Weekends — Guided Wildlife Tours at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area, 3207 Rutherford Road, Gridley (95948), 12:30 p.m. The 90-minute walking tour covers slightly more than a half-mile through this premier birding spot that highlights migratory waterfowl and other wetland wildlife. Tours are cancelled in the event of heavy rain. No reservations are necessary for groups of less than 20 people. This land is part of the CDFW Lands Pass Program and its associated fee-for-use requirement. For more information on the Lands Pass Program, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/lands-pass. For more information on the tours, please call (530) 846-7505 or email [email protected].

First Through Third Saturdays and Sundays of the Month —Sandhill Crane Wetland Tours at Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, 7730 W. Woodbridge Road, Lodi (95242). Online registration is required to participate in these guided tours, which run through February during the sandhill cranes’ fall and winter stay in California’s Central Valley. A CDFW Lands Pass or a current hunting or fishing license in possession is required to participate for those 16 or older. For more information on the Lands Pass Program, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/lands-pass. For more information about the tours, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/regions/3/crane-tour.

Various Days — Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Access Permit Application Deadline for Multiple Hunting Opportunities. Wild pig, turkey, dove and quail hunts are available through the SHARE program. A $10.50 non-refundable application fee (plus handling fees) is charged for each hunt choice. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/share.

Weekends — Ecological Reserve Tours at Elkhorn Slough.Volunteers lead walks every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Binoculars and bird books are available for the public to borrow at no cost. The visitor center and main overlook are fully accessible. The day use permit fee is $4.12 per person, ages 16 and older (permits may be purchased on-site). Groups of five should please notify staff that they are coming and groups of 10 or more can request a separate tour. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/lands/places-to-visit/elkhorn-slough-er.

2 — General Season for Crow Opens. Season extends through April 5, 2018. For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.

5 — California Fish and Game Commission Coastal Fishing Communities Public Meeting, 6 to 8 p.m., Handlery Hotel, 950 Hotel Circle North, San Diego (92108). For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2017/index.aspx.

6-7 — California Fish and Game Commission Meeting, 8:30 a.m. both days, Handlery Hotel, 950 Hotel Circle North, San Diego (92108). For more information, please visit fgc.ca.gov/meetings/2017/index.aspx.

8 — CDFW Grants to Engage Hispanic Communities in Fishing Activities Application Deadline. CDFW has been accepting grant applications for fishing programs, classes and activities that educate and engage Hispanic communities. Programs should provide multiple opportunities for youth and families to participate as anglers and promote good stewardship toward the state’s aquatic resources. For more information, please visit cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2017/11/17/cdfw-offers-grants-to-engage-hispanic-communities-in-fishing-activities/.

15 — Passing On the Tradition Youth Essay Contest Deadline. CDFW and the California Wildlife Officers Foundation are again co-sponsoring the annual “Passing on the Tradition” essay contest for young hunters. The California Wildlife Officers Foundation will recognize one grand-prize winner with a lifetime California hunting license that is valued at more than $600. Second and third place winners will also be selected and prize packages will be awarded. This year’s contest invites entrants to share how hunting has influenced or affected their lives. Entries should be submitted via email to Lt. John Nores at [email protected] and must be received on or before Friday, Dec. 15 at 5 p.m. On their essay, applicants must also provide their date of birth, place of residence and a contact telephone number and email address.

16 — General Season for Band-tailed Pigeons in the Southern Hunt Zone Opens. Season extends through Dec. 24. For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.

22 — CDFW Request For Information Related to Cascades Frog Deadline. CDFW is seeking information relevant to a proposal to list the Cascades frog as an endangered or threatened species. The species inhabits a variety of habitats such as large lakes, ponds, wet meadows and streams at mid- to high-elevations range from the Klamath-Trinity region, along the Cascades Range axis in the vicinity of Mt. Shasta, southward to the headwater tributaries of the Feather River. For more information, please visit cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2017/11/13/cdfw-seeks-information-related-to-cascades-frog/.

25 — Archery Only Pheasant Season Opens. Season extends through Jan. 21, 2018. For more information on upland game bird seasons and limits, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/upland-game-birds.

31 — Bear Season Ends Statewide, or earlier if CDFW determines that 1,700 bears have been reported taken. For more information, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/bear or contact Jesse Garcia at (916) 445-3515. In addition, 2016 bear season tooth-age information will be able to be viewed at wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/mammals/black-bear once laboratory results are received and posted online.