Bear season in California runs Aug 8 – Sep 6 across 43 Zones.
| Zone | Type | Dates | Harvest | Pressure | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A (North) | General | Aug 8 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone A (South) | General | Aug 8 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone B1 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone B2 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone B3 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone B4 | General | Aug 22 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone B5 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone B6 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone C1 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone C2 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone C3 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone C4 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D10 | General | Sep 26 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D11 | General | Oct 10 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D13 | General | Oct 10 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D14 | General | Oct 10 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D15 | General | Oct 10 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D17 | General | Oct 10 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D3 | General | Sep 26 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D4 | General | Sep 26 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D5 | General | Sep 26 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D6 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D7 | General | Sep 19 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D8 | General | Sep 26 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
| Zone D9 | General | Sep 26 — Dec 27 | — | — | — |
+ 18 more
| Zone | Type | Dates | Harvest | Pressure | Public |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone B1 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone B2 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone B3 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone B4 | Archery | Aug 15 — Aug 21 | — | — | — |
| Zone B5 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone B6 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone C1 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone C2 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone C3 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone C4 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D10 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D11 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D13 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D14 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D15 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D17 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D3 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D4 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D5 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D6 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D7 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D8 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone D9 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone X1 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
| Zone X10 | Archery | Aug 15 — Sep 6 | — | — | — |
+ 14 more
Bear season in California currently runs Aug 8 to Sep 6, across 82 season rows and 43 Zones, split by weapon (General, Archery).
The best Zones for bear in California depend on harvest success and public-land access, both shown per Zone above. Compare units before you apply for a tag or plan your hunt.
View Zone boundaries, public land, and walk-in access areas on our interactive map.
Also see California seasons, public land, and license.