Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) Special Hunts. A special hunt is a
hunting opportunity, not otherwise specified in Fish and Game Code or these
regulations, 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. Special hunt permits do not alter any season, size limit, bag limit or
hunting quota specified in Fish and Game Code or these regulations.
(1) The department shall establish the
parameters of each hunt with consideration for public interest, hunter and
public safety, department capacity and staffing, hunt quality, wildlife habitat
and species abundance.
(2) The hunt
parameters will include, but are not limited to, species, location, season,
maximum hunting party size, whether one or more additional hunter(s) or
nonhunter(s) are allowed, the number of permits available, applicant statuses
(apprentice, mobility impaired, new hunter, military veteran) method of take,
and permit issuance method. For the purpose of this section, a "nonhunter" is a
person in attendance at a special hunt who is not listed on any permit for that
hunt, but who is invited as a guest or guardian of a permit holder. A nonhunter
may only aid a permit holder in finding, pursuit, and attempting to take game,
but a nonhunter may not themselves use a firearm, air rifle or archery
equipment to take a game bird or game mammal during the special hunt.
(A) Apprentice Status: The department may
offer "apprentice" hunting opportunities that are limited to junior hunters as
defined in subdivision 3031(a)(2) of the Fish and Game Code or parties that
include at least one junior hunter.
(B) Mobility Impaired Status: The department
may offer hunting opportunities that are limited to mobility impaired hunters
and disabled license holders or parties that include at least one such hunter.
1. A "mobility impaired hunter" is defined as
any person who possesses a valid California hunting license and one of the
following:
a. A valid California special
license plate for a disabled person or a disabled veteran issued pursuant to
California Vehicle Code Section
5007. A copy
of the vehicle registration showing the special license plate for a disabled
person or a disabled veteran was issued to the person must be in their
possession while hunting.
b. A
valid California disabled person parking placard issued pursuant to California
Vehicle Code Section
22511.55 or
California Vehicle Code Section
22511.59. The
parking placard must be issued in the disabled person's name and the person
must possess the placard identification card while hunting.
2. A "disabled license holder" is
defined as any person who has been issued a hunting license for the hunting
license year pursuant to Fish and Game Code Section
3033.
(C) New Hunter Status: The
department may offer hunting opportunities that are limited to new hunters, or
parties that include at least one new hunter. For purposes of this section, an
individual is considered a new hunter beginning on the date of issuance of
their first 1-day, 2-day or annual California hunting license, and for a period
extending through the remainder of the license year from the date of issuance
and for the following four consecutive subsequent license years.
(D) Veteran Status: The department may offer
opportunities that are limited to applicants based on veteran status. Veterans
must provide their DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty,
upon request.
(3) For
the purpose of this section only, a "hunting party" is one or more hunters who
apply together for a special hunt permit on a single application.
(4) A "hunt group" is a designated grouping
of one or more special hunt opportunities from which applicants may select and
apply for a special hunt. The department shall establish hunt groups based on
common hunt parameters. Each hunt shall be assigned into a hunt group. The
department will establish the permit issuance method specified in subsections
(c) through (e) for each hunt group.
(5) The department shall announce the
availability of special hunt opportunities and the parameters of the hunts at
least 30 calendar days prior to the earliest hunt date by posting information
on the department website (
https://wildlife.ca.gov/) concurrent
with the availability of special hunt permit applications in the department's
Automated License Data System (ALDS).
(b) General Application Eligibility and
Procedures:
(1) Applicants must apply through
the department's ALDS terminals at department license agents, department
license sales offices or on the department's website.
(2) An applicant may be a resident or
nonresident and must possess an annual hunting license valid for the hunting
season for which the applicant is applying.
(c) Issued Upon Request Issuance Method
(1) The issued upon request issuance method
is used when the demand for the opportunity is not expected to exceed the
number of available permits. Permits will be issued upon department receipt of
a complete application in ALDS.
(2)
Procedures
(A) Permits for the hunt group
will be made available at least 10 days prior to the hunt season start
date.
