Laws & Safety · Legal Guide
California airgun hunting laws: what you can hunt and how
Researched by James · Updated September 26, 2026 · Editorial policy
On this page
Every rule below is cited to its specific California Code of Regulations section or Fish and Game Code section, linked in Sources. This is legal information built from the regulation text, not legal advice — California's hunting regulations are revised regularly, so confirm the current rule with CDFW before you hunt. Full methodology & editorial policy →
What can you legally hunt with an air rifle in California?
| Species / category | Air rifle legal? | Citation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbits, squirrels | Yes | 14 CCR §311(f) | Any pellet caliber; valid hunting license required |
| Wild turkey | Yes | 14 CCR §311(f) | .177 caliber pellet minimum |
| Eurasian collared dove | Yes | 14 CCR §300, §311(f) | All-year season, no bag or possession limit |
| Mourning dove & other native migratory birds | No | 50 CFR §20.21 | Federal rule bans any rifle for migratory game birds; no state can override it |
| Coyotes, ground squirrels & other nongame mammals | Generally yes | 14 CCR §475 | Air rifles aren't listed among prohibited methods; license still required |
| Deer, elk, bear, pronghorn, bighorn sheep | No | 14 CCR §353 | Only centerfire rifle, shotgun slug, muzzleloader, or archery authorized |
| Wild pig | Unclear — verify directly | CDFW Wild Pig program | License and pig validation required; CDFW's summary doesn't specify weapons, so confirm before hunting |
The small game and nongame rule: 14 CCR §311 and §475
California's core authorization for airgun hunting is 14 CCR §311(f), which permits "air rifles powered by compressed air or gas and used with any caliber of pellet," with one exception — wild turkey can only be taken with at least a .177 caliber pellet. That single sentence is what makes air rifle hunting for rabbits, squirrels, and wild turkey legal statewide with a hunting license. Separately, 14 CCR §475, which governs methods of take for nongame birds and nongame mammals, doesn't name air rifles among its list of prohibited methods (poison, certain recorded calls, specific trap and bait restrictions, and a nonlead ammunition rule for firearms). Since nongame mammals in California include species like coyotes and ground squirrels, that silence functions as authorization — a legal method for these species is anything not specifically prohibited, and air rifles aren't on the prohibited list.
Eurasian collared doves: the one dove you can hunt
Eurasian collared doves sit in their own legal category because they're non-native and not protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. California sets an all-year season with no bag or possession limit for them under 14 CCR §300, and combined with §311(f)'s air rifle authorization for resident small game, that makes them the one dove species airgun hunters can legally pursue in California. Mourning doves and other native migratory birds are a completely different legal category: federal rule 50 CFR §20.21 bans any rifle, air rifles included, for migratory game birds outright, and no state regulation can loosen that. The full identification and legal breakdown between the two is in Eurasian collared dove hunting with an air rifle and can you hunt doves with an air rifle.
Eurasian collared doves with the FX Impact M4, through the scope.
Why California says no to air rifles for deer
Night vision and thermal: one of California's strictest rules
California Fish and Game Code §2005 goes further than most states on this. Subsection (a) bans artificial light to assist in taking a game bird, game mammal, or game fish, which mirrors the general rule most states have. Subsection (c) goes broader: it's unlawful to use or possess night vision equipment to assist in taking any bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fish — not just game species. The listed exceptions are narrow: a small handheld flashlight, ocean sport and commercial fishing, normal vehicle headlights, agricultural landowners and employees hunting their own property, and mammals covered under the state's separate depredation-permit statute (Article 2, commencing with §4180, which governs landowner permits for animals causing property damage). General recreational night hunting of pests, predators, or anything else with thermal or digital night vision isn't covered by those exceptions. See night hunting with an airgun and thermal vs night vision for hunting for how this compares to other states.
Do you need a license?
Yes, a valid California hunting license is required for every category above, the same as for any other legal hunting method. Some species carry an additional validation requirement on top of the base license — check the current CDFW hunting digest for your specific target species before you go, since validation requirements are updated more often than the underlying methods regulations covered on this page.
