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DEER HUNTING AND FIRE CLOSURES -- Jim Matthews-ons -- 19feb03
Could forecast fire closures end deer season again?
There is a very good likelihood that the U.S. Forest Service will again close vast portions of the Angeles, San Bernardino, and Cleveland national forests come summer and they will likely stay closed through much of the fall.
Gushes of El Nino rain won't likely be enough to end the problems created by nearly a decade of drought and bark beetle infestations that have made the forests a tinderbox one spark away from turning into ash.
The question that Southern California deer hunters have is a simple one. Will the Forest Service and Department of Fish and Game get together to come up with a solution that will allow a hunting season to take place?
The sad answer is simply, "not likely," even through there are some sound and simple alternative that could be implemented.
Without a directive from the Fish and Game Commission, the DFG is unwilling to consider adjusting the hunting season so it would come after the fire closures are likely to be lifted -- which would probably be from Nov. 15 to Dec. 1. The state wildlife agency's staff is concerned that moving the hunt later -- with the same tag numbers -- would result in a higher-than-expected harvest which could negatively impact herd dynamics.
While most hunters understand that concern, many of the sportsman I've spoken with in the past couple of weeks about the issue would like to see the DFG face up to the fact that Southern California forests are likely to be closed to back-country use more and more in the future, especially during the traditional hunting season, because of serious fire concerns. The DFG needs to look at having late-season, post rut hunts, even if it means reducing tag numbers for a couple of seasons until the DFG can assure that harvest goals are not exceeded.
This past year, the fire closures in zones D11, D14, D16 and D19 encompassed nearly the entire hunting season. The D11, D14 and D19 zones were only open for the final weekend of the season and most hunters did not know about the reopening. The D16 zone was only open for about 10 days. The result was a dramatic decline in the buck harvest for these areas. D14 only had about 80 bucks taken, compared to the 210 animals taken the previous season. The other zones saw similar or greater declines. This should result in fairly significant increases in the buck-doe ratios in all these herds, a stockpiling of bucks.
Hunters should encourage the DFG and Fish and Game Commission to look at one of two alternatives for these zones during the 2003 season. We could have a two or three-week hunt in January, which is post rut (breeding season), so the animals would not be any more vulnerable than the regular season. Or we could have a one or two week hunt in early December (during the end of the rut) with some antler restrictions (three-point or better) so hunters could only take older age class deer, reducing the overall harvest. In both cases, tag numbers should also be reduced in all the zones until we have a year or two of tag-return data, proving overharvesting is not taking place. Both alternatives would allow hunting in this region while still protecting the resource -- perhaps even enhancing it.
Some of us like the idea of making at least one of the D-zones a trophy deer management zone and keeping it that way, using antler point and/or antler mass restrictions to increase the average buck age in the herd and improving buck-doe ratios. Because of the fire closure last year, we have a jump on that program already and should keep it going with creative management.
The California Deer Association will be approaching the DFG and FGC with some suggestions in this regard, and the group will be discussing what options and solutions to the dilemma at its meeting 9 a.m. Saturday at the Grinder Restaurant, Corona. All hunters and members of the public are welcome to attend. The group will also be planning future habitat projects in this region. (CDA just completed a repair on a big game guzzler in the San Bernardino Mountains this past weekend.) For more information about the group or the meeting, contact Glenn Tessers at 310-973-8148 evenings or 310-814-0038 during the day.
Could forecast fire closures end deer season again?
There is a very good likelihood that the U.S. Forest Service will again close vast portions of the Angeles, San Bernardino, and Cleveland national forests come summer and they will likely stay closed through much of the fall.
Gushes of El Nino rain won't likely be enough to end the problems created by nearly a decade of drought and bark beetle infestations that have made the forests a tinderbox one spark away from turning into ash.
The question that Southern California deer hunters have is a simple one. Will the Forest Service and Department of Fish and Game get together to come up with a solution that will allow a hunting season to take place?
The sad answer is simply, "not likely," even through there are some sound and simple alternative that could be implemented.
Without a directive from the Fish and Game Commission, the DFG is unwilling to consider adjusting the hunting season so it would come after the fire closures are likely to be lifted -- which would probably be from Nov. 15 to Dec. 1. The state wildlife agency's staff is concerned that moving the hunt later -- with the same tag numbers -- would result in a higher-than-expected harvest which could negatively impact herd dynamics.
While most hunters understand that concern, many of the sportsman I've spoken with in the past couple of weeks about the issue would like to see the DFG face up to the fact that Southern California forests are likely to be closed to back-country use more and more in the future, especially during the traditional hunting season, because of serious fire concerns. The DFG needs to look at having late-season, post rut hunts, even if it means reducing tag numbers for a couple of seasons until the DFG can assure that harvest goals are not exceeded.
This past year, the fire closures in zones D11, D14, D16 and D19 encompassed nearly the entire hunting season. The D11, D14 and D19 zones were only open for the final weekend of the season and most hunters did not know about the reopening. The D16 zone was only open for about 10 days. The result was a dramatic decline in the buck harvest for these areas. D14 only had about 80 bucks taken, compared to the 210 animals taken the previous season. The other zones saw similar or greater declines. This should result in fairly significant increases in the buck-doe ratios in all these herds, a stockpiling of bucks.
Hunters should encourage the DFG and Fish and Game Commission to look at one of two alternatives for these zones during the 2003 season. We could have a two or three-week hunt in January, which is post rut (breeding season), so the animals would not be any more vulnerable than the regular season. Or we could have a one or two week hunt in early December (during the end of the rut) with some antler restrictions (three-point or better) so hunters could only take older age class deer, reducing the overall harvest. In both cases, tag numbers should also be reduced in all the zones until we have a year or two of tag-return data, proving overharvesting is not taking place. Both alternatives would allow hunting in this region while still protecting the resource -- perhaps even enhancing it.
Some of us like the idea of making at least one of the D-zones a trophy deer management zone and keeping it that way, using antler point and/or antler mass restrictions to increase the average buck age in the herd and improving buck-doe ratios. Because of the fire closure last year, we have a jump on that program already and should keep it going with creative management.
The California Deer Association will be approaching the DFG and FGC with some suggestions in this regard, and the group will be discussing what options and solutions to the dilemma at its meeting 9 a.m. Saturday at the Grinder Restaurant, Corona. All hunters and members of the public are welcome to attend. The group will also be planning future habitat projects in this region. (CDA just completed a repair on a big game guzzler in the San Bernardino Mountains this past weekend.) For more information about the group or the meeting, contact Glenn Tessers at 310-973-8148 evenings or 310-814-0038 during the day.
