Closing Northern California to hunting

Snoopdogg

Long Time Member
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With this order, they have basically closed all hunting down.


It says only through September 6. And then they'll extend because of conditions and "fluid" situations, limited resources, foxtails on my socks, a lunar eclipse, etc.

But if I was homeless, ****, they'd not do anything about me setting up a disgusting camp and probably offer me food, services and tuck me in at night.
 
Yup. You can go over to hunt the limited ground that doesnt have a previous hard closure, which isn't much of the Bzones. But only for the weekend. Opener of archerybis already a cluster in most of the area that is open but with looming longterm and maybe season ending closure it will be just silly....pass.

Oh and my Marble mountain bull elk tag that I got as an alternate....opens the 8th of September and this closure ends the 6th....fun stuff.
 
Damn HD4, I was b!tching about not being able to hump in the northern Kali Wildernesses, you're an alternate for MM bull??? Yikes, something tells me you may get that tag, but still be unable to set foot on the hallowed grounds.
 
The following forests will close at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, and won’t reopen until 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 6, the forest service said.

  • Modoc National Forest
  • Klamath National Forest
  • Plumas National Forest
  • Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
  • Shasta-Trinity National Forest
  • Lassen National Forest
  • Six Rivers National Forest
  • Mendocino National Forest
  • Tahoe National Forest
 
Affected forests include:

•Klamath National Forest
•Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
•Lassen National Forest
•Mendocino National Forest
•Modoc National Forest
•Plumas National Forest
•Shasta-Trinity National Forest
•Six Rivers National Forest
•Tahoe National Forest

Six Rivers NF too. Bow season opens tomorrow for B-1 and B-2.
 
That order I linked lists all these forests too. Also, I just called supervisors office in Willows, since they did NOT returned my phone call from this a.m.

Despite the fact there may be some signage up, the closure is indeed supposed to reflect Sunday midnight.
 
Not politics..
It's absolutely the driest I ever seen on the mountain..(55 years)..
Springs are even just trickling now..and game been coming 10 fold more than a dry year for water..
My suggestion is to find someone with property and give your 1st born up so you can hunt.. National forest will be even worst unless we don't get a normal year of moisture..
Wardens are Horses at all trail heads that have a vehicle parked to go get archery hunters...
If we don't get anymore moisture soon.. the whole season is scrap state wide..
Jester
 
FYI..
The September 6th reopen is tentative..
Maybe go on indefinitely...
I was told by Dos Rios forest cop!!
Jester
 
F#ck them and the horse they rode in on. It's been the same for years, always driest, fire danger stage 5, etc.

I've been hunting since 1988 and there always seem be to fires and regional or local closures. It's the shove this down your throat, it's for your own good that I've had enough of.

While I agree it's dry as hell--still. Just done with everyone taking the Covid approach (shut everything 2 weeks to bend the curve) 2 weeks to see if our resources will hold and, and, and...

Truly, if that's the case, close it in advance of thousands of people hitting the woods opening weekend, not AFTER the weekend when there is exponentially fewer folks able to accidentally light the woods on fire.
 
And if you don't think that decision didn't come all the way from the Whitehouse. Democrats the biggest pos. The face of the planet.
 
Not politics..
It's absolutely the driest I ever seen on the mountain..(55 years)..
Springs are even just trickling now..and game been coming 10 fold more than a dry year for water..
My suggestion is to find someone with property and give your 1st born up so you can hunt.. National forest will be even worst unless we don't get a normal year of moisture..
Wardens are Horses at all trail heads that have a vehicle parked to go get archery hunters...
If we don't get anymore moisture soon.. the whole season is scrap state wide..
Jester
lol smackdaddy....it certainly would have been politics last year...
 
I don't see in the press release, what the ramifications are for going into the wilderness during the closure.
I'm not a fan of the closure, but this is the absolute driest year I have seen. The old-time ranchers here are saying the same thing. The brush is brown, most of the oaks have no leaves, it's DRY. But like most of you said, that's life in California. Hopefully, it's better next year.
There are "lots" of deer running around, I just wonder how this will affect the doe/fawn ratio next year.
 