(B) Eligible applicants are
limited to one permit per hunt group and may claim a permit until all available
permits are issued.
(C) The
applicant shall submit a non-refundable fee as specified in Section
702 of these regulations for each
issued upon request permit.
(d) Draw-By-Choice Issuance Method
(1) The draw-by-choice issuance method is
used when demand for the opportunity exceeds the number of available permits.
These hunts may have assigned hunting areas that can support multiple hunters
and may allow party applications. A party application is an application with
multiple hunters on the application with the party leader. Applicants may
submit one application for one or more hunt opportunities within a hunt group.
Applicants prioritize their selections in their order of preference, up to the
maximum number of hunt choices allowable from among the hunts in the hunt group
pursuant to subsection (d)(2)(E). Applicants will be awarded a maximum of one
permit from among all the hunts in the hunt group. The hunt group parameters
will specify the maximum number of hunters that may apply as a hunting party on
an application. When applying as a hunting party, either all party members are
successful, or all are unsuccessful.
(2) Procedures
(A) Drawing applications must be submitted in
ALDS at least 21 days prior to the first hunt date for each hunt
group.
(B) The applicant shall
submit a non-refundable fee as specified in Section
702 of these regulations for each
application submitted.
(C) For
drawings that allow party applications, each applicant shall specify if the
applicant is applying as a party leader or joining an existing hunting
party.
(D) Each applicant applying
as a party leader shall be assigned a unique party identification number from
ALDS.
1. To apply as a hunting party, the
party leader shall apply first and provide the assigned party identification
number to the other party members.
2. An applicant joining an existing hunting
party shall provide the party identification number of the party leader. An
applicant joining a hunting party shall be assigned the same application
choice(s) as the party leader.
(E) The department will set the maximum hunt
choices based on the parameters of the hunt group and the number of permits
available within that hunt group.
(F) Each application shall be assigned a
computer-generated random number. Party applications will be assigned one
number for the entire hunting party.
(G) The department will conduct drawings at
least 10 business days prior to the earliest hunt date.
(H) Permits are awarded to applications based
on hunt choice and random number (lowest to highest) until the permit quota has
been met. When a party application is processed in the drawing and the
available permit quota is greater than or equal to number of party members, all
party members will be awarded a permit. If the remaining quota is less than the
total number of party members, all party members will be
unsuccessful.
(e) Draw-By-Hunt Issuance Method
(1) The draw-by-hunt issuance method is used
when the demand for the opportunity exceeds the number of available permits.
Applicants in these drawings are applying for a single hunt opportunity. These
hunts allow for applications of only one hunter. The hunt parameters will state
whether the permit holder is allowed to bring one or more hunter(s) or
nonhunter(s) to the hunt. Additional hunters or nonhunters cannot participate
in the hunt if unaccompanied by the named permit holder. The draw-by-hunt
permit is non-transferable. This issuance method is used to award permits for a
hunt group where multiple similar special hunt opportunities occur over the
course of a hunting season. Drawings occur separately for each hunt.
(2) Procedures
(A) Drawing applications must be submitted in
ALDS at least 21 days prior to the hunt date.
(B) The applicant shall submit a
non-refundable fee as specified in Section
702 of these regulations for each
hunt for which they apply.
(C) Each
applicant may apply only once for each hunt.
(D) Each application shall be assigned a
computer-generated random number.
(E) Permits are awarded to applications based
on hunt selection and random number (lowest to highest) until the permit quota
has been met.
(F) The department
will conduct drawings at least 10 business days prior to the hunt
date.
(f)
Drawing Results. Successful applicants will be notified via email, telephone,
or U.S. postal mail. Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified. Drawing
results will be available by logging in to the applicant's profile in the
department's Online License Sales and Services website.
Note: Authority cited: Sections
200, 203 and
1050, Fish and Game Code.
Reference: Sections
1050 and 3682.1, Fish and Game
Code.
Note: Authority cited: Sections
200,
203 and
1050,
Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections
1050,
3500,
3682.1
and
3683,
Fish and Game Code.