State of California – Department of Fish and Wildlife
DFW 1598a REV. 08/28/24 Page 1 of 62024 WATERFOWL HUNTING NEWSLETTER
Waterfowl season is rapidly approaching and now is the time to prepare for opening day. Beginning
September 1, 2024, hunters can purchase wildlife area hunting passes and submit reservation applicationsfor State-operated wildlife areas. This newsletter contains important information for waterfowl hunters thatwill assist you in applying for reservations. Season summaries and complete regulations are available on
the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) website at wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Waterfowl.
STAY CONNECTED TO CDFW
Providing CDFW with your email address andmobile phone number will enable CDFW to send
you information you can use, such as license
renewal and courtesy report card deadline
reminders, and California fishing and hunting
information. When purchasing a license from alicense agent, or when you log in towww.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales, update
your communication preferences and provide youremail address and mobile phone number.

NEW CDFW LICENSE APPLICATION
Display your sport fishing and hunting licenses,
view your big game preference points and drawing
applications/results, download and view CDFW
published regulation booklets, and access CDFW
websites to purchase licenses, submit harvest
reports, and view fish stocking activities on yourmobile device by downloading the CDFW License
App today! For more information, including where
to download the app, tutorial videos and Frequently
Asked Questions, please visit
https://wildlife.ca.gov/LicenseApp.

NEW WATERFOWL HUNTER SURVEY
To improve the services that we offer on our TypeA wildlife areas, CDFW sent a survey to a random
sample of 20,000 waterfowl hunters this summer.
Thank you to all who participated! Your responses
to this survey will help us better understand yourneeds and preferences regarding accessing CDFW
lands for waterfowl hunting. We are still analyzing
the survey results and will provide more information
about those results in the coming months.

IMPORTANT FREE HUNTING DAYS
Assembly Bill 804 (AB 804), signed into law in
2021, requires the CDFW to establish two freehunting days per year. The California Free Hunting
Days for the 2024-25 hunting season are Saturday,

November 23, 2024, and Saturday, April 12, 2025.
To hunt on the free hunting days, participants mustmeet requirements established in FGC 3040,including the possession of a valid Free Hunt Days
Registration. The Free Hunt Days Registration item
will be available to claim beginning on October 9,2024. For more information and requirements toparticipate in California’s free hunting days, please
visit https://wildlife.ca.gov/Free-Hunting-Days.

IMPORTANT WILDLIFE AREA AND REFUGESTATUS FOR THE UPCOMING SEASONAsh Creek Wildlife Area is planning to burn theBig Swamp (5,000 acres) which will affect theunmanaged deep-water ponds. The burn isscheduled for September 23rd through October 4th.
The burn may be rescheduled during the hunting
season which may cause the closure of the centerswamp for safety concerns. The burn will not affectthe 800 acres of shallow water ponds or occur onhunt days. Additionally, there will be reduced
quotas for the opening weekend due to reduced
flooding. For more information, please contact theAsh Creek Wildlife Area at (530) 294-5824 or the
Northern Region Redding office at (530) 225-2300.
Sutter National Wildlife Refuge may have adelayed season opener due to delays in flooding
from the construction of a new lift station. For more
information, please call the Sacramento National
Wildlife Refuge Complex at (530) 934-2801.

IMPORTANT HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIANINFLUENZA
Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)
H5N1 continue to circulate among wild birds in theUnited States, with detections typically increasing
through fall migration. Infection may cause mild tosevere disease and mortality, which depends inpart on the species of bird infected. The Centers forDisease Control and Prevention states that the risk

State of California – Department of Fish and Wildlife
DFW 1598a REV. 08/28/24 Page 2 of 6
to general public health from HPAI is low, however
some people may have job-related or recreational
exposures that put them at higher risk of infection.
Hunting dogs may also be at risk. Do not handle orconsume sick game. Do not eat, drink, or smoke
while handling game. Field dress and prepare
game outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Wearrubber or disposable gloves while handling andcleaning game. After handling game, wash handswith soap and water, and clean knives, equipment,
and surfaces that came into contact with game. All
game should be cooked to an internal temperatureof 165ºF before consuming. Do not feed dogs raw
meat or organs from harvested waterfowl.
Falconers should avoid hunting waterfowl. For
more information, see USDA’s guidance forhunters at
www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf. Sightings of sick and dead wild
birds may be reported to CDFW at the checkstation or through our online form atwildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/WildlifeHealth/Monitoring/Mortality-Report.
ONLINE-ONLY REGULATION BOOKLETSRegulation booklets are available online-only andcan be downloaded at wildlife.ca.gov/regulations.
DISABLED VETERAN HUNT AT COLUSA NWR
On Saturday, January, 4, 2025, all assigned ponds
and blinds at Colusa NWR will be reserved fordisabled veterans. Hunt details and application
instructions are available on the Sacramento NWR
Complex website athttps://www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento/sacramento-nwr-complex-hunting-junior-mobility-impairedand-special-events.
WATERFOWL RESERVATION DRAWINGSTATISTICS
Waterfowl reservation drawing statistics areavailable atwildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Statistics/WaterfowlReservations.

