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PROTECT HUNTING
Our hunting tradition and wildlife habitat is under serious threat. Care about the future of our heritage?
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Check out the COHA
Field Wire.
Subscribe to our Field Wire email newsletter and receive immediate updates on issues critical to you and join the COHA Action Team. |
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| "Our Association believes that it is no longer enough to simply conserve and improve habitat, we must also get involved with the 'Decision Makers' that are determining the use of this valuable, renewable resource." |
Andy Wood,
President of the California Deer Association |
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Private Land Waterfowl Hunts Available
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Through COHA's founding member, California Waterfowl, all California hunters will have the opportunity to hunt exclusive and private duck clubs during the 2009-10 waterfowl season. The “California Waterfowl Hunt Program” will provide expanded quality hunting opportunities to all California hunters, showcase California Waterfowl's projects and educate people about the importance of waterfowl and wetland conservation. Hunt application fees are ONLY $5! All proceeds generated from application and hunt fees go towards California Waterfowl's award winning conservation and education programs.
Please go to: http://www.calwaterfowl.org/hunt_program.html |
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SHARE Program Grows in 2008/2009
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The SHARE Program, a private lands hunting access program created by California Waterfowl Association legislation in 2003, was expanded during the 2008/2009 hunting season to include 18 total landowners, with new hunts being offered for the first time during a special late season white goose hunt in the Imperial Valley in February. Applications for interested hunters were made available on CWA, COHA and the Department of Fish and Game’s websites, and demand was particularly high for waterfowl hunts in the Central Valley and white goose hunts in the Imperial Valley. The first hunts began in late December (Central Valley) and were completed in early March (Imperial Valley, North Coast). Hunts are currently limited to waterfowl and pheasant only, but should be expanded in future years to other species as federal Farm Bill grant monies become available.
The future for SHARE looks bright. Last year, the California Fish and Game Commission voted 3-0 to direct the DFG to dedicate $100,000 to support the Program in future years. COHA staff also recently had a very positive meeting with the new DFG Director, Don Koch, regarding the future role of DFG in administering the Program. Finally, a provision was included in the recently approved 2008 Farm Bill which could likely provide substantial future federal funding for SHARE.
The SHARE Program was authorized in 2003 through CWA-sponsored legislation, AB 396 (Harman). As required by the legislation, a pilot program was implemented to determine overall landowner and hunter interest. With the pilot program now approved by the California Fish and Game Commission and funding in the process of being secured, DFG will eventually be required to implement the program on a statewide basis.
At least 18 other states have voluntary private land access programs, and literally millions of acres of private lands have been opened to public hunting. The main objective of California’s program is offer low-cost private land hunting opportunities in an effort to retain existing hunters and encourage other individuals to take up hunting for the first time. Other goals include fostering improved relations between hunters and landowners, financially supporting farmers and other landowners who provide public access for hunting and encouraging responsible hunter behavior in the field.
Hunting opportunities through SHARE are currently limited to waterfowl and upland game birds only, but could be expanded in the future to include any game species, including deer, wild pigs and other big game species as funding becomes available. |
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Public Hunt Programs - Sacramento Valley National Wildlife Refuges/State Wildlife Areas
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In January, COHA and CWA convened a “Duck Hunters Forum” at the Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Expo (ISE) in January. The Forum, which also included representatives of the Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was well attended by interested hunters. Topics for discussion included the use of assigned ponds, law enforcement, hunter access procedures and other issues of interest to public area hunters.
COHA also met on April 16th with Sacramento NWR Complex staff to discuss proposed changes to the USFWS’s Sacramento Valley hunt program, particularly at Sutter and Delevan NWRs. In addition, the Complex completed its final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) for Sacramento, Sutter, Delevan and Colusa NWRS, which will guide the hunt and habitat management programs on those NWRs for at least a 15-year period. COHA staff, along with CWA staff and CWA’s Unattached Hunters Committee, reviewed the draft CCP and provided written comments.
COHA’s continuing goal in working with both the USFWS and DFG on their hunt programs is to avoid any new unreasonable restrictions on hunters, and to ensure an appropriate balance of free roam, assign pond and assigned blind hunting opportunity on public areas - both in terms of quality and quantity.
COHA will also be attending the annual Sacramento Waterfowl Habitat Advisory Committee meeting in mid-August which helps determine whether or not there will be a delayed opener on public hunt areas in the Sacramento Valley to address rice depredation issues. At this time, we do not anticipate that DFG and the USFWS will propose a delayed opener. |
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Salton Sea Restoration
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In 2004, California Resources Secretary, Mike Chrisman, appointed the California Waterfowl Association (CWA) to the Salton Sea Advisory Committee, which was tasked with a lead role in helping the State and federal governments determine the Salton Sea's future – including formulating policy on how to deal with the Sea's increasing salinity, and the impact on the Sea's fishery and its surrounding wetlands. COHA staff represented CWA in this important Advisory Committee effort.
This committee, which was chaired by Mr. Chrisman, met on a monthly basis for roughly two years. In addition to our lead role on the Advisory Committee, COHA staff also took part in several subcommittees involving habitat and alternative Sea configurations on behalf of CWA. Our primary goal in participating on these committees was to ensure that the Salton Sea Restoration Plan maximizes waterfowl benefits and hunting opportunity throughout the Salton Sea region. To successfully achieve this goal, COHA staff teamed-up with the Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife, and other conservation partners to secure a Salton Sea Advisory Committee preferred alternative that will greatly improve and increase waterfowl habitat in and around the Salton Sea. The partnership is now working on State Legislation, SB 51 (Ducheny), which would move the Salton Sea restoration process forward by creating a governance structure which is housed within the California Natural Resources Agency and staffed by the Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Water Resources. |
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Executive Order Recognizes Hunter-Conservation Connection
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In August of 2008, President George Bush signed an Executive Order entitled “Facilitation of Hunting and Wildlife Conservation" that directs federal agencies, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, to increase public hunting opportunities and habitat enhancement efforts on federal lands.
See: Executive Order
In response to the order, the USFWS asked COHA and other hunting/conservation groups in California to provide input as to how federal agencies could best carry out the President’s directive. COHA provided a number of suggestions, including the following:
• Provide funding for California’s private land hunting access program, the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Program.
• Encourage the California Department of Fish and Game to administer a “mentored hunting program" in California (as now being done in several other states) which encourages youth and adults to hunt.
• Providing dove hunting opportunities on USFWS lands. Currently, most California NWRS lands do not allow dove hunting.
• Unless required by federal law (i.e. purchased with federal Duck Stamp funds), abandon “60% Closed/40% Open" policies which limit NWRS refuges to a maximum of 40% open to hunting and 60% to be set aside as sanctuary/non-hunting areas.
• Considering allowing hunting for migratory birds to extend to ½ hour after sunset, should biological information support such a change.
• Urge states for which a migratory game bird season has been authorized (i.e. doves, swans, cranes) to, in fact, provide that opportunity to its citizens.
• Encourage the National Park Service and other federal resource agencies, where possible, to use hunting as a wildlife management tool. |
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CWA and COHA Joint Press Release |
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