CDFW opens San Antonio Valley Ecological Reserve on a limited basis for apprentice deer, pig, and upland game hunts for junior license holders. Hunts may not occur every year.
The reserve is located in the San Antonio Valley, east of Mount Hamilton, and south of Livermore. The area is not open to the public except for scheduled tours and these special hunting opportunities.
All participants must attend a mandatory orientation scheduled on the first day of each hunt, as well as be in possession of a current valid California Hunting License and any appropriate hunting tag (i.e. pig or deer tag, or upland game bird validation and HIP validation) at the time of the hunts. An adult chaperone (18 years or older) must accompany each junior license holder, but may not hunt. Applicants are advised that non-lead ammunition is required for all hunts.
Hunts are scheduled throughout the fall season and applicants may only apply with the on-line registration link at the bottom of this page. Paper or any other electronic applications are no longer accepted. Due to the high demand, hunters who are unable to attend the hunt for which they are drawn must notify our office within 5 days of being notified that they were successfully drawn. Please only apply for hunt dates you can attend.
Hunt Dates
| Species |
Hunt Date |
Application Start Date |
Application Due Date |
| Deer |
No Hunts for 2017 Season |
|
|
| Upland Game Bird |
TBD for 2017 |
|
|
Registration
Online Apprentice Hunts Application
Important: Do not include non-hunters on your application.
Directions to apply:
- Go to the Online Apprentice Hunts Application (button above). If you have not already done so, create a CDFW web account. Once logged in, return to the Online Application.
- Click "Select and Register for Hunts"
- Follow the instructions through the rest of the application process