California’s 2026 Big Game Hunting Regulations are now available. Go online to download a copy at wildlife.ca.gov/Publications/Hunting-Digest. Non-residents may apply for Desert bighorn sheep, elk, deer, and antelope. Applications are due online by midnight on June 2, 2026. Draw results will be available online around June 15, 2026, at www.licensing.wildlife.ca.gov/internetsales/.
• Hunters will also have the option to purchase two bear tags at the same time and use them in any order, pending approval at the April 2026 commission meeting. Take will be limited to one legal bear per day, and there will be no change to the existing harvest threshold of 1,700.
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| California Species Specific Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| California Elk | California Deer | California Bighorn Sheep |
| California Pronghorn Antelope | Available California Hunts (HF Adventures) | California Bear |
Hunters may apply online for the big-game drawings at www.licensing.wildlife.ca.gov/internetsales/, at any California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) license sales office, or any license agent statewide. Once you apply, you will be issued a GO ID number that will also be your permanent ID for the future. No paper applications will be accepted. Your hunter education certificate is on file in California’s Automated License Data System (ALDS), you can apply over the phone by calling 800-565-1458.
Non-residents may not apply as a party for sheep, elk, or antelope. Deer hunters may apply with up to six people in a party. The points-only code is 499 for elk, 599 for bighorn sheep, 799 for antelope, and PD for deer.
Bighorn sheep, elk, and antelope applicants will only have one hunt choice. For deer, you will have multiple choices, but everyone’s first choice is awarded before anyone’s second or third choices are considered. There is no non-resident quota for deer in California. You may only draw one bighorn sheep permit in your lifetime in California. There is no waiting period for antelope, deer, or elk.
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For premium deer permits, for adult applicants, 90% of the individual zone permits will be given to applicants with the most preference points. There will be 10% of the permits in each zone or hunt available to all applicants, regardless of their preference point status. For zones or hunts with less than 10 permits, 1 permit shall be awarded in the random drawing. For apprentice deer permits (which are for youth ages sixteen years old and younger), 50% of the permits will be awarded in the preference point draw, and the other 50% will be awarded in the random draw.
If only one permit is issued in a unit for Desert bighorn sheep, elk, or antelope, it will be awarded through the random draw. If two permits are issued, then one permit will be drawn through the preference point draw and one will be drawn through the random draw. If three permits are issued, then two permits will be issued in the preference point draw and one permit will be issued in the random draw. If four permits are issued, then three permits will be issued in the preference point draw and one permit will be issued in the random draw. If five or more permits are issued, then 90% of the permits will be issued in the preference point draw.
You must purchase a non-refundable hunting license of $225.46 to apply in California’s big game drawing. For sheep, elk, and antelope, there will be an $8.38 non-refundable application fee, which is due when you apply. Successful applicants will receive a payment notification or their permits in the mail by July 2, 2026. Successful applicants will have until July 15 at 5 p.m. PDT to submit payment for their elk, antelope, or sheep permit; failure to do so will result in the permit being offered to an alternate applicant.
When applying for deer, you will submit the entire deer license fee, which is $377.35. If unsuccessful, you can request the difference between the fee paid for a non-resident deer license permit application and a resident deer license permit application ($377.35 - $42.38 = $334.97). A refund request must be submitted on or before March 1 of the following year. The method of payment will vary, depending on whether you apply in person, at a license agent, or online. Only Visa or MasterCard will be accepted when applying online.
When applying for deer, you will submit the entire deer license fee, which is $377.35. If unsuccessful, you can request the difference between the fee paid for a non-resident deer license permit application and a resident deer license permit application ($377.35 - $42.38 = $334.97). A refund request must be submitted on or before March 1 of the following year. The method of payment will vary, depending on whether you apply in person, at a license agent, or online. Only Visa or MasterCard will be accepted when applying online.
There is no minimum age requirement for purchasing a hunting license if the applicant can show proof of hunter education, but big-game hunting is prohibited to those under the age of twelve. Applicants must be twelve years of age by July 1 of the license year for which they are applying for deer, elk, or antelope. For bighorn sheep, applicants must be at least sixteen years of age on or before July 1, 2026.
