Fall Hunts Offered

Parts of California are slowly – and considering I just spent a weekend in Fresno visiting college friends and sweltered in 104-degree temperatures, very slowly – transitioning into fall. And that means some hunting opportunities, including the following co-sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement.

Dove is among several species offered in fall California hunts. (TIM HOVEY)
Dove is among several species offered in fall California hunts. (TIM HOVEY)

Here’s the CDFW release:

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) program is offering wild pig, waterfowl, dove and pheasant hunting opportunities on three different properties.

For the first time, SHARE is holding wild pig hunts at Rush Ranch in southern Solano County. Rush Ranch is a 2,070-acre open space area bordered by the Suisun Marsh near Fairfield. There will be eight hunt periods from November to February with two permits per period which will be good for two hunters each. Hunters will be randomly drawn for each of the eight periods. SHARE hunters will have access to 1,000 acres of the ranch and will be allowed to camp in a designated area for no extra fee. Method of take for these hunts will be restricted to archery, crossbow or shotgun slugs only.

SHARE is offering three semi-guided wild pig hunts in December, January and February on the Tejon Ranch in Kern County. Six permits, good for two hunters each, will be randomly drawn for each period. These 2.5-day group pig hunts include lodging, meals and a guide that will provide advice on techniques and areas of the ranch to focus hunting efforts. Hunters are allowed to take one pig each during this hunt.

SHARE is offering waterfowl, dove and pheasant hunts on the wildlife management area at the Merced Wastewater Treatment Plant. The property is located five miles south of the city of Merced with 300 acres open for hunting. Tucked between sloughs and agricultural fields, the seasonal pond and wetland area provides cover and forage for waterfowl, dove and pheasant.

For more information about each SHARE property, the opportunities available and how to apply for the hunts, please go towww.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/share/.

A non-refundable application fee of $11.06 will be charged for each hunt choice. Hunters with a valid California hunting license may apply through the Automated License Data System (ALDS) by visiting www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/ols/.

The SHARE program has partnered with the California Waterfowl Association (CWA) to offer public hunting opportunities on private lands for fall hunts. California Waterfowl’s Hunt Program has expanded and is now offering additional hunting opportunities, including the recently acquired Goose Lake Wildlife Management Area located approximately eight miles south of Kern National Wildlife Refuge. For a full description of the hunts offered through CWA and step-by-step instructions on how to apply, visit CWA online at www.calwaterfowl.org.

These hunting opportunities are made possible by the SHARE Program, which offers incentives to private landowners who allow wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities on their property. Participating landowners receive liability protection and compensation for providing public access to or through their land for wildlife-dependent recreational activities. The goal of the SHARE Program is to provide additional hunting, fishing and other recreational access on private lands in California.