Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/86421
2B Daily News – Saturday, October 6, 2012 Outdoorlife living Question: My parents have 370 acres of land in the Blue Lakes area. We have harvested a few feral hogs and I am thinking about trying to start a guide service. What steps do I need to take to become a guide? Also, are we required Carrie Wilson to purchase licenses and tags to hunt on our fam- ily's private property, or is it only required for federal and public land? I have been buying hunting licenses and tags to hunt on public land, but I was told we didn't need to on our land. I would rather hear it from a profes- sional instead of letting rumor get somebody in trouble. Thank you for the clarification. (Paul) Answer: Yes, even landowners must pur- chase licenses and tags tion about a hunting guide license, "guide" means any person who is engaged in the busi- ness of packing or guid- ing, or who, for com- pensation, assists another person in taking or attempting to take any bird, mammal, fish, amphibian or reptile. "Guide" also includes any person who, for profit, transports other persons, their equip- ment, or both to or from hunting or fishing areas. There are no courses or tests one must take to to hunt on their own property . Wildlife is a public trust resource and belongs to the people of Cal- ifornia and not to the people who own the land that the animals may reside on or travel over. And regard- ing your ques- SIERRA NEVADA BIGHORN SHEEP Department of Fish and Game teams with artist to raise awareness The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is joining artist and science illustrator Jane Kim to raise public awareness of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. This endangered species is one of the rarest large mammals in North America. Kim's show, "The Art of Con- servation," launches the Migrating Mural to ben- efit the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Founda- tion. is a collection of murals to be painted along migration corridors of endangered species. Through the murals, the transient life of these animals can be seen and appreciated from high- ways. The Migrating Mural Hunting, guiding on private property & become a hunting guide. The basic require- ments are to fill out the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) guide license application and pay the license fees. The current cost for an annual resident guide's license is $204.97. Employees of the guide who assist in the service are also required to have a guide employee registration license that costs $45.06. any DFG violations in the two years preceding their application. A prospective guide with DFG-related violations may have his or her application denied and licensed guides with violations may have their licenses revoked. A guide must also purchase and maintain a "performance bond." The bond is to protect the clients and assure that any deposit a guide receives from a client to reserve a future trip will Guides must not have be returned to the client if the guide cancels and tries to keep the deposit. For more information on acquiring a guide license, please go to http://www.dfg.ca.gov/l icensing/forms and see Fish and Game Code sections 2535-2546 and California Code of Reg- ulations Title 14, sec- tion 745. for waterfowl during the first portion of each waterfowl season. Please see CCR Title 14 section 507(c) in the waterfowl hunting regu- lations. Legal decoys Question: I am inter- ested in hunting doves, pigeons, turkey, deer and/or ducks. I see that some states allow hunters to use decoys to lure in their game and would like to know what's okay and what's not. Since there are so many sold in the mar- kets now, how do you know which are legal to use in California and which are not? (Sam X.) Answer: Wildlife Grizzly Bear Tooth Question: I received a grizzly bear tooth amongst some of my grandfather's posses- sions after he passed away. My grandfather grew up here in Califor- nia and was an amateur geologist (never hunt- ed), so I think he either found or purchased the tooth, although I have no proof. I was wonder- ing if it is legal to pos- sess or sell the tooth here in the state of Cal- ifornia. I don't want to break any laws. (Laura J.) part in California is pro- hibited (FGC, section 4758 (a)). Even offering it for sale over the Inter- net is a federal violation that could make you subject to prosecution under the Lacey Act. Looks like you may possess the tooth, or give it away but you may not sell it. Sounds to me like you may have an interesting piece of California's history, as grizzly bears are extinct in the state — enjoy it. Halibut fishing in the Bay decoys are generally legal to use in Califor- nia.There are restric- tions for motorized spinning wing decoys Answer: It is legal for you to possess it but you cannot try to sell it. According to DFG Statewide Coordinator or Bear, Mountain Lion and Wild Pig Programs Marc Kenyon the sale or purchase of any bear Question: If I'm trolling for halibut in the San Francisco Bay, can I use another line that has only dodgers and flashers on it with- out any hooks to attract the fish closer to my boat? I will only have one pole or line with a hook on it. (J.V., Rodeo) Answer: Yes. Vote clears way for wolf status study The California Fish and Game Commission