Idaho’s 2026 deer seasons are getting underway, and hunters in several parts of the state face mandatory Chronic Wasting Disease testing requirements. Two additional units were added this year, while special carcass-transport restrictions remain in effect in Idaho’s designated CWD Management Zones.
Wildfire near the Lake-Mendocino county line has burned roughly 3,500 acres, prompting evacuations and an emergency closure in Mendocino National Forest as California hunters head into the field.
More than 100 suspected deer deaths have been reported in southeastern Wisconsin, with wildlife officials warning the 2026 outbreak could become one of the state’s largest on record.
Starting in 2027, California deer bowhunters will no longer face a decades-old Fish and Game Code provision prohibiting them from carrying a firearm during archery season.
Firearm rules, antlerless licenses, December seasons and tagging are all changing this fall. Here is what Michigan hunters need to know before heading into the woods.
Illegal hunting activities spanning Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin counties end with convictions and hunting privilege suspensions
Michigan DNR says investigation began with a Report All Poaching tip and uncovered months of alleged illegal hunting activity in Clinton and Gratiot counties.
California hunters will lose access to millions of acres of popular private timberlands starting June 22, just weeks before many summer hunting opportunities and ahead of the 2026 deer seasons. The closure, a now-familiar annual wildfire precaution, could remain in place well into the fall unless fire conditions improve.
Idaho hunters will soon have more options when plans change. Beginning July 1, 2026, new laws will make it easier to exchange certain hunting tags while also introducing major changes to lifetime license eligibility. Idaho Fish and Game is encouraging hunters to review the updates before fall hunting seasons begin.
Citizen Tip Leads Wardens to Illegal Harvest of a 182-Inch Whitetail Before Montana’s Archery Season Opened
Idaho hunters have only a few days left to apply for many of the state’s most sought-after controlled hunts. Applications for fall 2026 controlled hunts close June 5, covering species including elk, deer, pronghorn, black bear, turkey and swan.
California hunters are running out of time to get into one of the state’s biggest annual draws. The deadline to submit applications for California’s 2026 Big Game Drawing is 11:59:59 p.m. on June 2, covering opportunities for deer, elk, pronghorn antelope and desert bighorn sheep. At the same time, hunters can start purchasing their 2026–2027 California hunting licenses, validations, bear tags, and other access passes for the upcoming season.
Michigan deer hunters are looking at some of the biggest regulation changes in years. State regulators have approved a new one-buck limit for the Lower Peninsula beginning in 2027, while the long-standing firearm zone boundary—better known as the “rifle line”—is going away for the 2026 season.
Montana hunters still have time to apply for several of the state’s most sought-after big game licenses, but the first major deadline is fast approaching. Applications for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat and bison are due May 1, followed by elk B, deer B and antelope applications due June 1. Here’s what hunters need to know about where to apply and how the process works.
California’s latest 2026 wolf depredation investigations report confirms continued livestock losses and expanding wolf territory across Northern and Sierra Nevada regions. Year-over-year increases in depredation incidents and wolf population estimates highlight growing overlap with major California deer hunting zones.
Montana hunters can now check their 2026 elk and deer permit drawing results after the state’s major mid-April release. While many hunters are celebrating successful draws, several key application deadlines — including antelope and B licenses — are still approaching later this spring and summer.
The latest safety report from New York highlights a record-low number of shooting incidents in 2025, with zero fatalities. However, elevated stand accidents continue to pose a serious threat to hunters.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission will convene April 10–11 to discuss regulations, wildlife management updates, and potential changes impacting hunters. From deer and turkey seasons to habitat priorities, several agenda items could shape upcoming hunting opportunities across the state.
With the release of the 2026 Big Game Digest by the CDFW, the Hunterizer app has rolled out updated seasons and tag information. California hunters are looking at expanded access, more tags, and brand-new hunt zones, pending final approval this April by Fish & Game Commission.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has approved a series of hunting regulation changes impacting dove, turkey, deer, and equipment rules. The updates aim to simplify seasons, address declining populations, and expand opportunity in key regions ahead of upcoming hunting seasons.
Preliminary numbers show a stable whitetail population and strong participation across the state. Officials highlight antlerless harvest as a key management tool.
AB 1912 clears its first committee hurdle, signaling potential changes for California’s archery deer season. Supporters say it enhances safety, while critics worry about impacts to fair chase principles.
State wildlife officials seek to expand antlerless opportunities and adjust seasons, while recent rule changes already reshape tagging and reporting requirements for hunters.
Several hunting and conservation organizations have filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the approved plan to remove all mule deer from Catalina Island. The plaintiffs argue the project was approved without the full environmental review required under California law.
More than 17,000 deer were tested statewide during the 2025 hunting seasons, with over 2,000 confirmed cases of chronic wasting disease. Most detections occurred in southern Wisconsin, though new cases continue to appear in additional counties across the state.
With the new license year opening April 1, Wisconsin hunters can now view updated season dates for deer, elk, bear, turkey, small game, game birds, and more inside the Hunterizer app. Additional opportunities will be added as the state releases further details.
A recent enforcement action in Greene County, New York, resulted in fines and legal penalties after a hunter was found to have taken a deer illegally using the wrong harvest tag and without the proper permit. The case underscores the role of Environmental Conservation Police in upholding hunting regulations and the importance of ethical and lawful harvest practices for all hunters.
California’s Catalina Island mule deer face total eradication after CDFW green-lights a five-year lethal removal plan, ending a century of regulated hunting on the island. Some conservation groups hail the move as essential to restore native habitats and reduce wildfire risk, while hunting organizations strongly condemn it as unnecessary and a loss of a cherished sporting tradition.
Report your 2025 deer tags by January 31, 2026, and bear tags by February 1, 2026, to stay compliant and help manage our wildlife populations.
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners will review proposed hunting seasons and bag limits for the 2026–27 license year, including a possible shift of the firearms deer opener to before Thanksgiving. Other topics include Sunday hunting for spring gobblers, bear season adjustments, elk management, and Chronic Wasting Disease response.
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