News Room

CDFW has completed its 2022 waterfowl breeding population survey. The resulting data indicate the overall number of breeding ducks has decreased by 19 percent, including mallards that are the most abundant duck in the survey.

State legislation to incentivize the creation of upland nesting habitat for ducks and other ground-nesting game birds in California will result in a $10 surcharge on the price of both the California Duck Validation and the Upland Game Bird Validation next hunting season.

While most California duck and goose hunters will hang up their waders and stow their shotguns a final time following the close of waterfowl seasons Jan. 31, a few lucky groups get to extend their hunting seasons into February.

CDFW will reopen the Ocean Ranch Unit within the Eel River Wildlife Area to waterfowl hunting and other public access beginning Wednesday, Dec. 1 as the majority of habitat restoration work taking place there winds down for the year.

Hunters can soon participate in no-fee waterfowl hunts amid restored salt ponds at Eden Landing Ecological Reserve (ELER) in Hayward. Access to ELER will be open to 100 hunters on a first-come, first-served basis.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced the temporary closure of the Ocean Ranch Unit within the Eel River Wildlife Area as habitat and restoration work intensifies there with the use of heavy equipment. The unit is being closed to all public access for safety.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is offering free Swan Tours in Yuba County near Marysville on select Saturdays November through January.

CDFW has announced that the Shasta Valley Wildlife Area in Siskiyou County will be closed to waterfowl hunting for the entirety of the 2021-22 season as a result of lost wetlands and waterfowl habitat due to drought conditions.