In trying to balance the state’s catastrophic budget mess, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting $5 million of General Fund money from the Department of Fish and Game’s budget, taking the reduction from the state’s Hunting and Fishing Program.
     Since the Hunting and Fishing Program is more than completely funding by the Fish and Game Preservation Fund, the money you and I contribute just for this program with our license fees, this would involve some sleight of hand maneuvering to accomplish.
     To put it another way, it’s robbing our fund to finance some other DFG program that isn’t legally entitled to Preservation Fund money.
     The Fish and Game Preservation Fund is nearly $100 million each year, and hunting and fishing programs are only budgeted for about $75 million of that money. This means that 1/4 of our license dollars are already used for programs that don’t have any direct bearing on hunting and fishing.
     To put this in perspective, the annual diversion of funds is like diverting school funds to support prisons.
     But the state, with complicit DFG management, has illegally used dedicated hunting and fishing dollars for years. Last year, our politically brain-dead governor just said he wanted to just take $30 million from this dedicated pot of money to use in the state’s General Fund, either ignoring or not knowing this would be illegal.
     This year, he’s figured out the David Copperfield-Sacramento routine and just wants to simply cut $5 million from the $75 million or so that comes from the General Fund to the DFG each year. But by specifying that it come from the Hunting and Fishing Program in the DFG budget, he’s essentially saying he doesn’t want to cut any programs that get General Fund money. He wants the DFG to wink and nod, as usual, and cut hunting and fishing programs and divert $5 million of dedicated fund money to other programs that have no business being funded by our license, stamp, and tag dollars.
     Unlike last year’s blatantly illegal attempt to steal funds, the Governor can suggest this $5 million robbery because in the complex budgeting process, the Hunting and Fishing Program supposedly gets money from the state General Fund allocation. And the governor wants to eliminate $5 million of that.
     The largest part of the DFG budget is now used for the Biodiversity Conservation Program, to the tune of nearly $250 million a year, more than half of the agency’s annual budget of about $460 million. Remember, fishing and hunting programs only get $75 million, even though about $180 million of the annual budget is a directly a result of fees and federal excise taxes we pay (we’re responsible for more than the $100 million Fish and Game Preservation Fund).
     Unlike our program, the Biodiversity Conservation Program doesn’t have an user-based fund to support it. It sucks up money from other funds.
     What’s the Biodiversity Conservation Program? I’m sure it does important work, but I don’t know all it includes. I know the DFG’s work on bugs, trees, quagga mussels, and endangered species is included here. It includes funding to study frogs and how trout stocking program might be a huge factor in wiping out those frogs (or not). It includes money to plant biologists who have fought against turkey relocations because they thought the birds might (might!) eat an endangered plant. Mostly, I know the Biodiversity Conservation Program sucks up a lot of special funds, General Fund money, and about 20 percent of our hunting and fishing license dollars. I can’t for the life of me find what it does to benefit hunters and anglers to get that money. In fact, some of its staff actively works against hunting and fishing programs. That hardly seems kosher.
     So here’s my plan, Governor: Let’s keep all the funds that hunters and fishermen contribute to the DFG budget for the Fishing and Hunting Program -- all $180 million. No more diversions. Then we cut the Biodiversity Conservation Program by the $39 million it gets from hunters and fishermen, plus the $5 million you want to save from the General Fund contribution to the DFG. In fact, if you did away with all the unfunded mandates our goofy legislature has heaped on the DFG for the last 30 years or more, you could probably save all of the $75 million in General Fund contributions to the DFG.
     We might have to fire a couple of tortoise biologists and let university grad students do that work, or let the feds take over wasteful efforts on ill-conceived condor studies, but the state will be better off to the tune of $75 million. Best of all, the DFG might be able to get back to accomplishing its intended job of managing the state’s game and fish.
     Maybe the agency could open a special hunting season on lame ducks.

