Veteran angler and frequent Outposts contributor Steve Carson recently purchased his 2011 California fishing license, and did so using the new online system. Here's his take on the process:

The 2011 California state fishing licenses are now available, but buying one is not quite the same as it has been in the past. Along with the traditional spots like local sporting goods stores, the Department of Fish and Game now sells licenses online.

California’s previous attempt at online license sales a decade ago ended in a technological nightmare. One benefit of waiting so long to start again is that much of the license-buying public is now very comfortable with online purchases.

Accordingly, this writer tackled the new online system this week, with apparent success. I was able print out a "temporary" license, with the permanent version hopefully to arrive by U.S. mail. It should be noted that I am only a moderately active online shopper, but was an actual license dealer for more than 30 years, and so was extremely familiar with the "old way" of issuing licenses.

The entire process took about 20 minutes; and the DFG’s online purchase form is slightly less intuitive than say, Southwest Airlines'. California has more different fishing license options than any other state. It helps to be familiar with the kind of license options you will need, or the process may take considerably longer.

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: Please explain why the Department of Fish and Game requires a hunting license and tags to hunt and kill feral pigs. Feral pigs, as the name implies, are domestic pigs that have gone wild. They are an invasive species that destroy the environment and spread disease. Proper and responsible environmental management would mandate the eradication of this invasive species; yet DFG has a policy that discourages killing feral pigs by charging fees. Why is this? (Curtis A.)

Answer: DFG requires a valid license and tag to legally take a wild pig. According to DFG Wild Pig Program Coordinator Marc Kenyon, Fish and Game Code, section 4650 says that any free-ranging, non-domesticated pig is classified as a wild pig, and therefore is considered big game. DFG instituted the tagging requirement as a means to continuously monitor California’s wild-pig population. This information is used by DFG biologists, in concert with private and public landowners, to develop pig-management plans that are intended to protect cultural and natural resources from the damage wild pigs are known to cause. Without the wild-pig harvest report information, private and public land managers would lack the information necessary to develop these plans of action. Furthermore, the revenues generated by the sale of wild-pig tags are used by DFG to monitor disease transmission, evaluate environmental impacts of wild pigs and provide the public with additional hunting opportunities. Your participation in this process is greatly appreciated.

California Department of Fish and Game wardens certainly have an interesting work schedule. Dealing with illegal hunters, methamphetamine users, illegal pot growers and probation violators, it seems no two days are alike. 

These 240 law enforcement men and women patrol wide swaths of the state's 159,000 square miles of land, 30,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than 1,100 miles of coastline, often alone and in rural areas where backup can be hours away. And often, many of the people they come in contact with are armed.

The real-life bravery of California game wardens is brought to light in the new National Geographic Channel series "Wild Justice," premiering Sunday at 9 p.m. with two hourlong episodes before moving to its regular night and time, Wednesdays at 10 beginning Dec. 1.

The 11-episode series follows the lives of California’s Fish and Game wardens, on call 24/7, as they defend against human threats to the environment, endangered wildlife and the cultivation of illegal drugs.  On foot or horseback, by car or off-road vehicle, by plane or by boat, this small group of law enforcement officers covers a large territory in pursuit of poachers, polluters and illegal marijuana growers, while still making sure hunters and anglers follow the rules.

Though the show appears to focus on the "dirty" side of the job, it's not all trouble -- wardens also promote and coordinate hunter education programs and represent the DFG at schools and meetings of hunting and fishing clubs and other special interest groups.

"One thing about this job is that everything changes," DFG Warden Brian Boyd comments in one episode. "It's one reason why I like it and the reason some people don't like it, cause you can't set your clock to it."

"Wild Justice" episode descriptions through mid-December are after the jump (the rest of the descriptions are still pending):

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: One of my dive buddies asked me what to do when plucking an abalone and the abalone shell comes off the ab and the meat remains on the rock. Should the person then pry the meat off the rock, lay it in the shell and take it all like this? It would be a legal (seven inches or bigger) abalone. Is this illegal? I know it is the sporting thing to do and the right thing to do, but the regulations say that if you have an abalone removed from the shell, you are in violation! What is the right thing to do in this scenario? (Matt M.)

