conservation objectives of approved HCPs and NCCPs. Question: I have a remote controlled boat approximately 36 inches long with a remote GPS and fish-finder system located on the boat. On the back of the boat there is a small box containing a baited hook. The hook is connected to a line with an attached weight. Once the boat is located in the area I've chosen, the line can be remotely deployed. The line (which can be as much as 2,000 ft. long) is also connected to the fishing pole I hold onshore. Once the line has been deployed, the boat is returned to shore. With a California fishing license, can I use this at lakes or at the beach? (Ron C.) Answer: Yes, as long as the rod is hand-held or closely attended and the fish voluntarily takes the bait or lure. For a description of "angling" and the legal methods authorized for taking fish, please review sections 1.05 and 2.00 in the Freshwater Fishing Regulations booklet available wherever fishing licenses are sold or online at http://dfg.ca.gov/regulations/. Angling under this definition is not required in ocean waters. Remote controlled boat bear responds to the calls Question: If I am out hunting predators using a call, and it is during bear season, and I have a bear tag … if a bear comes in on the call, can I kill the bear? Hunting predators when a unlawful to use any recorded or electrically ampli- fied bird or mammal calls or sounds, or recorded or electrically amplified imitations of bird or mammal calls or sounds …to take game birds/mammals (Fish and Game Code, section 3012). Answer:Yes, unless they are electronic calls. It is 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.