deter- mined Wednesday that list- ing the gray wolf as an endangered species in the state may be warranted and declared it a candidate for future listing consideration. The decision opens a sta- tus review to be done over the course of the next 12 months, after which the Commission could decide to list the wolf as an endan- gered species under state law. The first series of four migrating wildlife murals will feature Sier- ra Nevada bighorn sheep and be visible from U.S. Highway 395 in the east- ern Sierra Nevada, between Tioga Pass and Cartago, which is south of Lone Pine. Fund-raising for the Migrating Mural will begin with the "Art of Conservation" started Thursday. MCT file photo Bighorn sheep graze in Colorado.The Department of Fish and Game is raising awareness the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. routes, and visible to the public. After the bighorn sheep series is complet- ed, Kim plans to paint additional series of murals featuring imper- iled migratory species near their migration The Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep is listed as endangered on both state and federal endangered species lists. The foun- dation supports some of DFG's recovery work. In the past, they have pur- chased VHF and GPS collars that make it pos- sible for DFG to track the sheep herds' move- ment, and paid for labo- ratory analyses that allow DFG to monitor the animals' health. Historically, bighorn sheep were distributed along the crest of the Sierra Nevada from Sonora Pass in the north to Olancha Peak in the south. The population of more than 1,000 bighorn was decimated during the 19th and 20th cen- turies. By 1995 only about 100 bighorn sheep remained in the Sierra Nevada. tion show runs Oct. 4- 30. For more informa- tion, visit http://inkd- well.prosite.com/19869/ 229572/gallery/the- migrating-mural. The Art of Conserva- State Parks finalize deals to keep parks open California State Parks announced today that key partnerships have been formed with non-profit organizations that will help keep two more state parks open. Those parks are Gray Whale Cove State Beach in San Mateo County and Benicia Capitol State Historic Park in Solano County. "We are grateful to all of our partners, donors and staff members, especially those who continue to step-up and help despite the recent discovery of surplus money," said California State Parks act- ing Director Janelle Beland. "There is an understanding that the recently identified funding only gets us past the immediate crisis, but does not address the long-term budget shortfall. Solving the long term problem remains our greatest challenge, making continued help very necessary." For Benicia Capitol State Historic Park, a Partnership Donation Agreement was signed Sept. 19 between California State Parks and the Benicia State Parks Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit orga- nization. In this agreement, the Benicia State Parks Association has agreed to donate $35,469 to State Parks to be used to main- tain and operate the park from Sept. 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. The agreement calls for minimum operating hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at least two days per week. It allows for the donor to recruit and utilize volunteers to assist with the operation of the facility. For Gray Whale Cove State Beach, a State Park Contingent Fund Donation Agreement was finalized Sept. 19 between California State Parks and the San Mateo Coast Natural History Asso- ciation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organiza- tion. In this agreement, the donor is pro- viding $6,000 to State Parks as a one-time donation to be used to maintain and oper- ate the facility from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. The donor is strictly providing for a donation and will have no responsibility for maintaining or operating the park -California State Parks. wolf known as OR7 dis- persed to California from a pack in northeastern Oregon and has been in the state for most of the time since then."We have very little information on the history and status of wolves in Cal- ifornia," said Michael Sut- ton, Vice President of the Fish & Game Commission. "Our decision today launch- es a year-long effort to learn more, which in turn will inform our ultimate decision whether or not to protect this iconic species under Cali- fornia law." Gray wolves such as OR7 are protected as an endangered species in Cali- fornia under the federal Endangered Species Act. The petition to list Last December, a lone wolves as an endangered species under California state law was filed in Febru- ary by four environmental groups. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reviewed the petition and other relevant information and recommended the com- mission make a finding that a listing may be warranted. There has never been a scientific study conducted on wolves in California. And although there are numerous anecdotal reports of wolves in early Califor- nia, there is little direct evi- dence of these wolves beyond two museum speci- mens – one of a gray wolf and the other likely a Mexi- can wolf. the wolves were once wide- ly distributed across Califor- nia before they were extir- pated by humans in the early 20th Century. The vote was 3-0. DFG believes it is likely