Black bear · California
Black bear outfitters differ in method (and in where it is legal), so ask which method the outfit uses and whether it is allowed in the unit you will hunt.
From CDFW - Hunting, CDFW - Big Game Hunting Tags, read October 24, 2026. Seasons, units and quotas change every year; the agency's current regulations decide. See the California draw deadlines.
| Service level | What it means here | Outfitters | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided | A guide accompanies the hunter in the field. Lodging, meals and transport may or may not be included, so read the contract. | 2 | Kyncy Guide Service, North Central Hunts |
| Fully outfitted | The outfitter supplies the guide plus camp or lodging, meals and field logistics (for example vehicles or boats) as one package. | 3 | Backcountry Guided Hunts, Central Coast Outfitters, Lockwood Hunting Services |
| Semi-guided | Guide help is partial: for example scouting, a shared guide, or help only at set points such as stand placement or recovery. | – | none listed |
| Drop camp | The outfitter sets up or drops off a camp and transports hunters and gear, but does not guide the hunt. | – | none listed |
| Hunt type | Guided | Fully outfitted | Semi-guided | Drop camp | Listings | Sponsored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | – | 3 | – | – | 3 | – |
| Rifle | – | 2 | – | – | 2 | – |
| Wingshooting | 1 | 1 | – | – | 2 | – |
| Trophy | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | – |
| Total (a listing counts in each row it matches) | 2 | 6 | – | – | 8 | – |
California outfitter licensing, with sources: licensing in California. All species: guided hunts in California.
Filter the 5 outfitters below. Pick one option in each group; if nothing shows, no listing matches all of them.
Horseback-access guide service (since 1989 per its site) for blacktail deer and black bear in the backcountry of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
Backcountry Guided Hunts website
License not checked: California requires a guide license, and its public guide list shows no license numbers. Confirm with the outfitter.
Santa Maria-based outfitter (guiding since 1995 per its site) offering tule elk on Peachtree Ranch with landowner tags, plus black bear, blacktail,…
Central Coast Outfitters website
License not checked: California requires a guide license, and its public guide list shows no license numbers. Confirm with the outfitter.
Redding-area fishing and hunting guide service offering three- and four-day guided black bear, deer and turkey hunts in Northern California mountains.
License not checked: California requires a guide license, and its public guide list shows no license numbers. Confirm with the outfitter.
Ukiah-based service running one-on-one blacktail, spot-and-stalk black bear, wild pig and turkey hunts on private Mendocino County ranches, with…
Lockwood Hunting Services website
License not checked: California requires a guide license, and its public guide list shows no license numbers. Confirm with the outfitter.
Willows-based guide hunting ducks and geese on private ground in Glenn, Colusa and Butte counties, plus blacktail, bear and wild pig packages from a…
License not checked: California requires a guide license, and its public guide list shows no license numbers. Confirm with the outfitter.
| Outfitter | Service level | Species | Hunt types | License on file | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backcountry Guided Hunts | Fully outfitted | Black bear, Mule deer | Rifle, Archery | Not checked | |
| Central Coast Outfitters | Fully outfitted | Elk, Black bear, Wild hog, Upland birds, Turkey, Mule… | Rifle, Archery, Wingshooting | Not checked | |
| Kyncy Guide Service | Guided | Black bear, Turkey, Mule deer | Trophy | Not checked | |
| Lockwood Hunting Services | Fully outfitted | Black bear, Wild hog, Turkey, Mule deer | Archery | Not checked | |
| North Central Hunts | Guided | Waterfowl, Black bear, Wild hog, Mule deer | Wingshooting | Not checked |
Backcountry Guided Hunts, Central Coast Outfitters, Kyncy Guide Service, Lockwood Hunting Services, and North Central Hunts. The service-level table above shows which are guided, fully outfitted, semi-guided or drop-camp.
Which hunting method does the outfit use, and is it legal in the unit you will hunt? How is the hide, skull and meat handled and shipped?
Start with California Department of Fish and Wildlife. See the California section on its state page for what we could confirm and the date we read it.
