The city of San Diego is unique in that it owns several reservoirs that are outside the city limits and situated in some very rural areas of this massive county.
Those remote locations enable the city to have hunting programs for waterfowl at Barrett and Sutherland and wild turkeys at Sutherland. But there is no hunting program for feral pigs, even for the sounder of pigs released more than two years ago on the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation around the North Arm of El Capitan Reservoir.
City of San Diego officials said yesterday that no hunting of the feral pigs is permitted on city property, which includes the watershed area around and behind El Capitan Reservoir.
Hunters with a state hunting license and wild-pig tag may hunt them on National Forest land and on the reservation, the latter if they get permission. But hunting is not permitted on city of San Diego property surrounding the reservoir.
El Capitan reservoir keeper Aleda Markham has had to deal with hunters who claim they have the right to hunt on reservoir property. Both bow hunters and gun hunters have shown up to hunt there, according to a city official, claiming they had the right to hunt the city property.
The city of San Diego has a hunting program, but it's for waterfowl at Sutherland and Barrett reservoirs and for wild turkeys in the spring at Sutherland.
The population of feral pigs around the North Arm of El Capitan Reservoir is a result of an unauthorized release of 20 penned pigs – a mix of Russian boars, sows and piglets – more than two years ago on the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation. The reservation connects with Cleveland National Forest land, which adjoins Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. The San Diego River – which runs into El Capitan Reservoir at the north end after collecting water from creeks such as Cedar, Ritchie and Boulder – stretches into Julian and game-rich lands around Eagle Peak.
Wild hogs may be hunted in the state year-round. Hunters must have a hunting license and a pig tag, which costs $18.65 for residents, $62.20 for nonresidents. There is no limit to the number of pig tags hunters may buy.
Meeting: Join the San Diego Anglers tomorrow night at 6:30 for their monthly meeting at the Bahia Hotel on Mission Bay. Guest speaker is Bob Fletcher, president of the Sportfishing Association of California. Fletcher will give an update on the Marine Life Protection Act.
Park Celebration: Join state park administrators, employees and volunteers Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to celebrate “75 Years of Mountain Adventure” at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and Palomar State Park. The event is set for the Cuyamaca Outdoor School.
Ed Zieralski: (619) 293-1225; ed.zieralski@uniontrib.com
