All calendar items are subject to change as we navigate the changing conditions and guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please continue to adhere to all safety protocols including physical distancing, wearing masks and frequent hand washing. For information on how to get vaccinated in California, please visit myturn.ca.gov.
Wildlife areas, ecological reserves and other properties may be closed due to wildfires or wildfire 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 Deadlines for Multiple Hunting Opportunities. Wild pig, deer, bear, turkey, dove and quail hunts are available through the SHARE program. A $11.75 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 — General Bear Season Opens in Select Deer Zones. General black bear season will open concurrently with the general deer hunting season in deer zones A, B, C, D, X8, X9A, X9B, X10 and X12 and extend through Dec. 25. Please note these deer zones have varying opening season dates. For those portions of deer hunting zones X1, X2, X3a, X4, X6a, X6b, X7a and X7b open to bear hunting, the general bear season opens on Oct. 8 and extends through Dec. 25. CDFW shall close the season earlier if 1,700 bears have been reported taken. For daily updates on reported bear harvest, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/bear or call toll-free (888) 277-6398. Please visit fgc.ca.gov/regulations/current/mammalregs for a description of the current mammal hunting regulations. All hunters must get their tag validated and present the bear head for tooth extraction by CDFW personnel.
Various Days — Discover the Flyway School Program, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). Discover the Flyway is an outdoor education program for kindergarten through 12th grade students that meets Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core Standards. Its goal is to offer children a meaningful outdoor experience that will give them an appreciation for the wetlands, agriculture and wildlife of the Central Valley and contribute to a lifetime of healthy outdoor activities and development of a land stewardship ethic. This school year, Yolo Basin Foundation is offering teachers three options: They can bring students to a field trip held at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, they can have Foundation educators and docents bring the program to their classroom, or students can participate in a live, virtually led activity from school or home. Teachers can learn more and register at www.yolobasin.org/schoolprograms.
Various Days — Community Restoration Events at Ballona Wetlands, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Oct. 4, 7 and 14, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa Del Rey (90293). The Bay Foundation’s Ballona Wetlands Community Restoration Project focuses on removing invasive iceplant and other non-native vegetation that can impact native California plants such as pickleweed, salt grass and alkali weed. Participants will help to remove non-native plants by hand. Parking is behind Gordon’s/Alka Water Market and the restoration site is a short walk up Culver Boulevard. Registration is required and each event is limited to 50 participants. Physical distancing will be required and vaccination is strongly encouraged. Please plan to wear a mask if unvaccinated. For event information and to sign up, please visit www.santamonicabay.org/events.
Various Days — Open Wetlands at Ballona, 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 1 and 8, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90393). There will be a guided bird walk at 9 a.m. and docent-led tours throughout the morning. Entry to the reserve is through the gate located in the northeast corner of the parking lot behind 303 Culver Blvd. For more information, please contact Cindy Hardin at chardin@naturenexusinstitute.org.
Various Days — Guided Wetland Tours by Reservation at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948). A wildlife naturalist will lead any group, school or organization on a half-mile route through the diverse wetlands of the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. General information includes wildlife identification, behavior patterns and conservation efforts. The experience can be catered to include requested information. Each tour is limited to 30 people. This land is part of the CDFW Lands Pass Program and associated fee-for-use requirement. There is no additional cost for the tour. Current COVID-19 guidelines will be followed. Come prepared and be respectful of other visitors. For more information, please call (530) 846-7505 or email lori.dieter@wildlife.ca.gov.
Various Days — Swan Tour Registration Opens. 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.
Weekends — Guided Wildlife Tours at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 12:30 p.m., 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948). Beginning Oct. 22 and continuing weekends, this 90 minute tour will stroll one third mile to an elevated viewing deck. Visitors often encounter hawks, rabbits, herons, turtles, cormorants, swallows and much more. This is one of the premier birding spots in northern California, as migratory ducks and geese usually take the spotlight. Tours are canceled in heavy rain. This land is part of the CDFW Lands Pass Program and associated fee-for-use requirement. There is no additional cost for the tour. To sign up, please visit the Eventbrite registration page. To purchase a Lands Pass, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/lands-pass. There is a limit of 25 people per tour. COVID-19 guidelines will be followed. Come prepared and be respectful of other visitors. For more information, please call (530) 846-7505 or email lori.dieter@wildlife.ca.gov.
