It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Legislature to encourage the conservation, restoration, maintenance, and utilization of California’s wild deer populations. Such conservation shall be in accordance with the principles of conservation of wildlife resources set forth in Section 1801 and in accordance with the objectives and elements stated in “A Plan for California Deer, 1976.”
Chapter 5Management of Deer
Section § 450
This law states the goal of California's Legislature to promote the conservation and effective management of the state's wild deer populations. It emphasizes the importance of doing this in alignment with established wildlife conservation principles and a specific plan from 1976 for managing deer in California.
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Section § 451
This law defines the term “general deer hunting season” as the specific annual period when male deer can be hunted in a particular area. The timing of this season is determined either by the wildlife commission's established rules or by a specific law.
As used in this chapter “general deer hunting season” means the annual season for the area in question as is set by the commission under its general regulatory powers, or set by statute, for the taking of male deer.
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Section § 452
This section explains that the department is responsible for setting up deer herd management units. Each unit will have a designated manager and could either include one deer herd or several with similar needs and environments. These unit boundaries don't have to align with county lines unless it's necessary.
The department shall designate deer herd management units and designate the manager for the units. Such units may encompass a single deer herd or a group of deer herds having similar management and habitat requirements and characteristics. Boundaries of such units, unless appropriate, need not follow county boundary lines.
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Section § 453
This section outlines that the department is responsible for creating plans to manage deer populations, aiming to restore and maintain healthy deer herds while ensuring their use is high quality and varied in California.
The department shall develop plans for such deer herd management units. The objectives of such plans shall be the restoration and maintenance of healthy deer herds in the wild state and to provide for high quality and diversified use of deer in California.
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Section § 454
This section outlines what should be included in deer management plans in California. First, it involves documenting current information on deer herd management units and acquiring additional necessary data. Next, it involves creating programs to improve deer habitat quality across the state, focusing on collaboration with land management agencies. The section also calls for programs to lower natural deer deaths and reduce illegal hunting with modern law enforcement and community cooperation. Finally, it suggests developing various recreational programs related to deer, including hunting and non-hunting activities, based on what each deer herd area can support.
Such management plans shall contain the following program elements:
(a)CA Fish and Game Code § 454(a) Document existing information on deer herd management units and programs to obtain information that may be needed.
(b)CA Fish and Game Code § 454(b) Develop programs to maintain and increase the quality of deer habitat statewide. Such programs will emphasize cooperative action between the department and the appropriate land management entities, both public and private. Emphasis shall be directed towards identifying critical deer habitat areas and the maintenance and management of such areas.
(c)CA Fish and Game Code § 454(c) Develop programs to reduce natural mortalities where such reduction may be critical to meeting deer herd plan objectives.
(d)CA Fish and Game Code § 454(d) Develop programs to decrease the illegal taking of deer through modern law enforcement methods supported by public and private cooperative efforts.
(e)CA Fish and Game Code § 454(e) Develop diversified recreational use programs, including both hunting and nonhunting uses, consistent with the basic individual deer herd management unit capabilities.
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Section § 455
Each year, deer herd management plans must be evaluated, and these evaluations help guide the department's advice to the commission regarding deer management.
Deer herd management unit plans shall be reviewed annually and shall be the basis for department recommendations to the commission pursuant to this chapter.
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Section § 456
This law requires the department to report every two years to both the Legislature and the commission about the progress in restoring and maintaining California's deer populations. The report must cover activities related to deer habitat, specifically the challenges in identifying and preserving key habitat areas. It should also include financial information such as revenue from deer tag sales and past, current, and future expenditures, along with benefits to the deer as a result of these activities.
The department shall biennially report to the Legislature and to the commission on the progress that is being made toward the restoration and maintenance of California’s deer herds. The report shall include program activities regarding deer habitat, particularly addressing problems dealing with identification and preservation of critical deer habitat areas; the amount of revenue derived from the sale of deer tags during the two previous fiscal years; a list of expenditures during the two previous fiscal years and proposed expenditures during the current fiscal year; and a report of general benefits accrued to the deer resources as a result of the program.
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Section § 457
Each year by December 15, the department must decide and propose recommendations about managing deer populations to the commission. This includes whether there should be any hunting of deer without antlers.
The recommendations must cover several points: how many antlerless deer, if any, should be hunted in specific areas, suggested hunting dates, the number of permits for each area, and whether the permits should allow hunting of deer of both sexes.
(a)CA Fish and Game Code § 457(a) Not later than December 15 of each year, the department shall determine its proposed recommendations to the commission relating to the management of deer, including its recommendations as to whether any antlerless deer hunts should be ordered.
(b)CA Fish and Game Code § 457(b) The recommendations shall include all of the following:
(1)CA Fish and Game Code § 457(b)(1) The number, if any, of antlerless deer that should be taken in particular deer management units.
(2)CA Fish and Game Code § 457(b)(2) Proposed dates for any recommended taking.
(3)CA Fish and Game Code § 457(b)(3) The number of permits proposed for each management unit.
(4)CA Fish and Game Code § 457(b)(4) Whether the permits should be either-sex permits.