Good fit
- Rabbit, squirrel, and Eurasian collared dove hunters with a valid California hunting license
- Coyote and ground squirrel control on private land with permission
- Hunters who confirm the current CDFW regulations booklet before targeting anything outside this page's table
Look elsewhere
- Anyone planning to hunt deer, elk, bear, or other big game with an air rifle in California — it's not authorized
- Night hunting with thermal or night vision outside the narrow agricultural or depredation-permit exceptions
- Mourning doves or any other native migratory bird, regardless of the weapon
Verdict
California is genuinely airgun-friendly for small game, nongame mammals, and Eurasian collared doves, all under a single license — but it's a firm no for big game and a near-total no for night vision and thermal. Match your target species to the table above, confirm the current CDFW regulations booklet before you hunt anything not listed here, and don't assume a rule for one species category carries over to another.
FAQ
Is it legal to hunt with an air rifle in California?
Yes, for resident small game and most nongame birds and mammals, with a valid California hunting license. Air rifles powered by compressed air or gas, in any pellet caliber except a .177 minimum for wild turkey, are an authorized method for resident small game under 14 CCR §311(f). They are not authorized for big game like deer, elk, or bear.
What can you legally hunt with an air rifle in California?
Resident small game — rabbits, squirrels, and wild turkey (.177 caliber pellet minimum) — under 14 CCR §311(f); Eurasian collared doves and other non-native upland species California sets a season for under 14 CCR §300; and most nongame mammals and birds, since 14 CCR §475 doesn't exclude air rifles from its list of prohibited methods. Native migratory birds like mourning doves are off-limits to any rifle under federal law, and big game requires a firearm, muzzleloader, or archery equipment under 14 CCR §353.
Can you hunt deer with an air rifle in California?
No. California's methods authorized for taking big game (14 CCR §353) list only centerfire rifles with softnose or expanding bullets, shotgun slugs or buckshot in specific cases, muzzleloading rifles, and archery equipment. Air rifles aren't on that list for deer, bear, elk, pronghorn, or bighorn sheep, regardless of caliber or energy.
Do you need a license to hunt with an air rifle in California?
Yes, the same valid California hunting license required for any other legal hunting method, plus any species-specific validation your target requires. A hunting license is required whether you're taking small game, upland birds, or nongame species with an air rifle.
Can you use a thermal or night vision scope to hunt in California?
Almost never. California Fish and Game Code §2005(c) makes it unlawful to use or possess night vision equipment to assist in taking a bird, mammal, amphibian, reptile, or fish. The exceptions are narrow — mainly agricultural landowners hunting their own property and mammals covered under the state's separate depredation-permit statute (Article 2, commencing with §4180) — not general recreational night hunting.
Can you hunt coyotes or ground squirrels with an air rifle in California?
Generally yes, as nongame mammals under 14 CCR §475, which doesn't list air rifles among its prohibited methods. A valid hunting license is still required, and local discharge ordinances still apply regardless of the wildlife rule.
Is Eurasian collared dove hunting with an air rifle legal in California?
Yes. Eurasian collared doves are non-native, California sets an all-year season with no bag or possession limit for them (14 CCR §300), and air rifles are an authorized method for resident small game (14 CCR §311(f)). Mourning doves and other native migratory birds are a completely different legal category and can't be taken with any rifle.
What about wild pigs in California — can you use an air rifle?
California requires a hunting license and a wild pig validation, with a year-round season and no bag limit, but the state's own wild pig program page doesn't spell out which weapons qualify. Given that pigs are managed alongside other big game species in California's regulations, don't assume an air rifle qualifies — confirm the current weapon requirement directly with CDFW or in the current mammal hunting regulations booklet before planning a hunt.
Sources
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, §311 — Methods authorized for resident small game (Cornell LII)
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, §300 — Upland game bird seasons and limits (Cornell LII)
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, §475 — Methods of take for nongame birds and nongame mammals (Cornell LII)
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, §353 — Methods authorized for taking big game (Cornell LII)
- California Fish and Game Code §2005 — Artificial light and night vision equipment restrictions
- 50 CFR §20.21 — Illegal hunting methods for migratory game birds
