Sunset over Elkhorn Slough. CDFW photo by Travis VanZant.
All calendar items are subject to change.
Wildlife areas, ecological reserves and other properties may be closed due to wildfires or storm damage. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts are strongly encouraged to check for closures before leaving on any recreational trip.
Various Days — Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Access Permit Application Deadline for Multiple Hunting Opportunities. Spring pig and turkey hunts are available through the SHARE program. A $13.78 non-refundable application fee is charged for each hunt choice. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/share.
Various Days — Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Access Permit Application for Fishing Opportunities. Lake Barrett bass survey opportunities are available through the SHARE program. A $13.78 non-refundable application fee is charged for each choice. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/share.
Various Days — Invasive Species Youth Art Contest. Students (grades 2-12) are invited to enter their art in any medium (drawing, painting, collage, comic strip, etc.) on the theme “Species Reporters Wanted - What’s the Scoop on Invasives?” Pick an invasive species and show at least one of the following: where they live, what impact they have on the environment, who is affected by their presence, why they are bad for native species or how to stop their spread. The contest meets California curriculum standards in science, English language arts and visual art. Winners will be announced during California Invasive Species Action Week, June 1-9. Winning art will be posted on CDFW’s Facebook page. For submission instructions, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/invasives/action-week/poster-contest or contact invasives@wildlife.ca.gov. The deadline to enter is May 3, 2024.
Weekends — Guided Hikes at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 10 and 11 a.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Volunteers lead walks highlighting the natural history of the Elkhorn Slough every Saturday and Sunday. Tours fills on a first-come, first-served basis the day of the tour. Groups of six or more should call ahead at (831) 728-2822 to reserve a tour. For more information, please visit elkhornslough.org/visit/calendar.
1 — CDFW’s Annual Salmon Information Meeting, 10 a.m., via Zoom webinar. This free annual information meeting covers 2023 spawner abundances returning to the Central Valley and Klamath Basins, 2024 abundance forecasts and management context guiding the development and implementation of 2024 ocean salmon fisheries. The public are invited to learn about pertinent data and management context shaping the upcoming ocean salmon season. This meeting will be hosted as a webinar only. The meeting link, agenda and other materials will be posted on CDFW’s Ocean Salmon Calendar of Events webpage as they become available. For more information, please contact the Ocean Salmon Project at emma.keller@wildlife.ca.gov.
1 — Community Habitat Restoration, 3 to 5 p.m., 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Let’s roll up sleeves and help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands restore the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Get hands-on experience while learning about urban ecology. Clearing out invasive vegetation gives slow-growing native plants room to thrive. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/3/1/friday-habitat-restoration.
2 — Fishing in the City Clinic, 8 a.m. to noon, Elk Grove Regional Park, 9950 Elk Grove Florin Road, Elk Grove (95624). Join CDFW at the area’s last Youth Beginner Fishing Clinic of Trout Season, held at local parks on Saturdays January through March. These free fishing clinics are for beginners ages 5-15 to learn the basics of fishing, casting, conservation and hopefully to catch their first fish. All materials are provided, and clinics are held rain or shine. To learn more about Fishing in the City and to register for a Sacramento area clinic, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/fishing-in-the-city/sac. To learn more about Fishing in the City opportunities in other areas, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/fishing-in-the-city.
2 — Early Bird Tour at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Join the reserve's naturalists every first Saturday to learn about the birds of the Elkhorn Slough. This tour is appropriate for birders from beginner to advanced and is recommended for individuals ages 15 and older. The tour meets at the reserve's visitor center, but depending on recent sightings, the group may walk the trails or caravan out to adjacent parks and natural spaces. No registration is required. The tour fills on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please visit elkhornslough.org/visit/calendar.
3 — Salt Marsh and Dunes Tour at Ballona Reserve, 10 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Explore the wonder of nature in the middle of urban Los Angeles! Friends of Ballona docents will lead the tour through the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and teach participants about its history and ecology. Enjoy all the special and unique native plants on the journey through different habitats. Participants might even meet some of the local wildlife. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon's Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/3/3-saltmarsh-tour.
5 — California Bumble Bee Atlas Virtual Training, 6 to 8 p.m., via Zoom. Join a community science collaboration between CDFW and The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to find out more about California’s native bumble bees while collecting data to help conserve declining species. Volunteers will be trained on how to survey for bumble bees and submit data. To register for the project and sign up for the free, virtual training event, please visit www.cabumblebeeatlas.org/events.html. For more information, please contact Xerces biologist Leif Richardson at leif.richardson@xerces.org.
7 — Flyway Nights Speaker Series - The Diversity, Life Cycle and Leg Use Patterns of Dragonflies, the World’s Most Successful Predators, 7 to 9 p.m., via Zoom. Christofer Brothers, a doctoral candidate in the Animal Behavior Graduate Group, will discuss the diversity within the insect order Odonata, the 300-million-year-old group of insects that are the dragonflies and damselflies of today. He will place special emphasis on some local species that occur in Davis, Calif., and will also discuss the complex life cycle, mating behavior and ecological role of dragonflies and damselflies. The talk will conclude with insights into his own research on dragonfly legs. To register, please visit yolobasin.org/flywaynights. For more information, please contact bkeating@yolobasin.org.
