Pete Thomas Outdoors

Legal to practice archery by shooting down a dirt road?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: My neighbor who lives a few houses down from me has a 15-year-old son who shoots his BB gun in his backyard. I used to shoot my bow in my backyard until my dad found out it’s illegal. I am 13 and live in the mountains of Southern California (close to San Bernardino) and am hoping it might be legal to practice my archery by shooting down a dirt road? Can you please let me know ASAP? Thanks. (Ashmanger)

Answer: Generally, Fish and Game Code laws only regulate the use of archery equipment or firearms while hunting. However, the same rules for firearms apply to archery equipment in this situation – you may not shoot over or across a road or within 150 yards of a neighbor’s home, barns or outbuildings, even if just archery target shooting (Fish and Game Code, section 3004). If you are on a private road on private property (off the public roadway), no Fish and Game Code law prohibits target practice with your bow and arrow. Beyond this, different counties and communities may have more restrictive ordinances that they enforce so you should check with your local law enforcement office for this information.

The most important factor to always keep in mind is public safety. Well-traveled roads and highways, or even those occasionally traveled, are not appropriate places to shoot. If you were to injure another person or livestock, or damage property, you could be subject to civil and possibly criminal prosecution. While shooting even just off a road may be legal, it may not be safe.

Q: When fishing for salmon from the bank in the San Francisco Bay with spinning lures, is a single barbless hook ok or does it have to be a barbless circle hook attached to the spinning lure? (Terry D.)

A: Barbless circle hooks are only required when fishing with bait and angling by any means other than trolling. Since you’re not using bait, no circle hooks are required, even though you are not trolling. You must be doing both things – using bait, and fishing in a manner that is not trolling – to be required to use barbless circle hooks. In addition, you should be using no more than two single-point, single-shank barbless hooks with your spinning lure (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 27.80.)


Q: I have heard that using WD-40 as a fish attractant works well. Is it legal to use? There seems to be much confusion as to what is actually in WD-40. I would also like to know if the sunscreen I put on before entering the water is hazardous to marine life. (Ray I.)

Body of surfer recovered with possible shark bites at Pacific Beach; case is somewhat mysterious

The body of a 42-year-old surfer recovered by lifeguards early Thursday at Pacific Beach had wounds consistent with a shark attack.

However, if there were shark bites on the body, they could have been inflicted after the man had drowned.

The case is somewhat mysterious.

The surfer, a local, was reported missing by his fiancee late Wednesday. 

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, a lifeguard saw the surfer at about 7:30 p.m. from his tower about a half-mile away. He did not seem to be in distress.

At about the same time a 911 call was placed by a person on the beach concerned about the surfer, who was several hundred yards offshore.

A multi-agency search was unsuccessful but a person walking along the beach at 3:30 a.m. Thursday found the unclothed body. The body was later recovered but the identity of the surfer has not been revealed pending notification of the next of kin.

Before the body was recovered, lifeguard Lt. John Everhart said, a surfboard was found with a wetsuit attached to it, also several hundred yards offshore.

Everhart told the Los Angeles Times that initial evidence suggests that the man had drowned before a shark attack occurred.

"There are a lot of unknowns," he said.

Playboy playmates add sex appeal to Bimini fishing contests

If interest in tournament fishing is waning, organizers in Bimini might have found the perfect bait to lure more participants: Playboy playmates.

The Bimini Big Game Club's recent Wahoo Smackdown was successful, at least from a fun standpoint, largely because of the presence of Shawn Dillon, Miss February 2013, as hostess.

Next up is the Billfish Bonanza, which will feature a meet-and-greet with Shelby Chesnes, Miss July 2012 (pictured at right).

The Bonanza is scheduled May 15-18, and teams are shelling out $1,450 per boat.

Said Big Game Club GM Michael Weber in the online publication, FishTrack: "Fishing and Playboy just seem to be great combination. And Bimini is the perfect scenic backdrop that completes the picture."

A little research reveals that Chesnes, 21, is from Jupiter, Fla., She's a minnow of a girl, standing 5 feet 3 and weighing just 100 pounds. Her measurements, for those who are interested, are 34c-25-34.

Presumably, she'll stick around the waterfront for the entire three days of the tournament, representing a sight for sore eyes for those who get skunked out on the fishing grounds.

--Photo of Shelby Chesnes is from her Facebook page. Credit: Joel Flora

Related articles

Kona catch of 958-pound blue marlin could be a world record

Kayak angler videotapes shark breaching in attack on his catch

It's a boy! Aquarium of the Pacific has a new harbor seal pup

The Aquarium of the Pacific on Wednesday proudly announced the arrival of a bouncing baby boy--a harbor seal pup that becomes the first male seal born at the Long Beach facility.