Screenshot_20210820-153004_Drive.jpg
Screenshot_20210820-153016_Drive.jpg
looks like $5,000...
 
Pretty sure getting into the forest to poach would not be the problem. Getting out with your kill would be. Not advocating poaching just saying it how I see it. Im sure there will be plenty of people out there doing this who've spent time and money and don't want to lose out.

With that being said how does the closure affect points and money spent on your tags? Can they be returned with a refund in points and money or just points?
 
Nope, they did a few positive things for elk, antelope and sheep tag holders last year, but they had to have a law changed for that.

Here's CDFW's 2 cents on tbe closures and tag refunds.

 
Pretty sure getting into the forest to poach would not be the problem. Getting out with your kill would be. Not advocating poaching just saying it how I see it. Im sure there will be plenty of people out there doing this who've spent time and money and don't want to lose out.

With that being said how does the closure affect points and money spent on your tags? Can they be returned with a refund in points and money or just points?
I was wondering what would happen to guys in the forest that didn't know, or care that it was closed. If it wasn't for this forum, and a couple of buddies, I wouldn't know it was closed. I'm sure it's posted on the main roads, but there are tons of backroads into the forest. They can't stop the pot growers, I would think it will be challenging to enforce this mandate as well.
 
I'm surprised the pot growers aren't specifically listed on the exempted list...
I was wondering what would happen to guys in the forest that didn't know, or care that it was closed. If it wasn't for this forum, and a couple of buddies, I wouldn't know it was closed. I'm sure it's posted on the main roads, but there are tons of backroads into the forest. They can't stop the pot growers, I would think it will be challenging to enforce this mandate as well.
I agree they can't get everyone, but if they can stop the majority of the people who are likely to cause a fire then that's a positive in my book. I don't think hunters are the main concern but since they want to try and curb the problem then hunters just fall into the group as well for shut downs.
As for the pot growers, if they have a legal permit to grow Im sure they will be fine, it's the guys doing it illegally. And if they are doing it illegally they will just find an alternate route to their grow location since they can't afford to lose out on what they've invested.
 
As for the pot growers, if they have a legal permit to grow Im sure they will be fine, it's the guys doing it illegally. And if they are doing it illegally they will just find an alternate route to their grow location since they can't afford to lose out on what they've invested.
I'm talking about the illegal ones.....but...pretty sure there are no "legal" growers on FS land....are there?
 
Affected forests include:

•Klamath National Forest
•Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
•Lassen National Forest
•Mendocino National Forest
•Modoc National Forest
•Plumas National Forest
•Shasta-Trinity National Forest
•Six Rivers National Forest
•Tahoe National Forest

Six Rivers NF too. Bow season opens tomorrow for B-1 and B-2.
Does this affect X5-b I believe it is in Lassen forest right?
 
Definitely check before you go because those commies, I mean other agencies like BLM, tend to follow suit and restrict access as well.

As noted in the CDFW release, they closed state lands in support as well and I'd hate to drive 4 hours or more to find out that BLM has done same.
 
Saying in reg book it's hunter responsible to know current status of emergency closures and season dates...
Jester
 
Not politics..
It's absolutely the driest I ever seen on the mountain..(55 years)..
Springs are even just trickling now..and game been coming 10 fold more than a dry year for water..
My suggestion is to find someone with property and give your 1st born up so you can hunt.. National forest will be even worst unless we don't get a normal year of moisture..
Wardens are Horses at all trail heads that have a vehicle parked to go get archery hunters...
If we don't get anymore moisture soon.. the whole season is scrap state wide..
Jester
Yes Politics, If it was not about suppressing the hunting community, they would have closed it in June or July.
 
Last year the Feds opened the woods the night before hunting season began. No guarantee that will happen again, but the managers in many rural communities work to ensure that hunters are given their time in the woods.
 
I'm worried about the Deer hunt I have waited 17 years for
No worries. X5B is mostly BLM land. They might burn, but I cannot recall a time when they were ever closed. With luck, the fires will be controlled by October and the smoke will not be a problem As it is today, however, I would hate to be hunting--can't see a thing. If there is any good news, it is that the bucks can't see, either.
 
