Hunting Migratory Game Birds (Waterfowl)

Link to Federal Regulations

Chapter 7. Migratory Game Birds

§502. Waterfowl, Migratory; American Coot and Common Moorhen (Common Gallinule).

(a)    Definitions.
(1) Dark geese. Dark geese include Canada geese, cackling geese, Aleutian geese and white-fronted geese ("specklebelly").
(2) Large Canada geese. Large Canada geese include western Canada geese ("honker") and lesser Canada geese ("lessers").
(3) Small Canada geese. Small (about the size of a mallard) Canada geese include cackling geese and Aleutian geese. Both are white-cheeked geese nearly identical in appearance to Large Canada geese. Aleutian geese have a thin white neck ring and Cackling geese have dark breasts. Both species have a high-pitched cackle as opposed to the deeper "honking".
(4) White geese. White geese include Ross' geese and snow geese.
(b) Waterfowl Hunting Zones.
(1) Northeastern California Zone: In that portion of California lying east and north of a line beginning at the intersection of Interstate 5 with the California-Oregon state line; south Interstate 5 to its junction with Walters Lane south of the town of Yreka; west along Walters Lane to its junction with Easy Street; south along Easy Street to the junction with Old Highway 99; south along Old Highway 99 to the point of intersection with Interstate 5 north of the town of Weed; south along Interstate 5 to its junction with Highway 89; east and south along Highway 89 to Main Street in Greenville; north and east to its junction with North Valley Road; south to its junction of Diamond Mountain Road; north and east to its junction with North Arm Road; south and west to the junction of North Valley Road; south to the junction with Arlington Road (A22); west to the junction of Highway 89; south and west to the junction of Highway 70; east on Highway 70 to Highway 395; south and east on Highway 395 to the point of intersection with the California-Nevada state line; north along the California-Nevada state line to the junction of the California-Nevada-Oregon state lines west along the California-Oregon state line to the point of origin.
(2) Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone: All of Kings and Tulare counties and that portion of Kern County north of the Southern California Zone.
(3) Southern California Zone: In that portion of southern California (but excluding the Colorado River Zone) lying south and east of a line beginning at the mouth of the Santa Maria River at the Pacific Ocean; east along the Santa Maria River to where it crosses Highway 166 near the City of Santa Maria; east on Highway 166 to the junction with Highway 99; south on Highway 99 to the crest of the Tehachapi Mountains at Tejon Pass; east and north along the crest of the Tehachapi Mountains to where it intersects Highway 178 at Walker Pass; east on Highway 178 to the junction of Highway 395 at the town of Inyokern; south on Highway 395 to the junction of Highway 58; east on Highway 58 to the junction of Interstate 15; east on Interstate 15 to the junction with Highway 127; north on Highway 127 to the point of intersection with the California-Nevada state line.
(4) Colorado River Zone: In those portions of San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial counties lying east of the following lines: Beginning at the intersection of Highway 95 with the California-Nevada state line; south along Highway 95 to Vidal Junction; south through the town of Rice to the San Bernardino-Riverside county line on a road known as "Aqueduct Road" in San Bernardino County; south from the San Bernardino-Riverside county line on road known in Riverside County as the "Desert Center to Rice Road" to the town of Desert Center; east 31 miles on Interstate 10 to its intersection with the Wiley Well Road; south on this road to Wiley Well; southeast along the Army-Milpitas Road to the Blythe, Brawley, Davis Lake intersections; south on the Blythe-Brawley paved road to its intersection with the Ogilby and Tumco Mine Road; south on this road to Highway 80; east seven miles on Highway 80 to its intersection with the Andrade-Algodones Road; south on this paved road to the intersection of the Mexican boundary line at Algodones, Mexico.
(5) Balance of State Zone: That portion of the state not included in Northeastern California, Southern California, Colorado River or the Southern San Joaquin Valley zones.
(A) Special Management Areas.
1. North Coast. All of Del Norte and Humboldt counties.
2. Humboldt Bay South Spit. Beginning at the intersection of the north boundary of Table Bluff County Park and the South Jetty Road; north along the South Jetty Road to the South Jetty; west along the South Jetty to the mean low water line of the Pacific Ocean; south along the mean low water line to its intersection with the north boundary of the Table Bluff County Park; east along the north boundary of the Table Bluff County Park to the point of origin.
3. Sacramento Valley. Beginning at the town of Willows; south on Interstate 5 to the junction with Hahn Road; east on Hahn Road and the Grimes-Arbuckle Road to the town of Grimes; north on Highway 45 to its junction with Highway 162; north on Highway 45-162 to the town of Glenn; west on Highway 162 to the point of beginning.
4. Morro Bay. Beginning at a point where the high tide line intersects the State Park boundary west of Cuesta by the Sea; northeasterly to a point 200 yards offshore of the high tide line at the end of Mitchell Drive in Baywood Park; northeasterly to a point 200 yards offshore of the high tide line west of the Morro Bay State Park Boundary, adjacent to Baywood Park; north to a point 300 yards south of the high tide line at the end of White Point; north along a line 400 yards offshore of the south boundary of the Morro Bay City limit to a point adjacent to Fairbanks Point; northwesterly to the high tide line on the sand spit; southerly along the high tide line of the sand spit to the south end of Morro Bay; easterly along the Park boundary at the high tide line to the beginning point.
5. Martis Creek Lake. The waters and shoreline of Martis Creek Lake, Placer and Nevada counties.
6. Northern Brant. Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties.
7. Balance of State Brant. That portion of the state not included in the Northern Brant Special Management Area.
8. Imperial County . Beginning at Highway 86 and the Navy Test Base Road; south on Highway 86 to the town of Westmoreland; continue through the town of Westmoreland to Route S26; east on Route S26 to Highway 115; north on Highway 115 to Weist Rd.; north on Weist Rd. to Flowing Wells Rd.; northeast on Flowing Wells Rd. to the Coachella Canal; northwest on the Coachella Canal to Drop 18; a straight line from Drop 18 to Frink Rd.; south on Frink Rd. to Highway 111; north on Highway 111 to Niland Marina Rd.; southwest on Niland Marina Rd. to the old Imperial County boat ramp and the water line of the Salton Sea; from the water line of the Salton Sea, a straight line across the Salton Sea to the Salinity Control Research Facility and the Navy Test Base Road; southwest on the Navy Test Base Road to the point of beginning.

