Hunting Seasons and Dates

What Are the Hunting Seasons in California?

While this guide provides a helpful overview, always refer to the official California state website for the most current hunting regulations and season dates. It’s essential to hunt only during open seasons and to follow all laws, including bag limits specific to each species.

Many season dates for 2025 have already been updated, and we’ll continue to revise this guide as new dates for the 2025–2026 hunting year become available.

Deer

Seasons are managed by area-specific hunting codes

Premium Deer Zones and Hunts

• Preference Point: N/A

B Zones:

• B1: July 12 – August 3, 2025 (Archery), August 9 – September 21, 2025 (General)
• B2, 3, & 4: August 16 – September 7, 2025 (Archery), September 20 – October 26, 2025 (General)
• B4: July 26 – August 17, 2025 (Archery), August 23 – September 28, 2025 (General)
• B5: August 16 – September 7, 2025 (Archery), September 20 – October 26, 2025 (General)
• B6: August 16 – September 7, 2025 (Archery), September 20 – October 19, 2025 (General)

C Zones:

• C1: See A1 (Archery), September 20 – October 19, 2025 (General)
• C2: See A1 (Archery), September 20 – October 26, 2025 (General)
• C3: See A1 (Archery), September 20 – October 26, 2025 (General)
• C4: See A1 (Archery), September 20 – October 5, 2025 (General)

D Zones:

• D3, 4, & 5: August 16 – September 7, 2025 (Archery), September 27 – November 2, 2025 (General)
• D6 & D7: August 16 – September 7, 2025 (Archery), September 20 – November 2, 2025 (General)
• D8, 9 & 10: August 16 – September 7, 2025 (Archery), September 27 – October 26, 2025 (General)
• D11: September 6 – 28, 2025 (Archery), October 11 – November 9, 2025 (General)
• D12: October 4 – 26, 2025 (Archery), November 1 – 23, 2025 (General)
• D13, 14, & 15: September 6 – 28, 2025 (Archery), October 11 – November 9, 2025 (General)
• D16: September 6 – 28, 2025 (Archery), October 25 – November 23, 2025 (General)
• D17: September 6 – 28, 2025 (Archery), October 11 – November 2, 2025 (General)
• D19: September 6 – 28, 2025 (Archery), October 4 – November 2, 2025 (General)

X Zones

• X1: Archery see A3, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X2: Archery see A4, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X3A: Archery see A5, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X3B: Archery see A6, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X4: Archery see A7, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X5A: Archery see A8, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X5B: Archery see A9, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X6A: Archery see A11, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X6B: Archery see A12, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X7A: Archery see A13, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X7B: Archery see A14, October 4 – 19, 2025 (General)
• X8: Archery see A15, September 27 – October 12, 2025 (General)
• X9A: Archery see A16, September 20 – October 13, 2025 (General)
• X9B: Archery see A17, September 20 – October 13, 2025 (General)
• X9C: Archery see A18, October 18 – November 9, 2025 (General)
• X10: Archery see A19, September 27 – October 12, 2025 (General)
• X12: Archery See A20, September 20 – October 13, 2025 (General)

General Methods

• G1: October 25 – November 3, 2025
• G3: December 6 – 21, 2025
• G6: December 6 – 14, 2025
• G7: September 13 – November 30, 3035
• G11: August 25 – October 1, 2025
• G12: September 20 – 28, 2025
• G13: October 25 – November 16, 2025
• G19: September 27 – December 31, 2025
• G21: November 8 – 30, 2025
• G37: November 22 – 30, 2025
• G38: October 18 – November 2, 2025
• G39: October 25 – November 9, 2025

Muzzleoader

• M3: November 15 – 23, 2025
• M4 & M5: October 25 – November 2, 2025
• M6: December 20 – 31, 2025
• M7: November 29 – December 14, 2025
• M8: October 25 – November 2, 2025
• M9: October 25 – November 9, 2025
• M11: November 8 – 23, 2025
• MA1 & MA3: November 29 – December 14, 2025