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

     JANUARY 16-17 BASS PRO SHOPS HUNTER SAFETY CLASSES: Bass Pro Shops is offering hunter safety classes four days per month on the first and third full weekends, with classes on Saturday and Sunday of each weekend. The classes are all one-day, 10-hour certified hunter safety classes. Classes are required for all first-time California hunters before a hunting license can be purchased. Cost is $10 per person. Sign-ups are taken at Bass Pro and class size is limited. For information, call 909-922-5500. A pre-class study course is available at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntered/.
     JANUARY 23 DESERT WILDLIFE UNLIMITED FUND-RAISER: The annual Desert Wildlife Unlimited fund-raising dinner will be held beginning 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 23, at the Brawley Lions Center, 225 A St., Bradwley. DWU is responsible for the extremely population dove hunting fields in the Imperial Valley along with other conservation work throughout this part of the desert. Cost is just $10 per person and includes dinner. Information: Contact Cindy Vandiver at 760-344-0660 or 760-344-5171 or visit the web site at www. desertwildlifeunlimited.com.
     JANUARY 30-31 COSTA MESA GUN SHOW: The Crossroads of the West Costa Mesa Gun Show will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, at the Orange County Fair and Event Center (Orange County Fairgrounds), Costa Mesa. Admission is $10. The next Costa Mesa shows are scheduled for Mar. 27-28, June 5-6, and Aug. 28-29. Information, directions, tickets, and $1 off coupons available at www.crossroadsgunshows.com.
     FEBRUARY 6-7 BASS PRO SHOPS HUNTER SAFETY CLASSES: Bass Pro Shops is offering hunter safety classes four days per month on the first and third full weekends, with classes on Saturday and Sunday of each weekend. The classes are all one-day, 10-hour certified hunter safety classes. Classes are required for all first-time California hunters before a hunting license can be purchased. Cost is $10 per person. Sign-ups are taken at Bass Pro and class size is limited. For information, call 909-922-5500. A pre-class study course is available at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntered/.
     FEBRUARY 12 SAN DIEGO CWA FUND-RAISER: The San Diego Chapter of the California Waterfowl Association will have its annual banquet and fund-raiser beginning 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 13 at the Elks Club, 1400 East Washington, El Cajon. Tickets are $65 per person or $95 per couple. Contact John Howard at 619-440-8319 or go to www.calwaterfowl.org for an event flyer.
     FEBRUARY 13 BALD EAGLE CENSUS VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers are needed for the annual Bald Eagle counts done at four Southern California mountain waters where the birds winter -- Big Bear Lake, Lake Arrowhead, Silverwood Lake, and Lake Hemet. The counts are done for a one-hour period, 9 to 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 13 at each lake. The final winter count will be held March 13. For information, contact Marc Stammer with the U.S. Forest for Big Bear and Arrowhead counts at 909-382-2828, Joshua Ertl or Kevin Forester with State Parks for Lake Silverwood at 760-389-2303, or Matt McDonald with the Forest Service for Lake Hemet at 909-382-2933.
     FEBRUARY 13 NORCO HUNTER SAFETY CLASS: A one-day, 10-hour certified hunter safety class will be held at Mike Raahauge's Shooting Enterprises, Norco. Classes are required for all first-time California hunters before a hunting license can be purchased. Cost is $35 per person. The remaining 2010 class dates are Mar. 6, April 13, May 8, June 12, July 10, Aug. 14, 21, 28, Sept. 11, and Oct. 2, 9. Sign-ups are taken at all Turner's Outdoorsman stores. Contact Raahauge's at 951-735-7981.
     FEBRUARY 13-14: WATER-FOR-WILDLIFE WORK PROJECT: The Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep will be having a two-day work project to replace the tank at the Bicket-Landell bighorn sheep drinker in the Clark Mountains in the East Mojave. The group will camp near the work site and dinner will be provided. For more details, contact Gary Thomas at g.cranky@verizon.net.
