California Elk Season 2026-27

California elk season dates start with Oct 3-25, 2026. The table below keeps every listed elk row together with zones and notes where available.

Quick answer

California's listed 2026-27 elk season runs Oct 3-25, 2026.

Bull Tule Elk opens Oct 3, 2026 and closes Oct 11, 2026.

Apprentice Bull Tule Elk opens Oct 3, 2026 and closes Oct 11, 2026.

The tables below keep the rest of the listed seasons together by species, with source links back to California CDFW.

Last verified: September 16, 2026 · Source: California CDFW

Elk

65 listed rows

Tule Elk

Either-sex

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-25, 2026

Hunt Code 497 Either-sex

Zone: San Luis Reservoir

Tule Elk

Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-11, 2026

Hunt Code 317 Period 2 Bull

Zone: West Tinemaha

Tule Elk

Apprentice Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-11, 2026

Hunt Code 396 Bishop Period 2 Apprentice Bull

Zone: Bishop

Tule Elk

Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-11, 2026

Hunt Code 323 Period 2 Bull

Zone: Whitney

Tule Elk

Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-11, 2026

Hunt Code 426 Tinemaha Period 2 Bull

Zone: Tinemaha

Tule Elk

Antlerless

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-11, 2026

Hunt Code 365 Period 2 Antlerless

Zone: Goodale

Tule Elk

Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-9, 2026

Hunt Code 391 Period 5 Bull

Zone: Lake Pillsbury

Tule Elk

Antlerless/Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-11, 2026

Hunt Code 368 Period 2 Antlerless, Hunt Code 369 Bull

Zone: Independence

Tule Elk

Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-11, 2026

Hunt Code 393 Tinemaha Mountain Period 2 Bull

Zone: Tinemaha Mountain

Tule Elk

Antlerless/Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-Dec 1, 2026

Hunt Code 375 Antlerless, Hunt Code 376 Bull

Zone: Central Coast

Tule Elk

Bull

Open

OPEN

Oct 3-11, 2026

Hunt Code 486 Period 2 Bull

Zone: Lone Pine

Roosevelt Elk

Bull

Upcoming

Oct 7-18, 2026

Hunt Code 300 Bull

Zone: Siskiyou

More elk seasons: season, dates, and status
Season	Dates	Status
Rocky Mountain ElkArchery Either-sex · NortheasternHunt Code 411 Archery Either-sex	Sep 2-13, 2026	Closed
Rocky Mountain ElkAntlerless/Bull · TehachapiHunt Code 379 Antlerless, Hunt Code 380 Bull	Sep 5-Oct 4, 2026	Closed
Rocky Mountain ElkEither-sex Apprentice · NortheasternHunt Code 409 Either-sex Apprentice	Sep 16-27, 2026	Closed
Rocky Mountain ElkBull · NortheasternHunt Code 305 Bull	Sep 16-27, 2026	Closed
Rocky Mountain ElkAntlerless · NortheasternHunt Code 304 Antlerless	Nov 11-22, 2026	Upcoming
Roosevelt ElkArchery Bull · SiskiyouHunt Code 384 Archery Bull	Aug 26-Sep 8, 2026	Closed
Roosevelt ElkAntlerless/Bull/Either-sex · NorthwesternHunt Code 374 Antlerless, Hunt Code 355 Bull, Hunt Code 483 Either-sex	Sep 2-24, 2026	Closed
Roosevelt ElkGeneral Antlerless/Bull/Apprentice Either-sex · Marble MountainsHunt Code 408 Either-sex Apprentice, Hunt Code 301 General Antlerless, Hunt Code 302 Bull	Sep 9-20, 2026	Closed
Roosevelt ElkAntlerless · SiskiyouHunt Code 401 Antlerless	Sep 9-20, 2026	Closed
Roosevelt ElkMuzzleloader/Archery Either-sex · Marble MountainsHunt Code 303 Muzzleloader/Archery Either-sex; year not explicitly stated, assumed 2026	Oct 31-Nov 8, 2026	Upcoming
Roosevelt/Tule ElkBull · MendocinoHunt Code 328 Bull	Sep 23-Oct 4, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkArchery Either-sex · Fort Hunter LiggettHunt Code 449 Archery only Either-sex	Aug 1-9, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkArchery Bull · Owens ValleyHunt Code 422 Owens Valley Multiple Zone Archery Bull; tag valid in Bishop, Independence, Goodale, and Lone Pine	Aug 8-16, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless/Apprentice Antlerless · Grizzly IslandHunt Code 433 Period 1 Antlerless, Hunt Code 466 Apprentice Antlerless	Aug 11-14, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkSpike Bull/Apprentice Spike Bull · Grizzly IslandHunt Code 437 Period 2 Spike Bull, Hunt Code 469 Apprentice Spike Bull	Aug 13-16, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless · Lake PillsburyHunt Code 387 Period 1 Antlerless	Aug 29-Sep 4, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkArchery Bull/Antlerless · La PanzaHunt Code 385 Archery Bull, Hunt Code 386 Archery Antlerless	Sep 1-30, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkArchery Antlerless/Bull · Central CoastHunt Code 382 Antlerless Archery, Hunt Code 383 Bull Archery	Sep 1-30, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkSpike Bull · Grizzly IslandHunt Code 357 Period 8 Spike Bull	Sep 3-6, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless/Bull · East Park ReservoirHunt Code 463 Antlerless, Hunt Code 461 Bull	Sep 5-Oct 1, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless · Lake PillsburyHunt Code 388 Period 2 Antlerless	Sep 5-11, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless · Grizzly IslandHunt Code 358 Period 9 Antlerless	Sep 8-11, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkBull · Grizzly IslandHunt Code 359 Period 10 Bull	Sep 10-13, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkMuzzleloader Bull · BishopHunt Code 487 Bishop Period 1 Muzzleloader Bull	Sep 