J Zones

• J1: November 1 – 2, 2025
• J3: November 29 – 30, 2025
• J4: November 22 – 30, 2025
• J8: December 6 – 31, 2025
• J9: September 20 – 28, 2025
• J10: October 4 – 5 and October 11 – 13, 2025
• J11: November 15 – 23, 2025
• J12: December 6 – 21, 2025
• J13 & J14: November 15 – 23, 2025
• J15: November 22 – 30, 2025
• J16, 17, 18: September 27 – November 2, 2025
• J19 & J20: October 4 – 19, 2025
• J21: September 20 – November 2, 2025

Archery

• A1 (C Zones Archery Only Hunt Zones C-1 & C-4 Seasons) & A19: August 16 – 31, 2025
• Remaining A1, A3-A9, A11-A15, A16, A17, A20: August 16 – September 7, 2025
• A18 (Unrestricted): August 16 – September 7, 2025
• A21: November 8 – 21, 2025
• A22 (Restricted): September 6 – October 19, 2025 and November 15 – December 31, 2025
• A24: October 11 – November 9, 2025
• A25: October 4 – 27, 2025
• A26: November 15 – December 7, 2025
• A27: October 25 – November 9, 2025
• A30: November 8 – 23, 2025
• A31: September 27 – December 31, 2025
• A32 (Unrestricted): November 8 – 30, 2025
• A33: October 4 – November 11, 2025

Check the Big Game Digest for additional hunting dates and details, including Apprentice Hunts.

Turkey

• Spring:
  • General: March 28 – May 3, 2026
  • Archery Only: May 4 – 17, 2026
  • Additional Junior: March 21 – 22, 2026 and May 4 – 17, 2026
• Fall: November 8 – December 7, 2025

Waterfowl

Coots & Moorhens (Statewide): Same as Duck seasons

Northeastern Zone

• Ducks: October 4, 2025 – January 15, 2026
• Scaup: October 4 – November 30, 2025 and December 18, 2025 – January 14, 2026
• Geese:
  • Canada Goose (Regular Season): October 4, 2025 – January 11, 2026
  • White and White-fronted (Regular Season): October 4 – November 30, 2025 and January 2 – 14, 2025
  • White and White-fronted (Late Season): February 5 – March 10, 2026

Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone

• Ducks & Geese: October 18, 2025 – January 28, 2025
• Scaup: November 4, 2025 – January 28, 2026

Colorado River Zone

• Ducks: October 18, 2025 – January 28, 2025
• Scaup: November 4, 2025 – January 28, 2026
• Geese: October 23, 2025 – January 31, 2026

Balance of State Zone

• Ducks: October 18, 2025 – January 28, 2026
• Scaup: November 4, 2025 – January 28, 2026
• Geese:
  • Early (Large CAGO only): September 27 – 29, 2025
  • Regular Season: October 18, 2025 – January 25, 2026
  • Late (CAGO): February 14 – 15, 2026
  • Late (White and White-fronted): February 14 – 18, 2026

Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days

• Northeastern Zone: September 20 – 21, 2025
• All Other Zones: February 7 – 8, 2026

Veterans and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days

• Northeastern Zones: Januayr 17 – 18, 2026
• All Other Zones: January 31 – February 1, 2026

Check dates and zones for additional details about these seasons, plus Youth, Veteran, and Special Management Area hunts.

Elk

Whether you’re after Tule, Roosevelt, or Rocky Mountain elk, California provides excellent opportunities to hunt elk.

Open season dates depend on location and the type of elk you target, from antlerless to bull and either sex.

