night hunting?

[mangycoyote]

Ive been trying to get a clear answer. Is it legal to hunt fur bearing and nongame animals in san Diego?
Not sure if there is different regs for CNF and BLM. please give me the rundown. ???

 

[Lungpopper]

§466. Hours for Taking Furbearers.

Furbearers may be hunted at any hour of the day or night except that they may not be taken between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise in the area described in Section 474(a) of these regulations

Chapter 6. Nongame Animals
§472. General Provisions.

Except as otherwise provided in Sections 478 and 485 and subsections (a) through (d) below, nongame birds and mammals may not be taken.

(a) The following nongame birds and mammals may be taken at any time of the year and in any number except as prohibited in Chapter 6: English sparrow, starling, coyote, weasels, skunks, opossum, moles and rodents (excluding tree and flying squirrels, and those listed as furbearers, endangered or threatened species).
(b) Fallow, sambar, sika, and axis deer may be taken only concurrently with the general deer season.
(c) Aoudad, mouflon, tahr, and feral goats may be taken all year.
(d) American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) may be taken only under the provisions of Section 485 and by landowners or tenants, or by persons authorized in writing by such landowners or tenants, when American crows are committing or about to commit depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers and manner as to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance. Persons authorized by landowners or tenants to take American crows shall keep such written authorization in their possession when taking, transporting or possessing American crows. American crows may be taken only on the lands where depredations are occurring or where they constitute a health hazard or nuisance. If required by Federal regulations, landowners or tenants shall obtain a Federal migratory bird depredation permit before taking any American crows or authorizing any other person to take them.

American crows may be taken under the provisions of this subsection only by firearm, bow and arrow, falconry or by toxicants by the Department of Food and Agriculture for the specific purpose of taking depredating crows. Toxicants can be used for taking crows only under the supervision of employees or officers of the Department of Food and Agriculture or federal or county pest control officers or employees acting in their official capacities and possessing a qualified applicator certificate issued pursuant to sections 14151-14155 of the Food and Agriculture Code. Such toxicants must be applied according to their label requirements developed pursuant to sections 6151-6301, Title 3, California Code of Regulations.

Make sure to read the other sections that are listed.

 

[uplandfam]

What about coyotes. When I'm camping in the back country on upland hunts I always see coyotes after dark or very early morning. If it's not deer season can I take a yote at night

 

[mangycoyote]

What throws me off is one half hour before sunset and sunrise. But in the hunting reg handbook they have a couple of pages on night hunting. Looks like the state is broken up in three sections and it looks like san Diego falls in no prohibition against it. We are under zone 2 undersection 264. Use of lights while hunting. It looks like its legal. But does blm or cnf prohibit it under some other reg?

 

[MJB]

Coyotes have a section with lights and shooting from the truck........yes you can shoot yotes from the truck at night with any power light even your truck's lights BUT you must be parked car off and off of the dirt road.

I don't know what section it's in sorry it's in my truck.

 

[uplandfam]

I would love to know what section that is in. I'm totally down if I can highlight it and carry it with me.

 

[MJB]

Don't mean to be an ass but look it up I think section 506?

Infact there was another thread about 2-3 months ago on the lights & yotes.

 

[mangycoyote]

I couldn't find a thread on the subject, sorry if this was already covered.
For me it seems like a contradiction in the regulation. On one hand it says no taking of nongame animals section 466 but in section 264 on using lights for hunting sounds like it is ok.

just like to know who has gone out at night and do you prefer cnf or blm? Or does it matter?

 

[MJB]

Tuesday afternoon I'll find it. Busy doing whelping watch Tuesday till may 6th.

506 maybe the trespassing reg or not I can't recall.

 

[wheels]

Night hunting for coyote is allowed and legal as long as it is not general deer season. You need to read the code and become very familiar with it. It is your responsibility to know the law so when a warden comes up and asks you what you are up to.

This is the code section. This is only a small part of the section so I recommend reading the entire code.

