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.
Reading Recent Burns for Birds: The New Fire Layer on California's Upland Map
We added California's recent wildfire perimeters to our upland species map, colored by burn age — because the one-to-three-year window after a fire is some of the best quail country in the state. Here's why burns matter, and how to read the new layer.
Last-Minute Opener Checklist
Nine days to the California dove opener. The checklist we run before every September 1 — paperwork, shells, pattern, field and backup, water and ice, the dog's heat plan, and the ten-minute regs check that saves the morning.
Opener Morning Loadout: Vest, Shells, Water, Dog
What actually goes in the truck and the vest for September 1: a case of nonlead, the water math for a 95-degree morning, shade and a seat, hearing protection, ice for the birds, the person who knows where you are — and a pre-dawn checklist you can forward to the friend who always forgets HIP.
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.
Reading California's Upland Harvest: A County Map of Where the Birds Were Taken in 2023–24
We built a county-by-county map of California's ten huntable upland species from CDFW's 2023–24 harvest survey — where doves, quail, chukar and pheasant were actually taken, what the numbers do and don't tell you, and how to read them for your own scouting.
The California Mountain Quail Hunting Guide: Where, When, and How to Hunt Oreortyx pictus, the West's Most Overlooked Upland Bird
The pillar guide to California mountain quail — the chaparral-and-conifer mid-elevation country from the Trinity Alps to the Los Padres, the calling cadence, the running habit, and the early-season opener almost nobody hunts on purpose. Refreshed each July.
Heat Safety for Bird Dogs: California Off-Season Conditioning as Temps Rise
California bird dog heat safety as spring temps climb — recognizing hyperthermia, water access, timing runs, and conditioning honestly through the off-season.
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.
How to Scout Public Land for Upland Birds Without Leaving Your Couch (Then What to Do When You Get There)
Field notes for California upland hunters — chukar, valley quail, pheasant, and the country and dogs that put them in the bag.
Sacramento Valley Dove Field Prep: A Pre-Opener May Drive-By Method
Sacramento Valley dove field prep starts in May — what to look for in sunflower and sorghum plots four months before the September 1 opener.
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.
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.
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.
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.