Amended 2009.

§503. Crop Damage and Nuisance Canada geese.

In accordance with the provisions of Section 355 of the Fish and Game Code and pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Fish and Game Commission does hereby approve the following federal orders and permits:

(a) all orders and permits by the federal government authorizing the herding or take of migratory game birds to alleviate crop depredation.

(b) the Airport Control Order (50 CFR 21.49) except trapping and relocation of Canada geese from airports may only occur under the terms and conditions of a permit issued by the Department.

(1) Requests for permits to trap and relocate Canada geese from airports shall be submitted to the department at 1812 Ninth Street , Sacramento , CA 95814 in writing and shall include the following information:

(A) Name and address of applicant

(B) Location (airport) and number of geese to be trapped and relocated

(C) Location of, and proof of permission to use, release site

(c) the Nest and Egg Control Order (50 CFR 21.50) may occur under the terms and conditions of a permit issued by the Department (note: Registration is required by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at: https:// epermits.fws.gov/eRCGR/geSI.aspx).

(1) Requests for permits to destroy nests and eggs of Canada geese from the counties not listed in subsection (c)(2) shall be submitted to the Department at 1812 Ninth Street , Sacramento , CA 95814 in writing and shall include the following information:

(A) Name and address of applicant

(B) Location and number of nests and/or eggs to be destroyed

(2) Exception: Nests and eggs of Canada geese may be destroyed without a permit issued by the department only in the following counties: Sonoma , Napa , Solano, Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda , San Francisco , San Mateo , Santa Clara , Santa Cruz , San Benito , Monterey , San Luis Obispo , Santa Barbara , Ventura , Los Angeles , Orange and San Diego counties.

(d) the Public Health Order (50 CFR 21.52).

Amendment filed 8-11-08; effective 9-10-08.

§505. Decoys.

The use of live birds as decoys is prohibited.

Amendment filed 10-5-81; effective 11-4-81.

§506. Shooting Hours.

The shooting hours for migratory game birds, including mourning doves, white-winged doves, band-tailed pigeons, American coots, common moorhens, common snipe (jacksnipe), and waterfowl for all of California shall be from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Exception: In areas open to hunting on, over or adjacent to the waters of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County, the shooting time shall be from 7:00 a.m. to sunset.

