California

Coastal blacktail deer, black bear, tule elk, wild pig, and diverse Pacific Flyway waterfowl.

Public Access & WMAs

Public Lands to Hunt in California

Official Regulatory Authority

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)

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The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) manages over 1.1 million acres across more than 70 designated Wildlife Areas and Ecological Reserves statewide. In addition, California harbors more than 38 million acres of federal public lands, including 20 million acres across 18 National Forests and 15 million acres of BLM territory. Public land sportsmen can pursue black-tailed deer, mule deer, Tule elk, wild pigs, black bear, valley quail, and world-class Pacific Flyway waterfowl from the Klamath Basin to the Mexican border.
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
Sacramento Valley | 9,100 Acres

Gray Lodge Wildlife Area

Located in Butte and Sutter counties along the Pacific Flyway, Gray Lodge is one of the premier wetland wildlife areas in North America. Over 9,100 acres of marshland, tules, and agricultural grain fields attract up to a million wintering ducks and geese. Exceptional hunting for mallards, pintails, green-winged teal, ring-necked pheasants, and mourning dove.

Antelope Valley Wildlife Area
Sierra County | 5,600 Acres

Antelope Valley Wildlife Area

Situated southwest of Loyalton in Sierra County. Encompassing high-desert sagebrush flats, bitterbrush slopes, and Jeffrey pine forest, this area serves as a critical migratory corridor and winter range for the Loyalton-Truckee mule deer herd, with excellent mountain quail and blue grouse hunting opportunities.

Cache Creek Wildlife Area
Northern Inner Coast Range | 2,300 Acres

Cache Creek Wildlife Area

Located in Lake and Colusa counties along Highway 20. Dominated by steep chaparral-covered hills, blue oak woodlands, and riparian corridors along Cache Creek and Harley Gulch. Renowned for free-ranging Tule elk herds, black-tailed deer, wild pigs, California quail, and wild turkeys.

Ash Creek Wildlife Area
Big Valley / Modoc | 14,750 Acres

Ash Creek Wildlife Area

One of the most pristine and remote wetland areas in northern California, located in Lassen and Modoc counties. Encompassing expansive vernal wetlands, sagebrush plateaus, and meadows, Ash Creek provides premier hunting for pronghorn antelope, mule deer, Canada geese, and various waterfowl species.

Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area
Yuba County Foothills | 7,000 Acres

Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area

Comprising roughly 7,000 acres of rolling Sierra Nevada foothills with blue oak, interior live oak, gray pine, and brush thickets. Highly popular for spring and fall wild turkey hunting, black-tailed deer, California quail, mourning dove, and rabbits across multiple access units.

Bass Hill & Biscar Wildlife Areas
Lassen County Sagebrush | 6,100+ Acres

Bass Hill & Biscar Wildlife Areas

Located in Lassen County near Susanville, covering over 6,100 acres of rolling sagebrush hills, bitterbrush uplands, and juniper draws within Snowstorm Creek Canyon. Critical winter range for Great Basin mule deer and pronghorn, with excellent chukar and California quail hunting.