Archery

• Rocky Mountain: September 3 – 14, 2025
• Tule:
  • Hunts 383, 382, 385, 386: September 1 – 30, 2025
  • Hunt 450: November 1 – 9, 2025
  • Hunt 449: July 26 – August 3, 2025
  • Hunt 337: September 13 – 28, 2025
  • Hunt 11: September 3 – 14, 2025
  • Hunt 22: August 9 – 17, 2025
  • Hunt 384: August 27 – September 9, 2025

Muzzleloader/Archery (Roosevelt): October 25 – November 3, 2025

Muzzleloader (Tule): September 13 – 28, 2025

General (Roosevelt):

• Hunts 301, 302 & 401: September 10 – 21, 2025
• Hunts 375, 355, & 483: September 3 – 25, 2025
• Hunt 300: October 8 – 19, 2025

General (Tule): Various dates starting July 26, 2025

General (Rocky Mountain): Various dates starting September 6, 2025

Apprentice:

• Hunt 484: October 11 – 26, 2025
• Hunts 471 & 472: December 23, 2025 – January 1, 2026
• Hunt 466: August 12 – 15, 2025
• Hunt 469: August 14 – 17, 2025
• Hunt 464: October 11 – November 2, 2025
• Hunt 408: September 10 – 21, 2025
• Hunt 409: September 17 – 28, 2025

Visit the California Department of Wildlife website to find more details about elk hunt names, dates, and quotas.

Bighorn Sheep

• Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, & 9: December 6, 2025 – February 1, 2025
• Zone 5: December 20, 2025 – February 15, 2026
• Zone 7 (White Mountains Period 1): August 16 – September 28, 2025
• Zone 7 (White Mountains Period 2): January 3 – Februuary 1, 2026
• Zone 10 (Newberry, Rodman, Ord Period 1): December 6, 2025 – January 3, 2026
• Zone 10 (Newberry, Rodman, Ord Period 2): January 4 – February 1, 2026

Pronghorn

General

• Zones 1, 2, 3 (Likely Tables Period 1 Buck), 4 (Lassen Period Buck 1), 5, & 6: August 23 – 31, 2025
• Zones 3 (Likely Tables Period 2 Buck) & 4 (Lassen Period Buck 2): September 6 – 14, 2025

Archery (Zones 2-6): August 9 – 17, 2025

Apprentice (Zones 3-6): August 23 – 31, 2025

Bear

General bear season syncs with general deer season for the following zones (A, B, C, D, X8, X9A, X9B, X10 and X12) and extends through December 28, 2025

Archery season for bear hunting is August 16 – September 7, 2025.

Wild Pig

Hunt wild pigs in California throughout the season, July 1 through June 30, with no daily bag or possession limit.

Upland Game Birds

• Pheasant:
  • General (Statewide): November 8 – December 21, 2025
  • Archery: October 11 – November 2, 2025 and December 22, 2025 – January 18, 2026
• Quail:
  • Zone Q1 (Mountain Quail): September 13 – October 17, 2025
  • Zone Q1 (All Quail): October 18, 2025 – January 25, 2026
  • Zone Q2 (All Quail): September 27, 2025 – January 25, 2026
  • Zone Q3 (All Quail) October 18, 2025 – January 25, 2026
  • Early Season: October 4 – 5, 2025
  • Archery Only: August 16 – September 5, 2025
• Chukar:
  • General (Statewide): September 18, 2025 – January 25, 2026
  • Archery: August 16 – September 5, 2025
• Grouse:
  • Saged: Closed
  • Ruffed:
    • General: September 13 – October 13, 2025
    • Archery: August 16 – September 5, 2025
• Ptarmigan (General/Statewide): September 13 – 21, 2025
• Dove:
  • Eurasian Collared: All year
  • Mourning, White-Winged, Spotted, Ringed Turtle: September 1 – 15, 2025 and November 8 – 22, 2025
• Snipe (General/Statewide): October 18, 2025 – February 1, 2026

Small Mammals

• Tree Squirrel:
  • General: September 13, 2025 – January 25, 2026
  • Archery/Falconry: August 2 – September 12, 2025
• Rabbits: July 1, 2025 – January 25, 2026
• Jackrabbit: Open all year