Not surprisingly, the adorable little pinniped looks a lot like his parents, Shelby and Troy.

The new pup entered the world on May 1 weighing about 30 pounds. He'll be placed on display at the Seal & Sea Lion Habitat exhibit in mid- to late summer.

Meanwhile, AOP is asking for the public's help in naming the baby seal through its Adopt an Animal program, which allows individual or groups to adopt animals at a minimum cost of $25.

Those who enter the program before June 30 will be allowed to suggest names, and the aquarium staff will decide which of those names will belong to the seal pup.

Shelby has been at the aquarium since 1998. Troy, which had been the facility's only male harbor seal, has been there since 2007.

This is Shelby's second pup. The first, a female named Bixby, was born in April 2012.

--Photos showing the Aquarium of the Pacific's new harbor seal pup, alone and with mom, were taken by Robin Riggs

Killer whales thrill boaters by riding, leaping in vessel's wake

Killer whales are the undisputed masters of the marine universe. They're powerful and ferocious, but also graceful and, at times, playful. The accompanying footage shows a pod of up to 20 killer whales, or orcas, riding and leaping in wakes created by a speeding dive boat off La Paz, Mexico.

 

The footage was captured by Rich and Laura Howard, who were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary on a dive trip outside of La Paz, in the Sea of Cortez.

They were understandably excited because this was an extremely close encounter involving apex predators that rarely ride in the wakes of boats.

However, it has happened before in the Sea of Cortez. Last June and October, to the north of La Paz off Loreto, boaters aboard the same 70-foot yacht enjoyed similar encounters and captured some extraordinary images.

In those images, as in the Howards’ video footage, the orcas definitely look to be playing and enjoying themselves.

Body of missing hiker recovered by Yosemite park rangers

Sad news out of Yosemite National Park, where rangers on Tuesday recovered the body of Kenneth Stensby near the base of Vernal Fall. A search was launched after Stensby, who is from Minnesota, did not return from a day hike on Sunday. (Stensby is pictured at right.)

On Monday his pack was found at the railing atop Vernal Fall. His body was first spotted Sunday evening by air and ground crews. 

The following is a news release issued Tuesday afternoon by the California wilderness park:

Yosemite National Park Rangers have recovered the body of missing hiker Kenneth Stensby near the base of Vernal Fall.  Stensby was fatally injured after falling from a cliff near the top of the waterfall.  His body was discovered by Yosemite National Park Search and Rescue Ranger personnel and was extricated at about 1:00 p.m. today.

Stensby, 73, from Edina, Minnesota, had been in the park for several days.  He was staying at the Ahwahnee Hotel and went on day hikes each day.  Each morning, Stensby would leave a note with the Concierge, outlining his daily plan. 

On Sunday, May 5, his note stated that he was planning to hike to the top of Vernal Fall via the Mist Trail and return to the hotel around noon. Hotel staff attempted to contact Stensby around 5:00 p.m. that evening, and discovered he had not returned. 

They contacted the National Park Service to notify Park Rangers that Stensby had not returned to the hotel.  Park Rangers discovered his backpack near the guardrail at the top of Vernal Fall later that evening.

Yesterday, the park conducted a full scale search and rescue operation, including multiple ground teams, a dog team, and a California Highway Patrol (CHP) helicopter.  The search area was concentrated around the Mist Trail. 

There was intermittent rain throughout the day, resulting in difficult search conditions.  The CHP helicopter, concurrently with ground teams, spotted Stensby’s body around 6:00 p.m. last evening.

The Mist Trail, closed during the search and rescue operation, has now been reopened.

Wedding plans in works for celebrity surfer Bethany Hamilton

The big news in surfing this week has nothing to do with riding waves and everything to do with wedding bells.

Bethany Hamilton, the celebrity athlete whose life story was made into the 2011 feature film, "Soul Surfer," has found her soul mate and the two plan to get married this summer.

As reported Monday by GrindTv.com, the Hamilton family did not announce the engagement. But Bethany and Adam (no last name provided) used her Facebook page and website to reveal the happy news.

Bethany, 23, who 10 years ago lost her left arm to a shark while surfing near her home on Kauai, posted on Facebook: "One year ago today, I met an amazing man, now we will spend the rest of our lives together and I'm so excited! I love you Adam!"

The two met met through Bethany's church on Kauai. A date has not been set but Becky Hamilton, Bethany's sister and personal assistant, said the two plan to be married this summer.

"I know Adam and I are right for each other and that God has us together for Him," Bethany wrote. "Neither of us is perfect, but in my eyes Adam is just right and I'm thankful to have someone so perfectly perfect to share life with as one."

Adam also posted his sentiments on Bethany's website.

