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 Hunting Opportunities. The SHARE program is offering wild pig, deer, waterfowl and upland game hunting this fall. A $12.75 non-refundable application fee (plus handling fees) is charged for each hunt choice. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/share.
Various Days — Swan Tours. Celebrate the bird migration on the Pacific Flyway this fall and winter! CDFW’s popular, free swan tours are set for select Saturdays, November through January. Held in partnership with Mathews Rice Operation, the tours transverse flooded rice fields north of Marysville. This area boasts one of the largest overwintering populations of tundra swans in the Central Valley, as well as abundant geese, ducks, shorebirds and raptors. To register, please email genelle.treaster@wildlife.ca.gov.
Saturdays — Guided Tours of the Nimbus Fish Hatchery Basin, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m., Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor Center, 2001 Nimbus Road, Gold River (95670). Join Nimbus Fish Hatchery for a free, family friendly mile hike to explore the edge of the American River and possibly see salmon getting ready to spawn! Participants might also spot other wildlife, including migratory birds, mammals and insects. Please be prepared for the hike with proper footwear, water and sun protection. Tours are cancelled in heavy rain. Tours are first come, first served with a maximum group size of 25 people. All are welcome, though the terrain is uneven at times and may be challenging for strollers and wheelchairs. For more information, please call (916) 358-2884 or email molly.shea@wildlife.ca.gov.
Sundays — Tot Time at Nimbus Fish Hatchery, 11 a.m., 2001 Nimbus Road, Gold River (95670). Join CDFW every Sunday for Tot Time at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor 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.
3 — 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 wetlands 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/2023/11/3/friday-habitat-restoration.
4 — Recreational Dungeness Crab Season Opens. The recreational Dungeness crab fishery opens with restrictions statewide on the first Saturday of November. The recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps will be temporarily restricted between the Sonoma/Mendocino county line and Lopez Point, Monterey County (Fishing Zones 3 and 4) when the season opens on Saturday, Nov. 4 due to presence of humpback whales and potential for entanglement from trap gear. The trap restriction does not affect the use of other methods of take such as hoop nets and snares. Please visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/whale-safe-fisheries for more information and to join the email list.
4 — White Goose Season Opens in the Imperial County Special Management Area (extends through Jan. 31). For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
4 — General Deer Season Opens in Zone D12. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
5 — General Deer Season Closes in Zones D17 and D19. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
5 — 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 Wetlands docents will lead participants through the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve while explaining its history and ecology. Enjoy the 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/2023/11/5-saltmarsh-tour.
7 — Scaup Season Opens in the Southern San Joaquin Valley, Southern California, Colorado River and Balance of State Zones (extends through Jan. 31). For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
11 — Fall Wild Turkey Season Opens Statewide (extends through Dec. 10). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
11 — General Pheasant Season Opens Statewide (extends through Dec. 24). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
11 — Late Season Dove Hunting Opens Statewide (extends through Dec. 25). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
11 — United 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 and Ballona Creek Renaissance clean up the creek for the fifth annual United Ballona Creek Cleanup. In Los Angeles, 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/2023/11/11/united-creek-cleanup.
12 — General Deer Season Closes in Zones D11, D13-D15 and X9c. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
15 — California Wildlife Conservation Board Meeting, 9 a.m., Natural Resources Agency Headquarters, First Floor Auditorium, 715 P Street, Sacramento (95814). The public is welcome. For more information, please visit wcb.ca.gov.
16 — California Fish and Game Commission Marine Resources Committee Meeting, time to be determined, 3883 Ruffin Road, San Diego (92123). The meeting will also be held via webinar/teleconference. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov.
17 — 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 wetlands 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/2023/11/17/friday-habitat-restoration.
18 — 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 Wetlands docents will lead participants through the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve while explaining its history and ecology. Enjoy the 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/2023/11/18-saltmarsh-tour.
18 — Brant Season Opens in the Northern Brant Special Management Area (extends through Dec. 14). For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
19 — Brant Season Opens in the Balance of State Brant Special Management Area (extends through Dec. 15). For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
24 — Community Habitat Restoration, 9:30 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Let’s roll up sleeves on Black Friday and help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands restore the last coastal wetlands 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/2023/11/24/community-habitat-restoration.
26 — General Deer Season Closes in Zones D12 and D16. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
30 — Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) Lower American River Conservancy Program Advisory Committee Tour, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tour will feature the upper reach of the American River Parkway and begin at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. This tour is open to the public, and participants will be responsible for their own transportation. The final agenda will be posted to WCB’s website, wcb.ca.gov, by Nov. 20.
###
Media Contact:
Amanda McDermott, CDFW Communications, (916) 738-9641