Outdoor Notes : Southland Deer Hunters Had Banner Season
All the returns aren’t in yet, but it appears as if three Southland hunt zones and the state generally had a banner deer-hunting season in 1986.
The Department of Fish and Game reports a “substantial increase” in the buck harvest for three Southland zones, two of which experienced a success rate double that of last year’s. Statewide, as of Dec. 15, the DFG said tag returns show an increase of about 4% over last year.
In Zone D16, which includes the western Riverside and San Diego County areas, hunter success was twice that for 1986. Tom Paulek, DFG biologist for the area, speculated that because the 1985 harvest was below a five-year average, there was a substantial carry-over of bucks.
The success rate was also doubled in Zone D12, on the Colorado River. The DFG said that 46 tags had been returned, compared to 26 for all of last season.
The third Southland zone to register a gain was D11, the Angeles National Forest hunt. Hunters bagged 326 bucks in D11, compared to 238 taken in 1985.
In the San Bernardino Mountains, Zone D14, hunters experienced almost the same success as last year, about 221 bucks.
The National Marine Manufacturers Assn. says that 1986 was the industry’s greatest year since 1974 for the sale of new boats.
Americans spent $14.5 billion on new and used boats, motors, trailers, accessories and services in 1986, a gain of 9% over 1985, the organization reports.
Industry spokesmen credited a stable energy outlook, growing credit availability at attractive rates and a generally stable economic climate.
Americans, the NMMA said, now own 14,285,000 pleasure boats.
The duck season will end in Southern California Sunday, but the goose season will continue through Jan. 18, the DFG reminds waterfowl hunters.
Cris Gonzales, Imperial Wildlife Area manager for the DFG’s facility at the Salton Sea, said 125 hunter sites will be available to goose hunters for the last three days of waterfowl season. Each site accommodates up to six hunters with no more than four adult shooters allowed per site.
The United States and Mexico have entered into a joint wildlife management agreement that will benefit snow geese and endangered masked bobwhite quail, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The agreement calls for increased study efforts on distribution, abundance and harvest of wintering snow geese and black brant in Mexico, as well as joint surveys of masked bobwhite quail in Mexico. U.S. biologists will train Mexican wildlife personnel in release techniques of captive-bred masked bobwhites.
Briefly Montana fly fishing guide John Seaman will present a slide program on fishing Montana’s Madison River and other waters Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., at the Legg Lakes-Whittier Narrows Visitors’ Center in El Monte. . . . The Pasadena Casting Club will begin a six-week fly tying class Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Civil Defense Center. . . . The Portland-based Pacific Fishery Management Council is searching for an executive director. Salary: $53,000 a year. . . . A duck decoy billed as the world’s largest by its owner will be on display at the San Francisco Boat Show today through Jan. 18. Dick Bourns says his 17-foot decoy, called Mighty Mallard, “can attract ducks and geese from 40,000 feet.”
