California deer, elk and pronghorn hunting: zones, seasons and public land
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife runs deer hunting in 44 zones and elk and pronghorn hunting in zones of their own. CDFW estimates hunters took 40,844 deer statewide in 2025, up from 33,015 in 2024, with 24.5% hunter success on 306,462 tags. Every zone has a page here with CDFW's harvest by year, the 2026 season and tags, and the public land inside it.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: CDFW's deer reports to 2025, elk to 2022 and pronghorn to 2023. Seasons: CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations. Land: CPAD 2026a.
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What are California's deer zones?
CDFW splits California into deer zones lettered A, B, C, D and X. One Zone A tag covers both of its units (South Unit 110 and North Unit 160). One B tag is good in any of the six B zones, one C tag in any of the four C zones during the general season, and one D3-5 tag in zones D-3, D-4 and D-5. A D-11 tag is also valid in D-13 and D-15, and the other way round. Every other D zone and every X zone has a tag of its own (CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons).
A zone: Zone A (9,184)
B zones: Zone B1 (3,992), Zone B2 (3,565), Zone B3 (1,222), Zone B4 (296), Zone B5 (1,309), Zone B6 (955)
C zones: Zone C1 (284), Zone C2 (455), Zone C3 (585), Zone C4 (1,129)
D zones: Zone D3 (2,509), Zone D4 (905), Zone D5 (2,484), Zone D6 (1,119), Zone D7 (1,300), Zone D8 (916), Zone D9 (342), Zone D10 (241), Zone D11 (622), Zone D12 (121), Zone D13 (372), Zone D14 (503), Zone D15 (109), Zone D16 (322), Zone D17 (58), Zone D19 (156)
X zones: Zone X1 (331), Zone X2 (78), Zone X3a (209), Zone X3b (161), Zone X4 (173), Zone X5a (47), Zone X5b (30), Zone X6a (247), Zone X6b (134), Zone X7a (52), Zone X7b (32), Zone X8 (49), Zone X9a (160), Zone X9b (65), Zone X9c (77), Zone X10 (59), Zone X12 (193)
In brackets: deer taken in 2025, CDFW estimates (CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics). The most: Zone A (9,184), Zone B1 (3,992), Zone B2 (3,565), Zone D3 (2,509) and Zone D5 (2,484).
When are California's 2026 deer seasons?
Zone A opens first: archery July 11 to August 2 and the general season August 8 to September 20, 2026. The B zones (B-4 earlier, from August 22) and zones D-3 to D-10 open their general season in late September, zones D-11 to D-19 in October (D-12 last, November 7 to 29), and eleven of the seventeen X zones on October 3.
| Zone | Archery, 2026 | General season, 2026 | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A | July 11 to August 2 | August 8 to September 20 | 65,000 |
| Zone B1 | August 15 to September 6 | September 19 to October 25 | 35,000* |
| Zone B2 | August 15 to September 6 | September 19 to October 25 | 35,000* |
| Zone B3 | August 15 to September 6 | September 19 to October 25 | 35,000* |
| Zone B4 | July 25 to August 16 | August 22 to September 27 | 35,000* |
| Zone B5 | August 15 to September 6 | September 19 to October 25 | 35,000* |
| Zone B6 | August 15 to September 6 | September 19 to October 18 | 35,000* |
| Zone C1 | Hunt A-1 | September 19 to October 18 | 8,150* |
| Zone C2 | Hunt A-1 | September 19 to October 25 | 8,150* |
| Zone C3 | Hunt A-1 | September 19 to October 25 | 8,150* |
| Zone C4 | Hunt A-1 | September 19 to October 4 | 8,150* |
| Zone D3 | August 15 to September 6 | September 26 to November 1 | 33,000* |
| Zone D4 | August 15 to September 6 | September 26 to November 1 | 33,000* |
| Zone D5 | August 15 to September 6 | September 26 to November 1 | 33,000* |
| Zone D6 | August 15 to September 6 | September 19 to November 1 | 10,000 |
| Zone D7 | August 15 to September 6 | September 19 to November 1 | 9,000 |
| Zone D8 | August 15 to September 6 | September 26 to October 25 | 8,000 |
| Zone D9 | August 15 to September 6 | September 26 to October 25 | 2,000 |
| Zone D10 | August 15 to September 6 | September 26 to October 25 | 700 |
| Zone D11 | September 5 to 27 | October 10 to November 8 | 5,500 |
| Zone D12 | October 3 to 25 | November 7 to 29 | 950 |
