New Areas for Elk Hunting Offered in Humboldt, Mendocino, Del Norte and Siskiyou Counties

Press release provided by Dept. of Fish and Wildlife:

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) program is offering elk hunting opportunities on six new properties.

The SHARE program is now taking applications for new elk hunting opportunities taking place in September and October. Three bull elk, eight antlerless and two junior-only antlerless elk tags will be available through a random draw process. These hunts are in addition to those issued through the big game drawing and no preference points will be considered or used. Applications will be on sale through August 17.

Sibley Ranch and Magruder Ranch in Mendocino County will offer one bull and one antlerless elk hunt each. Each hunter will coordinate with the landowners for five days of access between September 23 and October 4. Sylva Ranch in Siskiyou County will also offer one bull and one antlerless elk hunt. Each hunter will coordinate with the landowners for five days of access between September 24 and October 4. Successful applicants will need to purchase an elk tag within one week after being drawn.

Three ranches under the Private Lands Management (PLM) program have donated antlerless elk tags to the SHARE program. Hunters drawn for these hunts will not have to purchase the elk tag. Stover Ranch and Wiggins Ranch in Humboldt County will offer one junior-only antlerless elk hunt each. Stover Ranch is 7,000 acres of perennial grassland and oak/pine woodland located approximately 25 miles from Blue Lake. Wiggins Ranch is 17,000 acres of mixed conifer forest located 15 miles south east of Korbel. Each hunter will coordinate with the landowner for two days of access in October.

The Smith River PLM Area is 25,000 acres of mixed conifer forest located one mile east of Smith River in Del Norte County. The property will offer five antlerless elk tags for the week of October 1-7. There will be a mandatory orientation on September 30.

For more information about each SHARE property, please visithttp://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/SHARE.

Hunters with a valid California hunting license may apply through the Automated License Data System through August 17. Successful applicants will be notified on August 19. An $11.37 non-refundable application fee will be charged for each hunt choice. Elk hunters are reminded it is legal to take only one elk in California per year. To apply for these hunts, please visitwww.wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Online-Sales.

These opportunities were made possible by the SHARE Program, which offers incentives to private landowners who allow wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities on their property. Participating landowners receive liability protection and compensation for providing public access to or through their land for wildlife-dependent recreational activities. The goal of the SHARE Program is to provide additional hunting, fishing and other recreational access on private lands in California.