California Notaries and Hunting Tags: Countersigning Deer and Bear Tags

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Key Takeaways

• California Fish and Game Code § 4341 authorizes notaries to countersign deer tags
• Fish and Game Code § 4755 authorizes notaries to countersign bear tags
• You sign the tag and identify yourself as a notary public, but you do not affix your seal or charge a fee
• Record the countersigning in your journal like any other official act

What the Law Says

Fish and Game Code § 4341 states that “any person legally killing a deer in this state shall have the tag for that deer countersigned by” certain designated officials, including “a notary public.” The same language appears in Fish and Game Code § 4755 for bear tags.

The law requires the hunter to get the tag countersigned before transporting the animal, with one exception: the hunter may transport the animal to the nearest authorized countersigner on the route from where the animal was taken. A hunter in a rural area needs to find an authorized countersigner before driving home with the animal.

The authorized countersigners are the same for both deer and bear:

• A person employed by the Department of Fish and Game
• A person designated for that purpose by the Fish and Game Commission
• A notary public
• A postmaster
• A peace officer
• An officer authorized to administer oaths

How to Countersign a Hunting Tag

This is not a standard notarization: no notarial wording, no oath, no seal. The process:

1. The hunter presents the tag attached to the animal or the detached tag
2. Verify that the tag is filled out (date, location, and species information)
3. Sign the tag in the designated countersignature area
4. Write “Notary Public” next to your signature to identify your capacity
5. Record the act in your journal

Do not affix your notary seal to the tag. The seal is for notarial acts, and this is a statutory countersigning, not a notarization. There is no notarial certificate involved.

What to Charge

Nothing. The Fish and Game Code does not set or authorize a fee for countersigning hunting tags. Government Code § 8211 lists the fees notaries may charge for specific services (acknowledgments, jurats, depositions, certifying copies of powers of attorney), and hunting tag countersigning is not on that list.

The same reasoning applies to postmasters and peace officers on the list: they would not charge either.

Recording in Your Journal

Even though this is not a traditional notarization, it is an official act performed in your capacity as a notary public. Record it in your journal. Include:

• The date and time
• The type of act (countersigning deer tag or bear tag)
• The hunter’s name and signature
• The fee charged ($0.00)

You do not need a thumbprint for a hunting tag. The thumbprint requirement in Government Code § 8206(a)(2)(G) applies to deeds, documents affecting real property, and powers of attorney. A hunting tag is none of these.

What You Are and Are Not Verifying

When you countersign a hunting tag, you are confirming that the tag was presented to you and you signed it. You are not verifying that the animal was killed legally, that the hunter has a valid hunting license, or that the information on the tag is accurate.

The statute says “any person legally killing a deer.” The legal determination of whether the kill was lawful is between the hunter and the Department of Fish and Game. Your role is limited to what the statute describes: signing the tag as a designated official.

If a game warden later questions the tag, your journal entry provides a record that the hunter appeared before you on a specific date and time.

How Often This Comes Up

If you live in a rural area or a community near hunting grounds, you may encounter hunters during deer season (generally September through December in California, depending on the zone) and bear season (typically fall). In urban areas, this will almost never happen.

Some notaries who live near popular hunting areas keep a note in their window or on their website that they can countersign tags. It costs nothing and may bring in clients who later need paid notary work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to see the animal to countersign the tag?

No. The statute does not require you to inspect the animal. You are countersigning the tag, not certifying the hunt. The hunter presents the tag, you sign it.

Can I countersign a tag for someone from out of state?

If the deer or bear was killed in California, yes. The statute applies to “any person legally killing a deer [or bear] in this state.” The hunter’s residency does not matter. If the animal was killed in California, the California Fish and Game Code applies, and you are an authorized countersigner.

Do I affix my notary seal to the tag?

No. This is not a notarization. Sign the tag and identify yourself as a notary public. No seal needed.

What if the tag is not filled out?

The hunter should complete the tag before you countersign it. If important information is missing (date, location, species), ask the hunter to fill it in first. You are not responsible for verifying the accuracy of what they write, but you should not countersign a blank tag.

Does this apply to other types of hunting tags?

The specific statutory authority for notaries is in Fish and Game Code § 4341 (deer) and § 4755 (bear). For other species (elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, pigs), check the specific Fish and Game Code section. If it does not list “notary public” as an authorized countersigner, you cannot sign it.