California is the only state that offers all three subspecies of elk. You have the choice of applying for Tule elk, Roosevelt elk, or Rocky Mountain elk. The bad news is that there is only one elk permit for any species available to non-residents in the California draw. That means that once an elk tag is drawn by a non-resident, each of the other elk tags will be issued to residents. With only one elk tag available, we only cover the top units in the state as there is no reason to be applying for a subpar unit. If you are in the market for a Rocky Mountain or Roosevelt elk, there are a lot better states to accomplish that goal in.
California is the only state that has Tule elk available. Your options are to apply in the draw for the one non-resident elk permit, which will have limited draw odds, or buy a guided hunt with a landowner tag, which can run over $35,000. Grizzly Island has the worst draw odds in the state for Tule elk, but it is a great hunt for a mature bull on public land. There are many good rifle hunts in the Owens Valley, including Lone Pine and Goodale as well as the Owens Valley multiple zone archery permit. In recent years, the Department added a new hunt for Tules. The Central Coast hunt could be an excellent hunt but will be extremely limited on access, especially if you do not have access to Camp Roberts ($1,000 access fee for archery Tule elk and $5,000 for rifle). They also charge a land use surcharge as well, especially if they have a good bull shot on the property. On the other end of the spectrum, Tule elk is broken and highly accessible for Rocky Mountain elk as well. In August, you will still need to be able to cover a few bulls to locate one that is intact.
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If you want to apply for Rocky Mountain or Roosevelt elk, California has decent hunting for the north and northwest part of the state. The new hunt in Tehachapi for Rocky Mountain elk was a welcome and expected win as the state expanded the number of private land licenses. They added permits to the hunt for 2023, but the drought continues to be an issue. Hopefully, 2025 will continue to be green. You will have to choose between divisions between the northern units and the hunters lucky enough to draw a public tag. The Siskiyou, Northwestern, and White Mountains are all Roosevelt elk units, with the best unit for public land access being Marble Mountains, but plan to use pack animals and to deal with high temperatures on this physically difficult hunt. If you are already buying the license, you might as well spend the $8.13 and apply for the elk. We encourage all hunters who are already applying in California to apply for Tule elk.
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The California Elk application deadline is June 2, 2025.
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| Adult Hunting License | $219.81 |
| Junior Hunting License (under 16) | $16.46 |
| Application Fee per Species (sheep, elk, and antelope) | $8.13 |
| Deer Permit (refundable if unsuccessful) | $368.20 |
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| Elk Permit | $1,825.85 |
California Elk Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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