Upland Bird Hunting in California

We write for the hunter who loves California's wild birds. Season dates, where the birds live, public land, bird dogs in our heat, and what we carry and cook, from Matt Gehrmann and Peter Burnham.

Start with: 2026–27 season dates · Birds · Dogs · Scouting and public land · Cooking · Conservation · Every article, by topic

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On the Calendar in California: November
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.

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Hunting California Quail Without a Dog: First Light to the Cooler
Hunting California Quail Without a Dog: First Light to the Cooler

No dog yet? The first morning on California quail on foot: listening for coveys, walking them up, working singles, and finding the bird you hit.

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CDFW's November Pheasant Draw Closes Oct. 25, and Most Hunts Take Your Dog
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.

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Reading Alan: What a Flushing Dog's Posture, Tail Set, and Cadence Tell You About a Covey
Reading Alan: What a Flushing Dog's Posture, Tail Set, and Cadence Tell You About a Covey

Your gundog is telling you where the birds are. Here's how to read posture, tail set, head carriage, and cadence — three seasons with an English cocker on California cover.

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Planning a First Trip to San Diego County Quail Country: The Closure Map Comes First
Planning a First Trip to San Diego County Quail Country: The Closure Map Comes First

San Diego County holds California quail on hundreds of thousands of acres of public land, and stacks four layers of closures and restrictions on top of it. A planning guide that starts with the legal map, not the birds.

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California Chukar Hunting: Planning a First Season on Alectoris chukar
California Chukar Hunting: Planning a First Season on Alectoris chukar

The pillar planning guide to California chukar — the Eastern Sierra, the Modoc Plateau, and the Mojave ranges; water as the limiting resource, escape cover, the narrow elevation band that holds birds in October, and the boots and lungs the east side asks for. Refreshed each year.

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