Question: I heard that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is not requiring hunters to bring harvested bears to an office for a tooth extraction this season. Is that a permanent change or just a temporary situation due to coronavirus? (John)
Answer: Tooth extraction is a practice that provides wildlife biologists with data on age demographics for study. A tooth is typically extracted by a CDFW employee when the hunter presents the bear and tag for validation. Successful hunters must still present their bear and tag to an employee for validation as per California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, section 708.12(c) and 367.5; however, in an effort to simplify the validation process and help ensure health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, CDFW is not requiring bear tooth extractions this year. This is a temporary change for 2020 only.
Please note that due to necessary coronavirus safety precautions, CDFW facilities that usually validate tags may be closed to the public. Please refer to CDFW’s news release on tag validation and call ahead to find a facility near you that is open for validations.
How many rods at Ocean Beach Pier?
Question: I have a question pertaining to the number of rods that can be used on Ocean Beach Pier in San Diego. According to the 2019-2020 CDFW Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, page 44, section 28.65(b): “… on a public pier no person shall use more than two rods and lines.” However, old signage that has been recently reprinted and posted state that only one rod is permitted for each person fishing. Which regulation do people follow? (Anonymous)
Answer: As per CCR Title 14, section 28.65(b), no more than two devices can be used on public piers – whether it’s two poles, two hand lines, or two nets, traps or other appliances used to take crabs. The pier you reference is operated by the City of San Diego, and city rules can be more restrictive. Our best advice is to contact the agency which has authority for the pier. Generally speaking, if there’s a sign posted with a local municipal code that directs what activity is allowed, you are required to abide by that (local) regulation.
Why can nonresident artists enter CDFW stamp contests?
Question: I saw your recent notice about the announcement of next year’s Duck Stamp art. It’s a lovely painting, but I was surprised to see that the artist is from Indiana. Why isn’t it a requirement for the winners to be California residents? (Harris)
Answer: CDFW holds two annual stamp art contests – the California Duck Stamp Contest and the California Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest. Since we don’t always receive enough in-state entries to award three top place winners, both contests are open to participants nationwide in order to ensure a wide pool of entries. This year, for example, the Duck Stamp contest only received three entries from California. There is no cash prize for winning either contest and all proceeds generated from stamp sales go directly to waterfowl or upland game bird-related conservation projects in California, regardless of where the winning artist resides.
The last California artist to win a stamp contest was Roberta Baer of Redding. She won the 2016 Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest with her painting of California quail. She also won in 2015 with her painting of a ring-necked pheasant. Her paintings and other past Upland Game Stamp Contest winners, as well as contest rules and entry dates, can be viewed at wildlife.ca.gov/upland-game-bird-stamp. More information about the Duck Stamp Contest and a gallery of past winners can be found at wildlife.ca.gov/duck-stamp. The annual Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest typically opens in early September with entries accepted from November to December, while the Duck Stamp Contest is announced in early March with entries accepted throughout the month of May.
We encourage anyone interested in entering the contests to send in their artwork during the entry period. We would love to see more submissions, especially from California artists!
Using lead for Eurasian doves … and extension tubes?
Question: When hunting Eurasian doves, can I use lead ammo? And do I need to keep the plug in the shotgun so it only holds three shells, or can I use extension tubes? (Shawn)
Answer: California requires nonlead ammo for the take of any wildlife anywhere in the state. Eurasian collared-doves are no exception.
Eurasian collared-doves are classified as resident small game. Per CCR Title 14, section 311, resident small game hunters can use shotguns 10 gauge or smaller using shot shells only. The shotgun must be incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined – even with a magazine extension tube. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one-piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun.
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