California Department of Fish and Game

Regulations and Information Summary

Shooting Hours

310. Shooting Hours on Resident Small Game Mammals. The shooting hours for all resident small game mammals shall be one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

310.5 Shooting Hours on Resident Game Birds. The shooting hours for all resident game birds, except for pheasants and the spring wild turkey, shall be one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The shooting hours for pheasant season shall be 8:00 a.m. to sunset. The shooting hours for spring wild turkey season shall be one-half hour before sunrise to 4:00 p.m.

352. Shooting Hours on Big Game. Hunting and shooting hours for big game, including but not limited to deer, antelope, elk, bear, and wild pigs, shall be from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

506. Shooting Hours. During the open season the shooting hours for migratory waterfowl, American coots, common moorhens, and common snipe for all of California shall be from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Exception: In areas open to hunting on, over, or adjacent to the waters of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County, the shooting time shall be from 8:00 a.m. to sunset.

General Information

Except as otherwise provided in Title 14, or the Fish and Game Code, resident game birds, game mammals, furbearing mammals, fish, reptiles and amphibians may not be taken at any time.

353. Methods Authorized for Taking of Big Game. Big game, including but not limited to deer, bear, antelope, elk and wild pigs, may be taken only with the following:

1. Rifles using centerfire cartridges with softnose or expanding bullets.
2. Bow and arrow (see Section 354 for Archery Equipment Regulations).
3. For the taking of deer only, shotguns capable of holding not more than three shells firing size 0 or 00 buckshot may be used only in areas where the discharge of rifles is prohibited by county ordinance. Shotguns capable of holding not more than three shells firing single slugs may be used for the taking of deer, bear, and wild pigs.
4. Muzzleloading rifles shall be all wheellock, matchlock, flintlock or percussion type, including “in-line” muzzleloading rifles using black powder or equivalent black powder substitute, including pellets, with single ball or bullet loaded from the muzzle and at least .40 caliber.
5. Pistols and revolvers using centerfire cartridges with softnose or expanding bullets may be used to take deer, bear and wild pigs.
6. Crossbows may be used to take deer, bear and wild pigs only during the regular season.

252. Bag Limit Defined. “Bag Limit” means the maximum limit, in number or amount, of birds, mammals, fish, or amphibia which may lawfully be taken by any one person during a specified period of time. (Fish and Game Code, Chapter 1, General Definitions, item18.)

351. Forked Horn Buck, Antlerless and Either Sex Deer Defined.

1. Forked Horn Buck Defined. For the purpose of these regulations a forked-horned buck is defined as a male deer having a branched antler on either side with the branch in the upper two-thirds of the antler. Eye guards or other bony projections on the lower one-third of the antler shall not be considered as points or branches.
2. Antlerless Deer Defined. For the purpose of these regulations, antlerless deer are defined as female deer, fawns of either sex, other than spotted fawns, and male deer with an unbranched antler on one or both sides which is not more than three inches in length.
3. Either Sex Deer Defined. For the purpose of these regulations, either sex deer are defined as antlerless deer as described in Section 351 (c), or legal bucks that have two or more points in the upper two-thirds of either antler. Spike bucks may not be taken.

Archery Equipment and Crossbow Regulations

354. Archery Equipment and Crossbow Regulations

1. Bow, as used in these regulations, means any device consisting of a flexible material having a string connecting its two ends and used to propel an arrow held in a firing position by hand only. Bow includes long bow, recurve or compound bow.
2. Crossbow, as used in these regulations means any device consisting of a bow affixed to a stock, or any bow that utilizes any device attached directly or indirectly to the bow for the purpose of keeping a crossbow bolt, an arrow or the string in a firing position. A crossbow is not archery equipment.
3. For the taking of big game, hunting arrows and crossbow bolts with a broadhead type blade which will not pass through a hole seven-eights inch in diameter shall be used. For the taking of migratory game birds, resident small game, furbearers and non-game mammals and birds any arrow or crossbow bolt may be used except as prohibited by subsection (d) below.
4. No arrow or crossbow bolt with an explosive head or with any substance which would tranquilize or poison any animal may be used. No arrow or crossbow bolt without flu-flu fletching may be used for the take of pheasants and migratory game birds, except for provisions of Section 507(b).
5. No arrow or crossbow bolt may be released from a bow or crossbow upon or across any highway, road or other way open to vehicular traffic.
6. No bow may be used which will not cast a legal hunting arrow, except flu-flu arrows a horizontal distance of 130 yards.
7. Crossbows may not be used to take game birds and game mammals during archery season.
8. Archers may not possess a firearm while hunting in the field during any archery season, or while hunting during a general season under the provisions of any archery only tag.
9. No person may nock or fit the notch in the end of an arrow to a bowstring or crossbow string in a ready-to-fire position while in
   or on any vehicle.