1 — California Spiny Lobster Recreational Fishing Season Opens Statewide, 6 a.m. For more information regarding lobster and lobster management, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/invertebrates/lobster.
1 — General Duck and Goose Season Opens in the Northeastern Waterfowl Zone. For more information about regulations, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
1 — Early Canada Goose Season Opens in the Balance of State Waterfowl Zone (extending through Oct. 3). For more information about regulations, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
1 — General Deer Season Opens in Zones D19, X1, X2, X3a, X3b, X4, X5a, X5b, X6a, X6b, X7a and X7b. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
1 — Archery-Only Deer Season Opens in Zone D12. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
1-2 — Early Season Junior Hunt for Quail in the Mojave National Preserve. For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
2 — Last Day for Recreational Ocean Salmon Fishing from Pigeon Point to the U.S./Mexico Border. For more information, please visit the ocean salmon webpage at www.wildlife.ca.gov/oceansalmon or call the CDFW Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at (707) 576-3429 or the National Marine Fisheries Service Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at (800) 662-9825.
2 — 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. Participants can enjoy the unique native plants as they journey through different habitats and 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/2022/10/02/saltmarsh-tour-khstr.
5 — California Spiny Lobster Commercial Fishing Season Opens Statewide. For more information regarding commercial lobster management, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/marine/invertebrates/commercial-regulations.
7 — Community Habitat Restoration, 3 to 5 p.m., 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). 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/2022/10/07/friday-habitat-restoration.
8 — 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 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/2022/10/08/creek-cleanup.
8 — General Deer Season Opens in Zones D11, D13-15 and D17. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
8 — General Bear Season Opens in the Remaining X Zones. General bear season opens in deer hunting zones X1, X2, X3a, X4, X6a, X6b, X7a and X7b in areas open to bear hunting. The general bear season will remain open until Dec. 25, or until CDFW determines that 1,700 bears have been taken. All hunters must get their tag validated and present the bear head for tooth extraction by CDFW personnel. Current bear hunting regulations, in-season updates and general black bear information can be viewed at wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/bear.
8 — Early Archery-Only Season for Pheasant Opens (extending through Oct. 30). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
8 — Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Tour, 9 a.m. to noon, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). Yolo Basin Foundation offers monthly tours of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, October to June. These tours are appropriate for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts and birders. View seasonal and permanent wetlands, native grasslands and young riparian forests. Depending on the season, look for migrating and resident waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, raptors and wading birds. Registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit www.yolobasin.org/wetlands-tours. There is a suggested donation of $10 per adult for tours. Donations support the wetlands education programs.
9 — NatureFest, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Effie Yeaw Nature Center, 2850 San Lorenzo Way, Carmichael (95608). Come find the CDFW booth at this annual, family friendly event. Enjoy live animal presentations, hands-on activities, demonstrations, guided hikes and educational exhibits! For more information, please visit www.sacnaturecenter.net/events/naturefest.
12-13 — California Fish and Game Commission Meeting, starting at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12th and 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 13th, North Tahoe Event Center, Timberline Room, 8318 North Lake Blvd., Kings Beach (96143). The meeting will also be held via webinar/teleconference. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov.
14 — Northern California Permit Draw for 2023 Black Bass Fishing Contests, 10 a.m., Bass Pro Shops Manteca, Conference Room, 1356 Bass Pro Drive, Manteca (95337). This draw is for fishing contest permits north of the Tehachapi Mountains hosting more than 50 participants or offering prizes totaling more than $1,000 in value. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/inland/contests or email tournaments@wildlife.ca.gov.
