Agreed the lack of Orange requirements is bizarre in CA. As is the validation of the tag. I usually stop at the newest CalFire station to have it validated.California has the strange law that you have to get a warden, biologist, or fire fighter, or post office employee to validate your tag after you kill a critter. (the list is longer but those are what i can think of) Its a strange outdated law that even the wardens cant figure out why it is still required. and stranger for California which has a law for everything is we dont have hunter orange requirements. I just think its strange that of all the states to not have a common law California is the outlier.
One strange CA rule, you can’t have a firearm in your possession during archery season. Meaning no handgun for protection. Unless you are a LEO, or have CCW (I think) and are hunting black bears only. If you have a deer tag and in the field during archery only seasons, and not a LEO, I think it’s a violation. There’s a lot of potentially conflicting information online but that’s how I interpret it.