Answer: Although the spirit of the law may make you want to pry the meat off and place it in the shell, the law prohibits possession of an abalone removed from the shell, and your friend should not possess this abalone. According to Department of Fish and Game Lt. Dennis McKiver, in his experience he’s only known this to happen on rare occasions and only when the abalone iron is not being used properly. McKiver advises that if this happens to you, or if your abalone are being otherwise injured when removed, then you should have someone show you how to properly remove an abalone without injury. This would be the right and sporting thing to do.

Q: I have a bow-hunting question. If a father and son want to hunt together and the son has an archery-only tag but he doesn’t get his deer during archery season, can he then hunt with his dad who only hunts with a gun during the gun season? How could they make this work so they could both hunt together? (Doug W.)

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I have 15 to 20 turkey vultures that have been roosting on my roof. They are congregating and making a mess on my roof and in my yard with their droppings and molted feathers. My house is two stories and the roof is tile so access is difficult. How can I get rid of them? (Lawrence)

Answer: You have different persuasion options available for moving these birds from your roof to a more appropriate roost site. According to Department of Fish and Game raptor biologist Carie Battistone, these may include repetitive loud noises, motion sensor sprinklers and the use of an effigy (usually a taxidermic preparation or an artificial likeness of a deceased vulture). Since your roof is steep and hard to access, you will have to use caution when placing anything on the roof. If all else fails, you may want to call Wildlife Services (federal wildlife trappers) to ask for advice or possibly for someone to come out to help you.

Below are several links to articles on deterring vultures from roost sites:

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: If I go diving with a friend in Sea Ranch (Sonoma County) and my wife stays home in San Francisco, can I dive one day and gift those abalone to my wife even though she is not with me at the moment? Then the following day, can I dive again, take an additional limit for myself, and then drive home alone with six abalone in my car? I would make sure the abalone remained in their shells and I would carry a letter stating three of the abalone are gifts for my wife. Does she have to be with me in order for me to gift the abalone to her? (Chuck V.)

Answer: This scenario would not be legal. Regardless of your intent, if you have six abalone in your possession, you will be in violation of an overlimit and could be cited and have all your abalone confiscated. Only three abalone may be possessed at any time by an individual, period (California Code of Regulations, Section 29.15[c]).

In order for you to legally gift abalone to someone else, that person must be with you to receive and personally take possession of the abalone. Just carrying a note stating that you intend to gift three of the six abalone in your possession to your wife will not suffice because you are still in possession of an overlimit, and are thus in violation of the law.

 

 

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I was looking into buying some land in California to use for hunting, but someone told me that even if you owned the land, you would still have to be drawn to hunt it. Were they correct or full of it? In Texas and in most other states, you can hunt on your own land. (Mitch, Southern California)

Answer: Yes, it’s true. The wildlife belongs to the state of California and not to the landowner who owns the land they may be residing on or passing through.  Under the provisions of a Private Lands Management program, however, landowners can improve their property to benefit wildlife, and in return receive additional tags that they may sell or use themselves. These tags may also allow them additional hunting rights that begin before or run after the regular hunting seasons and that allow additional cows, spikes or bucks to be taken.

Q: While fishing yesterday, we boated very few "keeper" king salmon but caught and threw back several good-sized silvers. The skipper said they are not endangered, just protected. The explanation I got was that the state does not want to pay hatcheries to raise them, so that’s why we can’t keep them. The problem is, by the time you bring them up from 75 to 100 feet, de-net and unhook them, they are tired and almost dead … but we still have to throw them back. What a waste of resources. Do you have any information on that? DFG requires the same thing for certain species of rock cod -- we have to throw them back even if they are dead. (Bob C.)

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I have a question about trichinosis in wild game. I understand it’s caused by a nematode-like worm that burrows into its host, and is most commonly associated with pork (although it can be found in any game that eats meat, such as bear). But, how common is it? For pig hunters in California, is it something that we should look out for, and if so, how do we guard against it? Thanks for your help. (Ren C.)

