California Department of Fish and Wildlife Opens Deer Hunting Permits at Cosumnes River Reserve
When the summer sun lifts over Sacramento’s outskirts, a quiet buzz spreads through the 51,000‑acre Cosumnes River Ecological Reserve—an area that, since its opening, has been a haven for mule deer and a coveted spot for regulated hunters.
On July 3, 2026, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that it will accept applications for deer‑hunting permits at the reserve’s Arno and Dillard units for the 2026 A‑Zone general season (July‑September) and the D‑5 Zone archery and general seasons (mid‑August to early November). Hunting is prohibited in the reserve’s core area, ensuring that the most sensitive habitats remain undisturbed.
The program, launched in 2021, was expanded in 2022 to offer eight one‑week access permits per season. In 2026, the same structure will be used: four permits for the A‑Zone season and four for the D‑5 Zone season. Each permit can accommodate up to two hunters, but no hunter may appear on more than one application, and duplicate names on multiple applications will disqualify all related entries.
Permits are only available to hunters who hold the appropriate 2026 season tag—an A‑Zone tag, a D‑3‑5 Zone tag, or an archery‑only deer tag—and a valid 2026‑27 California hunting license. During the A‑Zone season, only archery equipment may be used, while the D‑5 Zone season allows archery or shotguns that fire non‑lead slugs. Rifles, pistols, and muzzleloaders are prohibited for safety reasons. Hunters may harvest only one legal buck per access period.
Applications can be submitted in several ways: online through the reserve’s web page, by phone to CDFW’s Rancho Cordova office at (916) 358‑2900, by e‑mail to R2CRPhunts@wildlife.ca.gov, or by mail to 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. For the A‑Zone general hunt, applications must be received by 2 p.m. on July 13, 2026; for the D‑5 Zone archery and general hunts, the deadline is 2 p.m. on August 3, 2026.
Once the deadline passes, permits are awarded through a computerized random drawing. Successful applicants will receive an e‑mail or a phone call/text within two working days of the drawing. They will also receive maps and additional instructions before the hunt. Results are not announced over the phone.
Applicants may submit a single application for up to two hunters as one party. Junior license holders who are 12 years or older may apply if accompanied by an adult. Because of the program’s limited‑permit approach, the reserve’s management plan balances wildlife use with conservation objectives, using hunting as one tool to support that balance.
The 2026 hunting season at the Cosumnes River Ecological Reserve offers hunters a regulated opportunity to harvest deer while preserving the ecological integrity of one of California’s largest remaining riparian oak forests.
