Rabbit Hunting Season in California: Dates, Limits, and Rules for Cottontails and Jackrabbits
October 19, 2026
Rabbit hunting season in California runs for about seven months, and jackrabbits can be hunted every day of the year. That makes it one of the longest small game seasons in the state, and it starts in the middle of summer when most other hunting is closed. If you are looking for a way to stay in the field between spring turkey and fall deer, rabbits fill the gap.
This article covers what you need to know before you head out: season dates, which species are legal, daily limits, licensing, allowed methods, shooting hours, and public land rules. It also covers a few California-specific points, like nonlead ammunition and the rabbit hemorrhagic disease that hunters should know about.
If you hunt other game in the state, you may also want to check the California deer hunting season and California dove hunting season guides to plan your calendar around overlapping dates.
Important Note: Regulations change, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) publishes the official small game rules each year. The details below are based on the state’s published regulations and recent season tables. Confirm everything against the current CDFW booklet before you go.
Rabbit Hunting Season Dates in California
California’s general rabbit season is simple compared with many states because it applies statewide with no zones. Under state regulation, the general season opens on July 1 and runs through the last Sunday in January, with one small exception for a restricted area described in the regulation. Opening day is a tradition for many California hunters, and one outdoor writer calls it a day more exciting than Christmas.
For the 2026-27 season, a regulation tracker that cites CDFW dates lists the general season as opening July 1, 2026 and closing January 31, 2027. Falconers get an extra window after the general season. According to Hunterizer’s California table, the falconry-only season runs February 1, 2027 to March 21, 2027.
Jackrabbits are different. They are not tied to the July-to-January window at all.
| Season Type | Opens | Closes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General rabbits and varying hare | July 1, 2026 | January 31, 2027 | Statewide, per season tracker citing CDFW |
| Falconry (rabbits and hare) | February 1, 2027 | March 21, 2027 | Raptors only; requires falconry license |
| Jackrabbits | Open all year | Open all year | No closed season |
Pro Tip: Early July is hot, and rabbits move mostly at dawn and dusk. Many hunters wait until fall or winter, when cover thins out. One hunting resource notes that November through February are generally the best months for rabbit hunting, because leaves drop and rabbits are easier to spot and flush.
Which Rabbit and Hare Species You Can Hunt in California
California treats its rabbits in two legal groups, and the group determines your season and your limit. State law lists jackrabbits and varying hares, cottontails, brush rabbits, and pigmy rabbits among the state’s game mammals.
The first group is brush, cottontail, and pigmy rabbits plus the varying hare (snowshoe hare). Regulation 308 covers brush, cottontail and pigmy rabbits, and varying hare (snowshoe), and they share the July-to-January season.
The second group is jackrabbits. Regulation 309 covers black-tailed and white-tailed jackrabbits, and they have their own all-year season. Jackrabbits are technically hares, but California regulations call them jackrabbits.
Each species favors different ground:
- Cottontails: dense brush, grassy flats, and field edges in valleys and lower elevations
- Jackrabbits: open country, including desert flats, grassy hillsides, and dry washes
- Brush rabbits and snowshoe hares: One older hunting guide points to Lassen, Modoc, and Mono counties for brush rabbits and Modoc County for snowshoe hares
Brush rabbits breed on a long schedule. The brush rabbit’s California breeding season begins in December and ends in May or June, which is one reason the general season opens in July after most litters are on the ground.
Rabbit Hunting Bag and Possession Limits in California
For cottontails, brush rabbits, pigmy rabbits, and snowshoe hares, the limit is five per day. CDFW reports a daily bag limit of five, with a possession limit of 10. The combined limit means you cannot take five cottontails and five more hares in the same day.
Jackrabbits have no limit. State regulation says the bag and possession limit for jackrabbits is no limit, and the season is open statewide all year.
| Group | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Brush, cottontail, pigmy rabbits and varying hare | 5 | 10 |
| Black-tailed and white-tailed jackrabbits | No limit | No limit |
Crop damage is a separate situation. California law lets a landowner or tenant, or a person with their written permission, take cottontail or brush rabbits during any time of the year when damage to crops or forage is being experienced. If you are not the owner, you must carry written authority while moving the rabbits off the property, and rabbits taken this way cannot be sold.
