US Fish & Wildlife Service - California Radio Systems?

[Exsmokey]

Originally Posted by nd5y

I have seen 408.675 listed as a nationwide FWS law enforcement channel back when almost everything else was on low band. They had a repeater on 408.675/410.625 PL 100.0 in the Dallas/Fort Worth area years ago. I don't know if it is still there.

There isn't much information available for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those who live in the reception areas of NWR's don't seem interested in monitoring and reporting the traffic of this agency. My knowledge is very limited for the USFWS as the frequency guides accessible to me as a Forest Service employee (and former) does not include listings for them. I've never worked in the vicinity of a NWR where the USFWS and USFS had cooperative or mutual aid agreements. With that in mind I'm not aware of any USFWS 400 MHz assignments in the four states I've worked in (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and California). The only exception to this is the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which has now moved to the Lawrence Livermore National Lab 400 MHz trunked system along with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (NPS), Defense Logistics Agency and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

I have a sparse amount of unconfirmed, but listed officially more than ten years ago, information for the USFWS but have not submitted it or started a thread listing what I have for members to confirm. One of these days I will, but it is a winter activity so I haven't. My impression is the use of 400 MHz frequencies for other than point to point links occurs more often in the east and in urban areas where the propagation characteristics of the band have advantages that VHF-Hi don't have and serve those areas better.

[polarscribe]

Whoops! Got fooled by their job series... I saw USFWS LEO positions classed as 0025 (at least they used to be?) and figured they'd use the same job title.

[inigo88]

Originally Posted by Exsmokey

I have a sparse amount of unconfirmed, but listed officially more than ten years ago, information for the USFWS but have not submitted it or started a thread listing what I have for members to confirm. One of these days I will, but it is a winter activity so I haven't. My impression is the use of 400 MHz frequencies for other than point to point links occurs more often in the east and in urban areas where the propagation characteristics of the band have advantages that VHF-Hi don't have and serve those areas better.

But you said that last year!

(9/6/2011)

Originally Posted by Exsmokey

The information I have, which I will post when I get some time, is fairly old. I will post it so people have a chance to monitor and find if things have changed. I will post the California information here, and the rest perhaps on the federal forum.

[Exsmokey]

The USFWS is moving their LEO's from the 025 series to the 1801 series as of 2011. The 1801 series is titled "land management law enforcement officer." The new job title for refuge officers is going to be "federal wildlife officer." So I was not completely up to date myself.

I think the USFS is also moving their LEO's to the 1801 series as well.

[Exsmokey]

Originally Posted by inigo88

But you said that last year!

(9/6/2011)

If you had the workload I've had for the last 2.5 years you wouldn't get it done either. I'm just getting my office back together from the nearly complete remodel of our condo. I may soon be able to reach my frequency information. I don't know how long your winter is, but at 8,000 feet summer is not long and I'm sure as heck not taking on a long office type project.

EDIT: I see where you live and I believe the words "winter" and "San Diego" are mutually exclusive.

[inigo88]

Originally Posted by Exsmokey

If you had the workload I've had for the last 2.5 years you wouldn't get it done either. I'm just getting my office back together from the nearly complete remodel of our condo. I may soon be able to reach my frequency information. I don't know how long your winter is, but at 8,000 feet summer is not long and I'm sure as heck not taking on a long office type project.

EDIT: I see where you live and I believe the words "winter" and "San Diego" are mutually exclusive.

No worries, just giving you a hard time. I've spent a good amount of time in the Eastern Sierra and I can imagine you've got your work cut out for you.

[scottyhetzel]

Originally Posted by polarscribe

Scotty, if you heard references to a "game warden," that would be a California Department of Fish and Game channel, not USFWS.

US Fish and Wildlife Service does not have "wardens," they have law enforcement rangers, inspectors and special agents.

