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Bear Hunting

Conservation and Management Plan

The final Black Bear Conservation and Management Plan for California was released on April 14, 2025.

Bear Hunting Regulations

2024 Season

As of April 15, 2025, the 2024 black bear harvest total is:

976

The latest bear harvest update is also available by calling (888) 277-6398 (toll-free).

2025 General Season

General bear season opens concurrently with general deer season in the A, B, C, D, X8, X9A, X9B, X10 and X12 deer hunting zones and extends through December 28, 2025. For those portions of zones X1, X2, X3a, X4, X6a, X6b, X7a, and X7b open to bear hunting, the general bear season begins October 11, 2025, and extends through December 28, 2025.

General bear season closes on December 28, 2025, or earlier, if the Department determines that 1,700 bears have been reported taken. This includes bears harvested during the archery season.

2025 Archery Season

  • Archery bear season in all bear zones opens August 16, 2025, and runs through September 7, 2025.

Bag and Possession Limit

map of California showing bear hunting areas, mainly mountainous areas Black Bear Hunting Area Map. (click to open PDF)

Mammal Hunting

Regulations for taking big and small game mammals, furbearers and nongame

License Requirements

  • A California hunting license and bear tag are required for hunting bear
  • If a bear is taken, the bear tag must be validated by a CDFW employee before transporting the bear, except for the purpose of taking it to the nearest CDFW employee authorized to validate the bear tag. If CDFW offices are closed, the bear tag shall be validated within one business day of transporting the bear from the point where taken. The skull must be presented to CDFW within 10 days (see tag validation details (PDF))
  • Bear tags must be returned, regardless of success. Section 708.12(e)(2), Title 14, of the CCR requires all bear tag holders who are unsuccessful in taking a bear to return the report card portion of the tag to CDFW by February 1 of the current license year. You may also complete your report Online in lieu of mailing in the report card.

Purchase licenses and tags ONLINE or at a local AGENT.

License and Tag Fees

Valid JULY 1, 2025, through JUNE 30, 2026

Hunting Licenses Fee Description
Resident Hunting License $62.90 Required for any resident 16 years of age or older who takes birds or mammals
Nonresident Hunting License $219.81 Required for any nonresident 16 years of age or older who takes birds or mammals.
Junior Hunting License $16.46 Required for any resident or nonresident less than 16 years of age who takes birds or mammals. To qualify, hunter must be less than 16 years of age at the beginning of the license year (July 1).
Tags Fee Description
Resident Bear Tag $61.30 Resident and nonresident licensed hunters 12 years of age or older at the time of application may purchase one bear tag per license year. Tags are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
Nonresident Bear Tag $387.85

Publications and Forms

Harvest Data

Black Bear Tooth Age Data

Hunters are required to bring black bears that have been killed to CDFW for tag validation as well the removal of a premolar tooth from the bear. Premolar tooth extraction is mandatory. The premolar tooth is used to determine a black bear’s age and how to conserve and manage ecologically functional black bear populations in California. 2024 black bear tooth age data will be posted in late 2025.

Black Bear Take Data

The number, age structure, and sex ratio of black bears taken each year helps the Department conserve and manage the black bear population. Annually, the data are compared to previous years' data to determine trends that may require adjustments to the hunting program. In 1917, California black bears were classified as furbearers with no restrictions on how, when, or number of animals taken. Since 1948, California black bears have been classified as game animals with an established hunting season.

CDFW updated its black bear population monitoring approach in 2024. Population estimates provided in the Take Reports below prior to the Interim Black Bear Take Report 2021-2023 should be interpreted with caution.

Wildlife Branch - Game Program
1010 Riverside Parkway, West Sacramento, CA 95605
Mailing: P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
(916) 557-3444