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FIRE CLOSURES AND DEER SEASON -- Jim Matthews 29sep04
Fire closures again affecting deer hunting
Outdoor News Service
For the third year in a row, fire closures will affect portions of most of the deer hunting regions in Southern California, and the bulk of the D11 hunting zone will likely be completely shut down because of an Angeles National Forest closure.
The first of the deer seasons kicks off this Saturday, when the D19 zone opens. This hunting area mostly consists of the San Jacinto Mountains within the San Bernardino National Forest, and most of this region is open to hunters at this time. There are extensive camping, campfire, and other restrictions, and hunters need to check with Forest Service offices to make sure they abide by the restrictions, but most areas remain open to access.
Most of the remaining deer hunting zones in Southern California open the following weekend, on Oct. 9, when the D11, D13, D14, D15 and D17 zones all open.
The D11 zone will likely have virtually no access for hunting for the third year in a row. Most of this zone falls within the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angeles National Forest, and the Angeles is completely closed to all public access. Hunters who have D11 tags are reminded that those tags are also valid in zones D13 and D15.
The D13 zone, in the Frazier Park-Mt. Pinos region of the Los Padres National Forest is currently open and is likely to stay that way through at least opening weekend of deer season. There may be restrictions on the D15 zone, which encompasses the Santa Ana Mountains in western Riverside and Orange counties, and hunters are encouraged to check with the Forest Service before hunting. Most public lands in D15 are managed by the Cleveland National Forest and portions of the forest are currently closed with other areas being considered for closure.
The D14 zone, which mostly consists of the San Bernardino Mountains in the San Bernardino National Forest, currently has closures on the low elevation front country that surrounds the urban interface, but the high elevation areas where much of the deer hunting takes place is likely to remain open. There are also BLM lands on the east side of the D14 zone that will likely remain open even if there are USFS closures later this fall.
The D16 zone, which includes most of San Diego County, does not open until Oct. 23, but there is little likelihood that fire restrictions on the Cleveland National Forest south of Interstate 8 and in the Mt. Palomar area will be lifted before that date, and areas now open could close before the opener.
The two desert deer zones, D17 in the East Mojave, which opens Oct. 9, and D12 along the Colorado River, which opens Nov. 6, are not likely to have any restrictions that are greater than normal.
Hunters can get up-to-date information by calling the various Forest Service offices or visiting their Web sites. The contact information: Los Padres National Forest, (805) 968-6640 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres. Angeles National Forest, (626) 574-1613 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles. San Bernardino National Forest, (909) 382-2600 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino. Cleveland National Forest, (858) 673-6180 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland. Most of the Web sites have written descriptions of the areas closed and downloadable maps showing the closed areas.
Hunters need to check with the Forest Service before they venture into the field this year. Warm temperatures and dry winds are likely to worsen the fire danger before rains come and things improve, so it's very likely closures will become more extensive this fall. Last season, the San Bernardino National Forest went beyond the call of duty to accommodate hunters, opening up the bulk of the forest for us in the face of poor conditions. This is in stark contract to the Angeles which has locked everyone out of that forest. And its managers continues to keep the public's forest closed even though the conditions there are certainly no worse in the Angeles than the San Bernardino.
Fire closures again affecting deer hunting
Outdoor News Service
For the third year in a row, fire closures will affect portions of most of the deer hunting regions in Southern California, and the bulk of the D11 hunting zone will likely be completely shut down because of an Angeles National Forest closure.
The first of the deer seasons kicks off this Saturday, when the D19 zone opens. This hunting area mostly consists of the San Jacinto Mountains within the San Bernardino National Forest, and most of this region is open to hunters at this time. There are extensive camping, campfire, and other restrictions, and hunters need to check with Forest Service offices to make sure they abide by the restrictions, but most areas remain open to access.
Most of the remaining deer hunting zones in Southern California open the following weekend, on Oct. 9, when the D11, D13, D14, D15 and D17 zones all open.
The D11 zone will likely have virtually no access for hunting for the third year in a row. Most of this zone falls within the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angeles National Forest, and the Angeles is completely closed to all public access. Hunters who have D11 tags are reminded that those tags are also valid in zones D13 and D15.
The D13 zone, in the Frazier Park-Mt. Pinos region of the Los Padres National Forest is currently open and is likely to stay that way through at least opening weekend of deer season. There may be restrictions on the D15 zone, which encompasses the Santa Ana Mountains in western Riverside and Orange counties, and hunters are encouraged to check with the Forest Service before hunting. Most public lands in D15 are managed by the Cleveland National Forest and portions of the forest are currently closed with other areas being considered for closure.
The D14 zone, which mostly consists of the San Bernardino Mountains in the San Bernardino National Forest, currently has closures on the low elevation front country that surrounds the urban interface, but the high elevation areas where much of the deer hunting takes place is likely to remain open. There are also BLM lands on the east side of the D14 zone that will likely remain open even if there are USFS closures later this fall.
The D16 zone, which includes most of San Diego County, does not open until Oct. 23, but there is little likelihood that fire restrictions on the Cleveland National Forest south of Interstate 8 and in the Mt. Palomar area will be lifted before that date, and areas now open could close before the opener.
The two desert deer zones, D17 in the East Mojave, which opens Oct. 9, and D12 along the Colorado River, which opens Nov. 6, are not likely to have any restrictions that are greater than normal.
Hunters can get up-to-date information by calling the various Forest Service offices or visiting their Web sites. The contact information: Los Padres National Forest, (805) 968-6640 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres. Angeles National Forest, (626) 574-1613 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles. San Bernardino National Forest, (909) 382-2600 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino. Cleveland National Forest, (858) 673-6180 or http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland. Most of the Web sites have written descriptions of the areas closed and downloadable maps showing the closed areas.
Hunters need to check with the Forest Service before they venture into the field this year. Warm temperatures and dry winds are likely to worsen the fire danger before rains come and things improve, so it's very likely closures will become more extensive this fall. Last season, the San Bernardino National Forest went beyond the call of duty to accommodate hunters, opening up the bulk of the forest for us in the face of poor conditions. This is in stark contract to the Angeles which has locked everyone out of that forest. And its managers continues to keep the public's forest closed even though the conditions there are certainly no worse in the Angeles than the San Bernardino.
