Department of Fish and Game

2008/2009 California Hunting Licenses

Fish and Game Code Section 70 defines "Resident" as any person who has resided continuously in the State of California for six months or more immediately prior to the date of their application for a license or permit, any person on active military duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or auxiliary branch thereof, or any person enrolled in the Job Corps established pursuant to Section 2883 of Title 29 of the United States Code.
Fish and Game Code Section 86 defines "Take" as hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture or kill.
Fees for licenses that are available from license agents include 5% license agent handling fee.
Hunting Licenses
Fee
 Description
Resident Hunting License
$38.85
 Required for any resident 16 years of age or older who takes birds or mammals
Nonresident Hunting License
$134.95
 Required for any nonresident 16 years of age or older who takes birds or mammals.
Junior Hunting License
$10.25
 Required for any resident or nonresident less than 16 years of age who takes birds or mammals.
One-Day Nonresident Hunting License
$17.75
 IMPORTANT! This license is only available for nonresidents taking resident and migratory game birds on Licensed Game Bird Clubs (Upland Game Bird Stamp is also required) or Licensed Domesticated Migratory Game Bird Shooting Areas (Federal Migratory Bird Stamp and California Duck Stamp are also required).
Two-Day Nonresident Hunting License
$38.85
 Required for any person 16 years of age or older, for taking resident and migratory game birds, resident small game mammals, nongame mammals and furbearers for two consecutive days.  IMPORTANT! This license is NOT valid for deer, bear, antelope, elk, sheep or pig.
Disabled Veteran Hunting License
$6.00
 Required for any resident or nonresident honorably discharged disabled veteran with a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability who takes birds or mammals. Certification from the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs is required at the time of application or a copy of a previous year’s California disabled veteran’s hunting license.
Big Game Applications
Fee
 Description
Resident First-Deer Tag Application
$26.00
 Residents and nonresidents 12 years of age or older at the time of application or who turn 12 before July 1, 2008, may purchase one first-deer tag application and one second-deer tag application. Tags are nontransferable and refundable only if the season has not opened.  Enter up to three tag choices (See the 2007 California Hunting Digest-Big Game for proposed zones and hunts). Up to six hunters may apply as a party. To be processed as a party, all hunters in the party must:
  • Submit their applications in the same envelope or in the same fax transmission, with the party leader's application on top;
  • Indicate party leader's name and driver's license, DMV ID or DFG ID number;
  • Designate the number of hunters in their party and list the same party leader; and
  • All party members must make same tag choices in the same order on their applications.
Resident Second-Deer Tag Application
$32.30
Nonresident First-Deer Tag Application
$228.65
Nonresident Second-Deer Tag Application
$228.65
Resident Bear Tag Application
$38.05
 Resident and nonresident hunters 12 years of age or older at the time of application may purchase one bear tag application per license year.
Nonresident Bear Tag Application
$229.50
Antelope, Elk and Bighorn Sheep Drawing Applications
$7.50 per application
 Allows a licensed resident or nonresident hunter to participate in drawings for antelope, elk and bighorn sheep tags under the described age minimums.
Big Game Tags
Fee
 Description
Elk Tag
$354.00 Resident
$1,094.75 Nonresident
 Residents and nonresidents, 12 years of age or older at the time of application or who turn 12 before July 1, may enter a drawing for this tag.  Each person may submit only one Elk Drawing Application per license year.  Tags are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Antelope Tag
$118.00 Resident
$365.00 Nonresident
 Residents and nonresidents, 12 years of age or older at the time of application or who turn 12 before July 1, may enter a drawing for this tag.  Each person may submit only one Antelope Drawing Application per license year.  Tags are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Bighorn Sheep Tag
$333.75 Resident
$500.00 Nonresident
 
