HUNTING
Extreme Big Game, Small Game and Water Fowl Hunting. Surrounded by miles and miles of wild and undisturbed forests, rivers and bays, Fortuna lies at the heart of an abundant hunting area. Known for bear, deer, elk, wild turkey and a variety of resident and migratory game birds, Humboldt County is a popular destination for both small and big game and water fowl hunters.
Big Game
For bear, the "hot spots" are neighboring Happy Camp and the Coffee Creek area of the Trinity Alps to the north of Fortuna; and Covelo, southeast of Fortuna, for deer. Other big game areas are South Fork Mountain east of Fortuna and Kings Ranch near Petrolia on The Lost Coast.
Small Game
The Ruth Lake area in the Mendocino National Forest is known for its large population of wild turkeys.
Water Fowl
Two popular hunting areas for water fowl are the Hookton Slough Wildlife Refuge, a few miles northwest of Fortuna, and the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Waterfowl, snipe, and coot hunting occurs on five of the seven units of the Humboldt Bay Refuge. Only hunting within the 330-acre hunt area of the Salmon Creek unit is tightly controlled, with hunting allowed only 2 days per week until 1 p.m., with 12 hunting blinds, a lottery draw, and a paid permit process. An estimated 1,000 hunters utilize the refuge annually.
For licensing, regulations, and maps visit the Department of Fish and Games web site at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/hunting or call 916.445.3406. Contact local sporting goods stores for specific information about local regulations.