Licenses and Permits Required to Hunt Rabbits in California
You need a California hunting license to take rabbits. CDFW states that a hunting license is required for hunting small game mammals, and it applies to both residents and non-residents. You do not need a separate tag, stamp, or draw for rabbits.
Hunter education is the other piece. First-time California hunting license buyers generally must show hunter education certification, so plan for that before you buy a license if you have never held one.
Falconers need extra paperwork. The falconry-only season requires both a CA Hunting License and a CA Falconry License.
You can buy licenses through CDFW. Check the department’s small game hunting page for current license types, fees, and purchase options.
If you travel to hunt other species, our guides for California turkey hunting season and California bear hunting season explain the tags those hunts add on top of your base license.
Legal Hunting Methods and Weapons for Rabbits in California
California is flexible about weapons for rabbits. According to a Western Hunter report on the state’s rules, most shotguns, archery and rifles, including air rifles firing pellets, are legal, though BB guns are excluded. The state’s authorized methods for resident small game are set out in Section 311 of Title 14.
A few rules matter more than the rest:
- Nonlead ammunition: A summary of the 2025 rules notes that nonlead projectiles and ammunition are required. California requires nonlead ammunition for all hunting statewide, so check that your shotshells and rifle loads qualify.
- Dogs: The same summary says dogs may be used for taking and retrieving small game.
- Box traps: They are allowed for rabbits only in San Diego and Orange counties.
- Falconry: Raptors can be used during the general season and the extended falconry window.
- Los Angeles County and some state recreation areas: Rifle and pistol use is restricted under Sections 311.6 and 311.7, so read those rules before carrying a firearm there.
Most hunters choose between two setups. A 20-gauge shotgun with No. 6 shot is a common choice for flushing cottontails, while a .22 rifle suits hunters who sit near water or still-hunt. Because lead is not allowed, buy nonlead shot sized for your choke and barrel before opening day.
Pro Tip: After you flush a rabbit, wait a moment. One California hunting guide says that they often stop long enough for a shot.
Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting Rules for Rabbit Hunting in California
Shooting hours for resident small game mammals are set in Section 310 of the state regulations. A season tracker lists the hours as 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Because that applies to jackrabbits too, you cannot take them at night under standard small game rules.
Sunday hunting is not a problem in California. The state has no general ban on Sunday small game hunting, so rabbit season runs seven days a week, including the last Sunday in January, which is the season’s closing day under the general rule. That puts California well ahead of states in the East that restrict Sunday hunting.
Midday is usually slow anyway. Both cottontails and jackrabbits are most active during early morning and late afternoon, and jackrabbits bed down under chaparral during the heat of the day. Plan to be in position at first light and again in the last hour of daylight.
Hunter Orange and Public Land Rules for Rabbit Hunting in California
California does not require hunter orange for rabbit hunting. The state requires it for few hunts, and small game is not one of them. Many hunters wear it anyway when sharing the field with other shooters, especially during deer season in fall and when hunting on busy public land.
Public land is where California rabbit hunting gets interesting. Most of DFG’s wildlife areas are open to rabbit hunting, according to a report from the state’s former Department of Fish and Game, and much of the sagebrush country in the northeast is Bureau of Land Management ground. An older regional guide recommends Los Banos, Little Panoche, and Cottonwood wildlife areas for cottontails, with Lassen County and Owens Valley described as excellent.
Each public area has its own rules, so check before you go:
- Look up the specific wildlife area or unit on CDFW’s site for closures, check-in rules, and parking restrictions.
- Confirm weapon rules. Some areas, like Mendota Wildlife Area, require shotguns only.
- Check for refuge closures. Some units near waterfowl habitat might be closed until September or so.
- Wear orange or another bright color if other hunters will be nearby, even when it is not required.
- Get written permission before crossing private land.
Important Note: CDFW reports that rabbit hemorrhagic disease, a new disease highly lethal to all rabbit species and readily spread by hunters, was first detected in southern California in 2020. Clean your boots, tools, and vehicle between areas, and do not handle rabbits that look sick. Check CDFW’s current guidance for handling and disposal.
Once you have your license, nonlead ammunition, and a plan for where to hunt, the rest is simple. Rabbit season stays open longer than almost any other California game season, so there is no need to rush opening day. If you are building out a full hunting calendar, our Texas deer hunting season and Utah turkey hunting season guides are useful for out-of-state trips.