Collecting Antlers from Carcasses

(UDWR photo)

Question:I was hiking on public land and came across a dead elk carcass 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 carcass? 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 mammal 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 mammal.

Please note that there are exceptions for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuges and National Parks though. On these lands it is illegal to collect antlers or to take any animal or it’s parts unless they are taken legally while hunting or with a special use permit.

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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?

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 prohibited north of Point Arguello, but there is an exception for handling crab traps or nets (see CCR Title 14, section 28.70.)

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Junior hunter deer tag
Question: If my junior hunter is only 11 years old right 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, however, 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.

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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 diameter. 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.

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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 promoting 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 applicable. 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.

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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.

Hazing Trespassing Canada Geese

Canada geese (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources photo)

Question: My neighbor has lake front property and regularly chases away (or throws sticks and pine cones at) Canada geese during the nesting season. His intent is to keep them off his dock, but he extends his harassment about one-tenth of a mile up the beach on several others private ground and PG&E property. Is this legal? I figure the wildlife came with the property location and should be left alone. Love my neighbor but hate his treatment of our local geese. (Anonymous)

Answer: Your neighbor is within his rights to haze geese from his property. Canada geese are state and federally protected under laws and regulations within the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and California Fish and Game Code. However, within those regulations, non-lethal hazing methods, such as harassment as done by this individual, are allowed to deter Canada geese from privately-owned property where property damage or a nuisance may occur to the landowner.

Resident Canada goose populations have increased considerably since the 1990s in California. In this time, Canada geese have expanded outside their historical nesting range. Due to this increase, conflicts between landowners and resident Canada geese have expanded in many counties in California.

Your neighbor is allowed to scare resident geese away from his property with non-lethal means at any time. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) advocates that landowners take proactive non-lethal measures to reduce Canada goose use on impacted private property. Possible suggestions for hazing geese away from properties during the breeding season include landscape modification to make the area less attractive to resident geese (e.g. keep grass short to discourage feeding), use of dogs, visual deterrents, such as scarecrows, predator decoys, mylar flagging and balloons, and fencing.  Additionally, waterfowl hunting can be an effective deterrent in problem areas outside the breeding season when state and local regulations allow this activity.

For additional questions regarding how private landowners can best control problem Canada geese, please contact DFG’s Waterfowl Program staff at (916)  445-3763.

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Fishing on Private Property
Question: Do I need a fishing license when fishing a private lake on a ranch behind a locked gate? There is no public access. The lake is fed by a year round creek that originates on federal land. The fish in it were planted by a private party, but the fish do run up the creek to spawn. Thanks for the clarification. (Ken, Alturas).

Answer: Yes, you need a fishing license. Even though this lake is on private property, a fishing license is required because the lake is fed by a permanent stream. A license would not be required if this lake is being maintained and operated as a licensed Aquaculture Facility.

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Highest number of abalone harvested in last decade?
Question: When in the last decade were the most abalone harvested? (Anonymous)

Answer: In 2007, a total of 309,000 abalone were harvested along the North Coast, which marked the highest abalone harvest season of the decade. That was the only year between 2002 and 2010 that more than 300,000 were harvested. According to DFG Environmental Biologist Jerry Kashiwada, these figures are calculated from a sampling of abalone report cards that were returned to us and a systematic telephone survey. The annual average for 2002 to 2010 was 264,000. Since this is based on what is entered on cards and wardens often encounter people who fail to complete their cards, we believe it represents the minimum number taken.

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Using lead projectiles in air rifles in Condor Country?
Question: I know that air rifles are not technically considered firearms, but shouldn’t the lead pellets from an air rifle still be illegal in Condor Country because they contain lead? It would seem the reason for banning lead projectiles is because it is made up of lead, not because of the type of firearm/weapon/tool it came out of. What is the purpose of the lead ban if it is legal to use lead pellets from a pellet rifle? Isn’t there a health risk involved with condors and lead, thus the ban on lead? If the pellet rifle is not considered a firearm, isn’t this a flaw in how the lead ban law is written when it states that the projectiles come from a firearm? (Sarah D.)

