Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14 § 554

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 44, November 1, 2024

Section 554 - Cooperative Deer Hunting Areas

To encourage the protection and enhancement of critical deer habitat, to provide added protection to landowners from depredations of trespassers and to provide greater access for the public to hunt on privately owned or controlled lands, the department may establish cooperative hunting areas and issue permits for the take of deer as specified subject to the following conditions:

(a) Definition and Scope. A cooperative deer hunting area is an area of private land located within critical deer habitat as determined by the department in deer quota zones (see Section 360) which require public drawings. The cooperative hunting area shall encompass not less than a total of 5,000 acres, except that such area may consist of neighboring lands not less than 640 acres in size under the control of one or more owners.

(b) Application Process.

Applications designated on a form issued by the department are available from the department's website at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Deer, headquarters, and regional offices:

Region 1, 601 Locust Street, Redding 96001 (530) 225-2300

Region 2, 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova 95670 (916) 358-2900

Region 3, 2825 Cordelia Rd., Suite 100, Fairfield 94594 (707) 428-2002

Region 4, 1234 East Shaw Avenue, Fresno 93710 (559) 243-4005

Region 5, 3883 Ruffin Rd., San Diego 92123 (858) 467-4201

Region 6, 3602 Inland Empire Blvd., Ste. C-220, Ontario 91764 (909) 484-0167

(1) Definitions.

(A) 'Immediate family' is defined as 'the spouse of such person, any child or stepchild of such person or of the spouse of such person, any spouse of any such child or stepchild, any grandchild or step-grandchild of such person or of the spouse of such person, any spouse of such grandchild or step-grandchild, any sibling of such person sharing ownership in the property, and any spouse of any such sibling.' Immediate family need not live in the household or reside on the property to qualify.

(2) Eligibility Requirements.

(A) A person (as defined by Fish and Game Code Section 67) owning at least 640 acres within a cooperative deer hunting area shall be eligible to apply for a cooperative deer hunting area permit. Applicants shall designate up to two individuals eligible to receive deer tags by the date below, except for applicants in zones X-3a, X-5a, and X-5b (defined in Section 360(b), Title 14, CCR); applicants may apply for one deer tag in those zones. Such individuals shall be at least 12 years of age, possess a valid California hunting license, and be either the landowner or immediate family of the landowner. Individuals shall not be eligible for a cooperative deer hunting tag if they hold a deer tag in the same license year for a premium or restricted hunt as defined in 708.1 of these regulations.

(B) No individual may submit more than one cooperative deer hunting area application per deer season nor may there be more than two cooperative deer hunting area applicants for a given parcel of land.

(3) Application Materials.

The following application materials must be submitted to the department's regional office nearest the proposed cooperative deer hunting area and must be received prior to the first Friday in August.

(A) Completed application form pursuant to subsection (b)(4)

(B) Applicable fees for first deer tag resident, second deer tag resident, or non-resident, or previous year's Unsuccessful Deer Tag Letter per applicant, pursuant to subsection 702(c) of these regulations.

(C) Proof of property ownership (copy of deed)

(D) Proof of property size (property map)

(4) Application Form, Form DFW 1409 (Rev. 10/23), hereby incorporated by reference. Application forms are available pursuant to subsection (b).

(A) For both First and Second Applicant:

Applicant's name, relationship to owner, mailing address, home phone number, day phone number, driver's license number, GO ID number, printed name, signature, and acknowledgement of compliance with provisions.

(B) Deer hunting zone in which qualifying lands are located.

(5) Review and Approval.

The department shall review the cooperative deer hunting application, verify the content thereof, and certify that the lands consist of critical deer habitat prior to the issuance of a cooperative deer hunting area permit and deer tag. Only those applications that are filled out completely will be accepted. There shall be no fee for a cooperative hunting area permit.

(c) A deer tag issued pursuant to the provisions of this section is valid only during the open deer season for the deer specified in subsections 360(a) and 360(b) and may only be used on the lands specified in the landowner's application.

(d) All provisions of the Fish and Game Code relating to the take of birds and mammals shall be a condition of all permits and tags issued pursuant to this section.

(e) Any permit or tag issued pursuant to Section 554 may be cancelled or suspended at any time by the commission for cause after notice and opportunity to be heard, or without a hearing upon conviction of a violation of this regulation by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 554

Note: Authority cited: Section 1575, Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections 713 and 1575, Fish and Game Code.

Note: Authority cited: Section 1572, Fish and Game Code. Reference: Sections 1570- 1572, Fish and Game Code.

1. New section filed 6-29-83 as an emergency; effective upon filing (Register 83, No. 27). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL within 120 days or emergency language will be repealed on 10-27-83. For prior history, see Register 81, No. 41.
2. Certificate of Compliance including amendments filed 9-30-83 (Register 83, No. 40).
3. Amendment of subsections (a) and (b) filed 8-9-84; effective upon filing pursuant to Government Code Section 11346.2(d) (Register 84, No. 32).
4. Editorial correction of subsection (b) filed 10-29-85; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 85, No. 44).
5. Amendment filed 7-17-87; operative 7-17-87 (Register 87, No. 29).
6. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 6-27-2000; operative 6-27-2000 pursuant to Fish and Game Code sections 202 and 205(Register 2000, No. 26).
7. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 7-1-2024; operative 7/1/2024 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(4)(A) (Register 2024, No. 27).