Before going to a wildlife area to hunt waterfowl,
verify that all members of your hunting party havethese items:❖ California Hunting License❖ Prepaid Wildlife Area Hunting Pass (notrequired for junior hunters*)➢ Type A One-Day, Two-Day, or Season Passfor Type A Areas, or➢ Type A or B Season Pass for Northeastern
Zone Type B Areas❖ Harvest Information Program (HIP) Validation❖ California Duck Validation (not required forjunior hunters*)❖ Federal Duck Stamp (required for all hunters 16years of age or older)*Note: A person hunting under the authority of avalid Junior Hunting License is known as a juniorhunter.
Passes purchased online will be mailed to thecustomer. Allow 15 days for delivery of your pass.
If you need a pass for use sooner than 15 days,
please purchase a pass from a license agent.
RESERVATION DRAWING RESULTS
CDFW will mail reservation letters and send emailnotifications to hunters when they are drawn for areservation. Results are also available online atwww.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales.
WILDLIFE AREA HUNTING PASSREQUIREMENTS
On Type A and Type B wildlife areas, adult huntersmust possess a valid wildlife area hunting pass.
Any person hunting with a junior hunting license is
exempt from wildlife area hunting passrequirements.
Type A Wildlife Areas
One of the following Type A Wildlife Area Season
Pass or Day Pass is required:•Type A One-Day Pass: valid for one day on aType A Wildlife Area only.

•

Type A Two-Day Pass: valid for two days or twopeople for one day on Type A Wildlife Areasonly.

•Type A Season Pass: valid for the entire
season on all Type A and B Wildlife Areas.

IMPORTANT HUNTER CHECKLISTCheck stations do not sell any license items,permits, or passes. Hunters must purchase anyneeded licenses, passes, and validations fromselect CDFW license sales offices, license agentsor online.

State of California – Department of Fish and Wildlife
DFW 1598a REV. 08/28/24 Page 3 of 6
Type B Wildlife Areas
You must possess one of the season passes
below. Type A One and Two-Day Passes are notaccepted at Type B Wildlife Areas.
•Type A Season Pass: valid for the entire
season on all Type A and B Wildlife Areas.

•Type B Season Pass: valid for the entire
season on Type B Wildlife Areas only.

WATERFOWL RESERVATION DRAWINGBASICS
CDFW’s waterfowl reservation application system
makes it easy for hunters to apply for reservations.
Reservation drawing applications can be submitted
anywhere California hunting licenses are sold andonline at www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales.
You can submit more than one season-longreservation application or multiple-choicereservation application as long as you do not
submit duplicate hunt choices.
• Reservations are issued by random drawings.
• Any person who possesses an annual hunting
license may apply for reservations.
• Fee: $1.34 per hunt choice.
• Deadline to apply is 17 days before each huntdate.
• Applications can be submitted electronically until
11:59 PM on the deadline date.
• Confirmation of application is immediate.
Hunters receive a drawing receipt at the time ofapplication.
• Duplicate hunt choices will be disqualified. Oneduplicate choice is disqualified, not both.
• View your pending applications and drawing
results at
www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales.
• Reservation letters are mailed to applicants who
are drawn. Reservation letters can be reprinted
at home via the link from your online drawing
results.
• When hunters are drawn for a reservation, email
notifications are sent providing a link to checkyour drawing results. To receive email
notifications, your customer preferences must
be set to receive license reminder emails.

