Last week we told you to clear your calendar. The wait is over.

Big Game Draw Results Are Live. CDFW posts results to your account, so you don't need to wait on the mail. Here's how to check in two minutes:

If you drew elk, pronghorn, or bighorn: Watch for a payment notification or your permit in the mail by July 2. You have until 5:00 p.m. PDT on July 15 to submit payment for that permit — miss it and your tag rolls to an alternate applicant. Don't let a once-in-a-decade draw slip away over a payment window.

If you drew a premium deer tag: You already paid the deer fee when you applied, so your tag is on its way. Start scouting.

If you struck out: You bank a point for next year's draw. That's not a loss — that's leverage.

License year turns over July 1. Your current hunting license and validations expire June 30. The 2026–27 license is on sale now. If you're chasing the A-zone archery opener (more on that below), buy before you head out.

Wild pig reporting — don't skip it. If you filled a pig validation this license year, CDFW asks you to submit your harvest report (number of pigs by month and county) at the close of the license year — so square it away before June 30. Reporting keeps the data honest and keeps year-round pig hunting healthy.

Regulation Update — California Now Allows a Second Bear Tag. At its April meeting, the Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously to let each licensed hunter buy up to two bear tags per license year (possession limit of two), and expanded the huntable area to include the entirety of Lassen and Modoc counties. The statewide harvest threshold stays put at 1,700 bears, so the season still closes when that number is hit. The Commission expects the rules in effect for this year's bear seasons, pending final administrative filing — watch for CDFW implementation notices on tag sales and exact season dates in the Big Game Digest.

Looking Ahead — Mark These Openers:

(Always confirm exact zone dates and closing days against the current CDFW Big Game and Upland digests before you hunt.)

The next Fish and Game Commission meeting runs June 17–18 in Sacramento, with hunting and fishing items on the agenda.

Last week we flagged the proposal to reshape the duck calendar in the Balance of State, Southern San Joaquin Valley, and Southern California zones. The Commission has now adopted the 2026–27 regulations, so here's what's locked in:

The dates NorCal cares about most:

Balance of State Zone (Sacramento Valley rice, the Delta, most of the region):

Northeastern Zone (the far north — Modoc, Klamath Basin):

Duck daily limit (statewide): 7, with no more than 2 hen mallards, 3 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, and 2 scaup.

That's months out, but the smart money locks down blinds, leases, and refuge plans now.

Last week we covered cooling your hog down fast in the heat. Now let's put that pristine pork to work. Wild pig is leaner and works harder than store pork, so the shoulder rewards a low, slow braise that turns connective tissue into silk. This is our go-to for a backyard taco night after a foothill hunt.

Wild Pig Carnitas (feeds 6–8)

Season the pork and add everything to a Dutch oven or slow cooker. Add liquid until the meat is almost covered. Braise low — 300°F oven or low slow-cooker — for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat shreds with a fork. Pull the chunks out, shred, then crisp them under the broiler or in a hot cast-iron skillet for 5–8 minutes until the edges catch. Hit it with lime and chopped cilantro, fold into warm corn tortillas, and you've turned a hot-weather hog into the best taco night of the summer.

Pro tip: Wild pork must reach an internal temp of 160°F to be safe — never serve it pink. A long braise gets you well past that and keeps it tender.

SPYPOINT Flex-G36 Cellular Trail Camera

The draw shook out — and whether you're holding a tag or banking a point, the job now is putting eyes on the country before the A-zone opener on July 11. A cellular trail cam does the legwork for you: it sends photos straight to your phone, so you can pattern a blacktail's movement or watch a wallow without driving out and stinking up the spot every weekend.

The Flex-G36 is the value play. It shoots 36MP stills and 1080p video, and uses dual-SIM tech to grab whichever carrier has the strongest signal. The kicker: it runs on a genuinely free plan, 100 photos a month with no credit card and no strings. For most low-traffic summer scouting spots that's plenty, and you can bump to an unlimited plan ($5–$15/month) once the action heats up. It'll run a few months on AA lithiums and is solar-ready if you want to set it and forget it. Typically streets around $120 (check current pricing).

Before you hang it: trail-cam rules vary by state and by land manager. Confirm current CDFW regulations and the rules for the specific public land you're scouting — many national wildlife refuges prohibit cameras outright, and USFS/BLM ground often requires yours be marked with your name and contact info. A two-minute check keeps a $120 camera from getting confiscated.

Meet "Willow" Owner: NorCalHunt Subscriber, Orland, CA

Willow is a 4-year-old black Lab who was born for the Sacramento Valley rice. She's a steady, hard-charging retriever who lives for cold mornings and falling greenheads, and she'll punch out into flooded check after flooded check without a second thought. Come summer, she's the official supervisor of decoy maintenance and the first one in the truck every time the keys come off the hook.

Want your dog featured? Hit reply, send us a clean photo of your hunting partner, and give us a quick 2–3 sentence blurb about what they hunt and where they put in the work.

An overcast Lassen County morning. His dog Chewy at his side. His dad's old fishing pole and a Rooster Tail that had already been to Alaska. Then, halfway through a steady retrieve, the line started to move — and the old rod bent deep.

What this subscriber brought to hand turned an ordinary morning into a story about family, a loyal dog, and trusted gear.

Read the full story on norcalhunt.com →

That second bear tag didn't appear out of nowhere — it's the result of years of advocacy from California hunters and conservation groups showing up, commenting, and making the case to the Commission. It's a good reminder that the seat at the table is ours to keep. If a regulation matters to your hunt, the public comment process is where your voice counts.

We want this briefing dialed to your square of California. Drop us a quick reply and tell us:

(Replying also tells your inbox we belong in the primary tab, not buried in promotions.)

Got a hunting partner who lives in the foothills, the rice, or along the riverbanks? Forward this briefing and send them to norcalhunt.com. Word of mouth from real hunters is how we grow.

Stay safe out there, get your gear cleaned, and we'll see you in the field.

— The NorCal Hunt Team

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