Coastal voices: Tolowa Dunes’ hunting heritage

Here is a a brief history and perspective on hunting on lands currently within Tolowa Dunes State Park.

Portions of the state-managed lands currently known as Tolowa Dunes State Park, specifically those lands between Kellogg Road and the Smith River, have been open to public waterfowl hunting for the last 25-plus years up until this year.

No other type of hunting has been allowed. The land was classified as Tolowa Dune State Park in October 2001. Prior to that it was unclassified land called the Lake Earl Project and was jointly managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation and the California Department of Fish and Game.

Prior to the state buying these lands around 1981, they were part of a locally owned ranching operation. Hunting opportunity and general access was controlled by the landowner. An informal duck hunting club operated for many years in the general area of what’s commonly known as the ponds, as well as the area between the Silva House and Yontocket slough. The lands east of the main easternmost dune slope were not the flattened pasture land they are today.

After the classification and naming of the land in October 2001 to Tolowa Dunes State Park, the joint management continued until this year. Waterfowl hunting on a portion of Tolowa Dunes State Park was permitted to continue during that time, as well as horseback riding, hiking, birding, fishing and all the other recreational activities that have been allowed and promoted since the state bought the lands.

Native American cultural activities have continued as well. To my knowledge there has never been any significant public contention or conflict between any of the user groups, including local Native Americans.

Waterfowl hunting on the Lake Earl Project was originally allowed only three days a week — Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday during the regular waterfowl hunting season. That same schedule has been in place for the last 25 or so years. This is significant in that it equates to only 40 days of hunting opportunity per year on average, less in reality as realistic opportunity is determined by rainfall and weather, not the calendar. And no other activities are restricted during those 40 days. Waterfowl hunting was not allowed the other 312 days of the year.

While there is no precise public information on the exact boundaries of the California Department of Parks and Recreation-managed lands between Point Saint George and the mouth of the Smith River, I would estimate that the land proposed to be managed for hunting is less then 12 percent of the total non-Fish and Game-managed lands between those two landmarks. Additionally, not all the lands within the Lake Earl Wildlife Area are open to waterfowl hunting. And much of the surrounding land is still private property as well.

Waterfowl hunting opportunity on these lands is important for several reasons: hunting is a management tool used by resource management agencies; this activity brings dollars into our community; this area specifically benefits our local youth and elderly hunters because it can be hunted without a boat and all of the other hunting paraphernalia that is required to hunt over water on Lake Earl or Lake Tolowa; it provides for a different type of hunting experience than the over-water hunting on Lake Earl or the Smith River; it allows for easier code enforcement; and lastly, hunting is a heritage that all peoples have, and, for those that so choose to do so, should be able continue to participate in.

Finally, I would suggest that these affected lands were not properly classified in 2001, given their historic and continued multi-use suitability. I would also suggest that while the original classification process may have been technically correct, it was not done with adequate local public discourse. And in the end, the state of California has done a poor job of planning and executing the management of these lands.

Jeff Reed is a local waterfowl enthusiast.