View Full Version : good explanation of deer hunting tag system/regs?
scotus
11-27-2012, 6:14 PM
For the TLDR crowd, I'm wondering if there is a good basic guide explaining the deer season and process for obtaining deer tags in CA, or if someone can lay it out for me.
For the longer version:
I'm a city boy from LA (an eagle scout, but still a city boy). Recently broke the age of 30 and have been hearing the call of the wild so to speak, so I'm determined to learn to hunt. I plan to finish my hunter's ed in December (did the online bit, tried to get a space in the November follow up class but it was full).
I think my first hunt will be a guided boar hunt (maybe at Ft. Tejon) because I could use the help learning the ropes and because you can get unlimited pig tags, and because pig should be delicious (i love to cook so very interested in cooking what I kill).
But I'd like to take a deer the next season and am trying to figure out what I need to do to prepare for that. the zone system is a bit dense with these points, and premium zones and this and that. Even google has not led me to a simple guide. Anyone that has a good link or can break it down for me?
taperxz
11-27-2012, 6:45 PM
Check the sticky linked above for fish and game. Its not rocket science.
Taking a hunters education/safety class will help you too. (required to get a license)
scotus
11-27-2012, 6:50 PM
thanks. helpful as was this guide: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=44018
It's not rocket science but it's a lot more complicated than i expected.
taperxz
11-27-2012, 6:58 PM
thanks. helpful as was this guide: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=44018
It's not rocket science but it's a lot more complicated than i expected.
No its not complicated at all. Premium zones are basically X zones and are granted on a draw basis. A,B,D and some C zones are or can be over he counter, IF you get them in time prior to them selling out. A zone never sells out, B does sometimes and D changes on the area.
lewdogg21
11-27-2012, 7:38 PM
California is complicated as hell. This is due to the government writing the regulations. Take your hunters safety and ask the question in the class if they don't already cover it. You don't need to do anything about deer for 2013 until May/June of next year when the regs come out so you won't miss out on anything. Plus you can have a conversation and learn a lot more and easier than via a thread here.
Your guide can also explain how to fill out the tags if you have questions on that.
KWalkerM
11-27-2012, 8:56 PM
California is complicated as hell. This is due to the government writing the regulations. Take your hunters safety and ask the question in the class if they don't already cover it. You don't need to do anything about deer for 2013 until May/June of next year when the regs come out so you won't miss out on anything. Plus you can have a conversation and learn a lot more and easier than via a thread here.
ya, pretty much. still screws with me once in a while...
DirtyDave
11-27-2012, 10:29 PM
No need to look at ALL the zones, just the areas you think you might want to hunt. Like Taper said, the sticky has a ton of good links. Read, Read, Read. But dont try to take it all in at once, spread it out, you have plenty of time til next deer season.
No its not complicated at all.
California is complicated as hell.
Let the duel begin :)
KWalkerM
11-28-2012, 12:52 AM
Let the duel begin :)
ill put 5 bucks on DirtyDave winning :D
scotus
11-28-2012, 9:00 AM
cool, thanks guys. reading is what i'm doing. Good to know I basically have 6 months to get caught up and hopefully also get a taste with some pig hunting.
drutledge79
11-28-2012, 9:45 AM
My opinion is that the laws are complicated as ****. It's not "rocket science" but it isn't straight-forward.
Scotus:
Starting w/ a guided pig hunt makes sense. Make sure you're with someone that will actually guide you and teach you the ropes rather than just drive you in front of a pig and take care of the dirty work for you. Let them know you want to learn.
Second, by pigs don't have "zones" or "seasons" in California. That will start things simpler for you. You still need to cover some basics: the tag process, knowing where it's legal to hunt, valid methods of take (there are caliber recommendations but not necessarily requirements for taking pigs), hunting times (30min before sunrise to 30min after sunset) and lastly you'll need to use non-lead ammo if you're in the condor zone.
It's COMPLEX. I dunno how anyone could think differently. It all makes sense but it isn't simple by any means.
For deer, you have all of the above plus add in zone-specific tags AND seasons AND requirements on sex/antlers.
For elk/bighorn sheep/ other stuff they have a special draw. I have no idea about the special deer hunts (X-zone) nor about archery only.
And I'll just repeat that I can't believe someone would call this "not complicated at all." When it comes to regular (non-hunting) firearm laws, I'm embarrassed to explain laws to non-shooters. It's a joke how many exceptions and loopholes and god-awful BS we have to know. Anyway... once you figure it out it stops seeming like a big deal.
If you take Pelosi and Feinstein will you promise to go on a witch hunt?
:D
j/k - now make the guys in black suburbans and wires in their ears leave my driveway...
lewdogg21
11-28-2012, 5:15 PM
I will always defeat taperzx. I need to move up ahead of him to #1 in calgay hunting forum with .223 a close 3rd.
taperxz
11-28-2012, 5:29 PM
I surrender Lew! You win.
scotus
11-28-2012, 8:19 PM
My opinion is that the laws are complicated as ****. It's not "rocket science" but it isn't straight-forward.
Scotus:
Starting w/ a guided pig hunt makes sense. Make sure you're with someone that will actually guide you and teach you the ropes rather than just drive you in front of a pig and take care of the dirty work for you. Let them know you want to learn.
Second, by pigs don't have "zones" or "seasons" in California. That will start things simpler for you. You still need to cover some basics: the tag process, knowing where it's legal to hunt, valid methods of take (there are caliber recommendations but not necessarily requirements for taking pigs), hunting times (30min before sunrise to 30min after sunset) and lastly you'll need to use non-lead ammo if you're in the condor zone.
It's COMPLEX. I dunno how anyone could think differently. It all makes sense but it isn't simple by any means.
For deer, you have all of the above plus add in zone-specific tags AND seasons AND requirements on sex/antlers.
For elk/bighorn sheep/ other stuff they have a special draw. I have no idea about the special deer hunts (X-zone) nor about archery only.
And I'll just repeat that I can't believe someone would call this "not complicated at all." When it comes to regular (non-hunting) firearm laws, I'm embarrassed to explain laws to non-shooters. It's a joke how many exceptions and loopholes and god-awful BS we have to know. Anyway... once you figure it out it stops seeming like a big deal.
Ok, so I'm not totally off. I'm used to reading laws but when you start out in a new field sometimes it takes a while to get it. I'm really sort of amazed at how much regulation there is of guns, hunting etc. I am sure at least a decent portion is for a good reason (for example, seasons, zones etc. make sense in terms of controlling animal population) but it's still a bit obtuse when you start. I mean, just knowing where it is legal to hunt seems a bit of a land mind. Guess a good GPS and maps helps there in figuring out boundaries of public/private land. Just takes a bit out of the I'm going to walk into the woods/scrub/desert and enjoy my time in nature and hopefully come home with an animal sort of feeling.
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