     FEBRUARY 19 IMPERIAL VALLEY FRIENDS OF NRA FUND-RAISER: The Imperial Valley Friends of the National Rifle Association will have its annul banquet and fund-raiser on Friday, Feb. 19 at the Swiss Club, 1585 E. Worthington Rd., Holtville. Contact Avery Moler at 760-337-3030 or info@ivfnar.org.
     MARCH 20 NWTF HIGH DESERT CHAPTER FUND-RAISER: The High Desert Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will have its 4th Annual Hunting Heritage Banquet and fund-raiser beginning 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at the Percy Bakker Cammunity Center, 9333 E Ave., Hesperia. Contact Karen Shackleford at 760-887-1092.
     FEBRUARY 20-21 BASS PRO SHOPS HUNTER SAFETY CLASSES: Bass Pro Shops is offering hunter safety classes four days per month on the first and third full weekends, with classes on Saturday and Sunday of each weekend. The classes are all one-day, 10-hour certified hunter safety classes. Classes are required for all first-time California hunters before a hunting license can be purchased. Cost is $10 per person. Sign-ups are taken at Bass Pro and class size is limited. For information, call 909-922-5500. A pre-class study course is available at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntered/.
     MARCH 6 NORCO HUNTER SAFETY CLASS: A one-day, 10-hour certified hunter safety class will be held at Mike Raahauge's Shooting Enterprises, Norco. Classes are required for all first-time California hunters before a hunting license can be purchased. Cost is $35 per person. The 2010 class dates are April 13, May 8, June 12, July 10, Aug. 14, 21, 28, Sept. 11, and Oct. 2, 9. Sign-ups are taken at all Turner's Outdoorsman stores. Contact Raahauge's at 951-735-7981.
     MARCH 13-14 VENTURA GUN SHOW: The McMann’s Roadrunner Gun Show will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, at Seaside Park, Ventura. Admission is $9. The next Ventura gun shows will be June 5-6, Sept. 11-12, and Nov. 13-14. Information, directions, and $1 off coupons available at www.mcmannsroadrunner.com.
     MARCH 27-28 COSTA MESA GUN SHOW: The Crossroads of the West Costa Mesa Gun Show will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, at the Orange County Fair and Event Center (Orange County Fairgrounds), Costa Mesa. Admission is $10. The next Costa Mesa shows are scheduled for June 5-6 and Aug. 28-29. Information, directions, tickets, and $1 off coupons available at www.crossroadsgunshows.com.
     MAY 15-16 ONTARIO GUN SHOW: The Crossroads of the West Ontario Gun Show will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, at the Ontario Convention Center, Ontario. Admission is $10. The next Ontario Gun Show will be held july 31-Aug. 1. Information, directions, tickets, and $1 off coupons available at www.crossroadsgunshows.com.

CALENDAR RESOURCES

     For a complete list of HUNTER SAFETY CLASSES held throughout the state, including times, dates, and locations, go to the Department of Fish and Game’s web site at this address: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/huntered/classes.aspx.
     For the rules and regulations on GRUNION RUNS, along with a complete schedule and the expected times of the runs, go to this web site address: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/gruschd.asp

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS

     The following is a list of hunting, shooting, and fishing clubs and organizations in Southern California with contact information and regular meeting dates:
     976-TUNA ROD AND REEL CLUB: The 976-Tuna Rod and Reel Club meets 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at Bass Pro Shops, Rancho Cucamonga. Contact Phil Friedman at 310-328-8426.
     CALIFORNIA DEER ASSOCIATION (SOUTHERN CALIF0RNIA CHAPTER): The Southern California Chapter of the California Deer Association meets 10 a.m. the second Saturday of each month at Bass Pro Shops, Rancho Cucamonga. Contact Glenn Tessers at 310-429-5222.