Buck300, where did you get the updated info. Trying to find it but can't locate. Thank you sir.
 
Adding onto the first order 10 days before first order ends it all political. I understand the state has way too many fires, but closures should be in the fire areas only. This is the way it has been for the last 40 years. Except last year. My area has burned 3 times in the last couple of decades. Running out of wood to burn. NOT!
 
This would be complete bummer if you had a hard to draw archery tag. Does the Fish and Game let you return them if the majority of the zone is closed?

Mark
 
This would be complete bummer if you had a hard to draw archery tag. Does the Fish and Game let you return them if the majority of the zone is closed?

Mark
Try a marble mountain bull elk tag....drawn as 2nd alternate.....with 1 point under max, so probably won't be redrawn next year...I guess I could hold onto the tag and hold out hope they don't extend again and hunt the last weekend of the hunt?


NOT!!
 
17 years I have waited to hunt deer in X-5b. They won't hold me out as there is BLM land and I will hunt one way or the other
Frickin State thinks it my Mom
Was it the state that told the federal government to shut it’s forests?
 
I understand staying out of burning areas, but shutting down the whole shabango is definitely a move from some libtard , all I know is if we don’t figure out how to unite and stand against this movement we are doomed , every year this happens is another season and opportunity to get your family in the woods GONE !!! And we all know how precious time is , and that’s exactly what they want , just sayin
 
Yes....the end goal is to make you learn to stay home. Dove season opens tomorrow....in cali there won’t be 10% the historic numbers of hunters...no steel shot to be had.

It’s all a liberal plot...
 
When was the last fire a hunter started?
A few years ago, the fire on the south end of Yosemite was started by a "Hunter" I believe. Was a large fire ....but not as large as the Dixie Fire is now.

The problem is that fire resources are thin now. They are trying to save South Lake Tahoe, and get out the Dixie Fire also.
If some fool were to start a new fire.....where are they going to get firefighters and equipment?

When you realize you may not be able to hunt deer this year because the forest is closed.....think of all those who get burned out due to the fires.
 
didn’t this closure thing happen last year?

I went out at sunset yesterday and didn’t see any posted closures but I did see lots of deer sign. I’ll check again tonight for both.
 
I guess closing down the NF makes it harder for arsonists to go unnoticed? Or gives them free reign.
 
When was the last fire a hunter started?
The Rim Fire was started by a bowhunter from Columbia on August 17 2013. It turned out to be a pretty damn big fire, 250,000+ acres. I remember when this happened and thought this is definitely not good for hunters regarding public land and wildfires. It has finally reached the point they just blanketly close them all. B.S.
 
Closing all NF land in California until Sept. 18th. Just to flatten the curve so our fire fighters don't get overwhelmed. That sounds familiar.
 
Closing all NF land in California until Sept. 18th. Just to flatten the curve so our fire fighters don't get overwhelmed. That sounds familiar.
Yep exactly, here we are again???! What are we going to do next year when we have another hot and dry drought year, lock everyone down and keep them out of the woods? I truly feel sorry for those who lost their homes in fires but keeping everyone out of the woods because of years of mismanagement of OUR forests is a load of BS!
 
Anybody know of a court case from last years closures? I heard a bear hunter got ticketed for being in the forest last season and is fighting it.
 
I don’t know the details. I was just told by a law enforcement officer today there is a pending court case on the matter. Was hoping someone on here knew more details.
 
man this “shut it down” in cali has got going on is reaching the BLM. in my local area part of the river canyon is closed due to toxic algae. that just so happens where iv been hunting :(

anyone else have blm closures? i understand the toxic algae part but do you really have to shut it down cause people don’t read signs? i guess so. :cautious:
 
just gotta drive a little farther and hike a bit more…glass… repeat.

i agree. i should be grateful it’s been a great season so far, getting into deer having some exciting stalks and one chance at a nice deer so far.

i had a good spot on national forest then
had to re locate on to blm. just when i find the blm herds and something bigger than a forky the rug is pulled out again. my legs are getting tired lol
 
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Affected forests include:

