California Outdoors Q&A

Pismo clams

Q: What is the correct way to rebury undersized Pismo clams?

A: This is an important question because although it is currently legal to recreationally harvest Pismo clams, finding legal-sized Pismo clams can be uncommon. Recently, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) wildlife officers have been seeing some legal sized clams at Pismo Beach. Overall, however, a vast majority of the population is still undersized. All unburied and undersized Pismo clams must immediately be reburied where they were found.

The correct way to rebury a Pismo clam is to place it with its hinge ligament (the dark bump where the two shells connect) upward and pointing toward the ocean in a hole at least two inches deep. The clam can then be covered with sand. Because it takes time for clams to rebury themselves, it can be harmful or even fatal to leave clams exposed to the elements. Reburying undersized clams helps increase survival and promotes population growth.

Size regulations for Pismo clams can be found in California Code of Regulations, Title 14, section 29.40. Pismo clams must be five inches in greatest shell diameter if found north of the boundary between San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties. If found south of that boundary they must be four and one-half inches in greatest shell diameter.

A valid sport fishing license is required to take Pismo clams for anyone 16 years old or older. You must also have with you a measuring device to measure clam size. The legal limit is 10 Pismo clams, and they cannot be taken at night. Each person taking clams must have a separate container and cannot commingle or combine clams. Pismo clam poaching can be reported via CalTIP.

Squirrels

Q: What can I do about tree squirrels eating fruit on my backyard trees? Can I kill them?

A: Tree squirrels can certainly be a challenge this time of year as fruit starts to ripen. CDFW’s Human-Wildlife Conflict Toolkit is a great resource for information on proactive techniques and tools to prevent conflict and/or property damage. Note that regulations for taking tree squirrels are different than those for taking ground squirrels. The information below applies to tree squirrels.

Tree squirrels are classified as a game species and a depredation permit may be required before lethal take can occur, per California Fish and Game Code (FGC) section 4181. You can request a depredation permit by contacting a CDFW regional office or submitting a report through CDFW’s Wildlife Incident Reporting (WIR) system. Be prepared to show photographic evidence of the property damage.

Residents should identify the species of squirrel causing property damage. California is home to both native gray squirrels and nonnative red fox squirrels. A depredation permit is not required to take red fox squirrels that have caused property damage. Red fox squirrels causing property damage may be taken at any time, per California Fish and Game Code (FGC) section 4152. However, local restrictions on methods of take may apply. For example, many communities prohibit the discharge of firearms in certain areas. It is a resident's responsibility to abide by any local restrictions that apply. Pellet guns and air rifles may also be a potential method of take depending on local regulations.

Because the regulations for taking squirrels are somewhat complex, you may consider hiring a licensed trapper or humane pest control company to help.

For information on hunting squirrels visit CDFW’s small game mammal hunting web page.

Trout facts

Q: How do trout camouflage themselves from predators?

A: When trout first hatch, their bodies have a transparent appearance which reduces visibility to predators. As trout continue to develop, pigmented skin cells called chromatophores help form spotted patterns which allow the fish to camouflage themselves in their natural habitat. Some of these cells have reflective qualities which lighten or darken to help them blend in with their surroundings.

Countershading is another camouflage adaptation that helps reduce predation. Trout have darker, spotted backs to blend in with the substrate and avoid predators from above. Lighter undersides help them avoid predators from beneath by blending in with the light from above.

For more fun fish facts, visit CDFW’s Classroom Aquarium Education Program webpage.

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Rainbow trout

Q: How high can rainbow trout jump?

A: A rainbow trout can jump a maximum of about three meters or almost 10 feet. However, a more realistic day-to-day jump would be closer to 1.5 meters or about five feet. Rainbow trout are known for being fast swimmers and high jumpers. The reason they can swim so fast and jump so high is because they are very muscular and flexible. This flexibility comes from the fact that rainbow trout have many small delicate vertebrae. A rainbow trout has about 62 vertebrae, whereas a bass only has about 32. This extra flexibility allows them to use the full range of their muscles to jump over obstacles. For more fun fish facts, visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Classroom Aquarium Education Program.

Rattlesnakes

Q: Are rattlesnakes aggressive or do they typically avoid confrontation?