SUBMIT APPLICATIONS ONLINE
Applying online is convenient. CDFW encourages
hunters to submit their reservation applications at
www.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales.
Personally selecting and verifying your huntchoices online will allow you to confirm yourapplications are error-free.
HOW TO APPLY ONLINE
If your proof of hunter education has been stored toyour customer record, you can purchase hunting
items and apply for waterfowl reservation drawings
online. Use your GO ID from your hunting license
to retrieve your customer record atwww.ca.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales, andproceed to the 2024 Hunting tab. Select themultiple-choice reservation application or theseason-long reservation application, and makeyour hunt selections. After you have submitted
payment and completed your transaction, you will
be able to print a drawing receipt and review yourhunt selections online.
HOW TO APPLY AT A LICENSE AGENT
Make a list of the areas and dates you wish toapply for. Take your list and hunting license withyou to a license agent. The license agent will scan
the barcode on your license to retrieve yourcustomer record. Tell the clerk if you wish to submita season-long reservation application or a multiplechoice reservation application. Give the clerk thelist of hunts you wish to apply for or tell them yourchoices verbally. Be sure to verify that yourdrawing receipt shows the correct hunt choices
before leaving.
MILITARY ONLY RESERVATION APPLICATION
The military only reservation application may be
used to apply for military only hunts reserved forveterans and active military personnel. Hunters
participating in these hunts must possess andpresent upon demand verification of eligibility toparticipate in these hunts. Acceptable verificationincludes a Veteran’s ID Card, Military ID Card for
active duty, DD Form 214 (honorable discharge), ora State-issued driver’s license or Identification Cardwith Veteran Designation. When using this option,
the hunter or the license agent can select one orboth hunting days for each participating area.

State of California – Department of Fish and Wildlife
DFW 1598a REV. 08/28/24 Page 4 of 6
APPLYING FOR MOBILITY IMPAIREDACCESSIBLE HUNTING SITES
When applying online for mobility impaired
accessible hunting sites, be sure to select theapplication specifically for mobility impaired
accessible hunting sites. The mobility impaired
season-long reservation application, multiplechoice reservation application, and military onlyreservation application are all located in the same
location as the non-disabled versions.
If applying for mobility impaired accessible hunting
sites at a license agent, inform the clerk that you
wish to apply for mobility impaired accessiblehunts. At the end of the transaction, look at yourdrawing receipt and verify that the clerk selected
the correct mobility impaired accessible hunts.
RESERVATION INFORMATION TABLE
Waterfowl reservation information for Type A
wildlife areas is available in the Waterfowl
Reservation Information table(nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=70431). The table includes the number of huntersallowed per reservation, reservation processing(i.e., check-in) and expiration times, and lottery andfirst-come, first-served (i.e., refill) procedures.
Please continue to check the table online
throughout the season or contact the wildlife
area or refuge for any changes to check-intimes.
WILDLIFE AREA CLOSURE INFORMATION
It is common for waterfowl hunting areas to close
periodically due to safety concerns caused byflooding.
Visit wildlife.ca.gov/Closures to see if any Stateoperated wildlife areas are closed. Reservations forState-operated wildlife areas that are closed due toflooding will not be accepted at other hunting
areas. Refunds will not be issued for
applications submitted to areas that are closed
or if reservations are not available (Section
550.5(a)(1)(A), Title 14, of California Code ofRegulations).

JUNIOR WATERFOWL HUNTS (ADULT SUPERVISION REQUIRED)
To participate in any Junior Waterfowl Hunts, a hunter must possess a valid junior hunting license andmust be accompanied by a non-hunting adult 18 years of age or older.
HuntLocations and Details

HuntDates

How to Apply

Delevan NWR
Special Junior
Hunt

On this day, all blinds at Delevan 12/07/2024 Use a postcard to apply
NWR are reserved for juniordirectly to the USFWS. For
hunters. Hunters must have aadditional information visit
valid junior hunting license tohttps://www.fws.gov/refuge/sa
apply.
cramento/sacramento-nwrcomplex-hunting-juniormobility-impaired-andspecial-events.

Sacramento NWRSpecial Junior
HuntOn this day, all blinds at
Sacramento NWR are reserved
for junior hunters. Hunters musthave a valid junior hunting
license to apply.

12/14/2024 Use a postcard to apply
directly to the USFWS. For
additional information visit
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sa
cramento/sacramento-nwrcomplex-hunting-juniormobility-impaired-andspecial-events.

State of California – Department of Fish and Wildlife
DFW 1598a REV. 08/28/24 Page 5 of 6
YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTS (ADULT SUPERVISION REQUIRED)
To participate in any Youth Waterfowl Hunts, a youth must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult 18years of age or older. Federal regulations require that hunters participating in any Youth Waterfowl Hunts
must be 17 years of age or younger. A wildlife area hunting pass is required for any youth hunter who
is not hunting under the authority of a Junior Hunting License.
HuntLocations and Details

Hunt Dates

How to Apply

Northeastern Zone
Preseason YouthWaterfowl HuntOn these dates, the Northeastern
Zone is open to waterfowl hunters
17 years of age or younger.
Federal refuges and State wildlife
areas in the Northeastern Zone
(except Shasta Valley and Willow
Creek) are open for youth hunters.

