The Legislature declares that bighorn sheep are an important wildlife resource of the state to be managed and maintained at sound biological levels. Therefore, it is hereby declared to be the policy of the state to encourage the preservation, restoration, utilization, and management of California’s bighorn sheep population. The management shall be in accordance with the policy set forth in Section 1801.
MammalsBighorn Sheep
Section § 4900
This law states that bighorn sheep are a valuable wildlife resource in California. The state's goal is to preserve, restore, use, and manage their populations responsibly. This management is guided by policies in another section of the law, specifically Section 1801.
bighorn sheep wildlife resource biological levels
Section § 4901
This law requires the department to assess and monitor bighorn sheep populations by specific management areas. They need to develop a detailed plan for each area. These plans must include population data like age and gender, results from land surveys about competitors such as humans or animals, evaluation of the need to move or boost sheep numbers, information on diseases or parasites, and suggestions for meeting conservation goals.
The department shall determine the status and the trend of bighorn sheep populations by management units. A plan shall be developed for each of the management units. The plan for each management unit shall include all of the following:
(a)CA Fish And Game Code § 4901(a) Data on the numbers, age, sex ratios, and distribution of bighorn sheep within the management unit.
(b)CA Fish And Game Code § 4901(b) A survey of range conditions and a report on the competition that may exist as a result of human, livestock, wild burro, or any other mammal encroachment.
(c)CA Fish And Game Code § 4901(c) An assessment of the need to relocate or reestablish bighorn populations.
(d)CA Fish And Game Code § 4901(d) A statement on the prevalence of disease or parasites within the population.
(e)CA Fish And Game Code § 4901(e) Recommendations for achieving the policy objective of Section 4900.
bighorn sheep management population status wildlife conservation plans
Section § 4902
This law gives the California Fish and Game Commission the authority to create rules for managing the Nelson bighorn sheep. They can allow limited sport hunting of mature rams, but they must consider the statewide population and can't allow more than 15% of the rams to be hunted in any area each year.
Residents pay $400 for a hunting tag, while junior residents pay $20. Nonresidents must pay at least $1,500. Part of the tags can also be auctioned for fundraising purposes. All proceeds go into a fund for big game management.
Hunters need to complete an orientation to make sure they know how to hunt the sheep safely. This law is set to expire on July 1, 2025.
(a)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(a) The commission may adopt all regulations necessary to provide for biologically sound management of Nelson bighorn sheep (subspecies Ovis canadensis nelsoni).
(b)Copy CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(b)
(1)Copy CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(b)(1) After the plans developed by the department pursuant to Section 4901 for the management units have been submitted, the commission may authorize sport hunting of mature Nelson bighorn rams. Before authorizing the sport hunting, the commission shall take into account the Nelson bighorn sheep population statewide, including the population in the management units designated for hunting.
(2)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(b)(2) Notwithstanding Section 219, the commission shall not, however, adopt regulations authorizing the sport hunting in a single year
of more than 15 percent of the mature Nelson bighorn rams in a single management unit, based on the department’s annual estimate of the population in each management unit.
(c)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(c) The fee for a bighorn ram tag for a resident of the state, except for a bighorn ram tag issued to a resident junior hunter, to take a Nelson bighorn ram shall be four hundred dollars ($400), as adjusted pursuant to Section 713. The fee for a bighorn ram tag for a resident junior hunter to take a Nelson bighorn ram shall be twenty dollars ($20), as adjusted under Section 713. On or before July 1, 2015, the commission shall, by regulation, fix the fee for a nonresident of the state at not less than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), which shall be adjusted annually pursuant to Section 713. Fee revenues shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended as set forth in that
section.
(d)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(d) The commission shall annually direct the department to authorize not more than three of the tags available for issuance that year to take Nelson bighorn rams for the purpose of raising funds for programs and projects to benefit Nelson bighorn sheep. These tags may be sold to residents or nonresidents of the State of California at auction or by another method and shall not be subject to the fee limitation prescribed in subdivision (c). Commencing with tags sold for the 1993 hunting season, if more than one tag is authorized, the department shall designate a nonprofit organization organized pursuant to the laws of this state, or the California chapter of a nonprofit organization organized pursuant to the laws of another state, as the seller of not less than one of these tags. The number of tags authorized for the purpose of raising funds pursuant to this subdivision, if more than one, shall not exceed 15 percent of the total number
of tags authorized pursuant to subdivision (b). All revenue from the sale of tags pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended as set forth in that section.
