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Green-winged teal at the Cosumnes River Preserve. CDFW Photo by Travis VanZant.
January 2024 California Department of Fish and Wildlife Calendar
All calendar items are subject to change.
Wildlife areas, ecological reserves and other properties may be closed due to wildfires or storm damage. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts are strongly encouraged to check for closures before leaving on any recreational trip.
Various Days — Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Access Permit Application Deadline for Multiple Hunting Opportunities. Wild pig, waterfowl, turkey and quail hunts are available through the SHARE program. A $12.75 non-refundable application fee (plus handling fees) is charged for each hunt choice. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/share.
Weekends — Guided Hikes at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 10 and 11 a.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Volunteers lead walks highlighting the natural history of the Elkhorn Slough every Saturday and Sunday. Tours fill on a first-come, first-served basis the day of the tour. Groups of six or more should call ahead at (831) 728-2822 to reserve a tour. For more information, please visit www.elkhornslough.org/calendar.
5 — Community Habitat Restoration, 3 to 5 p.m., 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Let’s roll up sleeves and help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands restore the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Get hands-on experience while learning about urban ecology. Clearing out invasive vegetation gives slow-growing native plants room to thrive. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/1/5/friday-habitat-restoration.
6 — Fishing in the City Clinic, 8 a.m. to noon, Granite Regional Park, 8200 Ramona Ave., Sacramento (95826). It’s trout season in Sacramento! Join CDFW at Youth Beginner Fishing Clinics, held twice a month at local parks on Saturdays in January through March. These free fishing clinics are for beginners ages 5-15 to learn the basics of fishing, casting, conservation and hopefully to catch their first fish. All materials are provided, and clinics are held rain or shine. To learn more about Fishing in the City and to register for a Sacramento area clinic, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/fishing-in-the-city/sac. To learn more about Fishing in the City opportunities in other areas, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/fishing-in-the-city.
6 — Early Bird Tour at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Join the reserve's naturalists every first Saturday to learn about the birds of the Elkhorn Slough. This tour is appropriate for birders from beginner to advanced and is recommended for individuals ages 15 and older. The tour meets at the visitor center, but depending on recent sightings, the group may walk the trails or caravan out to adjacent parks and natural spaces. No registration is required. The tour fills on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details, please visit www.elkhornslough.org/calendar.
7 — Salt Marsh and Dunes Tour at Ballona Reserve, 10 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Explore the wonder of nature in the middle of urban Los Angeles! Friends of Ballona docents will lead the tour through the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and teach participants about its history and ecology. Enjoy all the special and unique native plants on the journey through different habitats. Participants might even meet some of the local wildlife. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon's Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/1/7-saltmarsh-tour.
7 — City of Davis Wetlands Tour, 3 to 5 p.m., 45400 County Rd 28H, Woodland (95776). The Davis Wetlands is a managed native California wetland ecosystem that includes oak riparian woodlands and native grasslands. During the tour, participants will caravan along well-maintained gravel roads on the auto tour route. Multiple stops will offer guests an up-close encounter with a diverse array of bird species that inhabit the expansive 400 acres of reconstructed wetlands. Registration is required to attend. To register, please visit yolobasin.org/wetlands-tours. For more information, please contact bkeating@yolobasin.org.
11 — Flyway Nights Speaker Series, 7 to 9 p.m. via Zoom. The Yolo Basin Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship provides financial support and mentoring for selected graduate students who are working in the areas of environmental education, conservation or public use related to the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Four graduate students will present their research on the topics of the effects of wildfires on native mosquitos, evaluation of the Discover the Flyway school program, population and habitat assessment for giant garter snake and western pond turtle, and the spawning of Chinook salmon in Putah Creek. To register, please visit the event registration page. For more information, please contact bkeating@yolobasin.org.
11-13 — King Tide Hikes at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, start time varies, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Join an Elkhorn Slough Reserve naturalist to see a high King Tide! Together we’ll learn what causes high tides, talk about why King Tides are so interesting and take a hike to the reserve’s boardwalk to witness the event in person. The tour is open to all ages, but attendees should register in advance. For more details and to register, please visit www.elkhornslough.org/calendar.
13 — Ballona Creek Cleanup at Ballona Reserve, 9:30 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands clean up the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Did you know that 130 square miles of storm drain flow into Ballona Creek? Gutter trash from as far away as North Hollywood can end up right in the wetlands. The time and effort put into clearing out debris means less trash in the wetlands, on beaches and in the open ocean. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/1/13-creek-cleanup.
16 — California Fish and Game Commission Wildlife Resources Committee Meeting, time and specific location to be determined, Sacramento. The meeting will also be held via webinar/teleconference. For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov.