9 — Ballona Creek Cleanup at Ballona Reserve, 9:30 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands clean up the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Did you know that 130 square miles of storm drain flow into Ballona Creek? Gutter trash from as far away as North Hollywood can end up right in the wetlands. The time and effort put into clearing out debris means less trash in the wetlands, on beaches and in the open ocean. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/3/9-creek-cleanup.
9 — Nimbus Fish Hatchery Volunteer Work Party, 9 a.m. to noon, Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor Center (2001 Nimbus Rd, Gold River (95670). It's time for some spring cleaning at the hatchery! Come help spruce up the landscape around the Visitor Center by removing invasive species and pulling weeds with the team. Come dressed to get dirty and bring gloves if you have them! Stick around until 11 a.m. to get a public tour of the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. This is a family-friendly event and open to all ages. To sign up, please visit the registration page. For more information, please call (916) 358-2884 or email molly.shea@wildlife.ca.gov.
9 — Guided Tour of the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, 11 a.m., Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor Center, 2001 Nimbus Road, Gold River (95670). Join CDFW for a free, family-friendly guided tour to explore the Nimbus Fish Hatchery and neighboring American River! Learn about the amazing life cycle of salmon and steelhead, walk along the American River and discuss hatchery operations. Participants may see fish and other wildlife, such as migratory birds, signs of mammal activity and cool insects. Tours are cancelled in heavy rain and the maximum group size is 25 people (first-come, first-served). The tour is ADA accessible and suitable for all ages. For more information, please call (916) 358-2884 or email molly.shea@wildlife.ca.gov.
10 — White and White-fronted Goose Season Closes in the Northeastern California Zone. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
10 — Canada Goose Season Closes in the North Coast Special Management Area. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
15 — Community Habitat Restoration, 3 to 5 p.m., 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Let’s roll up sleeves and help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands restore the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Get hands-on experience while learning about urban ecology. Clearing out invasive vegetation gives slow-growing native plants room to thrive. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/3/15/friday-habitat-restoration.
15-17 — Central Valley Sportsmen’s Boat and RV Show, Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 South P Street, Bakersfield (93307). CDFW will be returning to the Central Valley Sportsmen’s Boat and RV Show at the Kern County Fairgrounds. CDFW staff will be onsite and available to answer questions. For more information, please visit www.calshows.com.
16 — Salt Marsh and Dunes Tour at Ballona Reserve, 10 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Explore the wonder of nature in the middle of urban Los Angeles! Friends of Ballona docents will lead the tour through the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and teach participants about its history and ecology. Enjoy all the special and unique native plants on the journey through different habitats. Participants might even meet some of the local wildlife. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon's Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/3/16-saltmarsh-tour.
16 — Teachers on the Reserve at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Teachers on the Reserve (TOR) is an introduction to the habitats and marvelous plants and wildlife on the Elkhorn Slough Reserve. This three-hour Saturday workshop combines informative presentations with topical field activities to prepare teachers to lead experientially rich school field trips for K-12 students to the Elkhorn Slough Reserve. For more details and to register, visit elkhornslough.org/reserve/education/educational-workshops.
17 — Tot Time at Nimbus Fish Hatchery, 11 a.m., 2001 Nimbus Road, Gold River (95670). Join CDFW on the third Sunday of each month for Tot Time at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor’s Center for nature-themed stories and to create a fun craft! Recommended for children ages 2-7 years, with parent/guardian supervision. There is no cost for these events and registration is not required. For more information, please email julia.kaiser@wildlife.ca.gov.
17 — Tour of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, 9 a.m. to noon, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). Explore the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area with a knowledgeable field trip leader on the third Sunday of each month from October to June. Witness flooded seasonal and permanent wetlands, native grasslands and young riparian forests. Depending on the season, spot migrating and resident waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, raptors and wading birds. To register, please visit yolobasin.org/ybwa-tours. For more information, please contact bkeating@yolobasin.org.
19 — California Fish and Game Commission Marine Resources Committee Meeting, time to be determined, California Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Orange Coast District Office Training Room, 3030 Avenida del Presidente, San Clemente (92672). The meeting will also be held via webinar/teleconference. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov.
20 — Last Day of California Spiny Lobster Recreational and Commercial Fishing Season Statewide. Recreational lobster report card data can be reported at www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/internetsales/customersearch/begin. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/invertebrates/lobster.
23 — Additional Spring Wild Turkey Season for Hunters with Junior Hunting Licenses Opens (extending through March 24). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
23 — Community Habitat Restoration at the Ballona Reserve, 9:30 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Spend the day with the Friends of Ballona Wetlands helping to restore the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Let’s roll up sleeves and get hands-on experience while learning about urban ecology. Clearing out invasive vegetation gives slow-growing native plants room to thrive. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/3/23/community-habitat-restoration.
24 — Mindfulness Tour at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 2 to 4 p.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Join an experienced reserve docent on a two-mile walk to open the senses on a mindfulness tour around the slough. No registration is required. The tour fills on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details, please visit elkhornslough.org/visit/calendar.
26 — California Fish and Game Commission Meeting, time to be determined, California Natural Resources Building, 715 P Street, Second Floor, Sacramento (95814). The meeting will also be held via webinar/teleconference. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov.
30 — General Spring Wild Turkey Season Opens (extending through May 5). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
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Media Contact:
Amanda McDermott, CDFW Communications, (916) 738-9641