(e)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(e) No tag issued pursuant to this section shall be valid unless and until the licensee has successfully completed a prehunt hunter familiarization and orientation and has demonstrated to the department that he or she is familiar with the requisite equipment for participating in the hunting of Nelson bighorn rams, as determined by the commission. The orientation shall be conducted by the department at convenient locations and times preceding each season, as determined by the commission.
(f)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(f) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2025, and, as of January 1, 2026, is repealed.
Nelson bighorn sheep sport hunting hunting regulations
Section § 4902
This law section explains how California manages the sport hunting of Nelson bighorn sheep, a specific subspecies of sheep. The commission can create rules to ensure sustainable sheep management. Once management plans are ready, sport hunting of mature rams can be allowed, but no more than 15% of rams in any area can be hunted in a year.
The cost for hunting tags is $400 for state residents and at least $1,500 for non-residents, and these fees go into a special fund for big game management. The commission can also authorize up to three tags specifically to raise funds for the sheep program, which might be sold at auction.
Before hunting, licensees must complete an orientation to show they know the necessary equipment. The law becomes active in 2025.
(a)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(a) The commission may adopt all regulations necessary to provide for biologically sound management of Nelson bighorn sheep (subspecies Ovis canadensis nelsoni).
(b)Copy CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(b)
(1)Copy CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(b)(1) After the plans developed by the department pursuant to Section 4901 for the management units have been submitted, the commission may authorize sport hunting of mature Nelson bighorn rams. Before authorizing the sport hunting, the commission shall take into account the Nelson bighorn sheep population statewide, including the population in the management units designated for hunting.
(2)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(b)(2) Notwithstanding Section 219, the commission shall not, however, adopt regulations authorizing the sport hunting in a single year of more than 15 percent of the mature Nelson bighorn rams in a single management unit, based on the department’s annual estimate of the population in each management unit.
(c)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(c) The fee for a bighorn ram tag to take a Nelson bighorn ram shall be four hundred dollars ($400) for a resident of the state, which shall be adjusted annually pursuant to Section 713. On or before July 1, 2015, the commission shall, by regulation, fix the fee for a nonresident of the state at not less than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), which shall be adjusted annually pursuant to Section 713. Fee revenues shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended as set
forth in that section.
(d)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(d) The commission shall annually direct the department to authorize not more than three of the tags available for issuance that year to take Nelson bighorn rams for the purpose of raising funds for programs and projects to benefit Nelson bighorn sheep. These tags may be sold to residents or nonresidents of the State of California at auction or by another method and shall not be subject to the fee limitation prescribed in subdivision (c). Commencing with tags sold for the 1993 hunting season, if more than one tag is authorized, the department shall designate a nonprofit organization organized pursuant to the laws of this state, or the California chapter of a nonprofit organization organized pursuant to the laws of another state, as the seller of not less than one of these tags. The number of tags authorized for the purpose of raising funds pursuant to this
subdivision, if more than one, shall not exceed 15 percent of the total number of tags authorized pursuant to subdivision (b). All revenue from the sale of tags pursuant to this subdivision shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended as set forth in that section.
(e)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(e) No tag issued pursuant to this section shall be valid unless and until the licensee has successfully completed a prehunt hunter familiarization and orientation and has demonstrated to the department that he or she is familiar with the requisite equipment for participating in the hunting of Nelson bighorn rams, as determined by the commission. The orientation shall be conducted by the department at convenient locations and times preceding each season, as determined by the commission.
(f)CA Fish And Game Code § 4902(f) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2025.
Nelson bighorn sheep sport hunting management units
Section § 4903
This law section explains that money collected from specific fees is deposited into the Big Game Management Account. This money can only be used as the Legislature decides and must cover the program’s administrative costs reasonably. Importantly, these funds are meant to add to, not replace, existing funds for managing and protecting bighorn sheep. The department is responsible for ensuring that these funds are spent correctly and comply with spending limits.
Revenue from the fees authorized by this chapter shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account established in Section 3953 and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended as set forth in that section. Administrative overhead shall be limited to the reasonable costs associated with the direct administration of the program. These funds shall be used to augment, and not to replace, moneys appropriated from existing funds available to the department for the preservation, restoration, utilization, and management of bighorn sheep. The department shall maintain internal accountability necessary to ensure that all restrictions on the expenditure of these funds are met.
Big Game Management Account bighorn sheep preservation fee revenue
