Wildlife Branch - Game Management

Overview

The Wildlife Branch's Game Conservation Programs includes bear, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, pronghorn, pigs, upland game (10 species), and waterfowl (21 species). These programs are responsible for game species conservation including: developing management plans and recommending and conducting management actions; designing, conducting and overseeing contracted resource assessment, monitoring, and research; coordinating habitat enhancement projects; developing hunting regulation recommendations, as well as providing special hunting opportunities.

Programs

Bear Management Unit
The primary goal of CDFW's black bear management program is to maintain a viable and healthy black bear population.
Deer Management Unit
The branch and field biologists of the Deer Management Program work together coordinating programs throughout the state to maintain healthy, viable deer herds.
Elk Management Unit
The goals of the Elk Management Program are to maintain healthy elk herds, reestablish elk in suitable historic range, provide public educational and recreational opportunities involving elk, and to alleviate conflicts involving elk on private property.
Wild Pig Management Unit
The primary goal of CDFW's Wild Pig Management Program is to provide recreational opportunities and manage property damage.
Pronghorn Management Unit
The Pronghorn Management Program's objectives are to maintain healthy antelope herds, provide a variety of recreational activities and to minimize conflicts with humans
Bighorn Sheep Unit
The SHARE Program (Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement)
SHARE is designed to improve public access to private or landlocked public land.
Private Lands Management (PLM)
The PLM Program offers landowners incentives to manage their lands for the benefit of wildlife.
Waterfowl Unit
The Waterfowl Program works cooperatively with others in the Pacific Flyway and within the CDFW to conserve and manage the waterfowl resource.

Game Conservation Program Staff

Mario Klip, Ph.D., Environmental Program Manager

Big Game Unit

Brett Furnas, Ph.D., Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisor)
Thomas Connor, Ph.D., Research Data Scientist III
Janelle Dorcy, Environmental Scientist
Cathleen Steinbeiser, Research Data Analyst
Jennifer Diamond, Scientific Aid
Jose Ponce, Scientific Aid
Alexa Murray, Scientific Aid

Deer Unit

Brian Leo, Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)

Black Bear Unit

(Vacant), Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)

Desert Bighorn Sheep Unit

Regina Vu, Environmental Scientist

Elk and Pronghorn Unit

Tom Batter, Ph.D., Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)

Upland / Small Game Unit

Dan Skalos, Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisor)
Ian Dwight, Environmental Scientist
Matt Meshriy, Environmental Scientist
Katherine Miller, Ph.D., Environmental Scientist

Waterfowl Unit

Melanie Weaver, Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)
Caroline Brady, Environmental Scientist

GIS

(Vacant), Research Program Specialist, GIS Data, Maps, and Modeling

SHARE & PLM Units

Victoria Barr, Environmental Scientist