Though this may be a common practice, it does not make it legal. According to Northern California Enforcement Chief Mike Carion, some states limit the possession limit to the field; however, in California the possession limit per person is two daily bag limits.

The law does not allow a hunter to possess more than one possession limit (two daily bag limits) at their house or at any time. A possession limit can be donated to others who live in the household too even if they are not hunters. There is no minimum age for a person to retain a possession limit of waterfowl. For example, a person who has a spouse and two children all living in one house may possess one possession limit for each of the four people (eight daily bag limits). A single person living alone is limited to one possession limit and in order to legally continue to hunt, he or she must gift the birds to someone else or consume them.

Waterfowl bag and possession limits are federally regulated. States may only adopt the same or stricter regulations than those authorized by federal law. In California the possession of two daily bag limits regardless of whether a hunter has hunted for two straight weeks during a trip, or has hunted daily and taken the birds home applies in the field as well as the home. The possession limit is the maximum allowed to be possessed by one individual. Keep in mind, the intent to give birds away does not justify possessing more than the daily bag limit.

Carrie Wilson is a marine environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. While she cannot personally answer everyone’s questions, she will select a few to answer each week in this column. Please contact her at [email protected].