Answer: DFG enforces the Fish and Game Code regulations after they go through the legislative process and are adopted by the Fish and Game Commission. You raise valid policy questions that may have been considered by the State Legislature and Commission in developing the lead bullet bans. DFG can’t speak for the Commission, but If you’d like to research this issue further, please contact the Fish and Game Commission directly. Their website is www.fgc.ca.gov.

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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.

Losing My Head Upon Request?

Anglers in possession of salmon with a clipped adipose fin are required to relinquish the head to DFG employees, upon request (DFG photo)

Question: I was wondering if it’s mandatory to have to give up my salmon heads when the volunteer fish checkers come around to measure my fish? I thought it was my choice. (Gary B.)

Answer: Yes, it’s mandatory. The surveyors at the dock collecting heads are not volunteers but are paid, trained and educated biologists, and anglers in possession of a salmon with a clipped adipose fin are required to relinquish the head to these Department of Fish and Game (DFG) employees (Fish and Game Code, section 8226).

Section 8226 reads: “(a) … any person in possession of a salmon with a missing adipose fin, the small, fleshy fin on the back of the fish between the back fin and the tail, upon request by an authorized agent or employee of the department, shall immediately relinquish the head of the salmon to the state, at no charge, for recovery of any coded-wire tag. The head may be removed by the fish owner or, if removed by the official department representative, the head shall be removed in a manner to minimize loss of salmon flesh and the salmon shall immediately be returned to the rightful owner. (b) It is unlawful to intentionally conceal, cull or release into the waters a salmon with a missing adipose fin that it is otherwise legal to possess.”

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Banded Redtail Hawk
Question: My daughter has a red-shouldered hawk that frequents her deck in San Rafael. The hawk seems to enjoy scanning from the railing for critters it might like to eat. This bird appears to have a silver tag on its right leg just above the claw but I can’t read the writing. I was wondering if DFG or any agencies that you know of have a tagging program for hawks? (Ken M., Oakland)

Answer: Yes, there are numerous researchers both in and outside of California that capture and mark birds. According to Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Raptor Biologist Carie Battistone, identification bands should be reported to the Bird Banding Lab (BBL) (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/), administered by USGS. If someone sees a marked bird, such as this red-shouldered hawk, they can report it by accessing BBL’s website and clicking the “Report a Bird Band or Marked Bird” link. This national program allows researchers to study bird movement (dispersal and migration patterns), survival, population trends and more.

Many bands are reported when a bird is recaptured or dies. Reading the band number can be hard, but not impossible, on live birds. In addition to silver bands, researchers also use color bands which tend to be much easier to identify and report.

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Can crayfish be taken in otherwise closed zones?
Question: If an area is posted “closed to fishing,” like the stretch of the Feather River between the green bridge in Oroville and the fish hatchery, is it still ok to use crayfish traps there? Or are crayfish traps considered “fishing”? (Al C., Oroville)

Answer: No, you cannot use crayfish traps there. According to DFG Lt. Sam Castillo, in this particular area the law says, “Closed to all fishing all year” (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 7.50(b)(68)(A)). The law is inclusive of all species and is not specific to just trout and salmon. Some other no-fishing areas will allow for the take of amphibians, fresh water clams, crayfish and lampreys under CCR Title 14, section 7.50(a)(2), but this isn’t one of them.

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Guns on boats
Question: We do not have a concealed carry permit but while camping we keep a loaded pistol in our camper for personal protection. We would prefer not to leave it in the camper while we are out on the boat fishing. Is it legal to carry a loaded firearm (pistol) on a boat while fishing in the ocean? If so, does it have to be in plain sight or can it be kept in a glove box on the boat? (Lisa G., Granite Bay)

Answer: In general, you may not possess a loaded, concealed handgun when in a public place. There is an exception for licensed anglers and hunters, who are allowed to carry a concealed firearm on their person when engaged in hunting or fishing (see Penal Code, section 25640). The exemption also allows the carry of an unloaded concealable firearm when going to or returning from a hunting or fishing expedition. A summary of firearms laws is available online at http://dfg.ca.gov/enforcement/ under Helpful Information on the right margin.