 Residents and nonresidents, 16 years of age or older at the time of application or who turn 16 before July 1, may enter a drawing for this tag.  Each person may submit only one Bighorn Sheep Drawing Application per license year.  Hunters can not apply as a party.  Applicants can not apply if they have previously been issued a California Bighorn Sheep Tag.  Tags are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Bobcat Tags
$13.25
(5 tags per book)
 Residents and nonresidents, 12 years of age or older at the time of application, may purchase one (1) book of five (5) Bobcat Tags per license year.  Tags are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Resident Wild Pig Tag
$18.65
 Residents and nonresidents, 12 years of age or older at the time of application, may purchase an unlimited number of Wild Pig Tags.  Tags are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Nonresident Wild Pig Tag
$62.20
Bird Hunting Stamps
Fee
 Description
California Duck Stamp
$16.80
 Required for any person taking waterfowl, excluding juniors hunting under the authority of a Junior Hunting License.
Upland Game Bird Stamp
$7.90
 Required for any person taking upland game bird species, excluding juniors hunting under the authority of a Junior Hunting License.
Federal Duck Stamp
$15.00
 Required for any person hunting waterfowl.  Hunters under the age of 16 are exempt from Federal Duck Stamp requirements.
Harvest Information Program Stamp
NO FEE
 Required for any person hunting migratory birds.  This stamp is free to hunters who complete the Harvest Information Program Survey.
Permits and Passes for State-Operated Hunting Areas
Fee
 Description
Type A One-Day Entry Permit
$16.50
 Allows a licensed hunter to hunt on a Type A State-operated hunting area for one day if space is available.  May be purchased by any licensed hunter (except junior hunters).  Junior hunters are exempt from permit requirements.
Type A Two-Day Pass
$28.10
 May be purchased by any person 16 years of age or older.  This pass may be used as follows: 1) by one person for any two authorized shoot days; or 2) by two persons on any one authorized shoot day.  Junior hunters are exempt from permit requirements.
Type A Season Pass
$130.75
 This pass allows unlimited season access to Type A and Type B State-operated hunting areas for one person if space is available.  Junior hunters are exempt from permit requirements.
Type B Season Pass
$43.60
 This pass allows unlimited season access to Type B State-operated hunting areas for one person if space is available.  Junior hunters are exempt from permit requirements.
Reservation Applications for State-Operated Hunting Areas
Fee
 Description
One-Choice Reservation Application
$1.30
per application
 Allows a licensed hunter to submit one hunt choice for a reservation drawing to hunt on a State-operated Wildlife Area.  This application is available at License Agents and DFG License Sales Offices.
Five-Choice Reservation Application
$6.55
 Allows a licensed hunter to submit up to five hunt choices for reservation drawings to hunt on State-operated Wildlife Areas.  This application may be used to apply for five areas on different shoot dates; or five shoot dates for the same area; or any combination thereof.  This application is available from License Agents and DFG License Sales Offices.
Season-Long Reservation Application
$1.25 per hunt choice
 Allows a licensed hunter to fill out their personal information just once and apply for reservation drawings for every available Saturday, Sunday, and/or Wednesday shoot date throughout the season at any Type A State-operated wildlife area.  Hunters who participated in waterfowl reservation drawings during the previous season are mailed season-long applications in early September.  Season-long applications are available from approximately September 15 through November 15 and may be obtained from DFG License Sales Offices or at  www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/hunting/hunting.html.
Lifetime Hunting Licenses
Fee
 Description
Ages 0-9
Ages 10-39
Ages 40-61
Ages 62+
$432.50
$710.75
$639.75
$432.50
 Available to any resident showing proof of completion of hunter education training.  Lifetime hunting licensees receive an annual hunting license each year for life.
Lifetime Bird Hunting Privilege Package
$249.00
 Lifetime licensees who purchase the Lifetime Bird Hunting Privilege Package receive Upland Game Bird and California Duck Stamp endorsements each year for life.
Lifetime Big Game Hunting Privilege Package
$527.25
 Lifetime licensees who purchase the Big Game Hunting Privilege Package receive a One-Deer Tag Application and five Wild Pig Tags each year for life.