Cal. FGC § 4157
This is the official text of Cal. FGC § 4157, part of California’s Fish and Game Code — regulates hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Official statutory text
(a) Upon appropriation of funds by the Legislature for purposes of this section, commencing January 1, 2025, the commission may open a bobcat hunting season in any area determined by the commission to require a hunt.
(b) Before opening a bobcat hunting season in any area, the commission shall do all of the following:
(1) Consider the potential impacts of a bobcat hunting season, including the effects on all of the following:
(A) Bobcat populations.
(B) Bobcats’ wild prey.
(C) Disease abatement, including, but not limited to, hantavirus.
(D) The control of invasive species, especially nutria.
(2) Require the implementation of effective nonlethal management strategies to address public safety and livestock conflicts related to bobcats.
(3) Adopt the bobcat management plan developed by the department pursuant to Section 4158.
(4) Consider state residents’ values with regard to the trophy hunting of bobcats.
(5) Assess the costs to the department and the commission associated with bobcat hunting, including the administrative, implementation, and enforcement costs.
(c) Consistent with the requirements of Section 3031 and pursuant to Sections 713 and 1050, the commission shall set hunting license fees and associated fees for any subsequent seasons in which bobcat hunting is allowed, at the levels necessary to fully recover all the reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department and the commission associated with the hunting of bobcats in the state.
(d) This section does not limit the ability of the department or the commission to impose additional requirements, restrictions, or prohibitions related to the take of bobcats.
(b) Before opening a bobcat hunting season in any area, the commission shall do all of the following:
(1) Consider the potential impacts of a bobcat hunting season, including the effects on all of the following:
(A) Bobcat populations.
(B) Bobcats’ wild prey.
(C) Disease abatement, including, but not limited to, hantavirus.
(D) The control of invasive species, especially nutria.
(2) Require the implementation of effective nonlethal management strategies to address public safety and livestock conflicts related to bobcats.
(3) Adopt the bobcat management plan developed by the department pursuant to Section 4158.
(4) Consider state residents’ values with regard to the trophy hunting of bobcats.
(5) Assess the costs to the department and the commission associated with bobcat hunting, including the administrative, implementation, and enforcement costs.
(c) Consistent with the requirements of Section 3031 and pursuant to Sections 713 and 1050, the commission shall set hunting license fees and associated fees for any subsequent seasons in which bobcat hunting is allowed, at the levels necessary to fully recover all the reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department and the commission associated with the hunting of bobcats in the state.
(d) This section does not limit the ability of the department or the commission to impose additional requirements, restrictions, or prohibitions related to the take of bobcats.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in California?
Find a California lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.