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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.

Getting Proactive Managing Mountain Lions

Researchers track mountain lion movements with trail cameras and radio collars. Results show some lions were mere feet away from people who were unaware of the lion’s presence. No aggressive lion behaviors were ever reported to the researchers or park personnel during the studies (U.C. Davis Wildlife Health Center photo).

Question: I read in the newspaper that another mountain lion was sighted on the American River trail. Isn’t it just a matter of time before this mountain lion attacks a human just as what happened in Auburn a few years back? Why can’t DFG be offensive instead of defensive? Why not be proactive and not wait for the attack to happen? Get this cat captured and remove it to a wilderness area to fend for itself in the wild. (Bill Moore, El Dorado Hills)

Answer: Your question relays a deep concern for local residents’ well-being, and DFG shares your concern.

To directly answer your question about taking proactive steps, DFG’s Statewide Bear, Mountain Lion and Wild Pig Programs Coordinator Marc Kenyon explains that the department is bound by existing laws. In 1990, California voters passed Proposition 117, an initiative that made it illegal to kill mountain lions except to prevent livestock losses or ensure public safety.

DFG does not consider mountain lion sightings near human habitation a public safety concern as long as the lion is not exhibiting aggressive behavior towards people. Mountain lions occur most anywhere you can find their primary prey, which is deer. As you likely know, deer not only live in remote forests, but also in green belts, parkways and riparian corridors along rivers. As such, mountain lion sightings in these areas are not uncommon, and DFG receives numerous reports of lions in these settings every month. Mountain lions are considered beneficial in these settings as they maintain healthy deer herds by keeping their populations in check.

DFG has scientific evidence that mountain lions inhabiting areas close to humans are no real cause for concern. We have either conducted or been associated with mountain lion studies that have monitored their movements in such areas. We typically capture mountain lions and place a radio collar on them in order to track their movements. The information gleaned from these collars has provided some illuminating results. They have indicated that mountain lions regularly use such areas more frequently than we have previously thought, and that these lions generally attempt to stay away from people. For example, in Southern California, university researchers have placed collars on these big cats in a heavily used park. They also placed trail loggers and remotely triggered cameras along popular trails to estimate human use. Surprisingly, the results indicated that some lions were mere feet away from people who were unaware of the lion’s presence. During the course of this study, no reports of aggressive lion behaviors were ever reported to the researchers or park personnel.

In rare instances, mountain lions will attack and injure or kill people. We have policies and procedures in place that guide our response in such unfortunate cases. Our policy directs us to care for the victim and locate and kill the offending animal in any manner possible. You are correct that this is a reactive approach, but we are bound by the law.

We attempt to mitigate such situations by continually informing the public about how to appropriately live and recreate in mountain lion habitat. The information presented in our Keep Me Wild Campaign (www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/lion.html) and on our mountain lion website (www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/lion/) is designed to help meet this purpose. I hope that you visit these websites and help us in this effort by educating your friends, family and neighbors about the proactive steps to ensure their safety in lion country.

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Salmon heads as bait in Dungeness crab traps?
Question: I have heard it is illegal to use salmon heads as bait in Dungeness crab traps. Is this true? (Sam B.)

Answer: California Fish and Game law does not specifically prohibit using the pieces and parts of salmon in crab traps as long as the salmon were otherwise legally taken, landed and/or acquired. Salmon not taken in accordance with these laws (e.g., size limits, seasons, species, etc.) are illegal to possess and use for any purpose.

