Can Hunters Carry Additional Tags While Hunting?

November 25, 2010

Question:Last fall while hunting with a guide in the D6 Zone for deer and bear, I shot a nice 300-pound black bear. While getting my bear tag from my backpack, one of the guides saw that I had both my D5 and D6 deer tags as well as my bear tag. He told me that it was illegal to be hunting in one zone (D6), while having a different zone tag (D5) in your possession. Is this true? If I have a legal tag for the zone in which I’m hunting, I can’t see any reason why it would be illegal to have a legal tag with me for another zone. I always keep all of my tags together in my backpack and I’m sure most all hunters do, too. Would you please see if it is a judgment call on the part of the game warden or if there actually is a law that says it’s illegal? (Bill K., Placerville)

Answer: Regulations require only that hunters must have in their possession a current tag valid for the species and the zone in which they are hunting. Possession of another tag, issued to the same hunter but valid for another zone or species, is not prohibited (CCR, Title 14 sections 708, 360 and 361). A more common problem in this area is when one of the tags belongs to a friend or relative. It is against the law to possess a tag belonging to someone else.