Feral hogs by state · CA
Wild pigs and hog hunting in California
Wild pigs live in 56 of California's 58 counties. As of 2026 you can hunt them year-round with no bag limit, but you need a hunting license plus an annual wild pig validation, and nonlead ammunition.
Feral hogs in California: where they are
California calls them wild pigs, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) reports them in 56 of the state's 58 counties. Their history here is layered. Spanish and Russian settlers brought domestic pigs in the 1700s, European wild boar were released in the 1920s and bred into those feral herds, and the Legislature made wild pig a game mammal in 1957. Fish and Game Code sections 4650–4657 followed in 1992.
The newest chapter is SB 856, signed in 2022. It reclassified wild pigs as an exotic game mammal and, from July 1, 2024, replaced per-pig tags with a single annual wild pig validation that covers unlimited pigs.
CDFW says most wild pigs live on private land, which is why so much California hog hunting happens on ranches. Some public areas still produce well. CDFW points to the military bases Fort Hunter Liggett and Camp Roberts, and runs hunts on places such as the Carrizo Plains Ecological Reserve, the San Antonio Valley Ecological Reserve, Tehama Wildlife Area, Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area and the Joice Island Unit of Grizzly Island Wildlife Area.
California doesn't publish an official statewide pig count. CDFW tracks reported harvest instead, through annual Wild Pig Take Reports broken down by month and county. If you're trying to sort out "wild boar" from "wild hog" in California, our wild boar vs. feral hog guide explains why they're the same species.
| Wild pig status | Present in 56 of 58 counties (CDFW) |
|---|---|
| Legal class | Exotic game mammal (SB 856) |
| License | Hunting license plus annual wild pig validation (since July 1, 2024) |
| Season / bag limit | Open all year; no daily bag or possession limit |
| Ammunition | Nonlead required for all take with a firearm (since July 1, 2019) |
| Harvest reporting | In ALDS within 60 days after the license year ends |
| Night hunting | Check with CDFW |
| Depredation | CDFW depredation permits for landowners with damage |
Hog hunting and trapping rules in California
As of 2026, California has more paperwork than most hog states, but the season itself is wide open.
License and wild pig validation
To take a wild pig you need a California hunting license and a wild pig validation. The validation replaced individual pig tags on July 1, 2024. It's available to hunters 12 and older, covers the license year (July 1–June 30), and lets you take as many pigs as you like. The general season is open all year with no daily bag or possession limit. Validation fees are set in statute ($25 resident and $90 nonresident in SB 856) and adjusted each year, so check CDFW's license page for the current price.
When the license year ends, you have 60 days to report your pigs in the Automated License Data System (ALDS), by month and county.
Ammunition and night hunting
Since July 1, 2019, nonlead ammunition has been required to take any wildlife with a firearm anywhere in California, and that includes pigs and depredation work. Projectiles must be certified at 1% lead or less. On hunting at night, with lights or with thermal or night-vision optics, we couldn't confirm a current pig-specific rule. Check the Mammal Hunting Regulations or ask CDFW before you go out after dark.
Depredation permits
Landowners with pig damage can apply to CDFW for a depredation permit under Title 14 §401. Hours of take, artificial light and traps are allowed only as the permit states, and steel-jawed leg-hold traps are banned. Carcasses must be tagged before they leave the property, and the permittee files a monthly report.
Where to hunt
Most pig hunting is on private land with permission. Public options include Fort Hunter Liggett and Camp Roberts, CDFW's reserve and wildlife-area hunts listed above, and the SHARE program, which opens private land to drawn hunts. If you want hogs off your own ground, our trapping guide explains whole-sounder trapping, but in California, trapping also has to fit your depredation permit.
Cooking wild hog, California style
California cooks have plenty of ways to use wild pig. On the Central Coast, Santa Maria-style barbecue means meat seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic and grilled over red oak. Try it with a boneless loin: sear it hot, move it to the cooler side until it reaches 160°F (71°C), and slice it thin with pinquito beans and fresh salsa.
Down south and in the Central Valley, wild pig becomes carnitas. Cube a shoulder roast, simmer it in lard with orange and garlic, then let the liquid cook off until the edges crisp. In Wine Country, boar ragù over pappardelle is a fall staple, and our wild boar ragù recipe is built for it.
Wild boar meat delivery to California
We ship wild boar from our plant in Hubbard, Texas to every part of California — frozen, vacuum sealed and packed with dry ice. Estimated transit: 3–4 days by ground; 2-day air recommended (estimate), including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno and Sacramento. Orders over $199.00 ship free; smaller orders ship for a flat $39.95.
Estimate from Hubbard, TX: Southern California generally arrives about a day sooner than Northern California by ground.
Feral hogs in California: FAQ
Do you need a tag to hunt wild pigs in California?
Not since July 1, 2024. Pig tags were replaced by an annual wild pig validation, which you buy along with your hunting license. One validation covers unlimited pigs for the license year.
Is there a bag limit on hogs in California?
No. As of 2026 the general wild pig season is open all year with no daily bag or possession limit. Individual public areas and drawn hunts can set their own rules.
Do I need lead-free ammo to hunt hogs in California?
Yes. Nonlead ammunition has been required for taking any wildlife with a firearm in California since July 1, 2019.
Where are wild pigs in California?
CDFW reports them in 56 of 58 counties, mostly on private land. Fort Hunter Liggett and Camp Roberts are among the public areas that produce pigs.
Sources
- CDFW — Wild pig (status, history, distribution)
- CDFW — Wild pig hunting (license, validation, season, reporting, public hunts)
- CDFW — Guidelines for wild pig depredation
- CDFW — Nonlead ammunition in California
- California SB 856 (2022) — chaptered bill text
- USDA APHIS — Feral swine distribution maps
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