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Helping friends fill their tags?
Question: If a group of friends go hunting for a week, and one of the hunters tags a buck on the first day, can he continue to carry his loaded rifle with him and help his friends fill their tags? Or can he only help with drives and such without a weapon? (Rod P., Napa)

Answer: Once a hunter takes a deer and fills his tag, he may accompany other hunters but cannot assist them in any way in the take of additional deer. In addition, he should leave his rifle behind. Otherwise, if encountered in the field with a rifle or other method of take, game wardens may determine the person assisting the hunters is also actively hunting.

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 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.

Should Anglers Release Lingcod Females?

Male lingcod guard the egg nests (Photo by Matt Elyash)

Question: Last year before the end of rockfish season, I went on a charter boat out of Berkeley. Some of the lingcod caught were females with eggs. When do lingcod spawn and can keeping these females hurt the fishery in the future? Should we as anglers release females like we do for striped bass? I’m glad to see the size limit dropped and the season longer, but I don’t want to be back to where we were before. (Jason Green)

Answer: Lingcod and other groundfish are federally managed. Harvest management plans and stock assessments take into account the removal of both males and females when setting quotas, so fishery managers do factor in the take of females, too.

According to Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Environmental Biologist Travis Tanaka, the lingcod stock has fully recovered from their overfished status and so the spawning closure is no longer required to protect the stocks. Lingcod don’t get the bends (no swim bladder), so females can be released if handled properly.

In northern California, the seasons are closed for lingcod and other groundfish species in late fall, winter and spring for boat-based anglers. The closures help to protect mature female lingcod that have moved closer to shore to spawn, and protect the mature males that guard the egg nests.

Lingcod are a species that if handled properly can often be successfully caught and released. However, unless regulations prohibit keeping the fish (e.g. bag and minimum size limits) or the angler is releasing all fish, if it turns out the fish has been improperly handled or is bleeding and may not survive, the fish should be kept. Releasing bleeding females that may not survive in order to keep males instead just wastes fish and is not a good conservation method.

Lingcod generally spawn from November through February. Females do take longer to mature and they grow to a larger size than males. By some estimates, males only grow to 24-26 inches. Females are legal to keep, so keeping an egg-laden female would be up to that fisherman’s personal ethics. In addition, the practice of divers choosing to shoot male lingcod while they are guarding the egg beds is not prohibited, but it is a reflection of that fisherman’s ethics.

Bottom line … female lingcod are legal to take and so it’s up to the fisherman to decide whether or not they want to.

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Planting wild turkeys?
Question: Who can I talk to about planting wild turkeys on private property? I am not sure if it is legal to plant turkeys. If it is legal, do I need a permit? And if so, how do I get one? (Steve H.)

Answer: Turkeys are not allowed to be transported or planted on private property. The law says: “No permission will be granted to any person to release to the wild state turkeys that have been domestically reared for propagation or hunting purposes, except as provided in subsection 600(i)(4) of these regulations. Only wild trapped turkeys trapped from the wild by the Department may be released into the wild” (CCR Title 14, section 671.6 (b)).

According to DFG Wild Turkey Biologist Scott Gardner, only DFG can release wild turkeys (no game farm birds) into the wild. However, we are not planting turkeys due to recent nuisance problems and other issues.

Does the property where you’d like to plant turkeys contain habitat that would be attractive to wild turkeys? Have you seen turkeys nearby? If either of these are true then you probably already have turkeys. It’s almost guaranteed that even if we were to plant birds on your property, they would likely not stay without the appropriate habitat.

Be careful about game farm birds that are being sold as wild turkeys, too. Besides the fact that they are specifically illegal to release into the wild, they aren’t wild turkeys, Gardner says, despite what they look like. A wild turkey must be raised in the wild by a hen right from hatching to learn to be a wild turkey. Otherwise they are maybe just a step up from livestock.

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Two Cali-rigs with a two rod stamp?
Question: Can two Cali-rigs (Alabama rigs with only three hooks) be fished simultaneously on separate poles as long as the angler has a second pole stamp on their license? (Kayak fishing Ron)

Answer: Yes, as long as the angler taking fish with two rods or lines in most inland waters has the two rod stamp.