Answer: You can be at risk for contracting trichinosis if you eat raw or undercooked meats, particularly bear, pork, wild feline (such as a cougar), fox, dog, wolf, horse, seal or walrus. The disease cannot be transferred to others as infection occurs only by eating raw or undercooked meat containing Trichinella worms.

According to Department of Fish and Game Senior Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Ben Gonzales of the Wildlife Investigations Laboratory, limited data related to pig hunting indicates that trichinellosis (trichinosis) is relatively uncommon in wild pigs in California. Gonzales says he personally still cooks all his pork -- domestic and wild -- to well done. The greater risk to human health from wild pig relates to food hygiene and care of the carcass after it is taken.

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I would like to photograph abalone divers diving, but I need to use an air tank to obtain the imagery I want. How can I go about this without getting in trouble with Department of Fish and Game? (Andrew B., Salt Lake City)

Answer: It is legal for you to photograph abalone free-divers while you are using a tank, as long as you observe a couple of regulations.

According to DFG Associate Marine Biologist Ed Roberts, the California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 29.15(e) prohibits the use of scuba gear or surface-supplied air while taking abalone. If you are using a tank while photographing abalone free-divers, you cannot assist them with taking abalone. You cannot help them pop abalone off the rocks, or spot abalone for them, or do anything else that could be construed as giving assistance in taking abalone. In addition, under this section the possession of abalone is prohibited aboard a vessel that also contains scuba gear or surface-supplied air. This means you will have to use a separate boat -- you cannot board the same boat that the abalone free-divers are using while you are using scuba gear.

Q: Is it legal to use mice as bait for stripers and bass? (Chris M.)

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: If I am using a 20-foot beach net (the type generally used inland as bait nets) on an inland water (Mission Bay or San Diego Bay, in particular) to demonstrate to my kids the kind of near-shore sea life that is around, am I going to get zinged?

Here are the details: I would be using a 20-foot beach net, or a longer one if possible. It would be operated by hand with me (a license holder) on one end and my 7-year-old son on the other to crowd whatever sea life would be in the particular area. We are not targeting any species in particular. We would not actually take any sea life, but perhaps would handle them and observe them in a confined area. Would the regulations be any different for a non-inland area? (Tim D., San Diego)

Answer: I’m glad you asked first before taking that beach net out to show your kids what you’d catch. Here’s why …

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I am having problems with crows damaging my crops. Based on size, I think we also have ravens at work here. I know there is a crow hunting season, but what about ravens? Since "corvids" (crows and ravens) are very problematic predators for song birds and marbled murrelets on the coast, can landowners get a depredation permit for either species? If so, where? (Patrick)

Answer:  There is no hunting season for ravens. They are protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Check with the Permit Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at www.fws.gov/permits/. Crows are also protected by the MBTA, but there is an open season between December and April each year (CCR Title 14, sections 472(d) and 485). Fish and Wildlife may provide a permit exemption for crows causing damage. Check in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 50, section 21.43, available online at www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html.

Q: A friend recently hit a deer, causing about $1,200 in damage to the vehicle. He picked up the deer and put it in his truck to take home for food. He was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy who told him to take the deer out of his vehicle or he would be cited. I heard that it is legal to pick up "roadkill." Can you please clarify this? (Sandy B.)

In support of the California Department of Fish and Game and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Outposts, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly Q&A column:

Question: I’m an avid abalone diver who has been diving for more than 28 years and I am curious why we have a set season for abalone diving. Since we have abalone report cards and are limited to three per day and 24 abalone per year, why does it matter what time of year we take those abalone? I can understand the reason for a season when the only limit was four abs per day and all you wanted during season. But currently we are only allowed 24, so what difference does it make what time of year I take my 24 abs? I feel we should be able to go all year. From my understanding, abalone do not have a set breeding season since they are broadcast spawners and breed all year depending on the tides and currents. (Matt M.)

Answer: The abalone season is one tool for reducing the take of abalone and it works in conjunction with other regulations to limit the overall number of abalone taken. According to Department of Fish and Game associate marine biologist Jerry Kashiwada, the abalone fishery is not regulated with a fixed quota like some fisheries. The report card limit is only designed to reduce excessive take and is not based on the number of abalone each person should be allowed to take.