Elk Hunting

The proposed regulatory action seeks to amend sections 353, 364, 364.1, 555, and 555.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations to adjust elk hunting seasons, tag quotas, hunt area boundaries, methods of take, and tag eligibility criteria. These changes aim to sustain elk populations in line with statewide objectives, enhance management flexibility to respond to localized conflicts, and broaden equitable public access to hunting opportunities. The initiative is managed by the California Fish and Game Commission through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, with regulatory oversight grounded in the California Environmental Quality Act and applicable statutes. Implementation will occur across designated hunt zones including Tinemaha Mountain, Grizzly Island, and Fort Hunter Liggett, with activities aligned to calendar-based schedules and seasonal windows. The associated financial scope includes funding totaling approximately $388,869 to support equipment procurement, field operations, and infrastructure. This encompasses 60 Vectronic Survey-2D IR collars and 20 Vertex Plus-3 collars, accompanied by multi-year data fees, helicopter capture efforts requiring 42 rotor hours, installation of two roadway warning signs with electrical service, and setup of two telemetry receiver stations. Freight and logistical costs are itemized, and all expenditures are tied to the stated purpose of wildlife monitoring, population management, and public safety. Applications for hunting tags must be submitted by mail to designated regional offices by the first business day following July 1, with payment due by the first business day following August 1; digital submissions are not accepted. No formal contract clause, acquisition, or procurement structure is present—this is a regulatory modification process supported by environmental review and budgeted operational funding rather than a traditional contractual procurement under federal acquisition regulations.