You may not hunt from your vehicle. This has been known as hatch hunting and it is illegal. You also need to understand that when you are hunting at night you must know what you are shooting. Only certain parts of the year fox and bobcat are available for take as you might already know. So if you shoot one by accident, that is poaching and illegal as you also probably know. I say all of this because I have hear people talking about night hunting and shooting at eyes. We don't shoot at eyes, we first identify what our game is and then we shoot whatever is legal. A Game warden was shot in Feb of this year by night varmint hunters shooting at eyes.

I recommend you read the code 263, 264 and 264.5. Also the code changes on different part of the state.

You must not be touching your vehicle when you night hunt.


§264. Use of Lights While Hunting--Specific Areas.
(a) Lights of any size or voltage may be used to take furbearing or nongame mammals only in the areas described in subsections (b) and (c) below, and only under the following conditions:
(1) The use of lights for night hunting is prohibited in any area where the general deer season is open.
(2) Furbearing mammals and nongame mammals may be taken with the aid of a spotlight or other artificial light operated from a vehicle provided such vehicle is stopped and standing with the motor off. No spotlight may be used from a vehicle which is on a public road or highway.

§264.5. Use of Lights While Hunting--Remainder of State.
Lights may be used, in those portions of the state not listed in Section 264, to take furbearers and nongame mammals under the following conditions only:

(a) Only 9 volt lights or smaller, hand-held or worn on the head are permitted.
(b) Persons using such lights must be on foot.
(c) Lights may not be used in or from a vehicle and may not be attached or powered from any source other than self-contained batteries.
(d) A landowner or tenant suffering damage to livestock or other property by furbearing mammals or nongame mammals may designate, in writing, persons allowed by such landowner or tenant to use artificial lights in excess of 9 volts to assist in taking the depredating mammals. The landowner or tenants shall notify the closest fish and game office whenever furbearing or nongame mammals are taken under this authority.
No furbearing or nongame mammals including any threatened, endangered or fully protected species may be taken contrary to any other prohibition set forth in these regulations.

 

[Sdbirds]

Don't do it there asleep

 

[mangycoyote]

Don't do it there asleep

lol ;Dmaybe I should be asleep too.

 

[Sdbirds]

We do it. Very different if your in sd plan on the long tails that go bump in the night. The ones with the great big eyes that glow blood red. Stay away from them. O ya have fun

 

[mangycoyote]

That dream was short lived

 

[8SteelTown]

Just a reminder on the subject, ALWAYS look into your county and local regs. Riverside County it's illegal to hunt at night. There are certain city's and local parks that have their own codes / ordinances. Double check before you play the 'I had no idea' card.

 

[El Matavenados]

I recently started taking some buddies out night hunting. We've seen eyes looking back at us EVERY time we've gone, often from the moment we turn the lights on.

One of these buddies and I did a little calling the night before the start of general D16, and we had something (I think a bobcat) sneak in on us. At first I thought it was just road markers, but when we started to pack up to leave, the eyes moved! We lost sight of it for a while, and then we continued to pack up. As we did, my friend shined his light into the trees behind us, and spotted it again! Crazy spooky, but fun.

We haven't had any respond to the calling since. They just hang out at a distance, and won't come closer. If I blow a howler, they leave the area. It's fun, but I know the guys are itching to drop the hammer. I won't let them shoot at eyes, though. In one spot, we see 5-6 sets of eyes staring back at us every time we go. We finally decided to try and walk up on them. At about 100 yards, one of the guys said he could see the body, and was 75% sure it was a coyote. I told him that unless he was 100% sure, we shouldn't shoot. So we tried to get closer, and the animals bugged out.

It's frustrating, fun, and a good way to spend a Friday evening with friends!

 

[uplandfam]

That sounds awesome i've been wanting to make a specific time just to night call. usually buy the time sunset comes im beat iat in bed asleep by 8 or 9 tired from an early morning but ill have to try it.

I agree n not shooting untill 100% sure. it could be bad news. but i always buy a bobcat tag for my self and my wife just in case.
I got a nice 42lb bob cat this last year in the middle of the day just hanging out. It was a once in a lifr time 150yard shot but not a night shot.

What lights do you use for night. i currently have a 6volt 850 lumen light that reaches about 100 yards with no problem.