Hunting In California??

[JP100]

Hi guys
Im heading to the US in November 2015( I know its a long while off) for my mates wedding. I noticed this is during/near the hunting season over there??
Im from New Zealand where we have no seasons/tags/limits so I struggle abit with the systems over in the US.
Can some one tell me is it possible to hunt with-out a guide in california??
I would love to get out after anything really haha but dont know much. I am currently trying to read the CA hunting and fishing website but theres like a million pages.
Is there public land where you can just buy a tag and licence and walk in and go hunting???? For a non-US citizen?
Any info would be alot of help.
Thanks

 

[Marble]

No guide requirement here in california.

 

[JP100]

No guide requirement here in california.

Thanks. So a non-resident like me can buy tags over the counter? or is it a draw type system?

 

[Marble]

It is both. All zones have a maximum amount of available tags, but some are draw only. The draw only take anywhere from 2-15+ years to get depending on the zone. if you have people you are planning on hunting with, I would suggest talking with them to see what zone you are planning on hunting in. CA DFG has done a very good job with statistics on what zones take what amount of points to get. Go to their website and take a look around. In California, we have done zones that will stand up to most zones anywhere else, but they take years to get.

X5a, X5b especially. there are other hunts that are just as awesome. but Californians call it a hunt of a life time.

I apologize for the poor grammer and punctuation but my phone doesn't work well here.

 

[JP100]

It is both. All zones have a maximum amount of available tags, but some are draw only. The draw only take anywhere from 2-15+ years to get depending on the zone. if you have people you are planning on hunting with, I would suggest talking with them to see what zone you are planning on hunting in. CA DFG has done a very good job with statistics on what zones take what amount of points to get. Go to their website and take a look around. In California, we have done zones that will stand up to most zones anywhere else, but they take years to get.

X5a, X5b especially. there are other hunts that are just as awesome. but Californians call it a hunt of a life time.

I apologize for the poor grammer and punctuation but my phone doesn't work well here.

Thanks alot for the info. I dont know anyone who hunts there. id just be happy to get out and about and see some animals over there if I cant hunt. does a non-citizen need to pass a licence test or something? I have a NZ firearms licence as thats all we need here.

 

[Marble]

Hunters safety certification will be required. I would go to Oregon if I were you considering the cost of hunting here andthe lack of good zones that are available. I generally hunt out of state.

 

[JP100]

ok thanks again for the info. Ive got abit of time up my sleeve to think it over. Just I thought if Im going to fly all the way to the US I might as well hunt something while Im there haha.

 

[KevzzzNM]

If you are only interested in big game hunting then California is not the place to go. Upland game bird hunting seems to be the normal in California since it is so hard to get picked for a BG tag. There are a lot of duck and pheasant clubs in California if your into that sort of thing. In the Owens Valley (Lone Pine, Big Pine, Independence and Bishop cites) the land there is owned by the Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles. You can hunt quail and dove in that area and an occasional Chuckar (Red Legged Partridge). Chuckers are normally found further south near the town of China lake (Highway 395 south of Lone Pine).

I now live in New Mexico and since you do have until 2015 to before your trip, check out the department of game and fish for NM. (NMDGF). A non-resident of NM has a better chance at getting picked for Bull Elk than a resident. Units 52, 16A and 16B are nice. The only problem with NM is that the Land Owner has the right to land lock you out of the BLM area. Of course once in a lifetime Oryx Hunts on a base are nice too. But I am sure you have been to Africa to hunt already.

 

[JP100]

If you are only interested in big game hunting then California is not the place to go. Upland game bird hunting seems to be the normal in California since it is so hard to get picked for a BG tag. There are a lot of duck and pheasant clubs in California if your into that sort of thing. In the Owens Valley (Lone Pine, Big Pine, Independence and Bishop cites) the land there is owned by the Department of Water and Power in Los Angeles. You can hunt quail and dove in that area and an occasional Chuckar (Red Legged Partridge). Chuckers are normally found further south near the town of China lake (Highway 395 south of Lone Pine).

I now live in New Mexico and since you do have until 2015 to before your trip, check out the department of game and fish for NM. (NMDGF). A non-resident of NM has a better chance at getting picked for Bull Elk than a resident. Units 52, 16A and 16B are nice. The only problem with NM is that the Land Owner has the right to land lock you out of the BLM area. Of course once in a lifetime Oryx Hunts on a base are nice too. But I am sure you have been to Africa to hunt already.

Thanks for the info. yea california doesnt sound all that good. Im not really keen on upland birds. I will look into NM thanks for that. I was mainly keen on whitetail,muleys or elk. we can shoot them here in NZ on public land but its not the same as the real thing in America haha. I have not been to africa and its pretty far down on my list. The Oryx are on public land???
Thanks

 

[KevzzzNM]

The "Once in a Lifetime" Oryx hunts are on the White Sands Missile Range. There are also Oryx hunts that are called "Off-Range" but the odds of getting one off-range are slim. Once in a Lifetime hunts are 3 days long and much easier for someone out of state or out of country to be able to get a shot at these magnificent animals. The off-range hunts are a month long and can hunt anywhere in the state as long as it is not on a base. I have drawn for a Once in a lifetime hunt already, I also have been drawn for a McGreggor Range Hunt. This month I am doing an off-range hunt. I have seen most of the Oryx off-range. Hopefully this weekend I will tag out... Great tasting animals.

Check it out and good luck. If I can be any help my email address is [email protected]

 

[Taos]

If the trip is still on I may be able to hook you up for a pig hunt, maybe some quail. November is a little late for the A zone deer hunt where we hunt and I think it is too late for any deer hunt in Ca.