Home HuntingSpecial Hunts

Special Hunts

a male turkey with two females lin the background
2023/2024 Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest winning entry of wild turkeys by artist Jeffrey Klinefelter of Etna Green, Indiana.

CDFW special hunts are specially managed hunting opportunities on public and private lands for upland game birds and game mammals. Special hunts are available to anyone with a valid annual California hunting license and any required validations or applicant statuses, for which the department may issue permits where participation is limited to a set number of available permits. Hunters must apply for Special Hunt permits in ALDS. Special hunt permits will be awarded by random drawing unless indicated as "issued upon request", in the hunt description. To apply hunters must have a valid California hunting license. Adult hunters who hunt upland game birds must also purchase an Upland Game Bird Stamp.

  • Deadline to apply to these hunts is approximately 21 days prior to the season opener for the species.
  • The application period will open approximately 51 days prior to the season opener for the species.
  • A single drawing will be conducted within 5 business days of the application deadline.
  • To apply for these hunts, visit our internet sales site, sign into your account, select the “Purchase Licenses” link and select “2024 – Hunting” from the menu on the left side of the page. Application may also be purchased at retail license agents or in person at CDFW License Sales Offices.
  • Successful applicants will be notified by USPS mail once the draw has been completed. Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified. Drawing results can be viewed by logging into your ALDS account.
  • All members of a hunting party must apply and be drawn through the ALDS to attend a hunt. Unless the special hunt permit specifies that one or more guests are allowed, only hunters listed on the official roster will be admitted to a hunt.
  • Nonlead ammunition is required when taking any wildlife with a firearm anywhere in California.

Special hunt opportunities, application deadlines and other hunt information are listed under the species tabs below.

Hunt Schedule

Chukar and Quail
Dove
Pheasant
Wild Pheasant
Wild Turkey

Apply for Hunts

General Drawing Information

  • A non-refundable $2.98 application fee will be charged for each application.
  • Hunters may submit one application for each drawing with up to 3 hunt choices in their order of preference.
  • Permits are issued by a random draw.

Ways to Apply

Applications may be purchased:

Online Hunt Application Instructions

To apply, go to the License Sales and Service website and follow these instructions:

  1. Log on.
  2. Click "Purchase License".
  3. Click "2024 Hunting" (under menu on the left side).
  4. Scroll down to "Drawings", and select either:
    • "2024 Special Hunt Drawing Application" (for most permit drawings which utilize the Draw-By-Choice issuance method); hunters apply in a “party” and make their priority choice(s) from the opportunities within a “hunt group” for a chance to be selected for a hunt -or-
    • "2024 Special Hunt General Multi-Choice Application" (for specific special hunts that utilize the Draw-By-Hunt issuance method); applicant may select and apply for any of the individual hunt opportunities that may be available. Only one permit holder is named; there are no “party members” however each hunt opportunity will state whether one or more hunting or nonhunting guests will be allowed to accompany the named permit holder during the hunt.
  5. Click add button, which will take you to the Party Selection page. Make your selection(s).
    • For Draw-By-Choice Special Hunt Drawing Applications See #6 (below).
    • For Draw-By-Hunt Special Hunt General Multi-Choice Applications Skip to #7 (below).
  6. Special Hunt Drawing Application:
    • If applying alone or the first person in the party to apply, click "Create New Party / Apply Alone", which will open the hunt selections.
    • Select up to 3 hunt choices, in your order of preference, and click "submit." A confirmation page will show your choices.
    • If joining an existing party, enter the party number (from party leader's receipt (PDF)) and click "Join Party". A confirmation page will show your party's choices.
    • Additional party members may join your party at the same time by clicking on the green "Add Customer" tab at the very top of the page; Click "Start" to log in next party member
  7. Review the information on the confirmation page and if correct, click "Submit".
  8. Check out.

Drawing Results

  • Deadline to apply to these hunts is 21 days prior to the season opener.
  • A single drawing will be conducted within 5 business days of the application deadline.
  • Successful applicants will be contacted by USPS mail once the draw has been completed.
  • Successful applicants may access hunt documents by clicking on their link in ALDS under "View my Drawing Applications".
  • Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified.
  • Applicants can look up their drawing results online approximately one week after the application deadline.

How the Drawing Works

  • After the application deadline, CDFW's License and Revenue Branch uses a computer to assign each ‘application’ (or party) a unique random number. Hunters who apply as a party receive the same random number as the party leader.
  • The computer begins awarding first choices to applicants in random number order, starting with the lowest random number to the highest random number, until all quotas fill or until all applications have been processed.
  • If permit quotas remain unfilled after all first choices have been processed, this procedure is conducted again for second and third choices until all quotas fill or until all applications have been processed.
  • Note: Party applications are not split to meet the permit quota if the number of party members exceeds the number of available permits. Therefore, when there are fewer permits available than the number of members in a party, the computer bypasses the party and draws the applicant with the next lowest random number to fill the permit quota.

Liability Waiver Forms

Drawing Statistics

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