California Fish and Game Code 3040 – (a) Notwithstanding Section 3031, the director shall, no later …
(a) Notwithstanding Section 3031, the director shall, no later than July 1, 2023, designate two days per year as “Free Hunting Days.” The department shall publish the exact dates of the free hunting days in annual publications of the department regarding current hunting regulations.
(b) (1) During a free hunting day, a California resident may hunt if accompanied by a hunter who meets all of following requirements:
Terms Used In California Fish and Game Code 3040
- Bird: means a wild bird or part of a wild bird. See California Fish and Game Code 22
- Day: means calendar day, and "week" means calendar week. See California Fish and Game Code 35
- Department: means the Department of Fish and Wildlife. See California Fish and Game Code 37
- Director: means the Director of Fish and Wildlife. See California Fish and Game Code 39
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Purchase: means "buy" as defined in Section 24. See California Fish and Game Code 68
- Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
- Resident: means any person who has resided continuously in the State of California for six months or more immediately prior to the date of application for a license or permit, any person on active military duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or auxiliary branch thereof, or any person enrolled in the Job Corps established pursuant to former Section 2883 of Title 29 of the United States Code. See California Fish and Game Code 70
- State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Fish and Game Code 83
- Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Fish and Game Code 73
- Take: means hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill. See California Fish and Game Code 86
(A) Holds a valid hunting license issued by the State of California.
(B) Is at least 21 years of age.
(C) Accompanies only one unlicensed hunter in the field at a time.
(2) An unlicensed hunter shall participate in the free hunting days for only one license year, and shall complete a hunter education course approved by the department and register with the department, or an agent of the department, before participating in a free hunting day. While engaged in hunting activities, an unlicensed hunter and the licensed supervising hunter shall remain in close visual and verbal contact with each other at all times so that the licensed hunter is able to provide adequate direction and immediately assume control of a firearm or other legal method of take used by the unlicensed hunter at any time.
(c) The department shall issue a free registration for free hunting days to any California resident who submits to the department all of the information required to issue an annual California hunting license and provides evidence of completing a course in hunter education as required in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 3050. The free hunting day registration shall be valid from the date specified on the registration through the remainder of the license year for which the registration is issued.
(d) An unlicensed hunter who participates in a free hunting day shall have in their possession all of the following:
(1) A registration to hunt on free hunting days for that license year issued by the department pursuant to subdivision (c).
(2) Any required tags or report cards.
(3) Any required federal entitlements.
(4) Any required entry permits.
(e) An unlicensed hunter participating in free hunting days shall take only resident and migratory game birds, resident small game mammals, fur-bearing mammals, nongame mammals, and wild pigs with a wild pig tag.
(f) An unlicensed hunter participating in free hunting days shall not apply for any draw or lottery to obtain any tag, reservation, or other hunting opportunity.
(g) An unlicensed hunter hunting pursuant to this section is subject to all of the limitations, restrictions, conditions, statutes, rules, and regulations applicable to the holder of a valid hunting license, except all of the following:
(1) The requirement to possess a valid hunting license pursuant to Section 3031.
(2) The requirement to possess an upland game bird hunting validation pursuant to Section 3682.1.
(3) The requirement to possess a state duck hunting validation pursuant to Section 3700.1.
(h) An unlicensed hunter, who is 12 years of age or older, in possession of a registration to hunt on free hunting days may purchase one wild pig tag pursuant to Section 4652.
(i) (1) The department may adopt additional minimum requirements and restrictions for a licensed hunter or an unlicensed hunter participating in a free hunting day pursuant to this section.
(2) The department may adopt emergency regulations to implement this section in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The adoption of these regulations is an emergency and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, and general welfare. Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, an emergency regulation adopted by the department, or any amendments to it made by the department pursuant to this section, shall stay in effect until revised by the department.
(j) (1) On or before July 1, 2022, the department shall develop a plan to implement this section. The plan shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:
(A) A description of the scope of the emergency regulations necessary to implement this section.
(B) A description of the steps the department will take to implement this section.
(C) An estimate of the total costs to the department to implement this section.
(D) Identification of the source of the funds, including fees paid by hunters, necessary to implement this section.
(2) The estimate of the total costs to the department identified in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) shall include, but is not limited to, the costs of pursuing emergency regulations, updating existing or developing new hunting outreach materials for the free hunting days, any necessary revision to the Automated License Data System, and use of any department resources necessary to conduct the free hunting days.
(3) The department shall provide the plan required by paragraph (1) to the relevant legislative policy and budget committees and post the plan on its internet website.
(k) This section shall remain in effect only until July 1, 2024, and as of that date is repealed.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 469, Sec. 10. (SB 856) Effective January 1, 2023. Repealed as of July 1, 2024, by its own provisions. See later operative version as added by Sec. 11 of Stats. 2022, Ch. 469.)