A: Rattlesnakes are not aggressive by nature, but they will defend themselves when threatened. If left alone, they will typically move away from a threat, not toward it. If rattlesnakes are unable to escape, they typically signal advance notice of an attack by taking a defensive posture and rattling. Biting is considered last resort. Venom for a rattlesnake is meant for prey immobilization and digestion. It can take weeks for a rattlesnake to replenish after envenomation. Most bites occur when someone does not see a rattlesnake or deliberately puts themselves in harm’s way. Being aware of where you step or put your hands when in rattlesnake country is the best way to avoid being bitten.

Rattlesnakes are distributed broadly across California but are typically found in open habitats like grasslands, savanna and desert. They prefer to live in and around rock outcrops when available. When they are found in homes and yards, it’s usually along a wildland-urban interface. California residents can make their yards rattlesnake safe by removing objects that attract them and their prey. This can include keeping vegetation away from fences, removing piles of boards or rocks and repairing potential access points.

For more information visit wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild/Rattlesnakes.

Desert plants

Q: What is the California Desert Native Plants Act?

A: The purpose of the California Desert Native Plants Act (CDNPA) is to protect certain species of California desert native plants from unlawful harvesting on both public and privately owned lands. The CDNPA only applies within the boundaries of Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. Within these counties, the CDNPA prohibits the harvest, transport, sale or possession of specific native desert plants under many circumstances unless a person has a valid permit or wood receipt, and the required tags and seals. The appropriate permits, tags and seals must be obtained from the sheriff or commissioner of the county where collecting will occur, and the county will charge a fee. More information on the CDNPA, including the species protected under the law, is available on CDFW’s website.

Recreational fisheries survey

Q: What does CDFW do with data from its recreational sport fishing surveys?

A: The California Recreational Fisheries Survey (CRFS) was designed to meet specific management needs for all of California’s diverse recreational marine finfish fisheries and provide accurate and timely estimates of fishing effort and catch. The CRFS team depends heavily on angler cooperation for accurate survey estimates. CDFW would like to thank anglers in advance for taking the time to participate in telephone or in-person dock surveys.

There are two ways that recreational anglers can contribute to the accuracy of the data:

(1) Anglers should cooperate with the CRFS sampler conducting the interview. Please answer the CRFS interview questions truthfully. Take the time to allow the sampler to examine and measure any catch. As a result of increased sampling levels, recreational anglers, particularly those who fish frequently, are more likely to encounter CRFS samplers conducting the survey. Every fishing trip is different — different target species, success rates, different locations, different gear, etc. — so CDFW asks anglers to please complete this survey each time you are asked, even if you’ve completed it before.

(2) Say “yes” to the CRFS telephone surveyor. Licensed anglers are contacted randomly throughout the year and asked questions about their fishing habits. Data collected through this telephone survey are used to estimate fishing effort that cannot be estimated through field observations, such as night fishing and fishing from boats that depart from and return to private marinas. Personal contact information is kept confidential.

For more information visit CDFW’s California Recreational Fisheries Survey webpage.

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Bobcats

Q: Why is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) doing a statewide bobcat study?

A: California Fish and Game Code (FGC), section 4158 tasks CDFW with developing a bobcat management plan to inform and coordinate management decisions regarding
bobcat populations. The bobcat management plan, due in 2025 to the State Legislature and California Fish and Game Commission, shall use credible science and utilize an ecosystem-based approach to complete five goals which can be summarized as follows:

1. A statewide bobcat population estimate.
2. An assessment of the overall health of the statewide bobcat population.
3. A comprehensive strategy to manage bobcat populations and their habitat.
4. An investigation of nonlethal solutions to prevent bobcat predation on livestock.
5. Recommendations for regulatory or statutory changes to implement the bobcat management plan.

For more information about bobcat management, check out CDFW’s Science Spotlight article and Featured Scientist Interview on statewide bobcat research.

Trout facts

Q: How do trout camouflage themselves from predators?

A: When trout hatch, they have a transparent appearance that reduces their visibility to predators. As trout continue to develop, pigmented cells in the skin called chromatophores help form spotted patterns and marks which allow the fish to camouflage themselves in their natural habitat. Some of these cells have reflective qualities that also lighten or darken to help the fish blend in with their surroundings.

