The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is thanking California veterans for their service to our country.
Since the 1990s, CDFW has offered reduced-fee hunting and fishing licenses to resident and nonresident disabled veterans. Any honorable discharged, disabled veteran with a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability who wants to hunt birds or mammals or go fishing in California is eligible. The 2023 Disabled Veteran or Recovering Service Member Sport Fishing License and 2023 Disabled Veteran or Recovering Service Member Hunting License will cost $9.46 when purchased at a CDFW license agent. To prequalify for a Disabled Veterans hunting or fishing license, customers must submit a letter from the Veteran’s Administration to a CDFW license sales office. Succeeding licenses may be purchased online or from a license sales agent.
Throughout the year, multiple California-based nonprofit organizations and groups offer veterans unique hunting and fishing opportunities. A list of organizations and groups providing programs can be found on the Recruit, Retain, Reactivate webpage at wildlife.ca.gov/R3 under both the Hunting and Fishing tabs. Please note these are not complete lists, and CDFW does not endorse specific opportunities.
Additional information on reduced-fee fishing licenses can be found here: wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing#44521417-free–reduced-fee
Fishing and hunting regulations and more information about licenses are available on the CDFW website: wildlife.ca.gov/Regulations
To learn more about becoming a hunter or angler, or additional resources regarding hunting and angling, visit our Recruit, Retain, Reactivate webpage at: wildlife.ca.gov/R3
