CA Hunting Seasons & Public Land

California Hunting Seasons 2026 & Zone Map

Deer Sep 19–Oct 25. Deer Sep 19–Oct 25. Pig Dec 19–Dec 27.

1,010 Seasons50 Species

Direct Answer

California hunting seasons cover 1,010 season dates across 195 hunt zones for Mule Deer, Black-tailed Deer, Wild Pig and more. Many big game hunts are draw or limited-entry, so confirm application windows before the deadline. Use the tables below for exact opening and closing dates by species and zone.

Season data sourced from the California wildlife agency. Always verify dates and regulations on the official site before hunting—regulations can change during the season.

California Hunting Seasons by Species

Deer

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone A (North)ArcheryJul 11 — Aug 2——
Zone A (North)GeneralAug 8 — Sep 20——
Zone A (South)ArcheryJul 11 — Aug 2——
Zone A (South)GeneralAug 8 — Sep 20——
Zone B1ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B1GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B2ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B2GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B3ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B3GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B4ArcheryJul 25 — Aug 16——
Zone B4GeneralAug 22 — Sep 27——
Zone B5ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B5GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B6ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B6GeneralSep 19 — Oct 18——
Zone C1ArcheryAug 15 — Aug 30——
Zone C1GeneralSep 19 — Oct 18——
Zone C2ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone C2GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone C3ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone C3GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone C4ArcheryAug 15 — Aug 30——
Zone C4GeneralSep 19 — Oct 4——

+ 476 more Deer seasons

Deer

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone A (North)ArcheryJul 11 — Aug 2——
Zone A (North)GeneralAug 8 — Sep 20——
Zone A (South)ArcheryJul 11 — Aug 2——
Zone A (South)GeneralAug 8 — Sep 20——
Zone B1ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B1GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B2ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B2GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B3ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B3GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B4ArcheryJul 25 — Aug 16——
Zone B4GeneralAug 22 — Sep 27——
Zone B5ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B5GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B6ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B6GeneralSep 19 — Oct 18——
Zone C1ArcheryAug 15 — Aug 30——
Zone C1GeneralSep 19 — Oct 18——
Zone C2ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone C2GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone C3ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone C3GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone C4ArcheryAug 15 — Aug 30——
Zone C4GeneralSep 19 — Oct 4——

+ 476 more Deer seasons

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone NorthGeneralSep 19 — Sep 27——
Zone SouthGeneralDec 19 — Dec 27——
StatewideGeneralJul 1 — Jun 30——
StatewideGeneralJul 1 — Jun 30——

American Crow

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone CrowGeneralDec 5 — Apr 7——
ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
StatewideGeneralJul 1 — Jun 30——

Axis Deer

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone A (North)ArcheryJul 11 — Aug 2——
Zone A (North)GeneralAug 8 — Sep 20——
Zone A (South)ArcheryJul 11 — Aug 2——
Zone A (South)GeneralAug 8 — Sep 20——
Zone B1ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B1GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——
Zone B2ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B2GeneralSep 19 — Oct 25——

+ 86 more Axis Deer seasons

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
StatewideGeneralNov 16 — Feb 28——

Bandtailed Pigeon

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone NorthGeneralSep 19 — Sep 27——
Zone SouthGeneralDec 19 — Dec 27——

Bear

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone A (North)GeneralAug 8 — Dec 27——
Zone A (South)GeneralAug 8 — Dec 27——
Zone B1ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B1GeneralSep 19 — Dec 27——
Zone B2ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B2GeneralSep 19 — Dec 27——
Zone B3ArcheryAug 15 — Sep 6——
Zone B3GeneralSep 19 — Dec 27——

+ 74 more Bear seasons

ZoneWeaponSeasonHarvestPublic
Zone BeaverGeneralNov 1 — Mar 31——

California Hunting Season FAQ

When does hunting season start in California?

California hunting season currently spans Sep 19 to Oct 25 for Deer, with other species opening at different times. Dates vary by zone and weapon. This page lists 1,010 California season dates across 195 hunt zones.

What can you hunt in California?

California offers hunting for 50 species, including Mule Deer, Black-tailed Deer, Wild Pig and more. Each species has its own season dates, weapon rules and bag limits.

How many hunting hunt zones does California have?

California is divided into 195 hunt zones. Season dates, harvest rates and public-land access differ by unit—use the tables above to compare units before you apply or buy a tag.

Does California use a draw or limited-entry system?

Yes. Many California big game hunts are allocated by draw or limited-entry tags rather than sold over the counter. Always confirm application windows on the official California wildlife agency site before the deadline.

State Resource

Always verify season dates and regulations with the official state wildlife agency:

California Official Hunting Regulations

View California on the map

See Zone boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas for California on our interactive hunting map.

Also see California public land, license, and regulations.

Hunt California with offline maps