California has a modified preference point system. Unsuccessful applicants will earn one preference point per species each year they apply. Preference points are species specific, not hunt, zone, or weapon specific. Hunters who choose not to compete in the drawing may earn a preference point by using species-specific points-only codes in the hunt code section of their application(s). You will lose all accumulated preference points if you are drawn for a premium deer tag as your first choice. For sheep, elk, and antelope, you will lose all accumulated preference points for a species if you are drawn for and pay for the tag. You also lose all accumulated preference points for any species if you do not participate in the drawing for that species for two consecutive years. Preference point totals for parties are determined by averaging all party members’ points without rounding up or down. For 2026, the maximum number of points any applicant may have is 24.
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We have followed the sheep and deer permit allocation rules and computed the draw odds of an application being drawn in both the preference point draw and the random draw. Draw odds for premium deer permits and for Desert bighorn sheep units where non-residents are allotted up to 10% of permits are true odds; however, for units where non-residents are limited to drawing only one permit for elk or antelope annually, the odds displayed are not true odds and are simply a reference to the number of overall applicants.
Hunters must be under sixteen years of age on July 1, 2026 in order to be eligible for a 2026/2027 junior hunting license.
In the junior or apprentice hunts, 50% of the permits will go to the applicants with the most points and 50% will be awarded in the random draw. Junior hunting licenses are resident and non-resident hunters are $17.02 for 2026. However, non-resident juniors don’t get a discount on any permits fees.
No lead ammunition can be used to hunt any wildlife with a firearm across the state of California. This law builds on a previously enacted ban on the use of lead ammunition for big-game hunting within the range of the California Condor
Muzzleloaders must be loaded from the muzzle and be at least .40 caliber. Scopes are not allowed on muzzleloaders. Use of a fixed power scope may be awarded if you are visually disabled. The application can be found on California’s website by searching “disabled permit”. Crossbows cannot be used during archery seasons unless you possess a Disabled Archer Permit. Big game may be taken with a bow and arrow, muzzleloading rifles, and rifles using centerfire cartridges with soft nose or expanding projectiles.
If there are any premium deer tag permits remaining after the big-game drawing, first deer permit applicants may apply for any leftover premium deer hunt permits starting at 8 a.m. on July 2, 2026. For second deer permits, leftover permits go on sale at 8 a.m. on August 2, 2026. For the bighorn sheep, elk, and antelope drawings, there are alternate draws in addition to the successful applicants. California has a Private Lands Management (PLM) Program where landowners can receive transferable permits for elk, deer, and antelope. For more information, go to www.wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/PLM.
Bear Opportunities
California rarely gets brought up in bear hunting conversations, which is unfortunate because it is home to some great bear hunting! (Maybe it is because of the fall season?) If you want to harvest a true giant though, California should be on your radar. Bear tags are issued over the counter on a harvest quota basis. The 2025 bear season reported a harvest of 1,180, which was an increase of about 200 bears from the previous year. Ever since California banned the use of dogs for bear hunting, the quota of 1,700 has not been met. Cubs, as well as sows accompanied by one or more cubs, are illegal to harvest. If you kill a bear, you must have the tag countersigned (validated) by a CDFW employee. Bear tags must be validated prior to transporting the bear, except for the purpose of taking the bear to the nearest person authorized to validate the tag en route to your home from the point where the bear was taken. New for 2026 (pending approval during the April 2026 commission meeting), hunters will also have the option to purchase two bear tags at the same time and use them in any order. Take will be limited to one legal bear per day, and there will be no change to the existing harvest quota of 1,700.
The 2026 archery bear season is August 15 through September 6. The general rifle season opens concurrently with the general rifle deer hunting seasons in zones A, B, C, D, X8, X9A, X9B, X10, and X12 and extends through December 27, 2026. (The remaining deer X zones open October 10 and extend through December 27.) All seasons will close early if the CDFW reports that the 1,700-bear quota has been met. For updated reports on the seasons and bear harvest, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Bear. Whether or not you are successful, all bear tags must be returned to the CDFW no later than February 1, 2027.