Countershading is another camouflage adaptation that helps reduce predation. Trout have darker, spotted backs to blend in with the substrate and avoid predators from above, while
lighter undersides help them avoid predators from beneath by blending in with the light from above.

For more fun fish facts, visit CDFW’s Classroom Aquarium Education Program webpage.

Outdoor California

Q: A friend showed me a copy of a magazine put out by CDFW. It included some amazing wildlife photography, which I think was part of a contest. Can the public subscribe to that magazine?

A: Yes! Outdoor California has been published by CDFW since 1945. It is published six times per year and is available by subscription for $15 annually. Please take the following steps to subscribe: Go to ca.wildlifelicense.com/internetsales. Sign in as a “Guest,” and then scroll down to find 2022 subscriptions for Outdoor California.

The Wildlife Photograph of the Year Contest is presented in conjunction with California Watchable Wildlife and is sponsored by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. Entries are accepted year-round, with winners announced in each magazine beginning in the March/April issue. Rules for the contest can be found on the Watchable Wildlife website, cawatchablewildlife.org.

Outdoor California and California Watchable Wildlife first sponsored the contest in 2011 as a way to acknowledge photographs that illustrate the diverse wildlife and the viewing experiences found throughout the state’s natural and wild lands. Sierra Nevada Conservancy joined as a contest sponsor after the first year to encourage more representation from a region rich with a diversity of wildlife. The other sponsors, Out of This World Optics and Jay House Vacation Rentals, have presented previous winners with high-end outdoor gear and other gifts.

In its effort to reduce the department’s carbon footprint that started back in 2010, CDFW has transitioned away from publishing outreach materials for the public in favor of electronic and digital delivery formats. Outdoor California is one of the last publications to begin that transition, and CDFW’s executive team is working with the editor to bring the magazine into the digital world by 2024.

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Tule elk

Q: When is breeding season for tule elk in California?

A: The breeding season, or rut, for California’s tule elk typically occurs from through February with peak rut being October through November. Scientists can estimate breeding season for tule elk because they know firsthand that tule elk calving runs from mid-March through October with a peak of around June and July, and a gestation period of about 250 days. California’s other two sub-species of elk – Rocky Mountain and Roosevelt – typically rut rom September through October.

Trout hybrids

Q: Can different species of trout successfully mate?

A: The short answer is yes! Although it is very uncommon, some species of trout have been observed reproducing with other species of trout, which scientists refer to as hybridization. For example, cutbow trout are hatchery produced trout created from spawning two different species: rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. For more fun fisheries facts visit CDFW’s Classroom Aquarium Education Program.

Wild game

Q: Is it legal for me to bring ducks from this recent waterfowl season to a restaurant to have the chef prepare them for me?

A: Yes. You may take your harvested ducks to your favorite restaurant, assuming they have agreed to prepare them for you. California Fish and Game Code (FGC), section 2015 provides that authorization. Section 2015 (a) states that, except as otherwise provided in this section, it is unlawful to possess a bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, or reptile, that may not be legally sold, in a restaurant or other eating establishment. However, section 2015(b) goes on to describe some exceptions:

(1) A person who lawfully took or otherwise legally possessed the bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, or reptile.

(2) A person preparing the bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, or reptile for consumption by the person who lawfully took or possessed it, or by that person and others, if the person who took or possessed it is present on the premises.

(3) A bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, or reptile tagged with a signed statement of the person who took the bird, mammal, fish, amphibian or reptile stating that person’s name and address, the date taken, and the total number and kind taken.

Bringing your hunter-harvested wild game to a professional chef can result in an expanded culinary experience for the hunter and guests, as well as serve as an enjoyable challenge for many chefs. In fact, we spoke with a hunter who harvested a bighorn sheep and had a professional chef prepare his harvest along with domestically reared sheep steaks so he could try them side-by-side. They had quite dissimilar flavors despite being from the same taxonomical genus. As you might expect, the bighorn sheep steaks were leaner and had a mild wild game flavor. As a final note, be sure to comply with subsection (3) above if you deliver your sport-taken ducks or other game to a chef ahead of time so that they can prepare for your later return.

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