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Section § 458
Every year by December 15, a department must notify relevant county supervisors about their recommendations via certified mail. Counties can decide to hold a public hearing on these recommendations by February 1, and the department director or their representative must attend such hearings. Counties also have the option to decline participation. This rule only applies to specific counties in California, including Siskiyou, Modoc, and others listed.
(a)CA Fish and Game Code § 458(a) Not later than December 15 of each year, the department shall provide notice of the details of its proposed recommendations under Section 457 to the board of supervisors of each county affected by a recommendation, by certified mail.
(b)CA Fish and Game Code § 458(b) Not later than the February 1 next following the department’s notice, the board of supervisors of any affected county may elect to hold a public hearing on one or more of the department’s proposed recommendations. The director or the director’s representative shall attend all hearings held pursuant to this subdivision.
(c)CA Fish and Game Code § 458(c) The board of supervisors of any affected county may, by resolution, elect not to exercise the rights
conferred by this section.
(d)CA Fish and Game Code § 458(d) This section applies only to the counties of, and to those districts or parts of districts in, Siskiyou, Modoc, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Inyo, Lake, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Tehama, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba Counties.
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Section § 459
This law explains the process for how county boards of supervisors can respond if they disagree with state recommendations about wildlife management, particularly concerning the taking of antlerless deer. If a county holds a public hearing and wants to object or suggest modifications, they must pass a resolution by February 1 after receiving notice. This decision should be based on evidence from the hearing. If a county objects to taking antlerless deer, the state will not proceed with that action. If a county suggests changes instead, the state must either modify its plans according to the county's wishes or not allow the taking of antlerless deer at all.
(a)CA Fish and Game Code § 459(a) Not later than the February 1 next following the department’s notice, the board of supervisors of any affected county that has held a public hearing pursuant to Section 458 may, by resolution, object to one or more proposed recommendations of the department, or may, by resolution, determine that one or more proposed recommendations should be modified, and state the necessary modification.
(b)CA Fish and Game Code § 459(b) A resolution objecting to or stating necessary modification of a proposed recommendation shall be based on testimony and information presented at a hearing conducted pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 458, or presented to the board of supervisors at its meeting to consider the resolution.
(c)CA Fish and Game Code § 459(c) The department shall not recommend to the commission, and the commission shall not authorize, the taking of antlerless deer in an affected county if the board of supervisors of that county submits a resolution objecting to that taking.
(d)CA Fish and Game Code § 459(d) If a board of supervisors of an affected county submits a resolution determining that one or more proposed recommendations of the department relating to the taking of antlerless deer should be modified for that county, the department and the commission shall do one of the following:
(1)CA Fish and Game Code § 459(d)(1) The department shall modify its recommendations and the commission shall modify its orders to incorporate the modification determined to be necessary by the county board of supervisors.
(2)CA Fish and Game Code § 459(d)(2) The department shall not recommend, and the
commission shall not authorize, the taking of antlerless deer in that county.
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Section § 460
This law outlines the responsibilities of the department before each commission meeting where deer hunting regulations are decided. The department must recommend which deer herd units should have a general hunting season and whether any antlerless deer should be hunted. They need to suggest restrictions if hunting could harm any deer herd or public safety and inform about the condition of each deer herd unit. Recommendations should also cover antlerless deer permits, the allowed number, type of permits, and hunting dates. Additionally, they should propose any needed hunter-restricted quotas and how these should be issued. Once the commission receives these recommendations, they must publicize both these insights and their regulatory decisions.
(a)CA Fish and Game Code § 460(a) Prior to each meeting of the commission at which the commission considers the regulation of deer and takes action pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 255, the department shall recommend to the commission the deer herd units to be placed under a general deer hunting season.
(b)CA Fish and Game Code § 460(b) At the same time, the department shall do all of the following:
(1)CA Fish and Game Code § 460(b)(1) Recommend to the commission, subject to the provisions of Sections 458 and 459, whether any antlerless deer should be taken and if so, in which deer herd management units.
(2)CA Fish and Game Code § 460(b)(2) If in the judgment of the department there are deer herd management units in which hunting pressure
would adversely affect the deer herd, impair the hunting experience, or endanger the public safety, recommend to the commission those deer herd management units where hunter numbers should be restricted, and those which should be removed from the general deer hunting season designation.
(3)CA Fish and Game Code § 460(b)(3) Inform the commission of the condition of each deer herd management unit.
(4)CA Fish and Game Code § 460(b)(4) Recommend to the commission, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 458 and 459, the number, if any, of antlerless deer that should be taken in deer herd management units, whether the permits should be either-sex permits, the proposed dates for the taking, and the number of permits proposed for each deer herd management unit.
(5)CA Fish and Game Code § 460(b)(5) Recommend to the commission the establishment of any hunter-restricted quota units, if needed, and the number of the
quota and manner in which the quota permits should be issued.
(c)CA Fish and Game Code § 460(c) Upon receipt of the recommendations and information required by this section, the commission shall make that material known to the public, and shall also make known to the public the commission’s determinations regarding proposed regulations.
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