15 — Return of the Salmon Festival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Coleman National Fish Hatchery, 24411 Coleman Fish Hatchery Road, Anderson (96007). The annual Return of the Salmon Festival is back! Join us for this one-day event to see salmon and hatchery operations and visit booths from natural resource agencies and community groups, including a CDFW booth. This event is free. For more information, please visit the event’s Facebook page.
15 — General Deer Season Opens in Zone X9c. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
15 — General Season for All Quail Opens in Zone Q1 and Zone Q3 (extending through Jan. 29, 2023). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
15 — General Season for Chukar Opens Statewide (extending through Jan. 29, 2023). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
15 — General Season for Snipe Opens Statewide (extending through Jan. 29, 2023). For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.
15 — Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Pop-up Information Booth, 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Parking Lot A, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). Yolo Basin Foundation volunteers will be in Parking Lot A of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area to answer general questions and provide maps of the area. For more information about the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, please visit www.yolobasin.org/yolobypasswildlifearea.
16 — Project WILD Educator Workshop, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hinkle Creek Nature Center, 7000 Baldwin Dam Road, Folsom (95630). Discover how to teach students in formal and non-formal settings about wildlife and conservation using the hands-on, interdisciplinary lessons of the Project WILD curriculum. Lesson plans have been aligned with national and state learning standards. Throughout the workshop, educators will have a chance to model lessons and to learn about local education resources. Upon workshop completion, all educators will receive the Project WILD guide. The $25 registration includes the guidebook and resources. To register, please fill out the Project WILD Educator Workshop Registration form no later than Oct. 7. For more information, please contact laura.drath@wildlife.ca.gov.
16 — Family Fall Fest, noon to 4 p.m., at Stirling Park Drive and Rod Beaudry Drive near the entrance of River Bend Park, Sacramento (95827). Learn about wildlife, the Nisenan native peoples, the California Pony Express and the historic Alexander Leidesdorff Ranch. The event is free and will include live music, nature walks and arts & crafts, as well as a CDFW booth! For more information, please visit www.sarariverwatch.org/family_fall_festival.
18 — Deadline for Environmental Enhancement Fund (EEF) Grant Applications, 5 p.m. Administered by CDFW's Office of Spill Prevention and Response, this program awards grants to support environmental enhancement projects located within or immediately adjacent to waters of the state. Selected projects will be notified in spring 2023. For more information, please go to wildlife.ca.gov/ospr/science/environmental-enhancement-fund/about or email daniel.orr@wildlife.ca.gov.
21 — Southern California Permit Draw for 2023 Black Bass Fishing Contests, 10 a.m., CDFW San Diego Office, 3883 Ruffin Road, San Diego (92123). This draw is for fishing contest permits south of the Tehachapi Mountains hosting more than 50 participants or offering prizes totaling more than $1,000 in value. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. Masks are required and only one representative from each organization will be permitted in the room due public health concerns and room capacity. Additional representatives are welcome to observe from the outside patio. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/inland/contests or email tournaments@wildlife.ca.gov.
22 — General Deer Season Opens in Zone D16. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer.
22 — General Duck and Goose Season Opens in the Balance of State, Southern San Joaquin Valley and Southern California in the Waterfowl Zones. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
23 — General Duck and Goose Season Opens in the Colorado River Waterfowl Zones. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.
31 — Last Day for Recreational Ocean Salmon Fishing from Point Arena to Pigeon Point. For more information, please visit the ocean salmon webpage at www.wildlife.ca.gov/oceansalmon or call the CDFW Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at (707) 576-3429 or the National Marine Fisheries Service Ocean Salmon Regulations Hotline at (800) 662-9825.
31 — California Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest Opens. CDFW is accepting entries through Dec. 2 for the annual California Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest. The winner will be featured on the 2022-23 California Upland Game Bird Stamp. For contest rules and entry forms, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/upland-game-bird-stamp.
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Media Contact:
Amanda McDermott, CDFW Communications, (916) 738-9641