Outdoor Notes : Orange-Riverside Deer Prospects Improved

Sept. 5 marks the beginning of the deer hunting season in Zone D15--Orange and Riverside counties--and conditions indicate a more successful hunt than was previously expected.

Fewer tags issued by the Department of Fish and Game indicate less hunter pressure than in past years, and an especially dry year suggests that deer will be found close to water sources, even more so than in the last few years. Moreover, an improved buck-to-doe ratio may provide increased numbers of forked-horn or better bucks.

The quota for the zone is 3,000 buck tags, and about 780 hunters have been issued D15 tags so far. Fewer than 900 hunters are expected to hold tags for the zone by Sept. 5. Last season, 1,408 hunters participated, killing 94 bucks.

Fall deer counts by the DFG indicate a dramatic improvement in the Santa Ana buck-to-doe ratio, counting 45 bucks per 100 does in the fall of 1986. In 1985, the ratio was only 30-100.

Wildlife biologist Esther Burkett said that most bucks in the zone are killed on private lands, primarily on the lands of the Irvine Ranch Company and Rancho Mission Viejo, and reminds hunters that written landowner permission is required there.

She added that the best bet for the unattached hunter is likely to be the San Mateo Wilderness Area of the Cleveland National Forest just north of the Camp Pendleton boundary.

Fishermen will have a rare opportunity to catch hatchery-raised brook trout at roadside creeks in Inyo County, which are normally planted only with rainbow trout by the DFG.

Bill Rowan, DFG supervisor of fish hatcheries in the eastern Sierra, said that experimental plants of catchable-size brook trout began this week and will continue until 30,000 fish are stocked in seven streams, all located west of U.S. 395 between Lone Pine and Big Pine, a 42-mile stretch.

Rowan said that brook trout will be planted along with equal numbers of rainbow trout each week in Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinemeha Creek and Tuttle Creek.

The plants are expected to continue through Labor Day weekend, and will provide anglers an opportunity to decide if the effort is worthwhile enough to continue.

The mourning and white-winged dove season will open Sept. 1 in Southern California and the eastern Sierra, and the DFG reminds hunters of these rule changes:

--The bag limit has been lowered from 15 to 10 doves in any combination of species for any day. If the hunter hunts for two or more days, he may possess a maximum of 20 birds.

--White-winged doves may be taken only in Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and the bag limit will apply to the aggregate of species.

The San Gabriel Flyfishers will conduct a free beginning fly casting clinic at the Legg Lake-Whittier Narrows Visitors Center Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. It will be followed by the club’s annual white elephant auction to benefit conservation projects. Call (818) 576-2257 for more information.