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Fish And Wildlife Releases September Calendar Of Events
Fish

Multiple activities are available during September through the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, from watching Sandhill cranes to touring local ecological reserves. Following is a listing of events.

First through third Saturdays and Sundays of the month — Sandhill Crane Wetland Tours at Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, 7730 W. Woodbridge Road, Lodi. Online registration has begun for those wishing to participate in these guided tours, which run October through February. Registration is available online at www.wildlife.ca.gov/regions/3/crane-tour. A one-day Lands Pass must be purchased to attend and instructions are available on the same website. Tours fill fast and registration may be done as much as six weeks in advance. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/regions/3/crane-tour.

Various Days — Guided Wetland Tours, By Reservation, at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley. A wildlife naturalist will lead any group, school or organization on a half-mile route through the diverse wetlands of the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area. General information includes wildlife identification, behavior patterns and conservation efforts. The experience can be customized to include requested information. The minimum group size is 18 people. For more information, call (530) 846-7505 or email lori.dieter@wildlife.ca.gov.

Various Days — Ecological Reserve Tours at Elkhorn Slough, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville. Volunteers lead walks every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 11 a.m. Binoculars and bird books are available for the public to borrow at no cost. The visitor center and main overlook are fully accessible. The day use permit fee is $4.12 per person, ages 16 and older (permits may be purchased on-site). Groups of five or more should please notify staff that they are coming and groups of 10 or more can request a separate tour. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/lands/places-to-visit/elkhorn-slough-er.

Various Days — General Bear Season Opening in Select Deer Zones. General bear season opens concurrently with general deer season in the A, B, C, D, X8, X9A, X9B, X10 and X12 zones. In September, general bear season will open with general deer season in the following zones: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, all C zones, D3-10 zones, X8, X9a, X9b, X10 and X12. Current bear hunting regulations can be viewed at www.eregulations.com/california/hunting/big-game/bear-hunting/. In-season updates and general black bear information can be viewed at www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/bear.

Various Days — Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Access Permit Application Deadlines for Multiple Hunting Opportunities. Wild pig, deer, bear, turkey, dove and quail hunts are available through the SHARE program. A $10.75 non-refundable application fee (plus handling fees) is charged for each hunt choice. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/share.

Saturday, Sept. 8 — Sooty (Blue) and Ruffed Grouse General Season Opens. Season extends through Oct. 8. White-tailed Ptarmigan General and Archery Season Opens Statewide. White-tailed ptarmigan general and archery season opens statewide Sept. 8 and extends through Sept. 16. Tree Squirrel General Season Opens. Season extends through Jan. 27, 2019. Mountain Quail Season Opens in Zone Q1. Season extends through Oct. 19.

Friday, Sept. 14 — Feather River Fish Hatchery Ladder Opening, 5 Table Mountain Blvd., Oroville. The ladder will open and salmon spawning will begin the following week and continue through approximately mid-November. The hatchery is open from sunrise to sunset. For more information, call (530) 538-2222 or visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/hatcheries/feather-river.

Saturday, Sept. 15 — Coastal Cleanup Day 2018, 9 a.m. to noon, Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville. Volunteers will remove trash from the road bordering the reserve to keep the habitat clean and safe. Elkhorn Slough Reserve will provide materials and refreshments. All ages are welcome but those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information, contact Ariel Hunter at ariel@elkhornslough.org.

Saturday, Sept. 15 — General Deer Season Opens. General deer season opens in the general zones D6-7, the restricted zones B1-B3 and B5-B6, and the premium zones C1-C4, X9a, X9b and X12. Hunters should check for area closures and restrictions before heading to their destination. Information on closures is available at www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/area-alerts. Tag reporting is required as the reports are vital to estimating populations and tag quotas. Please visit www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/internetsales/customersearch/begin for information on reporting. Tag holders may also submit reports by mail to CDFW Wildlife Branch, P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94299-0002. Band-tailed Pigeon Season in the North Zone Opens. Season extends through Sept. 23.

Thursday, Sept. 20 — California Fish and Game Commission Wildlife Resources Committee Meeting, time to be determined, Resources Building, 1416 Ninth St., Sacramento. For more information, visit www.fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2018/index.aspx.

Saturday, Sept. 22 — 24th Annual Oroville Salmon Festival, Feather River Fish Hatchery, 5 Table Mountain Blvd., Oroville, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and in downtown Oroville, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature tours to view salmon spawning, informational booths, educational displays and vendor booths. For more information, please visit www.salmonfestoroville.org.

Saturday, Sept. 22 — General Deer Season Opens. General deer season opens in the general zones D3-5, D8 and D10, and the premium zones D9, and X8. Hunters should check for area closures and restrictions before heading out to their hunting destination. Information on closures is available at www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/area-alerts. Tag reporting is required as the reports are vital to estimating populations and tag quotas. Visit www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/internetsales/customersearch/begin for information on reporting. Tag holders may also submit reports by mail at CDFW Wildlife Branch, P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94299-0002. For general information on deer zones, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/deer#54774-zones–hunts.

Saturday, Sept. 22 — Elkhorn Slough Reserve Open House, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville. Activities include guided walking tours and an opportunity to meet scientists. The annual event is free to the public. For more information, contact Virginia Guhin at (831) 728-2822 or visit www.elkhornslough.org.

Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 22 and 23 — Youth Waterfowl Hunt Days for Northeastern California Zone. In order to participate, hunters must be 17 years of age or younger and accompanied by a non-hunting adult 18 years of age or older. People should contact the wildlife area or national wildlife refuge they wish to hunt for details. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl.

Tuesday, Sept. 25 — CDFW Conservation Lecture Series, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium, 1416 Ninth St., Sacramento. Mark Tukman presents “A Living Map for a Changing Landscape — fine-scale vegetation and habitat mapping in Sonoma County. A recently completed fine-scale vegetation map for Sonoma County that highlights recent advances in landscape and habitat assessment will be discussed. The map has many users, including the conservation community, water managers and planners. Attendance is free. To register and for more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/lectures.

Saturday, Sept. 29 — General Deer Season Opens. General deer season opens in premium zone X10. Hunters should check for area closures and restrictions before heading to their hunting destination. Information on closures is available at www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/area-alerts. Tag reporting is required as the reports are vital to estimating populations and tag quotas. Early Season for Large Canada Geese in the Balance of State Zone. Season extends through Oct. 3. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/waterfowl. Quail Season Opens in Zone Q2 (all quail). Season extends through Jan. 27, 2019. For more information, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds#225035-regulations.