16 — Advanced Hunter Education Webinar: Getting Your Rifle Scope Dialed In, 6 p.m. Part 1 of 3. Do you want to get a jump start in preparing for hunting season? This webinar will discuss scope nomenclature, considerations prior to purchasing a rifle scope, how to mount a rifle scope and how to sight in a scoped rifle. This is part one of a three-part webinar series. Part three will be held in February. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.register-ed.com/events/view/204360
18-21 — International Sportsmen’s Expo, Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento (95815). CDFW will be returning to the International Sportsmen's Exposition in Sacramento. For more information, please visit www.sportsexpos.com/attend/sacramento.
19 — Community Habitat Restoration, 3 to 5 p.m., 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Let’s roll up sleeves and help the Friends of Ballona Wetlands restore the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Get hands-on experience while learning about urban ecology. Clearing out invasive vegetation gives slow-growing native plants room to thrive. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/1/19/friday-habitat-restoration.
20 — Salt Marsh and Dunes Tour at Ballona Reserve, 10 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Explore the wonder of nature in the middle of urban Los Angeles! Friends of Ballona docents will lead the tour through the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and teach participants about its history and ecology. Enjoy all the special and unique native plants on the journey through different habitats. Participants might even meet some of the local wildlife. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon's Market. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/1/20-saltmarsh-tour.
21 — Tour of the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, 9 a.m. to noon, 45211 County Road 32 B, Davis (95618). Explore the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area with a knowledgeable field trip leader on the third Sunday of each month from October to June. Witness flooded seasonal and permanent wetlands, native grasslands and young riparian forests. Depending on the season, spot migrating and resident waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, raptors and wading birds. To register, please visit yolobasin.org/ybwa-tours. For more information, please contact bkeating@yolobasin.org.
21 — Tot Time at Nimbus Fish Hatchery, 11 a.m., 2001 Nimbus Road, Gold River (95670). Join CDFW on the third Sunday of each month for Tot Time at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor’s Center for nature-themed stories and to create a fun craft! Recommended for children ages 2-7 years, with parent/guardian supervision. There is no cost for these events and registration is not required. For more information, please email julia.kaiser@wildlife.ca.gov.
23 — Advanced Hunter Education Webinar: Bighorn Sheep Hunting, 6 p.m. Learn more about this amazing big game animal. A CDFW wildlife scientist will discuss biology, habitat and population distribution followed by a discussion with a lifelong sheep hunter and guide regarding hunting tactics and practical strategies to make the most of this coveted tag. The webinar will also include information for hunters on ways to help with bighorn sheep conservation efforts. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.register-ed.com/events/view/206174.
25-28 — Bart Hall Long Beach Show, Long Beach Convention Center, 300 E Ocean Blvd., Long Beach (90802). CDFW will be returning to the Bart Hall show at the Long Beach Convention Center. For more information, please visit hallshows.com/home.
27 — Community Habitat Restoration at the Ballona Reserve, 9:30 a.m. to noon, 303 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey (90293). Spend the day with the Friends of Ballona Wetlands helping to restore the last coastal wetland in Los Angeles. Let’s roll up sleeves and get hands-on experience while learning about urban ecology. Clearing out invasive vegetation gives slow-growing native plants room to thrive. Parking and entrance gate are located behind Gordon’s Market. Registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit www.ballonafriends.org/calendar/2024/1/27/community-habitat-restoration.
27 — Mindfulness Tour at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 2 to 4 p.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Join an experienced reserve docent on a two-mile walk to open the senses on a mindfulness tour around the slough. No registration is required. The tour fills on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details, please visit www.elkhornslough.org/calendar.
27 — Volunteer Training at Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville (95076). Volunteers at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve lead weekly guided hikes on the reserve trails, support stewardship and restoration projects, and assist with school field trips. The goal is to inspire a connection through education about the incredible habitats of Elkhorn Slough and its surrounding watershed. Interested in becoming a volunteer? The annual five-week long volunteer training will start on Jan. 27. For more details and to apply, please visit elkhornslough.org/visit/volunteer/2024-volunteer-training or email questions to beth.scrutton@wildlife.ca.gov.
29 — Falconry Only Season Opens for Rabbits and Varying Hares (extending through March 17). For more information on resident small game mammal seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/small-game.
30 — Advanced Hunter Education Webinar: Getting Your Rifle Scope Dialed In, 6 p.m. Part 2 of 3. Do you want to get a jump start in preparing for hunting season? This webinar will discuss scope nomenclature, considerations prior to purchasing a rifle scope, how to mount a rifle scope and how to sight in a scoped rifle. This is part two of a three-part webinar series. Part three will be held in February. Registration is required. For more details about the event and to register, please visit www.register-ed.com/events/view/204361.
31 — Deer Tag Reporting Deadline. Deer tag holders must submit a harvest report for any 2023 deer tag by the Jan. 31, 2024, deadline. All tag holders must report even if they did not hunt or they hunted unsuccessfully. Tag holders who do not report by this deadline will be charged a $21.60 non-reporting penalty fee when purchasing a 2024 deer tag drawing application or deer tag. To report harvest online, please visit www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/internetsales/customersearch/begin. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/hunting#9941260-tag-reporting.
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