09/21/2024
09/22/2024

Contact the wildlife area or
refuge you wish to hunt fordetails.

Colorado River
Zone Post Season
Youth Waterfowl
Hunt

On these dates, the Colorado
River Zone is open to waterfowl
hunters 17 years of age or
younger.

02/08/2025
02/09/2025

Contact the wildlife area or
refuge you wish to hunt fordetails.

Post Season
Youth Waterfowl
Hunt

On these dates, the Southern San
Joaquin Valley, Southern
California, and Balance of theState zones are open to waterfowl
hunters 17 years of age oryounger. Most wildlife areas areopen for youth hunters on thesedates.

02/01/2025
02/02/2025

Use a season-longreservation application or amultiple-choice reservation
application to apply forthese dates.

VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY PERSONNEL HUNTS (VERIFICATION REQUIRED)
Veterans (as defined in Section 101 of Title 38, United States Code) and members of the Armed Forces on
active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty (other than training), may
participate. Any person participating in these hunts must possess and present upon demand verification ofeligibility. Acceptable verification includes: a Veteran’s ID Card, Military ID Card for active duty, DD Form
214 (honorable discharge), or a State-issued driver’s license or Identification Card with VeteranDesignation. A wildlife area hunting pass is required to hunt on these dates.
HuntLocations and Details

Hunt Dates

Northeastern Zone

On these dates, most wildlife
areas in the Northeastern Zone
are open for Veteran and Active
Military hunters. Goose hunting
in this zone is not permitted
during these days.

01/18/2025
01/19/2025

How to Apply
Please contact the wildlife
area or refuge you wish tohunt for details.

State of California – Department of Fish and Wildlife
DFW 1598a REV. 08/28/24 Page 6 of 6
HuntLocations and Details

Hunt Dates

How to Apply

Southern San
Joaquin Valley,
Southern
California, andBalance of Statezones

On these dates, most wildlife
areas in the Southern San
Joaquin Valley, Southern
California, and Balance of State
zones are open for Veteran andActive Military hunters.

02/08/2025
02/09/2025

Use a military only
reservation application toapply for these dates forareas where reservations willbe drawn.
Please contact the wildlife
area or refuge you wish tohunt for additional huntdetails.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR STATE-OPERATED HUNTING AREAS
For information about hunter quotas, please contact the wildlife area or refuge you plan to hunt for more
information.
Wildlife Area
Ash Creek Wildlife Area
Butte Valley Wildlife Area
Colusa, Delevan, Sacramento, and Sutter
National Wildlife Refuges
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
Grizzly Island Wildlife Area
Honey Lake and Willow Creek Wildlife
Areas
Imperial Wildlife Area (Wister Unit)
Kern National Wildlife Refuge
Los Banos Wildlife Area
Mendota Wildlife Area
Merced National Wildlife Refuge
North Grasslands Wildlife Area (Salt Slough,Gadwall, China Island Units)
San Jacinto Wildlife Area
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge(Kesterson, Blue Goose, Freitas, Bear
Creek Units)
Shasta Valley Wildlife Area
Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area (Little Dry
Creek, Howard Slough, Llano Seco Units)
Volta Wildlife Area
Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area

Phone
Number(530) 294-5824(530) 398-4627

Ray.Parker@wildlife.ca.gov
Joshua.Eberly@wildlife.ca.gov(530) 934-2801

sacramentovalleyrefuges@fws.gov(530) 846-7500(707) 425-3828

GLWLA@wildlife.ca.gov
GrizzlyIsland@wildlife.ca.gov(530) 254-6644

HoneyLake@wildlife.ca.gov(760) 359-0577(661) 725-2767(209) 826-0463(559) 655-4645(209) 826-3508

imperialwla@wildlife.ca.gov
miguel_jimenez@fws.gov
Sean.Allen@wildlife.ca.gov
Mendota@wildlife.ca.gov
jack_sparks@fws.gov(209) 827-6586

Sean.Allen@wildlife.ca.gov(951) 928-0580

sanjacintowla@wildlife.ca.gov(209) 826-3508
USFWSjack_sparks@fws.gov(530) 459-3926

Michael.McVey@wildlife.ca.gov(530) 982-2169

UpperButte@wildlife.ca.gov(209) 826-0463(530) 757-2461

Sean.Allen@wildlife.ca.gov
Garrett.Spaan@wildlife.ca.gov

Email Address