"Right away I could tell she was pretty cool (I mean she jumped a 40-foot cliff into the ocean with me!)," he wrote. "She's down to earth, and I could tell she understood my heart for the Lord and others; I saw her heart as well.

"After hanging out several more times, I felt in my heart that I would like to pursue a relationship with her. On the beautiful Na Pali coast I told Bethany what was on my heart and asked if it was OK to pursue a meaningful closer relationship with her. On accident she said, 'I do!' Haha with a quick, 'I mean yes!' "

The wedding ceremony will be held on Kauai.

--Top image shows Bethany Hamilton with her husband-to-be. Second image shows Hamilton surfing at the Mentawai Islands. Courtesy of Noah Hamilton

Rare opah catch made aboard Newport Beach half-day boat

A rare catch of an opah was made this week aboard the Western Pride out of Davey's Locker Sportfishing in Newport Beach.

Capt. Jeff Patrick reeled the beautiful (and delectable) fish from a depth of about 250 feet during a half-day rockfish trip on Wednesday (see photo).

The landing issued a news release about the catch Friday night, stating that the large, moon-shaped fish took a sardine and was initially thought to be a thresher shark.

Opah catches off Southern California are extremely unusual. There is no commercial fishery for the deep-water denizens, which do not swim in schools.

They're caught incidentally by longliners off Hawaii and in tropical and temperate seas around the world.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program advises consumers to avoid opah caught internationally because of the indiscriminate and destructive nature of longline fishing.

Seafood Watch lists U.S.-caught opah as a good alternative to imported opah because U.S. longliners "have made great strides in reducing interactions in recent years through changes in regulations and modifications to longline fishing gear."

The opah caught aboard the Western Pride was estimated to weigh more than 120 pounds.

--Opah photo courtesy of Davey's Locker Sportfishing

Why do turtles sold as pets have a size limit?

In support of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and its effort to keep hunters and anglers informed, Pete Thomas Outdoors, on Thursday or Friday, posts marine biologist Carrie Wilson's weekly California Outdoors Q&A column:

Question: Is there a size limit on the sale of turtles that are sold as pets? (Robert Bruce, Antioch)

Answer: Yes, federal and state laws require that turtles must have a carapace (shell) length of at least 4 inches to be imported, sold or distributed (California Code of Regulations Title 17, section 2612.1). This restriction was brought into effect under the Public Health Services Act by the Food and Drug Administration in 1975 to address the problem of Salmonella infections in children. I have heard this size was determined to help prevent children from putting these small reptiles into their mouths. Prior to the ban there were an estimated 250,000 cases of turtle Salmonellosis in children and infants that were associated with pet turtles in the United States (Source: http://exoticpets.about.com/od/reptilesturtles/a/turtlesales.htm.)


Q: I frequently fish at the Point Arena pier but am not clear on a specific rule. I know you may only have two hooks on one fishing line, but is it legal to use a Sabiki rig with multiple small hooks to catch bait fish? (Steve Lum)

A: When fishing from Point Arena pier, you can use a fishing rod with multiple hooks as long as you don’t have rockfish, cabezon, greenling or lingcod in your possession. If you happen to catch one of these species while using more than two hooks on your line, you must release the fish.

You are limited to no more than one line and two hooks when fishing for rockfish, cabezon, greenling and lingcod, or if these species are in possession. On a public pier, you can use up to two fishing appliances (rod and reel, hoop net, crab trap, etc.) with no restrictions on the number of hooks (unless you are targeting the species mentioned above or have them in your possession).


Q: Are there any regulations prohibiting someone from giving me a bear skull or claws if legally taken either in California or out of state? No money or goods would be exchanged. Would I need to have proof to show where the parts came from or who gave them to me? (Tom H.)

Dazzling new Death Valley Dreamlapse time-lapse video

 

Stargazing has been taken to brilliant heights, showcased in a new video released this week by Sunchaser Pictures.

Death Valley Dreamlapse 2, above, was shot by Gavin Heffernan and his team of producers, who traveled to Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park in mid-March and over the course of three days caught some stunning time-lapse shots of the night sky.

Heffernan said the new video includes "plenty of wonder and amazement, including some insane star trails, a beautiful milky way pass over the lakebed, and an incredible pink desert aurora."

He added that "no special effects used, just the natural rotation of the earth's axis."

The crew tried out some new time-lapse techniques, such as moonpainting the foreground landscapes, and also some experiments merging regular time-lapse footage with star trails. Sunchaser Pictures also offers up a cool, behind-the-scenes video on their Vimeo page.

They were also in luck and caught an amazing pink aurora (seen at 1:36 and 2:22), which was caused by a Coronal Mass Eruption solar event on March 17.

Heffernan suggests that viewers should "watch in HD with headphones on and the volume cranked, if you can."

-- Kelly Burgess