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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.

Dog Training with Farm-raised Game Birds?

To train dogs with farm-raised pheasants and chukars, birds must be purchased from a licensed, domesticated game bird breeder and dogs are allowed to take birds only on the day released (Photo by John Pomerroy of Rick Copeland and Craig Hanson).

Question: I have a 16-month-old Brittany pup that I’m training for upland game. I would like to continue to train him until it starts to get too hot. I want to buy chukars and pheasants from a breeder, then release and take them on private property. What steps do I need to do to stay legal?  (Paul)

Answer: There is no longer a dog training permit requirement. Dog training is authorized so long as no wild birds are captured, injured or killed (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 677). Since you won’t be doing this as part of an organized field trial or hunt test, you are not required to notify Department of Fish and Game (DFG). However, you must mark your birds to distinguish them from other game birds and tag them with a DFG-issued game bird seal. Your dog will only be allowed to take birds on the day they are released and you are required to have a hunting license and buy the birds from a licensed, domesticated game breeder. In addition, the carcass of each pheasant and chukar must be tagged with the game bird seal prior to transport. To avoid any confusion, you should retain your receipts or other paperwork showing you purchased the birds from a domestic game breeder.

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Crabbing in Humboldt Bay or the mouth of the Eel River
Question: Is it true that traps cannot be used in Humboldt Bay or the mouth of the Eel River? Both areas are popular for crabbing and I’ve never heard of anybody getting cited for using traps or rings. Thanks. (Bryan S.)

Answer: Crab traps are allowed in Humboldt Bay and in other areas of the Ocean and San Francisco Bay District, but not in inland waters. The definition of the Ocean and San Francisco Bay District includes “the waters of open or enclosed bays continuous to the ocean” (CCR Title 14, section 27.00). The mouth of the Eel River is another story though because it falls under inland waters regulations. The definition of inland waters includes “all the fresh, brackish and inland saline waters of the state, including lagoons and tidewaters upstream from the mouths of coastal rivers and streams” (CCR Title 14, section 1.53). While Dungeness crabs may not be taken by traps in inland waters, they can be taken by hand or by hoop nets in Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino and Sonoma counties (CCR Title 15, sections 7.50(a)(2) and 8.00)). Fishing is closed for crabs and other saltwater invertebrates during low-flow river and stream closures though.

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Multiple limits on the same stringer
Question: My question is about the bag limit and possession limit of fish. Can one person carry more than just their own fish? Other friends say it is fine as long as the licensed people are accounted for, even if they are on the same line. If we have a bag limit of five fish and possession limit of 10, would sharing a stringer with a friend count toward my bag and/or possession limit? Would a stringer of fish in the water be different from having a bucket or cooler of fish instead? Other friends have said the fish must be in a cooler or the car for it to not count toward your bag limit but it will still count towards your possession limit. (Toua X.)

Answer: Every angler is responsible for their own fish. So long as all anglers remain together, there is no law that requires catch to be separated. However, if one of your friends leaves the area, make sure they take their catch with them. You should also know who caught which fish. If you are not able to remember, you should separate your catch. [Note: Starting this year, people who take abalone may not comingle their catch until their abalone have been tagged.]

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How many shells for predator hunting?
Question: I have heard you can carry five shells in a shotgun when hunting for predators but I couldn’t find anything in the regulations to confirm this. Is it true? (Joe H.)

Answer: The maximum number of shells allowed in a shotgun under California Fish and Game Code laws is six (FGC, section 2010).

However, Fish and Game regulations limit the number of shells to a total of three (one in the chamber and two in the magazine) when hunting migratory game birds (waterfowl, pigeons, doves, etc.), resident small game (quail, rabbits, pheasants, chukar, grouse, tree squirrels) and big game (deer, bear and wild pigs only) (CCR Title 14, sections 311, 353 and 507).

