Also at this meeting the Commission made a major decision which will affect many of California's big game hunters. Commissioners voted to begin the collection of points in the 2002 big game drawings in order to prepare for a point system to award tags in the future. While this collection of points will not affect the 2002 draw (everyone will have zero points this year), it will set the stage for a new drawing method (Preference, Bonus, Modified Preference, etc.) in the years to follow. The Commission has not made a final decision yet as to which method will be adopted.
Look for a detailed report on the drawing methods in the next issue of WesternHunter.com.

D-4 & X-7b Boundaries
Existing regulations provide for deer hunting in adjacent Zones D-4 and X-7b. Zone D-4 hunters have expressed an interest in having the area between Blackwood Creek and McKinney Creek added to Zone D-4, since little hunting by Zone X-7b hunters occurs in the area. In an effort to meet a specific demand for increased opportunity and expanded hunting area access, the proposal incorporates this area into the Zone D-4 area description.

D-5 & X-8 Boundaries
Existing regulations provide area descriptions for adjacent Zones D-5 and X-8. Area descriptions on the shared boundary are ambiguous and difficult to discern while in the field. This condition can lead to confusion and possible violation of area boundaries. For consistency, the proposal modifies the area description for Zone D-5 and Zone X-8 by providing a more distinct boundary description which is more recognizable in the field.

Santa Catalina Island Deer Hunting
Existing regulations do not specifically provide for deer hunting on Santa Catalina Island. From 1998 through 2000, deer hunting activities were conducted under a Private Lands Management Area (PLM) license authorized through the Commission pursuant to Section 601. In 2001, the PLM operator discontinued hunting activities under this license, and the status of deer hunting on the island was unclear and confusing. The proposal would add Santa Catalina Island to the area description for Zone D-15, in order to clarify the island's hunting zone status.

C Zone Tag Changes
Existing regulations for a C Zone tag provide for hunting during the general season in Zones C-1, C-2, C-3 and C-4, and during the archery season in Zones C-2 and C-3. Proposed regulation changes in archery hunting (Section 361) would create a C Zone Archery Only tag (proposed Hunt A-1 modification), valid in all four C Zones during the archery season only. C Zone tags would only be valid during the general seasons. A minor editorial change is necessary to clarify valid zone and season use for C Zone tags to prevent confusion.

X-7a & X-7b Later Season Start
Existing regulations provide for a 16-day season beginning the third Saturday in September in Zones X-7a and X-7b. This opening date overlaps numerous B, C and D zone opening dates, occurs during warmer weather which is less desirable to hunters, and is inconsistent with seasons in other similarly managed X zones (X-1 through X-6b). In an effort to increase opportunities for hunters, meet a public demand for later seasons, and provide for consistency in regulation, the proposal moves the season opener for Zones X-7a and X-7b two weeks later.

Season Ending Change
Existing regulations provide for deer hunting seasons which extend through or occur totally within January for additional hunts G-11, G-19, M-6, and J-8. In order to facilitate the incorporation of the most accurate harvest data into population modeling and the Environmental Document analysis, the proposal would move seasons such that hunt seasons do not extend beyond December 31.

Seasons on Military Bases
Existing regulations provide for special deer hunting opportunities and seasons on military bases with additional hunts G-7, G-8, G-9, G-10, G-11 and J-10. Events of September 11, 2001 forced cancellation of most of these hunts due to heightened base security and military operations. In an effort to provide flexibility for the scheduling of these hunting seasons, the proposal provides a window between the scheduled season opening and December 31, in which the hunt can be conducted. Should the Base Commander choose to reschedule the hunt season, it must be with the concurrence of the Department and occur before December 31. In addition, the proposal increases the season length for Hunt G-7 from 51 consecutive days to 79, in order to provide more flexibility for conducting the hunt. The proposal also provides clarification of hunt cancellation policy for tag exchange or refund in the Special Conditions in order to provide notification of the Department's policy which is not readily available to the public.

Hunt J-4
Existing regulations provide for special conditions for Hunt J-4 which require hunt participants to attend a mandatory meeting the day before opening day. This requirement has been unpopular with many hunt participants as it unnecessarily reduces their time for scouting and hunting and may further reduce participation. The proposal would eliminate this requirement and instead information presented at the meeting would be mailed to the hunt participants with their tags.

Junior Hunt Chaperons
Existing regulations provide for special conditions in all junior hunts (Hunts J-1 through J-15), which require that their adult chaperon be licensed and non-hunting. These conditions unnecessarily restrict hunter participation based on requirements of their chaperon. The proposal would remove this condition from all junior hunts.

New Junior Hunts
Existing regulations provide for limited or no junior hunting opportunities in Zones D-3, D-4, D-5, X-7a and X-7b. In an effort to increase hunting opportunities for young hunters, and provide for a specific public demand for junior deer hunting, while meeting approved deer herd plan objectives, the proposal would create 5 new junior hunts: J-16, J-17, J-18, J-19 and J-20, in Zones D-3, D-4, D-5, X-7a and X-7b, respectively. The hunt area descriptions would correspond to the zone descriptions, and seasons would be concurrent with the general season as described in subsections 360(a) and (b). The bag and possession limit would be one either-sex deer, with individual hunt tag quota ranges from 5-20 to 10-75 tags. Special conditions would require that applicants be junior license holders and be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older while hunting.