Also, I'm not sure what a USFWS enforcement officer would be doing responding to a car vs. goat accident - that sounds like a classic DFG issue. USFWS doesn't exercise general jurisdiction over wildlife or domestic livestock - the state does. USFWS handles refuge enforcement and violations of specific federal wildlife laws (marine mammal protection, endangered species, interstate/foreign commerce of illegal wildlife/products, etc.)

I thought it was a warden....not they said "warden". Also it could have been a bighorn sheep since they native to this area.

[scottyhetzel]

Originally Posted by Exsmokey

He would not be hearing Cal DFG on a 406-420 frequency so he was hearing some type of federal employee. The USFWS does exert control of wildlife on National Wildlife Refuges and the National Park Service the same on National Park unit lands. On National Forests the state authority is the animal itself and the animals habitat is under the authority of the U.S. Forest Service. In the latter case the USFS can exert is authority of the animal as the U.S. code allows it. Historically, actually from the beginning of the Forest Service, this authority has been in the state's hands as National Forests contain the bulk of wildlife habitat and animal numbers in the state. The viability of state fish and wildlife agencies is often largely dependent on National Forest land so for the good of wildlife in the entire states the Forest Service has allowed the state jurisdiction on National Forest lands.

Exceptions to NPS having authority of the animals exist. The best example of this is the Mojave National Preserve. This is the reason it is a preserve and not a park. Some in Congress objected to the establishment of this park unit based on the grounds of preserving hunting at that location. The establishment bill was changed to designate a preserve instead of a park. The fact that the preserve logs 1-2 bighorn sheep and under 12 deer kills per year by hunting was not a rational evaluation in the minds of those making the objection to the park.

Finally, the USFWS job titles list does not include law enforcement park rangers. There are employees with the title of park ranger, but they are utilized for visitor centers and interpretive programs. The law enforcement officers are called "refuge officers." Some of these become refuge managers, especially at small wildlife refuges where the law enforcement duties are collateral with refuge management duties. The list also includes the wildlife inspectors used at airports and harbors.

As you stated there are special agents, less than 200 of them currently even though they are authorized 260 some positions. These agents work large cases mostly of the major crime variety involving illegal importation of foreign species, killing or capturing migrating species prohibited by the Lacey Act and those in the business of trading wildlife parts such as elk antlers, bear gall bladders and feathers of bird species such as bald eagles and peregrines . These cases extend to private lands, state lands and all federal lands such as National Parks and Forests, BLM Public Land System lands and National Wildlife Refuge lands. They also handle investigate violations of the Endangered Species Act.

EDIT: This now concludes your natural resource management civics lesson for the day.

This is some great info. Above ex smokey...thank you.

[scottyhetzel]

I always hear traffic on 169.650 pl 146.2. With units. "San berdino onyx 433 and 432". Is this us fish and wildlife ? Or Joshua national park ? I dont see this freq. in the directory... I don't have premium so would someone run it pretty please ? Thanks

[WayneH]

Originally Posted by scottyhetzel

I dont see this freq. in the directory... I don't have premium so would someone run it pretty please ? Thanks

It's not in the database. Personally, I've only heard it used simplex by helos doing Federal contracts for a power agency.

[gvranchosbill]

I know that this thread is not to recent but i thought i would give my 2 cents worth on USFW service in the Northwestern portion on Nevada.
I hear very often during the warmer months USFW sharing the NDOW (Nevada Dept of Wildlife) VHF Highband Channel w/callsign begining with "U.S." example "U.S.#491"

[Exsmokey]

Over the last 4-5 months I've found some information about the USFWS and intend to submit it, but have been working on a big project to update the National Incident Radio Support Cache frequency listings instead.

[scottyhetzel]

Originally Posted by Exsmokey

Over the last 4-5 months I've found some information about the USFWS and intend to submit it, but have been working on a big project to update the National Incident Radio Support Cache frequency listings instead.

Hi Smokey.... When are you going to submit it...? I can hardly wait. : )