There are some giant bears that reside in California. With the population continuing to climb every year, bears can be found throughout the Golden State, though the highest densities are found in Northern and Central California. Most harvested bears are taken by deer hunters as an opportunity species, with a majority being taken during the deer hunting season in the months of September and October. The top five producing counties (along with their corresponding units and harvest totals) from 2021 to 2023 in order were Shasta (B2/C2/C3, 371 bears), Trinity (B1/B2, 304 bears), Mendocino (A North/B1, 296 bears), Siskiyou (B6/C1/X1, 239 bears), and Humboldt (B1/B2, 230 bears). Unfortunately, California is a bit behind when it comes to their county-by-county harvest statistics. Therefore, the data from 2021 to 2023 is the most up-to-date information available.
Keep a bear tag in mind if you head to the Golden State this year chasing deer, as it gives you one more tag in your pocket and one more opportunity to be successful. For more information on bear hunting regulations, see pages 63 through 65 of the 2026 California Big Game Hunting Digest.
Wild Pig Opportunities
One of the most overlooked opportunities in California is the abundance of wild pig hunting. Currently, fifty-five of California’s fifty-eight counties have wild pigs in them. Most of the pig hunts take place on private ranches, and we can set you up with some great ranches and outfitters. For those outfitters we even run a survey and pig combination hunt, so give us a call at 435-865-1020 if you’re interested. Resident and non-resident hunters twelve years of age and older with a valid annual or two-day California hunting license may purchase wild pig hunting validation. Wild pig validations may be used throughout the hunting year, commencing on July 1 and ending on June 30 the following year.
There is no daily bag or possession limit for wild pigs. Fees are non-refundable, and tags cannot be transferred from one person to another. Wild pigs no longer need to be tagged. Hunters are now required to report pig harvest at the end of the season in the Automated License and Data System. Reporting requirements include the number of pigs harvested by month and county. There are also some SHARE opportunities for pig hunting. Check out https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/SHARE/51518483-general-hunts for more information. The top five counties with the highest three-year average take are Monterey (671 pigs), San Luis Obispo (439 pigs), Kern (290 pigs), Tehama (206 pigs), and Mendocino (163 pigs).
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There are no permit refunds once you obtain a big-game permit. Premium deer permits may not be exchanged. Non-premium deer permits may be exchanged if certain criteria are met. See page 16 of the 2026 Hunting Digest for a list of the criteria.
All permit holders for Desert bighorn sheep, elk, deer, and antelope must fill out a report, whether they harvest or not. There is a non-reporting penalty fee of $21.60 that will be assessed to 2026 deer permit holders who fail to submit a harvest report by January 31, 2027. Hunters can log into their internet sales profile and go to “harvest reporting”, or they can mail in the physical harvest report card to CDFW Wildlife Branch, PO Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090. For more information on reporting and tag countersigning requirements, as well as a list of those authorized to validate or countersign tags, see pages 24 and 25 of the 2026 Hunting Digest.
For general maps detailing individual zone or additional deer hunt boundaries, go to www.wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Deer/5574-zones-hunts. BLM maps are available by calling 916-978-4400 or by visiting www.blm.gov/media-center/public-room/california/public-room-maps-sale.
The SHARE Program will offer elk, wild pig, deer, and turkey hunts on various private properties throughout different counties. There is no separation between non-residents and residents. In 2025, a chance could be purchased for $14.86, and a hunter can purchase one chance per hunt. Permits are issued by a random draw. For more information on these hunts, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/hunting/SHARE.
The CDFW closely monitors known resident wolves to conserve and manage California’s wolf population. Since Oregon wolf OR-7 entered California in late 2011, several radio collared wolves have dispersed into the state. There is an unknown number of uncollared wolves, and seven breeding packs have formed. For more information about wolves in California, visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Mammals/Gray-Wolf.
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