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When are California's hunting draw deadlines?

Every California big game application window we have read from California Department of Fish and Wildlife, what is still ahead, and when it ran last.

California draw dates

California's Big Game Drawing for elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and premium deer tags closed Jun 2, 2026.

CDFW has not printed a 2027 Big Game Hunting Digest, so this row shows the 2026 dates from the newest digest it has published.

  • Big Game Drawing for elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and premium deer tagsclosed Jun 2, 2026

"Applicants applying for preference points only must also submit their applications by the same date and time."

"Applications for the big game drawing are available each year on April 15 through June 2."

"Only one nonresident per license year may be drawn for each species (elk, pronghorn and bighorn sheep)"

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Big Game Hunting Tags, checked November 2026.

Western Draw Deadlines
Who is applying?

Draw deadlines · California · All species. No date ahead is printed for California yet. The last printed dates are below.

Draw deadlines · California · All species

No date ahead printed

No date ahead is printed for California yet. The last printed dates are below.

CDFW has not printed a 2027 Big Game Hunting Digest, so this row shows the 2026 dates from the newest digest it has published.

Last printed dates (1)

These dates have passed. They show when the state ran this last time, and the next dates can differ.

  • Big Game Drawing for elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and premium deer tags

    Date passed

    Apr 15 to Jun 2, 2026 · midnight

    Deer, Elk, Pronghorn, Bighorn sheep

    "The Big Game Drawing application period begins April 15, 2026. All transactions for Big Game Drawing entries must be completed before midnight on June 2, 2026."
    California Department of Fish and Wildlife

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Big Game Hunting Tags, checked November 2026.

Find a hunting outfitter

A guide to the dates each state printed, not the regulations. Agencies change dates, and fees, points and eligibility are in the state's own rules, which are the authority.

  • Each state's own dates, quoted
  • Soonest first
  • Reminders in your own calendar

Hunting in California

32 outfitters, guides and lodges listed in California. Legal shooting hours in California today.

See California outfitters

Other states

Draw dates in other states

See all 11 states we have read

Common questions

Draw deadline questions

CDFW has not printed a 2027 Big Game Hunting Digest, so this row shows the 2026 dates from the newest digest it has published. California's Big Game Drawing for elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and premium deer tags closed Jun 2, 2026. Source: Big Game Hunting Tags.

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