Title FGC, California Fish & Game Code

As used in this chapter, “enforcing officers” means the department, the state plant quarantine officers, the local law enforcement agents, the county sheriffs, and the county agricultural commissioners. These enforcing officers are authorized and empowered to enforce the provisio…

It is unlawful to import, transport, possess, or release alive into this state, except under a revocable, nontransferable permit as provided in this chapter and the regulations pertaining thereto, any wild animal of the following species: (a) Class Aves: (birds) Family Cuculidae …

Except as provided in Section 1007, it is unlawful to import any elk (genus Cervus) into this state. The department may import elk pursuant to Section 1007, if prior to such importation, the department issues written findings justifying the need for and explaining the purpose of …

No part of any elk horn or antler shall be removed from any live elk for commercial purposes. (Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 1074.)

The department shall seize any elk imported in violation of Section 2118.2. (Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 1074.)

The commission may designate wild animals which may be possessed without a permit. (Added by Stats. 1970, Ch. 1510.)

The department shall publish from time to time as changes arise, a list of animals that may not be imported or transported into this state. (Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 154, Sec. 51. (AB 1527) Effective January 1, 2016.)

(a) The commission, in cooperation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, shall adopt regulations governing both (1) the entry, importation, possession, transportation, keeping, confinement, or release of any and all wild animals that will be or that have been imported into…

No person having possession or control over any wild animal under this chapter shall intentionally free, or knowingly permit the escape, or release of such an animal, except in accordance with the regulations of the commission. (Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 285, Sec. 31. Effective…

The commission shall promulgate regulations in cooperation with the State Department of Food and Agriculture for the guidance of enforcing officers. Such regulations shall include a list of the wild animals for which permits that may be issued under this chapter will be refused, …

The department in cooperation with the State Department of Food and Agriculture shall furnish descriptive and illustrative material concerning the wild animals enumerated in or designated pursuant to Section 2118, as well as explanatory material setting forth the reasons for desi…

(a) Except as otherwise authorized by this code or regulations adopted pursuant to this code, including, but not limited to, those provisions that authorize raising deer to produce venison for market, it is unlawful for any person to possess, transport, import, export, propagate,…

(a) In addition to any other penalty provided by law, any person who violates this chapter or any regulations implementing this chapter, is subject to a civil penalty of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation. Exc…

(a) Except as otherwise authorized by this code or regulations made pursuant thereto, it is unlawful for any person to take any mammal enumerated in or designated pursuant to Section 2118. (b) This section does not prohibit the euthanasia of a mammal as appropriately directed by …

(a) The department may reimburse eligible local entities, pursuant to a memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to this section, for costs incurred by the eligible local entities in the administration and enforcement of any provision concerning the possession of, handli…

(a) (1) Any person who houses, possesses, manages, or is in direct contact with an elephant shall not do either of the following: (A) Use a bullhook, ankus, baseball bat, axe handle, pitchfork, or other device designed to inflict pain for the purpose of training or controlling th…

Any regulation adopted pursuant to this article may supersede any section of this code designated by number in the regulation, but shall do so only to the extent specifically provided in the regulation. A regulation which is adopted pursuant to this section shall be valid only to…

Any person engaged in raising or importing, or who keeps in captivity, in this state domesticated game birds or domesticated game mammals which normally exist in the wild in this state shall procure a domesticated game breeder’s license if the birds or mammals are kept more than …

No person shall sell the carcass of any domesticated game bird or mammal without first obtaining a domesticated game breeder’s license from the department. The department may issue such a license upon terms and conditions as the commission may prescribe, and the commission may at…

There are classes of domesticated game breeder’s licenses, designated “class 1” and “class 2.” (a) A class 1 domesticated game breeder’s license authorizes the licensee to engage in all domesticated game breeding activities except that not more than 175 Chinese ringneck or Mongol…

The department shall issue a class 1 domesticated game breeder’s license upon the payment of a base fee of eight dollars ($8), as adjusted under Section 713, and a class 2 domesticated game breeder’s license upon the payment of a base fee of forty dollars ($40), as adjusted under…

Licenses issued under the provisions of this article are valid for a term of one year from January 1st, or, if issued after the beginning of such term, for the remainder thereof. A domesticated game breeder’s license shall be conspicuously displayed on the property where the bird…

Carriers for hire may carry within the State live domesticated game birds and mammals upon such terms and conditions as the commission may prescribe. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

No domesticated game bird or mammal shall be transported or sold dead unless each quarter and each loin of the carcass of each large mammal, the carcass of each bird, except as provided in Section 2401 for a domesticated game bird raised outside this State, and the carcass of eac…