The three-shell restriction does not apply when taking nongame mammals such as coyotes, bobcat, ground squirrels, skunks, gray fox, raccoon, etc. (CCR Title 14, sections 465 and 475 and the Mammal Hunting regulations.) To view the complete seasonal hunting regulations, please check out www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/.

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 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.

Raccoon House Pets?

Raccoons are illegal to keep as house pets (USFWS photo)

Question: Is it legal to have a raccoon living in the house? I have seen a raccoon in my friend’s tree during the daytime (which is unusual) and they told me it belongs to their neighbor. My friend has a lot of grandchildren running around outside and so I worry this is a health issue. I am not sure if they have a special permit for this little creature. Should a game warden come out to check on the situation? (Debra M.)

Answer: It is not only illegal to keep raccoons (or any wildlife) as pets or in captivity, but it also may be dangerous. Wild animals such as raccoons can become very aggressive and dangerous to both humans and pets as they mature. In addition, they can carry diseases and parasites that can present health risks to humans. Wildlife need to be kept wild for their safety and well-being, as well as ours. Only people who are permitted by DFG (for example, licensed wildlife rehabilitators or exhibitors) may keep wildlife in captivity. To report this situation, please contact our CalTIP line at 1-888-334-2258.

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Can full Alabama rigs be legally fished in ocean waters?
Question: Can full Alabama rigs be legally fished in ocean waters? (Zack P., Santa Barbara)

Answer: Alabama rigs have been all the rage, as well as very controversial, in the bass fishing circuits this year. While in freshwater lakes and Delta waters the Alabama rig must be modified (only three hooks total allowed rather than the standard five), in ocean waters no modifications are required. However, if fishing for salmon or rockfish or if salmon or rockfish are in possession, the angler would be limited to only two hooks.

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Shooting from side-by-side carts on private property?
Question: What are the rules for shooting from or off side-by-side carts on private property? Legal or not legal? (Ric)

Answer: California Fish and Game laws prohibit shooting from a vehicle when you are shooting at wildlife and you cannot shoot from any vehicle that is on a way open to the public. In addition, there are restrictions in the Penal Code against discharging firearms in certain incorporated or unincorporated areas, even if you are on private property. Information regarding these Penal Code provisions are available online in the “Firearms Laws” (Booklet by California Department of Justice) (PDF) on the DFG Enforcement homepage (www.dfg.ca.gov/enforcement).

The one exception here would be for mobility impaired disabled hunters who qualify for a special hunting license allowing the person to use a motor vehicle to pursue game. The vehicle would still have to be stopped before the hunter could shoot from the vehicle. For more information on this special license, please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/hunting/huntdescrip.html.

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Selling bottle openers made from antlers
Question: I have a very small hobby/business of making (and at some point hopefully selling) bottle openers. I currently make them out of wood but I would like to make some of them out of deer or elk antlers or bone. There are companies on the Internet who sell antlers, but they say they cannot ship to California. What are the regulations concerning using antlers for hobby items such as this? What antlers are permissible for importing for use in a hobby/business of making bottle openers? Why are elk antlers not allowed to be imported into California? Can elk antlers be legally gathered or purchased from within California? (Jeff M., South Lake Tahoe)

Answer:  In general, it is not legal to buy or sell the parts of any game bird or mammal found in the wild in the state of California (Fish and Game Code, section 3039(a)). However, FGC section 3039(c) allows the purchase and sale of shed antlers or antlers taken from domestically reared animals that have been manufactured into products as long as the antlers are not complete, attached to a head, mounted for display, or in velvet. As far as your question, if the antlers are from sheds and are made into bottle openers, they would be allowed to be sold in California. Another option would be to purchase antlers from animals such as caribou or moose, since they are not found in the wild in California. (246 words)

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Turkey call
Question: I want to make a turkey call from a box turtle shell. Would these be legal to possess in California? (Jeff H.)

Answer: Yes.

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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.