     CALIFORNIA STATE VARMINT CALLERS ASSOCIATION: The California State Varmint Callers Association meets 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month at the Denny's just north of the 210 freeway at Irwindale Ave., Irwindale. Contact Steven Childs at 626-407-8826 or steve@sdchilds.com. Web site: www.csvca.com.
     CANYON OAKS SPORTSMAN’S CLUB: The Canyon Oaks Sportsman’s Club meets the first Tuesday of every month at it’s clubhouse in Lakeview Terrace-Sylmar. The club has regular trap, skeet, smallbore, big bore, handgun, and Cowboy Action shooting events. Contact Gary White at 818-998-7240, Mike Totta at 818-362-2181 or Mike Nickoloff via e-mail at idpamike@yahoo.com.
     CERRITOS ROD & GUN CLUB: The Cerritos Rod & Gun Club meets the second Wednesday of each month at Heritage Park in Cerritos. Contact Charles Sharp at 714-317-8290 or fish_90605@yahoo.com.
     CLUB FISH: Club Fish, a 20-year-old fishing club, meets 7:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at the Izaak Walton League Clubhouse, Santa Ana. The clubhouse is located at the entrance to Riverview Gold Course. Contact Mike Cross at 949-854-5258 or m_r_cross@yahoo.com.
     DEEP CREEK FLY-FISHERS: Deep Creek Fly-Fishers meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Izaak Walton League clubhouse in Fairmont Park, in Riverside. Go to www.deepcreekflyfishers.org to download a map to the club house. Contact Brett Browning at 909-793-8912.
     GOLDEN STATE FLYCASTERS: The Golden State Flycasters and Trout Unlimited Chapter 920 meets 6 to 9 p.m. Monday before the third Thursday of each month at Tio Leo’s Restaurant, Del Mar. Information at www.goldenstateflycasters.org.
     HIGH DESERT FLY-FISHERS: The High Desert Fly-Fishers holds its monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at The Apple Valley Fire Conference Center, 19235 Yucca Loma, Apple Valley. Contact John Rose at 760-247-5966.
     HIGHLAND PARK SPORTSMEN'S CLUB: The Highland Park Sportsmen's Club meets at 8 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of each month at 2035 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles. Contact Mauro Garcia at 323-254-0763 or incareal@juno.com.
     NATIONAL VARMINT HUNTERS: The National Varmint Hunters meets 7:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at the Veterans of Foreign Wars club located on Grand Avenue, just west of 17th Street, Santa Ana. Contact Mark Harris at 714-655-6954 or mhitis1@yahoo.com or Terry Mathers at 714-299-9938 or coyote@jps.net.
     NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION (High Desert Chapter): The High Desert Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation meets 6:30 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the Apple Valley Gun Club, 16699 Stoddard Wells Road, Victorville. Contact Karen Shackleford at 760-887-1092.
     NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION (INLAND EMPIRE CHAPTER): The Inland Empire Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation meets 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at Bass Pro Shops, 7777 Victoria Gardens Lane, Rancho Cucamonga. Contact David Halbrook at 760-694-1191 or nrajrc@msn.com.
     NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION (ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER): The Orange County Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation meets 6 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at The Firing Line, 17921 Jamestown Lane, Huntington Beach. Contact Pat Ryan at 714-373-3688 or Casey Rasmussen at 714-377-5859.
     ORANCO BOWMEN: The ORANCO Bowmen meet the second Tuesday of each month at the club range, 17504 Pomona Rincon Rd., Chino (Euclid Avenue one block north of the 71 freeway). The range is open to the public on Sundays 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 909-597-7582. Web site: www.oranco.org.
     ORANGE COUNTY BASS CLUB: The Orange County Bass Club meets 7 p.m. the third Monday of each month at the Garden Grove Elk's Lodge. Contact Steve Pendergast at 949-651-8172 or prendergasts@netzero.com.
