Hunting in California: 3 Animals to Hunt in the Spring

Spring is an ideal season for hunting in California, with hunters legally authorized to hunt a wide variety of small game and birds. For some of these animals, hunters can use not only guns, but also traps or dogs to aid in the hunt.

The following three animals are legal to hunt in California during the spring.

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1. Wild Turkey
The California Fish and Game Commission notes that the state has two spring seasons for hunting wild turkey. The main season begins the last Saturday in March and lasts for 37 days. There's also an additional spring season for those with junior hunting licenses. This season includes the Saturday and Sunday immediately before the main spring season. It also includes the day after the end of the main spring season and 14 days after that. The state limits hunters to one bearded turkey in a single day and no more than three for the entirety of both the main and additional spring seasons.

2. Furbearing Mammals
Several small animals are legal to hunt in late spring, with their hunting season ending on March 31. These include muskrat, mink, beaver, and raccoon. Hunters can use firearms, dogs, traps, and bow and arrow to hunt these furbearers, and there is no limit on how many a hunter can bag per day or have possession of. However, hunters using traps must submit a report by July 1 listing how many animals they captured, how many they sold, and to whom they sold them. Hunting is only permitted between the hours of a half hour before sunrise and a half hour after sunset.

3. American Crow
California allows hunting of the American crow, classified as a migratory nongame bird, across the entire state until April 8. Hunters are limited to bagging 24 per day but may possess triple this amount. Hunters are permitted to use shotguns, archery, and falconry, and may hunt the bird beginning a half hour before sunrise and ending a half hour after sunset. In addition, they can use electronic calls to attract the birds. American crows cannot be hunted during their peak nesting season.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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