Deer Tag Laws of the Fish and Game Code

4336. The holder of a deer license tag shall carry the tag while hunting deer, and upon the killing of any deer, shall immediately fill out both parts of the tag and punch out clearly the date of the kill. One part of the deer license tag must be immediately attached to the antlers of antlered deer or to the ear of any other deer and kept attached during the open season and for fifteen (15) days thereafter. The other part of the tag shall be immediately sent to the department after it has been countersigned.

Except as otherwise provided, possession of any untagged deer shall be a violation of this section.

4340. Any person who violates any provision of this article shall forfeit his deer license tags, and no new deer license tags may be issued to him during the then current license year for hunting licenses.

4341. Any person legally killing a deer in this State shall have the license tag countersigned by a person employed in the department, a person designated for this purpose by the commission, or by a judge of a justice court notary public, postmaster, peace officer, or an officer authorized to administer oaths, before transporting such deer, except for the purpose of taking it to the nearest person authorized to countersign the license tag, on the route being followed from the point where the deer is taken.

370. Deer Tags. No person shall hunt deer without a valid tag in possession for that particular area.

373. Return of Deer Tags. Every person to whom a deer tag is issued shall return the completed report card portion to the department within thirty days of taking a deer. Any person who is convicted of a violation involving deer shall not apply for a deer tag for the following year.

Other Laws Related to Hunting

Litter: It is unlawful to deposit, permit to pass into, or place where it can pass into the waters of the state, or to abandon, dispose of, or throw away, within 150 feet of the high water mark of the waters of the state, any cans, bottles, garbage, rubbish, or the viscera or carcass of any dead mammal, or the carcass of any dead bird. (Fish and Game Code Section 5652)

Safety: It is always unlawful to:

• Place on, or carry or possess a loaded rifle or shotgun in a vehicle or conveyance or its attachments on any public road or other way open to the public;
• Hunt while intoxicated;
• Discharge any firearm (while hunting) within 150 yards of any occupied dwelling or any building or barn used in connection with such a dwelling unless you have permission of the owner;
• Shoot any game bird or mammal from a powerboat, sailboat, motor vehicle, or aircraft while under power or still moving from use of motor or sail;
• Shoot any firearm from or upon a public road or highway.

Public Road or Other Way Open Defined: “Public road or other way open” particularly, with respect to safety regulations includes any roads, dirt or otherwise, trails, open fields, parking lots, etc., open to public access.

Archery: It is always unlawful to:

• Have any firearm in possession while hunting deer with bow and
  arrow during the archery season preceding the general deer season.

Firearms: It is always unlawful to:

• Take any big game mammal with a rifle using rimfire cartridges or with an air gun;
• Fail to send a complete written report to the Department within 48 hours after killing or wounding while hunting, any human being, or domestic animal belonging to another, or after witnessing such killing or wounding;
• Use, for the taking of any game bird or game mammal, a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined;
• Use or possess shotshells containing shot size larger than No.BB when hunting resident small game and migratory game birds, except that shot size larger than No.2 may not be used or possessed when taking wild turkey;
• Use shot that is not loose in the shell for taking resident small game and migratory game birds.

Parks and Refuges: It is unlawful to:

• Hunt in any National Park or Monument, in State of California beaches and parks or Monument areas, or in any state game refuge, or to shoot into such an area any weapon capable of taking any bird or mammal;
• Possess in any state game refuge any bird or mammal or part thereof, or any weapon capable of taking any bird or mammal. However, possession of firearms or bow and arrows by persons traveling through game refuges on a public highway or other public thoroughfare or right of way is permitted when the firearms are taken apart or encased and unloaded, and the bows are unstrung.

Tags and Licenses: It is unlawful to:

• Fail to fill out punch and attach the required game tags immediately after taking any deer or bear;
• Fail to immediately mail to the Department of Fish and Game the mail-in portion of the deer or bear tag;
• Change, mutilate, or transfer any license, tag or stamp;
• Have in possession while hunting any license or tag belonging to another person.

