California Pheasant Hunting Opportunities Restored for 2011 Season
OutdoorHub 11.10.11
The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is restoring several pheasant hunting opportunities in northern California Type A wildlife areas for 2011.
In response to continued declining pheasant harvest and hunter use, along with DFG’s costs to operate hunter check stations during the first week of pheasant season, DFG reduced the number of pheasant hunting opportunities available to upland game hunters last year. Some of those reductions remain in place for 2011, but pheasant hunting will once again be offered in some locations on the first Monday of the season.
The pheasant season opens on the second Saturday of November (Nov. 12 this year) and the length of the season will remain the same (44 consecutive days long for the general season and 60 consecutive days for the archery season). The following changes are in effect for the 2011 hunting season:
- Type A wildlife areas in the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Delta (Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, Delevan National Wildlife Refuge, Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area, Yolo Wildlife Area and Grizzly Island Wildlife Area) will be open for pheasant hunting on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays, and only the first Monday (Nov. 14) during the pheasant season.
- Type A wildlife areas in theSan JoaquinValley(Los Banos Wildlife Area, Mendota Wildlife Area, North Grasslands Wildlife Area and San Luis National Wildlife Refuge) will be open for pheasant hunting on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays only during the pheasant season.
- The Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area inImperialCountyand San Jacinto Wildlife Area inRiversideCountywill be closed to pheasant hunting this year.
- Type C wildlife areas will remain open as normal.
The modifications of the shoot days on Type A wildlife areas are pursuant to subsections 550(b)(1) and 550(b)(2) of the California Code of Regulations Title 14.
Reports and publications on pheasant harvest can be found at www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/uplandgame. A list of wildlife areas can be found on DFG’s website (www.dfg.ca.gov) or in the current Waterfowl and Upland Game Hunting Regulations booklet (www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/).
For more information on specific hunting opportunities, hunters should contact their regional DFGoffice.
