California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 1 - Fish and Game Commission-Department of Fish and Game
Subdivision 3 - General Regulations
Chapter 3 - Miscellaneous
Section 708.5 - Deer Tagging, Reporting, and Testing Requirements

Universal Citation: 14 CA Code of Regs 708.5

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) Upon the killing of any deer the tag holder shall immediately fill out all portions of the tag including the report card completely, legibly, and permanently, and cut out or punch out and completely remove notches or punch holes for the month and date of the kill. The deer license tag shall be attached to the antlers of an antlered deer or to the ear of any other deer and kept attached during the open season and for 15 days thereafter. Except as otherwise provided, possession of any untagged deer shall be a violation. (Refer to Fish and Game Code, Section 4336).

(b) Every person to whom a deer license tag is issued shall report to the Department their deer harvest.

(1) Successful deer tag holders are required to report deer harvested within 30 days of the date of harvest or by January 31, whichever date is first.

(2) Unsuccessful deer tag holders, whether they hunted or not, are required to report no harvest by January 31 annually.

(c) Harvest Report Card Return and Reporting Mechanisms.

(1) By mail at the address specified on the harvest report card. A harvest report card returned by mail shall be postmarked by the date applicable to that card as specified in this section. If a report card is submitted by mail and not received by the department, it is considered not reported.

(2) Online through the department's internet license sales service website by the date specified in the section. Tag holders reporting online will be provided a confirmation number upon successful submission. The tag holder must record the provided confirmation number in the space provided on the harvest report card and retain the harvest report card until March 1 annually. Tags reported online must be surrendered to the department upon demand.

(d) Beginning July 1, 2016, deer tag holders, whether successful or unsuccessful, who fail to report by the date specified in this section shall be subject to a Deer Harvest Non-reporting Fee. The fee specified in Section 702 shall be charged prior to the issuance of a deer tag or deer tag drawing application in the following year.

(e) The four Chronic wasting disease (CWD) Management Zones (CMZ) are deer hunt zones D-7, X-9a, X-9b, and X-9c as described in Section 360.

(f) All hunters who take a deer within a CMZ, as described in subsection (e), shall provide the department with the retropharyngeal lymph nodes or the head from the harvested deer for the purpose of CWD testing within 10 days of take. The following are the permissible sampling methods:

(1) Bring the deer, or just the head, to a California CWD sampling station. The department will maintain a list of sampling stations on its website (wildlife.ca.gov/CWD/Sampling-Station);

(2) Bring the deer head to a participating meat processor or taxidermist. The department will maintain a list of participating meat processors and taxidermist on its website (wildlife.ca.gov/CWD/Meat-Processors-Taxidermists); or

(3) A hunter may self-sample their deer and bring the retropharyngeal lymph nodes directly to a California CWD sampling station. The department will maintain a list of sampling stations on its website (wildlife.ca.gov/CWD/Sampling-Station). The department maintains an optional how-to-guide and data card for CWD sampling, data collection, and self-sample submissions on its website (wildlife.ca.gov/CWD/Collect-Submit-Samples).

(g) Hunters shall provide the following minimum information for the take pursuant to subdivision (f): the hunter's name, GO ID, deer tag or document number, and hunt zone (GPS coordinates preferred).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 203, 265 and 1050, Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections 1050 and 4336, Fish and Game Code.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 203, 265 and 1050, Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections 1050 and 4336, Fish and Game Code.

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