Amend filed 9-30-2005; effective on filing .

§507. Provisions Related to the Taking of Migratory Game Birds.

(a) Authorized Methods. Only the following methods may be used to take migratory game birds:

(1) Falconry.

(2) Bow and Arrows or Crossbows. Only arrows or crossbows bolts with flu- flu fletching may be used except that conventionally fletched arrows may be used to take waterfowl sitting on the water from scullboats or similar watercraft. Archers hunting during any archery season may not possess a firearm while in the field engaged in archery hunting.

(3) Muzzle-loading Shotguns.

(4) Shotguns 10 Gauge or Smaller. Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller using shot shells only and incapable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined may be used. except no shotgun larger than 12 gauge shall be used in areas open to hunting on, over or adjacent to the waters of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County. If a plug is used to reduce the capacity of a magazine to fulfill the requirements of this section, the plug must be of one piece construction incapable of removal without disassembling the gun. Shotgun shells may not be used or possessed that contain shot size larger than No. BB in lead or T shot in steel or other nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All shot shall be loose in the shell.

(b) Use of Dogs. Dogs may be used to take and retrieve migratory game birds.

(c) Prohibition on Electronic or Mechanically-operated Devices. Electronic or mechanically-operated calling or sound-reproducing devices are prohibited when attempting to take migratory game birds. It is unlawful to use electronic or mechanically-operated spinning blade devices or spinning wing decoys when attempting to take waterfowl between the start of waterfowl season and November 30. For the purposes of this regulation, wind-powered spinning blade devices and kites are not prohibited.

(d) Live Decoy Prohibition. The use of live decoys is prohibited when attempting to take migratory game birds.

Amendment of subsection (c) filed 10-9-2002; operative 10-12-2002.

§507.1. Nontoxic Shot Requirement for Waterfowl, American Coot and Common Moorhen Hunting.

Only bismuth-tin, steel, copper-plated steel, nickel-plated steel, tin-plated steel, zinc-plated steel, zinc chloride-plated steel, zinc chromate-plated steel, iron-tungsten, iron-tungsten-nickel, tungsten-bronze, tungsten-iron-copper-nickel, tungsten-matrix, tungsten-polymer, tungsten-tin-iron, tungsten-tin-bismuth, and tungsten-tin-iron-nickel or other nontoxic shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may be used or possessed for waterfowl, American coot and common moorhen hunting statewide.

Change without regulatory effect filed 7-12-2006.

Migratory game birds may not be taken by a scull boat or similar watercraft while under motorized power. The motor shall be removed from its mountings before any take or approach is attempted.

This section shall not prohibit shooting migratory game birds from scull boats or similar watercraft with motor attached if beached or anchored; nor shall it prohibit the use of a motor for the sole purpose of picking up dead or injured birds.

New section filed 8-24-71, effective 8-24-71.

§509. Concurrence with Federal Regulations.

(a) The regulations adopted by the United States through its Secretary of Interior under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as amended annually in Part 10, subparts A and B, and Part 20, Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, are hereby adopted and made a part of this Title 14 except where said federal regulations are less restrictive than the provisions of Chapter 7 of this Title 14 (sections 500-509), the provisions of Chapter 7 prevail.

(b) Any violations of the regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (a) are violations of this section.

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person aged sixteen years or older to take any migratory waterfowl unless at the time of such taking the person carries in his or her immediate possession an unexpired Federal migratory-bird hunting and conservation stamp validated by his or her signature written by him or herself in ink across the face of the stamp prior to any taking of such birds.

Amendment filed 9-19-07; effective on filing.

Any adult license holder taking ducks, geese, or brant must have a current state duck stamp affixed to their license.

Repealer and new section filed 10-5-81; effective 11-4-81.

Subdivision 3 General Regulations
Chapter 3 Miscellaneous

§700. Hunting and Fishing Licenses, Possession and Display Of.

(b) Possession of Hunting License: Every person, while engaged in taking any bird or mammal must have on their person or in their immediate possession a valid hunting license.

Amendment filed 2-25-94; operative 2-25-94 .

§730. Camping Near or Occupying Wildlife Watering Places.

2009 - 2010 Waterfowl Hunting Season Summary