On the Calendar in California: November
Pheasant, dove's second season and fall turkey all open Saturday, Nov. 14. Around it: a CDFW pheasant-draw deadline for juniors, families and new hunters, a stamp-art contest, and a month of bird-dog trials.
CDFW's November Pheasant Draw Closes Oct. 25, and Most Hunts Take Your Dog
Applications for CDFW's Nov. 14–22 planted pheasant hunts close Sunday, Oct. 25. Most hunts take a trained dog, and Family hunts are open to any licensed hunter.
California Public Land Designations: Where Upland Hunting Is Legal, Restricted, or Closed
The map app shows you green. Green is not a designation. What BLM, national forest, national monument, state wildlife area, refuge, and state park each actually mean for a shotgun — and the two-minute check that settles it before you drive.
California Dove Regulations 2026-27: HIP, Limits, Lead-Free Zones
The 2026-27 California dove regulations are final: September 1 opener, 15-bird aggregate limit, HIP validation, nonlead statewide. The pre-opener check to run against the CDFW booklet before you load the truck.
Planning the 2026-27 California Quail and Chukar Season: Zones, Dates, and Bag Limits
The 2026-27 California quail and chukar season by zone: when each zone opens, the bag and possession limits, and the validations to buy before opening day.
California Pheasant Genetics: What DNA Research Means for the Sacramento Valley
California pheasant recovery hinges on DNA research showing isolated genetic pockets — what NorCal upland hunters should know about translocations and habitat.
Your Upland Stamp at Work: California's $10 Validation Funds Wild Bird Habitat
Your $10 California upland game bird validation funds real habitat restoration. Here's exactly where that money goes and why it matters for quail and pheasant.
California Wildfire Burn Scars and Upland Bird Habitat: A 2026 Hunter’s Planning Map
California wildfire burn scars and upland bird habitat in 2026: how to read 1-5 year burn ages across NorCal for quail, chukar, and pheasant scouting.
The Presidio Quail Reintroduction: A NorCal Conservation Win Worth Watching
The Presidio quail reintroduction begins in 2026 — what California upland hunters and NorCal habitat advocates should take from this Bay Area conservation effort.
Nonlead Ammunition for California Upland Hunters: 2026-27 Supply Planning
Nonlead ammunition California upland hunters need for 2026-27 — bismuth, steel, and tungsten shot sizes, supply timing, and the condor-era conservation story.
Spring Rainfall and California Valley Quail Chick Survival
California valley quail chick survival hinges on spring rainfall — how April-May rain shapes NorCal forb, insect, and brood cover before fall upland season.
Hands-On Habitat Month: California Hunters Show Up for the Uplands in May
May is Hands-On Habitat Month. Here's how California upland hunters can plug into Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapter work in the off-season now.
The 20-Pound Rodent Tearing Up California's Best Mixed-Bag Habitat
Nutria are back in California's Central Valley wetlands — and pheasants, snipe, and doves are losing ground.
A Big Game Bill with Upland Dividends
Habitat corridors built for elk and pronghorn don't stop working when the deer season closes — and quail country is often the beneficiary.
Audubon California Celebrates 30 Years of Conservation
Audubon California doesn't sell licenses or set seasons — but 30 years of habitat fights may be doing more for upland bird populations than any regulation ever written.