California · Deer · 2026 Edition
California Deer Season 2026: Dates, Zones & Bag Limits
Through Nov 29 — 121 days left
Mark it.
2026 Edition
01 — Seasons by method
| Method | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | A (South Unit 110, North Unit 160) | Jul 11 – Aug 2 |
| General | A (South Unit 110, North Unit 160) | Aug 8 – Sep 20 |
| Archery | B-4 | Jul 25 – Aug 16 |
| General | B-4 | Aug 22 – Sep 27 |
| Archery | B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5 | Aug 15 – Sep 6 |
| General | B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5 | Sep 19 – Oct 25 |
| Archery | B-6 | Aug 15 – Sep 6 |
| General | B-6 | Sep 19 – Oct 18 |
| General | C-1 | Sep 19 – Oct 18 |
| General | C-2, C-3 | Sep 19 – Oct 25 |
| General | C-4 | Sep 19 – Oct 4 |
| Archery | D-3, D-4, D-5 | Aug 15 – Sep 6 |
| General | D-3, D-4, D-5 | Sep 26 – Nov 1 |
| Archery | D-6, D-7 | Aug 15 – Sep 6 |
| General | D-6, D-7 | Sep 19 – Nov 1 |
| Archery | D-8, D-9, D-10 | Aug 15 – Sep 6 |
| General | D-8, D-9, D-10 | Sep 26 – Oct 25 |
| Archery | D-11, D-13, D-14, D-15 | Sep 5 – Sep 27 |
| General | D-11, D-13, D-14, D-15 | Oct 10 – Nov 8 |
| Archery | D-12 | Oct 3 – Oct 25 |
| General | D-12 | Nov 7 – Nov 29 |
| Archery | D-16 | Sep 5 – Sep 27 |
| General | D-16 | Oct 24 – Nov 22 |
| Archery | D-17 | Sep 5 – Sep 27 |
| General | D-17 | Oct 10 – Nov 1 |
| Archery | D-19 | Sep 5 – Sep 27 |
| General | D-19 | Oct 3 – Nov 1 |
| General (drawn) | X-1, X-2, X-3a, X-3b, X-4, X-5a, X-5b, X-6a, X-6b, X-7a, X-7b | Oct 3 – Oct 18 |
| General (drawn) | X-8, X-10 | Sep 26 – Oct 11 |
| General (drawn) | X-9a, X-9b, X-12 | Sep 19 – Oct 12 |
| General (drawn) | X-9c | Oct 17 – Nov 8 |
02 — Bag limits
| All zones (A, B, C, D, X) | One buck, forked horn (per T14 CCR §351(a)) or better, per tag. |
|---|---|
| Tag quotas (general zones) | A: 65,000. B group total: 35,000. C group total: 8,150. D-3/D-4/D-5 group: 33,000. D-6: 10,000. D-7: 9,000. D-8: 8,000. D-9: 2,000. D-10: 700. D-11: 5,500. D-12: 950. D-13: 4,000. D-14: 3,000. D-15: 1,500. D-16: 3,000. D-17: 500. D-19: 1,500. |
| Tag quotas (X zones — drawn) | X-1: 760. X-2: 190. X-3a: 355. X-3b: 500. X-4: 480. X-5a: 75. X-5b: 50. X-6a: 330. X-6b: 310. X-7a: 230. X-7b: 135. X-8: 210. X-9a: 270. X-9b: 230. X-9c: 325. X-10: 400. X-12: 350. |
| CWD Management Zone | X-9b, X-9c, D-7 and hunt G-3: mandatory CWD sample submission to CDFW within 10 days of harvest. |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (July 11, 2026) 05:18 — 20:47
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset for big game (T14 CCR §352). Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local California sun times for any other date.
04 — License
A California hunting license and deer permit are required. A dedicated California license page — costs, age rules and where to buy — is coming; for now, buy and read the rules straight from the agency.
California licenses & permits — California Department of Fish and Wildlife →
05 — FAQ
When does deer season start in California?
The earliest 2026 opener is July 11, 2026 (archery). Gun and muzzleloader dates differ — see the table above.
When does deer season end in California?
The latest 2026 closing date is November 29, 2026. Individual methods and zones close on their own dates.
Verified · California Department of Fish and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-01
Publisher's note. IMPORTANT: California has NO white-tailed deer season. These are mule deer, Columbian black-tailed deer, and California mule deer. Dates below are from the 'Approved 2026 Deer Seasons by Zone' (CDFW). The zone table gaps (no D-1/D-2/D-18, no X-11) are in the source, not omissions. Zone tag validity: B tags valid in any B zone; C tags valid in any C zone (general season only); D3-5 tags interchangeable within D-3/D-4/D-5; D-11/D-13/D-15 tags cross-valid. X zones are drawn (lottery). Archery-only hunts A-1 (C zones) and A-3 to A-20 (X zones) have calendar dates not printed in the zone table — the booklet gives only rule-based descriptions (e.g. 'third Saturday in August + 23 consecutive days'); those rows are omitted rather than calculated. CWD Management Zone: X-9b, X-9c, D-7 plus additional hunt G-3 require mandatory CWD sample submission within 10 days of harvest. Additional G-/J-series hunts (apprentice, junior, antlerless) not captured.