•Klamath National Forest
•Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
•Lassen National Forest
•Mendocino National Forest
•Modoc National Forest
•Plumas National Forest
•Shasta-Trinity National Forest
•Six Rivers National Forest
•Tahoe National Forest

Six Rivers NF too. Bow season opens tomorrow for B-1 and B-2.
Pretty much all of the good hunting for us guys in NorCal. You guys having fun with this California horse poop of a state we put our energy and money into hunting. I know the excitement for me is about over. Don't shoot the lions, don't chase the bears with the dogs, give out 60k A zone tags in area the size of Idaho, 35k B zone the size of Nevada, and then call that management? Someone missed the boat a long time ago and we have been sitting on the dock ever since.
 
And the elk hunting, ahhh yes, the elk hunting, well maybe 30 years from now I'll get to hunt a Tule, haha - no thanks.
 
Any wardens ever on here? I would love to ask why they don't break all these state size units up and why we are not harvesting lions. I mean it wouldn't take much if you broke out those 3 units and carved those up into about 30 units.
 
Any wardens ever on here? I would love to ask why they don't break all these state size units up and why we are not harvesting lions. I mean it wouldn't take much if you broke out those 3 units and carved those up into about 30 units.
Remember it was the voters that ended lion hunting. It's not up to the F&G, I can tell you....if it were up to them, we would be hunting lions!
 
6 in 1 half dozen the other, I say break em up, have some very limited entry and others where we shoot 2x points and that's cool too! Just do something.

I have like 8-9 deer points in CA and as a bow hunter have no inclination to even draw a tag, and that's sad. If I had 8-9 points in some of our neighboring states (minus Oregon) I would be on cloud 9.
 
Remember it was the voters that ended lion hunting. It's not up to the F&G, I can tell you....if it were up to them, we would be hunting lions!
Yea, well we are F'd then. I also heard the Fish and Game I think they change their name slightly, has some anti-hunters on their board and/or really liberal commissioners. Wouldn't surprise me.
 
Dept had no choice on name change. Changed name to be more "reflective" of what they represent because State legislator Jared Huffman (now US rep) created bill to change the name. Yes, he's no friend of hunting.
 
I would like to see Fish and Game address the degradation of deer habitat resulting from replanting old burns and logging operations with pine to the exclusion of everything else. We have millions of acres in the North State that have been sprayed in order to kill all brush and oak. No leaves in the summer, no acorns in the winter. Except for porcupines, nothing cold live in that wasteland, and I hove seen only a handful of those over the past few decades where there used to be many.

No doubt the deer herd could rebound very well in these recent burns given another five years, but that will not happen if private timber companies and the USFS "rehab" the forest by turning it into a commercial timber operation. The wildlife in the state belongs to every citizen (even those on private lands), and we should therefore have some say when it comes to land management practices that affect our property.

I hear a lot of talk about lions, but rarely hear hunters acknowledge the elephant in the room. If we are not vocal about the problem of habitat degradation, then we cannot expect the government agencies that regulate land management practices to buck the pressure they feel from land owners to place commercial interests before wildlife. Just as the county will not allow me to develop my land because it serves as a deer migration corridor, neither should the state permit large land holders to remove all species upon which our wildlife depend.
 
You Open up a big “can” here, I see this thread blowing up.
i’m big on the property rights and if you’ve ever tried to develop any property in California especially timber harvest plans, it takes years of studies, erosion control plans, etc. to get an actual permit. I’m not very educated on what you talk about in terms of spraying the natural habitat, but I do know California does a very poor job at managing their forest, evident by all the major mega fires, and a poor job at habitat restoration. Where’s the funds for these wildlife restoration projects? Follow the politicians.
 
I am certainly not defending California....but you do understand that National Forests and BLM is managed by the feds....right??

and.....when and where were "millions" of acres sprayed??
 
This times 1000
I would like to see Fish and Game address the degradation of deer habitat resulting from replanting old burns and logging operations with pine to the exclusion of everything else. We have millions of acres in the North State that have been sprayed in order to kill all brush and oak. No leaves in the summer, no acorns in the winter. Except for porcupines, nothing cold live in that wasteland, and I hove seen only a handful of those over the past few decades where there used to be many.