Golden Opportunity Tag Season Change
Existing regulations provide for a deer hunting season which begins the second Saturday in July and extends through January 31 for Golden Opportunity Fund-raising License tags. In order to facilitate the incorporation of the most accurate harvest data into population modeling and the Environmental Document analysis, the proposal would change the season end date from January 31 to December 31.

Hunts A-22 & A-31
Existing regulations provide for deer hunting seasons which extend through or occur totally within January for Area-specific archery Hunts A-22 (second period) and A-31. In order to facilitate the incorporation of the most accurate harvest data into population modeling and the Environmental Document analysis, the proposal would move seasons so that the hunt seasons do not extend beyond December 31.

Hunts A-23 & A-31
Existing regulations provide for identical area descriptions and seasons for Area-specific archery Hunts A-23 and A-31. The bag and possession limit for Hunt A-23 is one antlerless deer, while Hunt A-31 is one either-sex deer, creating an overlap in harvest objectives. In order to simplify and reduce redundancy in the regulation, the proposal would delete Hunt A-23.

New A-32 Hunt
Existing regulations provide deer hunting areas, seasons, bag and possession limits, and number of permits for Zone A. While the zone provides early season archery hunting and some limited late-season archery hunting opportunities in the northern portion of the zone, no late-season opportunity exists in the southern portion of the zone. The proposal would establish a new Area-specific archery Hunt A-32, the Ventura/Los Angeles Late-Season Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt. The hunt area would encompass those portions of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties within the A Zone, season beginning the second Saturday in November and extending for 23 consecutive days, a bag and possession limit of one either-sex deer, a tag range of 50-300 tags, and methods would be restricted to archery methods only. This proposal would meet a specific public demand for archery hunting which was eliminated by the modification of area boundaries for Hunts A-23 and A-31 in 1998. The proposed hunt would further assist in meeting harvest objectives and existing deer herd management plan recommendations within an area which is largely a firearms closure area.

Bighorn Sheep
Existing regulations provide for limited hunting of Nelson bighorn rams in six hunt zones. The proposed change adjusts the number of tags based on annual bighorn sheep population surveys conducted by the Department. Zone 1 Marble/Clipper Mountains would go from two tags to three tags. Zone 2 Kelso Peak/Old Dad Mountains would go from four tags to three tags. The number of tags allocated for each of the six hunt zones is based on the results of the Department's 2001 estimate of the bighorn sheep population in each zone. Tags are proposed to be allocated to allow the take of less than 15 percent of the mature rams estimated in each zone.

Pronghorn Antelope
Existing regulations specify the area, season, bag and possession limit, number of license tags and special conditions for the Carrizo Hunt. The proposal will eliminate this hunt because the status of this population has continued to decline, despite recent changes that reduced the quota to two buck tags.

Elk Hunt Area Expansion
Existing regulations specify the boundary for the Marble Mountains Roosevelt Elk Hunt, which occurs within a portion of western Siskiyou County. The proposed change expands the boundary for this hunt to include portions of Humboldt, Trinity and Shasta counties.

Existing regulations specify the boundary for the Big Lagoon Roosevelt Elk Hunt. The proposed change expands the boundary of the Big Lagoon Roosevelt Elk Hunt within Humboldt County. A major private landowner within the hunt boundary (Simpson Timber Company) has requested that this boundary be expanded to allow hunters additional opportunity to hunt elk on their land.

New Archery Elk Hunt
Existing regulations specify boundaries and season dates for elk hunts within the Owens Valley, but do not provide an exclusive opportunity for archers to hunt elk. The proposed change establishes a nine-day, archery-only hunt period for existing zones in the Owens Valley beginning on the second Saturday in August. Under the proposed change, archery-only tags are not valid during any other period, and no other tags are valid during the archery-only period for the Owens Valley.

Elk Tags
The proposals for changes in elk tags are as follows. The Shasta and Marble Mountains elk hunts will have increased numbers of tags. The Siskiyou Either-sex elk hunt will change to two hunts — one with 12 bull tags, the other with 13 cow tags. The Klamath Either-sex hunt will change to two hunts — one with 15 bull tags and the other with 15 cow tags.

Bear Take
A proposal to increase the number of bears taken from 1,500 to 1,700.

Deer Tags
A proposal to change the date for purchasing a second deer tag from September 1st to August 1st.

Discussion and Adoption Hearing Meetings
All of the changes above are proposals and must be adopted by the Fish & Game Commission before they can go into effect. The Commission will be taking comments before the April 25th Adoption Hearing. You can send your written comments to the Commission before the April date or you can attend one or both of the following Commission Discussion Hearings:

March 8, 2002, Location: San Diego, California
April 5, 2002, Location: Long Beach, California

The Adoption Hearing will be held April 25, 2002 in Sacramento, California.