CDFW Captures and Collars 12 Gray Wolves in Northern California

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 12:01:12 GMT

Media Note: A link to download capture video.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the recent capture, collar and release of 12 gray wolves in northern California.

There are now more satellite-collared wolves in California than ever before, which is expected to improve understanding and management of the species in the state.

“The captures exceeded our expectations and will enhance our ability to monitor our wolf population both for conservation and recovery and also to help mitigate conflict with livestock,” said Axel Hunnicutt, CDFW’s Statewide Gray Wolf Coordinator.

Capture operations occurred from Jan. 14 through the end of that month across Siskiyou, Lassen, Plumas and Sierra counties. With the aid of contracted aircraft and a capture crew, wolves from the Whaleback, Harvey, and Beyem Seyo packs were captured. In addition to fitting each wolf with a satellite collar, biologists recorded body measurements and collected biological samples, including DNA and blood. Those samples allow CDFW to monitor wolves for diseases and to determine the relatedness of individuals and packs. The wolves were released at their capture locations.

“Having multiple collars in each of these packs, especially those on younger wolves, will not only aid current studies looking at diet and land-use preferences, but also will provide data on when and where they disperse when leaving their packs,” Hunnicutt said.

Of the 12 collared wolves, seven were female and five were male:

Five were captured from the Beyem Seyo pack in Sierra County, including one that had been previously collared;
Five were captured from the Harvey pack in Lassen County, including one that had been previously collared;
Two were captured from the Whaleback pack in Siskiyou County.

Satellite-collaring gray wolves is an important management and research tool to help monitor populations, understand landscape use patterns and minimize livestock conflicts. The collars do not provide real-time data. Instead, the collars collect wolf locations several times daily and periodically transmit those locations to CDFW. The battery life of the satellite collars is about two to three years. They are programmed to drop off the animal before the battery is depleted.

CDFW is currently aware of seven wolf packs in California. While nine packs were reported in the fall of 2024, wolf packs can be fluid. For example, the Beyem Seyo and Antelope packs recently merged.

More information about California’s wolves can be found on CDFW’s gray wolf web page.

In other recent gray wolf developments:

CDFW scientists identified two new wolf packs at the end of 2024, the Diamond pack in eastern Plumas and southern Lassen counties and the Ice Cave pack near Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Wolves in the Yowlumni pack in Tulare County are infected with sarcoptic mange, a skin disease caused by parasitic mites. Mange infections cause itchy skin lesions and hair loss. Some wolves only experience mild mange signs and can clear the infection and survive. Other wolves, however, may experience severe disease characterized by extensive hair loss, secondary bacterial infections, emaciation and eventually death. Mange has occurred in other gray wolf populations across North America. CDFW continues to monitor the pack and is consulting with experts from other states where mange occurs in wolf populations. The mange infections are believed to be limited to the Yowlumni pack as none of the recently captured and collared wolves in northern California showed signs of disease.
The California Wolf Project (CAWP), a collaboration between CDFW and UC Berkeley’s Rausser College of Natural Resources, has just released its 2024 Annual Report (PDF). The project is investigating wolf habitat use, diet, relationships with other wildlife and wolf-livestock conflict.
In April, CDFW anticipates issuing its first annual report on the status of gray wolves in California. The annual report will complement the Quarterly Wolf News and Updates regularly e-mailed and posted to CDFW’s gray wolf web page.

Photos by Malia Byrtus, California Wolf Project

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Media Contacts:
Axel Hunnicutt , CDFW Wildlife Branch, (916) 204-1381
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858

CDFW Seeks Hunter Assistance in Mountain Quail Study

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:32:11 GMT

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is asking hunters to provide mountain quail samples for the California Conservation Genomics Project and for the department’s own genetic library.

Map of Southern California Sampling Areas. Click Image for Larger Version

This work is a continuation of a mountain quail study project initiated in the fall of 2022. CDFW will accept samples from throughout the native mountain quail range but is particularly interested in mountain quail from Southern California, including the following mountain ranges: Santa Lucia, Diablo, San Gabriel, San Bernardino, Santa Ana, Laguna, southern Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi and east toward the Cottonwood Mountains and Panamint Range.

Mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus) are challenging birds for bird watchers and hunters alike due to their secretive behavior within their preferred rugged, forested habitat. Despite their flamboyant plumage and popularity, mountain quail are reclusive and are more often heard than seen. Their shy nature means that biologists need more information to better understand and manage the species, the largest of all quail species in the United States.

CDFW is collecting samples to understand genetic diversity and population structure (how genetically different each subpopulation is from those surrounding it). If a subpopulation becomes isolated, it may be more susceptible to inbreeding, disease and sudden landscape changes like large-scale wildfires. When upland game bird biologists research a species’ population genetics and combine it with research on habitat use, breeding ecology and survival, they can better understand and manage both the species and its habitat.

CDFW is asking mountain quail hunters to submit a whole bird when possible. If this is not possible, CDFW will accept wings or organs (specifically hearts and livers), as the goal is to extract DNA from the tissue. If hunters are lucky enough to harvest multiple mountain quail, be sure to keep the birds separate from each other. Vinyl gloves and Ziploc bags work well to avoid cross-contamination. Please keep samples frozen until you contact a department biologist.

To submit mountain quail samples, ask questions or request more information about this research, please contact CDFW’s Upland Game Program by e-mail at uplandgamemgmt@wildlife.ca.gov. CDFW will coordinate with hunters to receive the samples. CDFW will collect the hunter’s name, hunt location, date and catalog each sample but will not publish this information or share these details publicly.

California’s early mountain quail season opens Sept. 9 and runs through Oct. 20, 2023, in the Q1 Quail Hunt Zone in the northernmost counties of the state and along much of the eastern Sierra. Other mountain quail hunting opportunities follow within the coastal Q2 Quail

Hunt Zone and the balance of the state Q3 Quail Hunt Zone with a season that extends to Jan. 28, 2024. Quail seasons and a quail hunt zone map are available at CDFW’s Upland Game Bird Hunting web page as well as the 2023-2024 California Waterfowl, Upland Game and Public Use of Department Lands Regulations (PDF) booklet.

2021 Upland Game Bird Stamp by artist Jeffrey Klinefelter

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Media Contacts:
Katherine Miller, CDFW Upland Game Program, (916) 261-5019
Peter Tira, CDFW Communications, (916) 215-3858

CDFW News

CDFW Captures and Collars 12 Gray Wolves in Northern California

CDFW Seeks Hunter Assistance in Mountain Quail Study