The department shall collect three cents ($0.03) for each tag or seal. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

On or before January 31st of each year, every person to whom a domesticated game breeder’s license has been issued shall report the following to the department on a form provided by the department: (a) The total number of each species of game birds and mammals killed, sold, or sh…

(a) In lieu of the tag required by Section 3206, poultry processing plants licensed pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18650) or Chapter 4.1 (commencing with Section 18940) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Food and Agricultural Code, which process domesticated game bird…

The keeper of a hotel, restaurant, boardinghouse, or club may sell portions of a quarter or loin of a large mammal, or the carcass of a game bird or mammal raised or imported under a domesticated game breeder’s license, to a patron for actual consumption on the premises only, and…

A retail meat dealer may, without a license, sell portions of a quarter or loin of a large mammal or the carcass of a game bird or mammal raised or imported under a domesticated game breeder’s license to a customer for actual consumption. Retail dealers shall submit their premise…

Domesticated game breeders or other persons holding domesticated game mammals in captivity shall confine the mammals in escape-proof cages or enclosures. In the event any of the mammals escape from the cages or enclosures, the owner shall immediately make every reasonable effort …

All domesticated game birds and mammals, excepting deer, sold under the provisions of this article, shall be killed otherwise than by shooting. This section does not apply to licensed pheasant clubs, licensed domesticated migratory game bird shooting areas, or to the training or …

The carcass of a game bird which shows that it has been killed by shooting shall constitute prima facie evidence that it was not a domesticated game bird. The fact that the bird has been tagged in accordance with Section 3206 of this code shall not alter this presumption. (Enacte…

Any license issued under this article may be revoked by the commission upon conviction of the licensee of a violation of any provision of this code, and no similar license may be issued to the licensee during the same license year. (Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 234, Sec. 2.)

Domesticated reindeer may be imported into this State and sold only in accordance with regulations which the commission may prescribe. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

It is unlawful for any person to have in his possession the carcass, in such condition that the sex or species cannot be easily determined, of any pheasant while in the field or forest or while upon any highway, train, car, boat, or other conveyance when returning from any huntin…

The following are fur-bearing mammals: pine marten, fisher, mink, river otter, gray fox, red fox, kit fox, raccoon, beaver, badger, and muskrat. (Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 285, Sec. 73. Effective January 1, 2008.)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code or regulations adopted pursuant to this code, it is unlawful for any person to trap any fur-bearing mammal for purposes of recreation or commerce in fur. The raw fur of a fur-bearing mammal otherwise lawfully taken pursuant to this…

Fur-bearing mammals may be taken only with a trap, a firearm, bow and arrow, poison under a proper permit, or with the use of dogs. (Amended by Stats. 1959, Ch. 980.)

It is unlawful to use poison to take fur-bearing mammals without a permit from the department. The department may issue such a permit upon a written application indicating the kind of poison desired to be used and the time and place of use. (Enacted by Stats. 1957, Ch. 456.)

It is unlawful to do any of the following: (a) Use a steel-jawed leghold trap, or use any trap with saw-toothed or spiked jaws. (b) Set or maintain a trap that does not bear a number or other identifying mark as provided in this subdivision. If the trap is set pursuant to Section…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every person who traps fur-bearing mammals or nongame mammals, designated by the commission, shall procure a trapping license. Raw fur of fur-bearing and nongame mammals may not be sold. For purposes of this article, “raw fur” mea…

(a) A trapping license shall be issued as follows: (1) To any resident of this state over the age of 16 years upon payment of a base fee of forty-five dollars ($45), as adjusted under Section 713. (2) To any resident of this state under the age of 16 years upon payment of a base …

A trapping license authorizes the person to whom it is issued to take fur-bearing mammals and nongame mammals for a term of one year from July 1st, or if issued after the beginning of the term, for the remainder of the term. (Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 216, Sec. 8. (AB 273) Effe…

No trapping license shall be issued to any applicant within one year following the expiration of any trapping license previously issued to such applicant unless the applicant has submitted to the department a sworn statement showing the number of each kind of fur-bearing mammals …

It is unlawful to remove or disturb the trap of any licensee while the trap is being used by the licensee on public land or on land where the licensee has permission to trap. This section does not apply to any employee of the department while engaged in the performance of officia…

The commission may adopt regulations as it determines to be necessary to regulate the taking of fur-bearing mammals or nongame mammals taken under a trapping license. (Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 216, Sec. 10. (AB 273) Effective January 1, 2020.)