Game Restrictions: It is always unlawful to:

• Use any light to assist in taking any game bird or game mammal (except raccoon, see Section 464);
• Shine any light on any game mammal while having in possession any weapon capable of taking a mammal, even though the mammal is not shot at or killed, or otherwise pursued (except raccoon, see Section 464);
• Sell or barter game taken under authority of a hunting license;
• Dispose of that portion of the head which, in male deer, normally bears the antlers, during the open season within 15 days thereafter;
• Respect for authority: It is always unlawful to damage other’s property while hunting;
• Trespass: If the land you hunt on is not your own, it belongs to someone else. Make sure you have a legal right to be there. Contact the owner or person who administers the property, and secure written permission to hunt. A hunting license does not entitle you to enter private property.

"It is unlawful to enter any lands under cultivation or enclosed by a fence, belonging to, or occupied by, another, or to enter any uncultivated or unenclosed lands, including lands temporarily inundated by waters flowing outside the established banks of a river, stream, slough, or other waterway, where signs forbidding trespass are displayed at intervals not less than three to the mile along all exterior boundaries and at all roads and trails entering such lands, for the purpose of discharging any firearm or taking or destroying any mammal or bird, including any waterfowl, on such lands without having first obtained written permission from the owner of such lands, or his agent, or the person in lawful possession thereof. Such signs may be of any size and wording, other than the wording required for signs under Section 2017, which will fairly advise persons about to enter the land that the use of such land is so restricted." (Section 2016, Fish and Game Code)

Warning: The Fish and Game Code provides that the Fish and Game Commission shall revoke the hunting privileges of any person who is convicted of three violations of the state’s hunting laws or regulations within any five-year period.

Importation of Game Taken in Other States or Countries

“No birds, mammals, fish, or amphibia may be brought into this State unless legally taken and, if taken under the authority of a sport fishing or hunting license, legally possessed outside of this State and a declaration is made at or immediately prior to the time of entry.”

The above is a direct quote from Section 2353 of the California Fish and Game Code, enacted by the State Legislature.

Such a declaration is not required if fish and game reshipped into California by common commercial carder under a bill of lading.

Fish and game declaration of entry forms are available at all California points of entry checking stations operated by the California Department of Agriculture. The forms are also available from any office or warden of the Department of Fish and Game.

One copy of the declaration form shall be retained by the person importing the fish or game, one copy shall be deposited at the point of entry with any state or federal agency or officer, and one copy mailed to the Department of Fish and Game, 1416 9th Street Sacramento, within 24 hours after entering the State.

Prohibition on Loaded Rifle or Shotgun in Vehicle

It is unlawful to possess a loaded rifle or shotgun in any vehicle or conveyance or its attachments which is standing on or along or is being driven on or along any public highway or other way open to the public.

A rifle or shotgun shall be deemed to be loaded for the purposes of this section when there is an unexpended cartridge or shell in the firing chamber but not when the only cartridges or shells are in the magazine.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to peace officers or members of the armed forces of this State or the United States, while on duty or going to or returning from duty. (Fish and Game Code Section 2006).

Definition of Take. “Take means hunt pursue, catch, capture, or kill or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill.” (Fish and Game Code Section 86).

License Provisions

A state hunting license is required for the taking of any bird or mammal. Hunters must carry licenses and be prepared to show them on request. Guns and other equipment used in hunting must be shown on request.

In addition to a state hunting license, hunting tags are required for the taking of deer, bear, pigs and bobcat.

A trapping license is required to trap or sell furs of furbearing mammals or nongame mammals.

Lead Exposure Warning

Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas, cleaning firearms, or handling ammunition may result in exposure to lead, a substance known by the State of California to cause birth defects, reproductive harm, and other serious physical injury. It is important that steps be taken to avoid inhaling or ingesting lead particles.

Whether you are shooting, cleaning firearms or handling ammunition, make certain there is adequate ventilation at all times to reduce the risk of inhalation. Care must also be taken to avoid ingestion. Never handle food or drink without first washing your hands, and keep food and drink away from the shooting environment. Do not smoke when exposed to lead. Most importantly, wash your hands thoroughly after exposure.

Turn in Poachers

Californians turn in poachers and polluters by calling, toll free, 24 hours a day—
1-800-DFG-CALTIP. You may even be eligible for a reward!

California's secret witness program, CalTIP, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you witness or become aware of a poaching or polluting incident, please call the CalTIP hotline as soon as possible after witnessing an offense and be prepared to relay the following information:

• Location of violation
• Date and time
• Number of violators
• Species of poaching
• Vehicle make, color, and license number (including state of issue)

Please state the activity you witnessed, direction of travel, description of suspect(s), name(s) if known, and firearm description. You may remain anonymous.

Stay Safe: Do not approach poachers or put your life in danger!