Driving south on Interstate 5 a few weeks ago, I crossed the Stony Creek Bridge, just north of Orland, California. The experience brought back vivid memories of my childhood—fishing, swimming, and exploring every inch of that wonderful Sacramento Valley stream.
Trout Planting Days
In 1966, as a high school graduate about to enter college, I was fortunate to find a summer job at the Mount Shasta Fish Hatchery—the oldest and probably the most beautiful operating fish hatchery in the western United States. The other seasonal aides and I found ourselves at the bottom of the proverbial food chain, so we spent most of the summer mucking fish waste out of the raceway ponds, cleaning fish troughs inside the hatchery buildings and loading fish planting trucks at six o’clock in the morning. Every Monday morning, I eagerly checked the weekly work schedule in hopes of being assigned to one of the trout planting details. Although I only planted trout once or twice that summer, I remember it as one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life.
I was recently invited to do a presentation for the Bear Creek Watershed Group, in eastern Shasta County, California. The group is made up of local citizens dedicated to the preservation of Bear Creek and its tributaries.
Receiving praise from one’s peers is always extra gratifying. I am proud to share an excerpt from a review of my book which appeared in the Summer 2013 issue of International Game Warden magazine:
For decades, there have been major concerns about the depletion of California’s marine resources. In 1999, the Marine Life Protection Act was established, mandating that the California Fish and Game Commission designate marine protected areas where fish, habitat, and other priceless marine resources are allowed to recover. This statewide network was completed at the end of 2012, with 124 designated protected areas from the Oregon border to Mexico. Specific regulations may exist for individual marine protected areas (MPAs), so contact the Department of Fish and Wildlife before fishing or conducting any type of outdoor activity in these areas. Maps, GPS coordinates, and specific information are available. To learn more, go to https://www.dfg.ca.gov/.
Did you know that the wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC, estimates that the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife parts is a ten billion dollar a year industry—right behind drugs? It’s getting worse every day as black markets continue to expand—not just in Asian countries like China, but in Australia, Europe and the United States.
Our June 14th book signing at the Chico Costco was a huge success! Thanks to Dan Barnett’s great review in the Chico Enterprise-Record and my radio interview with Nancy Wiegman on KCHO’s “Nancy’s Bookshelf,” we sold 120 books. The highlight of the day was visiting with all of the wonderful people who showed up for the event. Thanks to everyone who helped make this day possible.
My wife and I are fortunate to live on a patch of oak woodland in the foothills of Northern California. Several years ago we decided to rid our yard of water-guzzling domestic fescue and replace it with gardens of drought tolerant native plants. In doing so, you might say we put out the welcome mat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Documenting bird species that visit our yard has provided a special sense of pride and enjoyment.
Growing up in the tiny farm town of Orland at the north end of California’s Central Valley, a pheasant sighting was a daily occurrence for me. These beautiful Asian transplants were so plentiful, and pheasant hunting was so popular, the annual season opener was practically a national holiday.
Most game wardens or wildlife officers will tell you that the odds of going out on any given day and catching someone in the act of taking a deer out of season are pretty remote. With thousands of square miles to patrol, it’s like finding a needle in the proverbial haystack.