California Hunting Season Dates
Recorded hunting windows for California, including historical and unverified entries.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
1 of 8 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
California Hunting Season Calendar
Find all hunting season dates for California including deer, elk, turkey, and waterfowl. Filter by species and hunting method.
Recorded windows at the assessment date in California
1 recorded window including the assessment date
Sep 26 - Nov 1, 2026
Approved 2026 Deer Seasons by Zone, PDF page 2, General Season column. Matching D3–5 tag required; forked-horn buck or better. AO tags allow archery equipment only, not firearms. CDFW D3 2026 guide requires nonlead ammunition and written permission on private property. General base dates shown in the rifle view; current legal-device, ammunition, license, closure, access and boundary rules still need agency checks. Not statewide dates or hunting permission.
Recorded Season Windows
All California hunting seasons organized by species
Deer 4 seasons
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Jul 12 - Sep 21, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | A Zone | Historical record | Early archery | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Sep 20 - Nov 2, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | A Zone | Historical record | Unverified historical general-season summary; source and hunt-code scope were not recorded. | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Sep 26 - Nov 1, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | D3 / D4 / D5 — D3–5 tag | Recorded window (18d left) | Approved 2026 Deer Seasons by Zone, PDF page 2, General Season column. Matching D3–5 tag required; forked-horn buck or better. AO tags allow archery equipment only, not firearms. CDFW D3 2026 guide requires nonlead ammunition and written permission on private property. General base dates shown in the rifle view; current legal-device, ammunition, license, closure, access and boundary rules still need agency checks. Not statewide dates or hunting permission. | |
| Archery | Aug 16 - Sep 7, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | D Zones | Historical record | Zone D archery | |
Turkey 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Mar 28 - May 3, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Spring season | |
Bear 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Oct 11 - Dec 28, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | General bear season | |
Wild Pig 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Year-round hunting | |
Dove 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun | Sep 1-15, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Early dove | |
Got your license ready to show?
Store credentials offline in Hunter Passport
California Hunting Regulations
License year, species, and agency information
- License Year
- Jul 1, 2025 - Jun 30, 2026
- Available Species
-
- Bear
- Deer
- Dove
- Turkey
- Wild Pig
- Hunting Methods
-
- Archery
- Rifle/Firearm
- Any Legal Method
- Shotgun
- Wildlife Agency
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Important Note for California
Only the approved 2026 D3–D5 general deer base date window was reviewed. Matching tag, legal buck/device/ammunition rules, licenses, closures, private permission, access and zone boundaries require agency checks. Other zone/species/special-hunt records and license-year metadata remain unverified.
Hunting Method Legend
California Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting seasons in California
What are the hunting season dates for California?
Recorded California entries cover Bear, Deer, Dove, Turkey, Wild Pig. Dates include history and unverified records; the recorded license-year metadata is not current verification. Check row evidence and current agency regulations and your license.
When does deer season start in California?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2025-07-12 to 2025-09-21; 2025-09-20 to 2025-11-02; 2026-09-26 to 2026-11-01; 2025-08-16 to 2025-09-07. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
Does California require a draw for hunting?
Draw requirements depend on species, GMU or zone, hunt code and license type. Recorded date windows do not establish eligibility. Check the current California agency rules and your actual license.
Which recorded windows include the assessment date 2026-10-14 UTC in California?
Recorded window includes 2026-10-14 UTC: Deer through Nov 1, 2026. Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions. This is not hunting permission; check your license and current regulations.
What should I know about hunting in California?
Only the approved 2026 D3–D5 general deer base date window was reviewed. Matching tag, legal buck/device/ammunition rules, licenses, closures, private permission, access and zone boundaries require agency checks. Other zone/species/special-hunt records and license-year metadata remain unverified.
Other States
Compare hunting seasons across states
Need a California Hunting License?
Store your CA license in Hunter Passport for instant offline access.
Your license shouldn't be harder to access than these regulations.
Hunter Passport stores every state's hunting license on your phone. Works without signal — three seconds from tap to warden.