12-27, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkArchery Bull · WhitneyHunt Code 343 Period 1 Bull Archery	Sep 12-27, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless · Lake PillsburyHunt Code 389 Period 3 Antlerless	Sep 12-18, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkArchery Bull · TinemahaHunt Code 312 Tinemaha Period 1 Archery Bull	Sep 12-27, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkBull · GoodaleHunt Code 373 Period 1 Bull	Sep 12-27, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkMuzzleloader Bull · IndependenceHunt Code 367 Period 1 Muzzleloader Bull	Sep 12-27, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkBull · Tinemaha MountainHunt Code 392 Tinemaha Mountain Period 1 Bull	Sep 12-27, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkArchery Antlerless/Archery Bull · Lone PineHunt Code 337 Period 1 Archery Antlerless, Hunt Code 311 Period 1 Archery Bull	Sep 12-27, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkBull · West TinemahaHunt Code 315 Period 1 Bull	Sep 12-27, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless · Grizzly IslandHunt Code 360 Period 11 Antlerless	Sep 15-18, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkBull · Grizzly IslandHunt Code 362 Period 12 Bull	Sep 17-20, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless/Bull · Grizzly IslandHunt Code 363 Period 13 Antlerless, Hunt Code 381 Period 13 Bull	Sep 22-25, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkBull · Lake PillsburyHunt Code 390 Period 4 Bull	Sep 26-Oct 2, 2026	Closed
Tule ElkAntlerless/Bull · Bear ValleyHunt Code 329 Antlerless, Hunt Code 330 Bull	Oct 10-18, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkAntlerless/Bull/Apprentice Antlerless · La PanzaHunt Code 417 Period 1 Antlerless, Hunt Code 419 Bull, Hunt Code 464 Apprentice Antlerless	Oct 10-Nov 1, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkApprentice Bull · Cache CreekHunt Code 484 Period 1 Apprentice Bull	Oct 10-25, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkBull · Cache CreekHunt Code 406 Period 1 Bull	Oct 10-25, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkBull · Lone PineHunt Code 496 Period 3 Bull	Oct 17-25, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkBull · West TinemahaHunt Code 394 Period 3 Bull	Oct 17-25, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkBull · BishopHunt Code 490 Bishop Period 3 Bull	Oct 17-25, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkAntlerless · WhitneyHunt Code 324 Period 3 Antlerless	Oct 17-25, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkAntlerless · Cache CreekHunt Code 416 Period 2 Antlerless	Oct 17-Nov 1, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkAntlerless · GoodaleHunt Code 366 Period 3 Antlerless	Oct 17-25, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkAntlerless/Bull · IndependenceHunt Code 370 Period 3 Antlerless, Hunt Code 371 Bull	Oct 17-25, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkArchery Antlerless · Fort Hunter LiggettHunt Code 450 Archery only Antlerless	Nov 7-15, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkBull · BishopHunt Code 348 Bishop Period 4 Bull	Nov 7-15, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkAntlerless/Bull · La PanzaHunt Code 418 Period 2 Antlerless, Hunt Code 420 Bull	Nov 14-Dec 6, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkAntlerless/Bull · GabilanHunt Code 377 Antlerless, Hunt Code 378 Bull	Nov 14-Dec 6, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkAntlerless · Fort Hunter LiggettHunt Code 448 Period 2 Antlerless	Nov 21-29, 2026	Upcoming
Tule ElkBull/Apprentice Antlerless · Fort Hunter LiggettHunt Code 447 Period 3 Bull, Hunt Code 471 Apprentice Antlerless, Hunt Code 472	Dec 22, 2026-Jan 3, 2027	Upcoming

Compare elk seasons across all 50 states →

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California Elk Season FAQ

When does elk season open in California?

August 1, 2026 is the earliest listed elk opener in California — archery either-sex tule elk runs Aug 1-9, 2026. Confirm zone and permit details with California CDFW.

What are the 2026-27 elk season dates in California?

California lists 65 elk season windows: Archery Either-sex Rocky Mountain Elk (Sep 2-13, 2026); Antlerless/Bull Rocky Mountain Elk (Sep 5-Oct 4, 2026); Either-sex Apprentice Rocky Mountain Elk (Sep 16-27, 2026); Bull Rocky Mountain Elk (Sep 16-27, 2026); Antlerless Rocky Mountain Elk (Nov 11-22, 2026); Archery Bull Roosevelt Elk (Aug 26-Sep 8, 2026); Antlerless/Bull/Either-sex Roosevelt Elk (Sep 2-24, 2026); General Antlerless/Bull/Apprentice Either-sex Roosevelt Elk (Sep 9-20, 2026); and more. Always verify against California CDFW before hunting.

Are there different elk seasons in California?

Yes — California lists separate elk seasons for Archery Either-sex Rocky Mountain Elk, Antlerless/Bull Rocky Mountain Elk, Either-sex Apprentice Rocky Mountain Elk, Bull Rocky Mountain Elk, Antlerless Rocky Mountain Elk, Archery Bull Roosevelt Elk. Each can carry its own dates, zones, and weapon rules; see the table above and California CDFW.

Do I need a license to hunt elk in California?

Yes. California generally requires the appropriate hunting license, and elk hunting may also require tags, permits, stamps, or zone authorizations. Confirm requirements with California CDFW.