FRAZIER PARK, Calif. (KERO) — Deer and quail hunting season draws in crowds to parts of the mountain communities. Local ranch owner Cindy Holloway and CDFW Public Information Officer Krysten Kellum share what to keep in mind.
- Deer hunting season in zone D13 started on October 12, 2024 and ends on November 10, 2024.
- CDFW says they’ve already sold 2,600 deer tags in 2024.
- CDFW is tracking a fatal disease in some California deer and elk.
- A local ranch owner shares how you can hunt while being mindful of the community.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Cindy Holloway, who manages High Jack Ranch in Frazier Park, says every year, she has hunters trespassing her property.
“You could have a hunter that you’ve given permission to and then somebody else comes on, somebody can get hurt, accidentally shot,” said Holloway.
She asks that hunters follow the rules laid out– one of them is knowing where you can hunt.
“We look forward to people coming up to the community. It helps support our local businesses,” said Holloway. “But on the other hand, we really dread it because people come up here, and they’re not respectful of the property or even the wildlife. They will cut fences, they will ignore posted signs…”
Krysten Kellum with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reminds hunters to be respectful of others property.
“There’s extensive rules regulating deer hunting and actually all hunting and fishing in California,” Kellum said. “Hunters cannot trespass across private property to access public land. They can’t shoot over private property or trails.”
Hunting is popular in California, Kellum said they’ve sold 2,600 deer tags so far this year.
In zone D13, which includes Frazier Park, deer season started October 12 and ends November 10.
But beyond the hunting requirements, CDFW says local hunters also need to look out for Chronic Wasting Disease in deer.
“We’re asking all hunters to give us samples of deer they harvested so that we can test for CWD,” said Kellum. “We’re really working hard to detect its presence and where it might be in California.”
CWD was recently detected outside of Kern County for the first time in California's deer and elk populations, according to CDFW.
So far in 2024, CDFW received 1089 samples– 570 of which tested negative for CWD, 461 pending lab results, and 56 were not testable.
But in early May, two deer tested positive– one in Madera county and one in Inyo county.
“While hunting… can be a dangerous activity, with the right education, we encourage hunters to get out there, experience the thrill and rewards of hunting but remember, safety first,” said Kellum.
As for Holloway, she hopes this deer hunting season will be different than years past.
“Come out and enjoy it,” said Holloway. “Safe hunting, snow play. Just be respectful. We like people coming up, we just want to do it the right way.”
To get a deer tested, visit the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance section of the CDFW website.
All deer hunting regulations can be found on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website, under the 2024-2025 California Mammal Hunting Regulations and the 2024-2025 California Big Game Digest.
To register for a hunting license visit the CDFW website.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
