NOTES: HUNTERS TO GET NEW RECORD BOOK.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

California hunters will soon have their own record book for big-game animals taken in their home state.

The California Deer Association (CDA) is preparing the first edition of the record book, which encompasses all big-game species in the state - from tule elk to bighorn sheep to pronghorn to each of the six subspecies of mule deer.

The CDA will use the Boone & Crockett scoring system and will incorporate all game animals already listed by B&C. The group is also in the process of adding at least one additional deer category and could list as many as five other categories not recognized by B&C. The minimum scores would also be lower for game to qualify for the California record book.

Scott Wilkinson of the CDA is coordinating the record keeping; so far, all he's getting is stories.

``It's been really tough getting people to follow through,'' said Wilkinson. ``They call me with a story of a big buck, and I give them the name of their nearest B&C scorer and ask them to get the buck scored and send me the completed form along with a photo or two. But I'm not receiving much more than phone calls right now.''

One hunter phoned about a 30-inch, three-by-three buck he took in the San Bernardino Mountains in the 1960s, but Wilkinson hasn't seen a photo or score sheet yet to back up the tale. He's also heard a story about a 35-inch, 15x11 buck taken in Modoc county years ago. No evidence, though.

One story that Wilkinson has been able to substantiate is a Stanislaus County blacktail buck that Wilkinson shot this past fall that scored 152-5/8 points. He said it will be in the top 25 blacktail of all time.

Also surely to be included in the book is the new state record bighorn sheep taken by John Bauder of Rancho Cucamonga in the San Gorgonio Wilderness on Feb. 6. The Nelson desert bighorn, thought to also be one of the largest ever taken in the nation, green-scored 182 6/8 points.

Hunters who would like information about entering bucks should contact Wilkinson at [phone]. He also is taking input from hunters about the different classifications that should be recognized.

Steve Loomis, a San Diego long-range skipper, surrendered his captain's license Feb. 19 to the Coast Guard in lieu of facing charges after one of his crew was killed recently.

Loomis, 55, was skippering the Royal Polaris when a homemade explosive blew up in the hands of second skipper James ``Rollo'' Heyn, 39, of San Diego, killing him. The accident occurred Feb. 4 as the boat returned from Cabo San Lucas after an 18-day trip.

Explosives brought on board by a passenger were being lit and tossed over the stern, an activity apparently common to break the boredom of the three-day return.

After an investigation, the Coast Guard charged Loomis with negligence, misconduct and violation of the law, and sought revocation of his license.

``He was aware explosives were on board and, unfortunately, actually took part in some of (the activity),'' Lt. Chris Palmer of the Coast Guard said. ``That's why this is so serious.

``This hopefully sends a clear message to other licensed operators that we cannot tolerate this type of clear negligence. We hope to never see it again.''

Loomis decided to surrender his license rather than face a public hearing before a federal judge, Palmer said. By doing so, Loomis did not admit wrongdoing but relinquished his right to hold a captain's license.

After a year, Loomis can apply for a new license through a Coast Guard review board in Washington, D.C. There is no guarantee he will be granted one.

Palmer also said his investigation revealed there was no apparent drug involvement. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are still investigating criminal charges.

Sport anglers have often criticized commercial fishermen for killing fish that were too small to keep, dumping them overboard dead as ``by-catch'' after the undersized fish were caught in nets.

Now recreational anglers are looking at their own by-catch - fish that die after being hooked and let go - particularly striped bass that are caught and released for sport or because the fish are too small to keep.

Competent catch-and-release fishermen may be killing as much as 16.4 percent of the stripers they hook, according to a study by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Scientists discovered that as the water temperature rose, the mortality rate of the caught fish rose from .15 percent in mid-April to 4.2 percent in early May to 16.4 percent in late May. The overall death rate for the study was 5.06 percent.

Some officials are advocating regulations on the type of gear anglers use.

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PHOTO (Color) HEYN