     PLUNGE CREEK COWBOYS: The Plunge Creek Cowboys, a new Cowboy Action Shooting club in the Inland Empire, has shoots the third Saturday of each month at the Inland Fish and Game range on Orange Street in East Highlands. Authentic or replica firearms and garb required. Information: www.plungecreekcowboys.com.
     PREDATOR CALLERS OF ORANGE COUNTY: The Predator Callers of Orange County meet 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at the Denny's restaurant, 7490 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach. Contact Rickey Macy via e-mail at rickmacey@juno.com.
     QUAIL UNLIMITED (HIGH DESERT CHAPTER): The High Desert Chapter of Quail Unlimited meets 6 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month at the Apple Valley Gun Club. Contact Cruz Garcia at 760-949-6334 or fathercruz@verizon.net.
     QUAIL UNLIMITED (ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER): The Orange County Chapter of Quail Unlimited meets 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at the Izaak Walton League Clubhouse (located at the entrance to Riverview Golf Course) in Santa Ana. Contact Craig Riedel at 714-282-1194 or criedel@mflex.com.
     QUAIL UNLIMITED (RIVERSIDE CHAPTER): The Riverside Chapter of Quail Unlimited meets 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at Hunny’s Restaurant, Main Street and 4th Street, Corona. Contact Ron Gibbons at 909-902-9814 or gibbent@gte.net. Web site: www.quriverside.com.
     QUAIL UNLIMITED (SAN DIEGO CHAPTER): The San Diego Chapter of Quail Unlimited meets 6:30 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at DFG Headquarters at 4949 Viewridge Rd., San Diego. Contact David Preddy at davidpreddy@cox.net or visit www.sdqu.org.
     QUAIL UNLIMITED (SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CHAPTER): The San Gabriel Valley Chapter of Quail Unlimited meets 6 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at Triple B Clays in El Monte. Contact Tim Bovard at 866-206-9070, ext. 6715 or sgvqu@onebox.com.
     REDONDO ROD & GUN CLUB: The Redondo Rod & Gun Club meets 8 p.m. every Thursday of every month at its own clubhouse. The club has promoted hunting, fishing, sport shooting and the outdoors since 1948. The clubhouse is located at 2023 Vanderbilt Lane, Redondo Beach. Contact 310-379-7772.
     RIVERSIDE VARMINT CALLERS: The Riverside Varmint Callers meet 7 p.m. the last Saturday of each month at Flo's Country Kitchen, Riverside. Contact Lance Cochrane at 909-919-4309 or Ray Gauthier at 951-785-4986. Web site:www.californiavarmintcallers.com/chapters.html/.
     SAN DIEGO SPORTING DOG CLUB: The San Diego Sporting Dog Club meets 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at the Animal Medical Center, 600 Broadway, El Cajon. Contact Steve Sarmiento at 619-659-9393 or sssarmi@sbcglobal.net.
     SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA VARMINT CALLERS ASSOCIATION: The Southern California Varmint Callers Association meets 8 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at the Denny's Restaurant at Pioneer Blvd and Imperial Highway in Norwalk. Contact Granville Crow at 310-548-6221 or crowshot1@cox.net or Skip Gildner at 562-900-9020 or mtnhigh5@excite.com.
     TEMPLE CITY SPORTSMEN: The Temple City Sportsmen meet the first Thursday of each month at the Temple City Civic Center in Temple City. Contact Jim White at 626-201-7782 or TCSPresident2006@yahoo.com. The club’s web site is www.tcsportsmen.org.
     TURNER'S OUTDOORSMAN ROD AND REEL CLUB: The Turner's Outdoorsman Rod and Reel Club meets 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at Marie Calendar’s Restaurant, 2300 Foothill, Pasadena. Contact Richard Crowe at 626-960-9610.

[Want your event or club listed here? Send the information to Jim Matthews, Outdoor News Service, P.O. Box 9007, San Bernardino, CA 92427-0007 or e-mail it to odwriter@verizon.net. Following the style used above for events and clubs makes our life easier and increases the likelihood of it being included here.]

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