Applying for the Big Game Drawing as a Nonresident

May 21, 2020

Question: I have acquired 16 preference points for elk in California’s Big Game Drawing over the years. Last year, I moved to Oregon and now I’m thinking of applying for a California elk hunt as a nonresident. How does that work? Are nonresidents entered into the same pool as residents for the drawing of elk tags? Can a resident and nonresident apply together on the same party application? (Anthony)

Answer: Both California residents and nonresidents compete in the same pool for elk tags in California’s annual Big Game Drawing. The good news is that you keep all the elk preference points you acquired over the years, improving your chances of drawing a tag. The bad news for you is that nonresidents collectively are limited to one elk tag per year in the entire drawing, which makes the odds of drawing an elk tag pretty difficult. Nonresidents may not apply as a party. (CCR Title 14, section 708.11(b))

Other California elk hunting options you may want to consider are those hunts offered through CDFW’s SHARE program, which stands for Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement. These are public elk hunts that take place on private property through participating landowners and awarded via a separate lottery. These hunts are open to both California residents and nonresidents with no quotas or limits on nonresidents. Applications for these hunts go on sale June 16, 2020, after the Big Game Drawing results are announced. So, if you strike out in the Big Game Drawing, the SHARE hunts are additional elk hunting opportunities you can pursue. Preference points do not apply and are not gained or lost in SHARE hunts.