California is one of the few places where you can hunt two very different deer in the same year. Columbian black-tailed deer live in the Coast Ranges and the north, while several kinds of mule deer live in the Sierra Nevada, the northeast corner of the state, and the southern mountains and deserts. Seasons start in July, earlier than almost anywhere in the West, and some zones stay open into late November.
The tag system is built around hunt zones. Some zone tags are easy to get, while others take years of preference points. This guide covers the basics. Use the links below to go deeper on each step.
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California deer hunting at a glance
| Where to buy | CDFW’s online license service, license agents, or CDFW license sales offices |
| License year | July 1 to June 30 (2026–27 licenses run July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027) |
| Big Game Drawing | Applications April 15 to midnight June 2 (2026) |
| Draw results | On or around June 15 (2026) |
| Leftover premium tags | First come, first served from July 2 at 8 a.m. (2026) |
| Nonresident costs | $225.46 hunting license plus $377.35 deer tag (2026–27) |
| Resident costs | $64.54 hunting license plus $42.38 first deer tag (2026–27) |
| Seasons | A zone opens in July (archery) and August (general). Most other zones run from mid-August into October or November |
Dates and fees are from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for the 2026–27 license year. CDFW publishes a new Big Game Hunting Digest each year, so always confirm with it before you apply.
Step 1: Learn the zones and tag types
California deer tags are tied to zones and hunts, not to the whole state. The big general zones are A, B, C, and D, and the X zones cover the east side of the Sierra and the northeast. There are also archery-only, muzzleloader, and special hunts.
- Unrestricted tags (A zone, B zones, most D zones, and the statewide Archery Only tag) are available to anyone until the quota fills. Popular ones can sell out in summer.
- Premium tags (all X zones, the C zones, D12, D14, D17, and many special hunts) are issued only through the Big Game Drawing.
See how California deer zone tags work
Step 2: Apply in the Big Game Drawing (or don’t)
The Big Game Drawing runs every spring. You can list up to three deer choices, and you earn one preference point for each year you do not draw your first choice. Ninety percent of premium tags go to the hunters with the most points, and 10% are drawn at random. If you only want an A, B, or D zone tag, you can still put it in the drawing as a choice, or buy it later while tags remain.
Read our step-by-step guide to the California deer draw
Step 3: Pick your zone and season
The A zone along the central coast has the earliest general season in the state, starting in early August. The B zones in the northwest and the D zones in the Sierra foothills and southern mountains mostly open in September and October. X zone mule deer hunts are mostly in October. Every zone has its own dates.
See all 2026 California deer season dates by zone
Step 4: Set a budget
A resident can hunt deer for about $107 in license and tag fees. A nonresident pays about $603 before any license agent handling fee. Guided ranch hunts commonly run from a few thousand dollars for a short blacktail hunt to $7,500 or more for a premium private-land hunt.
Break down the full cost of a California deer hunt
Step 5: Decide on guided, a ranch hunt, or DIY
A lot of California’s best blacktail country is private ranch land. Many hunters get access through an outfitter, a ranch enrolled in CDFW’s Private Lands Management program, or a lease. There is also plenty of national forest land for hunters who want to go on their own.
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Before you go: requirements every hunter needs
- Hunter education. First-time buyers must show a hunter education certificate, a prior California hunting license, or a current or recent license from another state or province.
- Nonlead ammunition. Required for all hunting with a firearm anywhere in California since July 1, 2019.
- Two deer tags a year, at most. One first deer tag and one second deer tag per license year.
- Legal bucks. Most general hunts are for bucks. Spike bucks are illegal to take. A forked horn has a branch in the upper two-thirds of an antler. Check the bag limit for your hunt.
- Report your tag. Report within 30 days of a kill or by January 31, whichever comes first. Unsuccessful hunters report by January 31. Miss it and you pay a $21.60 non-reporting fee the next year.
- CWD. Chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in California. Deer from certain zones must be tested, and CDFW tests for free.
- Two-day nonresident license. Not valid for deer. Nonresidents need the annual license.
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