No doubt the deer herd could rebound very well in these recent burns given another five years, but that will not happen if private timber companies and the USFS "rehab" the forest by turning it into a commercial timber operation. The wildlife in the state belongs to every citizen (even those on private lands), and we should therefore have some say when it comes to land management practices that affect our property.

I hear a lot of talk about lions, but rarely hear hunters acknowledge the elephant in the room. If we are not vocal about the problem of habitat degradation, then we cannot expect the government agencies that regulate land management practices to buck the pressure they feel from land owners to place commercial interests before wildlife. Just as the county will not allow me to develop my land because it serves as a deer migration corridor, neither should the state permit large land holders to remove all species upon which our wildlife depend.
Great post bullskin. 100% on the nose. Those pine replant sections are absolutely useless.
 
I am going to call a FS station next week, but does anyone know how/when they plan on opening up the gates they have locked? Like I highly doubt midnight friday night they will do this and likely wait till the following morning. Which means with dozens of gates throughout the forest it could be the end of the day before they get to yours.
 
If the forest wasn't safe for bow hunters, I don't see how the FS can justify opening the forest up for rifle hunters. Fires are still raging and conditions haven't improved that I can see. I hope I'm wrong, of course.
 
It was a week before the 6th when they extended it from the 6th to the 17th. I think if they haven't extended it Monday or Tuesday then may leave it open.

But they may do as they did with the archery opener and leave it open for the weekend and close it monday the 20th?

I don't see them just leaving it open from here on without a favorable forecast of rain.

But what do I know? I stayed at a Motel last night but it was NOT a Holiday Inn.
 
If the forest wasn't safe for bow hunters, I don't see how the FS can justify opening the forest up for rifle hunters. Fires are still raging and conditions haven't improved that I can see. I hope I'm wrong, of course.

There are islands of unburned fuel within the Dixie fire perimeter that they'll be chasing for weeks, but the rains we had last week definitely reduced the potential for spot fires. I would be very surprised if it jumps the line in the next few days. I have not heard anyone officially suggest it, but I think that fire (or at least the northwest section) is cooked. With fewer active fires and as the nights grow cooler, I am hopeful that they will open the woods.
 
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I am certainly not defending California....but you do understand that National Forests and BLM is managed by the feds....right??

and.....when and where were "millions" of acres sprayed??
I stand corrected when I wrote "millions of acres sprayed." I was really referring to the millions of acres replanted as pine monoculture, and a very large part of this has been sprayed, but I cannot say that it has "all" been sprayed since there are other treatments available to remove unmerchantable species. In my immediate vicinity I can count nearly a hundred thousand acres of forest replanted in pine following fires. There are many smaller units that were logged and sprayed, then replanted. I have no doubt that my claim of "millions of acres" of pine plantation within the state is realistic.
 
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There are islands of unburned fuel within the Dixie fire perimeter that they'll be chasing for weeks, but the rains we had last week definitely reduced the potential for spot fires. I would be very surprised if it jumps the line in the next few days. I have not heard anyone officially suggest it, but I think that fire is cooked. With fewer active fires and as the nights grow cooler, I am hopeful that they will open the woods.
I hope you're right but the Dixie fire seems to be alive and well. Sept. 11th.

 
You Open up a big “can” here, I see this thread blowing up.
i’m big on the property rights and if you’ve ever tried to develop any property in California especially timber harvest plans, it takes years of studies, erosion control plans, etc. to get an actual permit. I’m not very educated on what you talk about in terms of spraying the natural habitat, but I do know California does a very poor job at managing their forest, evident by all the major mega fires, and a poor job at habitat restoration. Where’s the funds for these wildlife restoration projects? Follow the politicians.

Don't get me wrong, I am big on property rights, too. And especially when it is my property. I am, of course, referring to the deer, bear, turkey and other wildlife species owned by all of us. Let the landowner swing his arms however he wishes, just so long as he does not hit my nose. I am tired of seeing my deer herd shrink because large timber companies won't leave them a stick of oak.
 

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