| Zone D13 | September 5 to 27 | October 10 to November 8 | 4,000 |
| Zone D14 | September 5 to 27 | October 10 to November 8 | 3,000 |
| Zone D15 | September 5 to 27 | October 10 to November 8 | 1,500 |
| Zone D16 | September 5 to 27 | October 24 to November 22 | 3,000 |
| Zone D17 | September 5 to 27 | October 10 to November 1 | 500 |
| Zone D19 | September 5 to 27 | October 3 to November 1 | 1,500 |
| Zone X1 | Hunt A-3 | October 3 to 18 | 760 |
| Zone X2 | Hunt A-4 | October 3 to 18 | 190 |
| Zone X3a | Hunt A-5 | October 3 to 18 | 355 |
| Zone X3b | Hunt A-6 | October 3 to 18 | 500 |
| Zone X4 | Hunt A-7 | October 3 to 18 | 480 |
| Zone X5a | Hunt A-8 | October 3 to 18 | 75 |
| Zone X5b | Hunt A-9 | October 3 to 18 | 50 |
| Zone X6a | Hunt A-11 | October 3 to 18 | 330 |
| Zone X6b | Hunt A-12 | October 3 to 18 | 310 |
| Zone X7a | Hunt A-13 | October 3 to 18 | 230 |
| Zone X7b | Hunt A-14 | October 3 to 18 | 135 |
| Zone X8 | Hunt A-15 | September 26 to October 11 | 210 |
| Zone X9a | Hunt A-16 | September 19 to October 12 | 270 |
| Zone X9b | Hunt A-17 | September 19 to October 12 | 230 |
| Zone X9c | Hunt A-18 | October 17 to November 8 | 325 |
| Zone X10 | Hunt A-19 | September 26 to October 11 | 400 |
| Zone X12 | Hunt A-20 | September 19 to October 12 | 350 |
* Shared by the zones of a group. Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons; CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 66.
CDFW also runs late-season, muzzleloader, apprentice and archery hunts on ground of their own: Goodale Buck Hunt (G-3), Kern River Deer Herd Buck Hunt (G-6), Gray Lodge Shotgun Either-Sex Deer Hunt (G-12), San Diego (G-13, M-6, A-22), Sutter-Yuba Wildlife Areas Either-Sex Deer Hunt (G-19), Ventana Wilderness Buck Hunt (G-21), Anderson Flat (G-37, J-15, A-21), Round Valley (G-39, J-12), Doyle Muzzleloading Rifle Buck Hunt (M-3), Ventura Muzzleloading Rifle Either-Sex Deer Hunt (M-7), Bass Hill (M-8, A-26), Devil's Garden (M-9, A-27), San Luis Obispo Muzzleloading Rifle/Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt (MA-1), Santa Barbara Muzzleloading Rifle/Archery Buck Hunt (MA-3), Lake Sonoma (J-1, A-25), Tehama Wildlife Area Apprentice Buck Hunt (J-3), Shasta-Trinity Apprentice Buck Hunt (J-4), Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt (J-8), Little Dry Creek Apprentice Shotgun Either-Sex Deer Hunt (J-9), Fort Hunter Liggett (J-10, A-33), San Bernardino Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt (J-11), Los Angeles (J-13, A-31), Riverside Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt (J-14), Bucks Mountain-Nevada City Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt (J-16), Blue Canyon Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt (J-17), Pacific-Grizzly Flat Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt (J-18), East Tehama Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt (J-21), Monterey Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt (A-24), Covelo Archery Buck Hunt (A-30), Ventura/Los Angeles Late Season Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt (A-32). Hunts on the same ground as a zone are listed on that zone's page.
How do California deer, elk and pronghorn tags work?
Deer tags are sold by zone or hunt. Tags with more applicants than tags go through CDFW's Big Game Drawing; for 2026 it took applications from April 15 to midnight June 2 (CDFW 2026-2027 Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 9). Tags left after the drawing are sold until they run out. CDFW's list for October 15, 2026 still showed 94,035 archery-only tags, 5,264 D3-5 tags and tags for zones D-8, D-10, D-11, D-13, D-15, D-16 and D-19 (CDFW Available Deer Tags).
CDFW issues deer tags on a first and a second deer tag application, so a hunter can hold two. Both may be archery-only tags, which are good in the archery and general seasons of every zone except the C and X zones, and for hunt G-10 (Title 14, Section 361(c)).
Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in the Big Game Drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags. In 2022, CDFW's elk statistics show 34,597 applications for 284 elk tags, and 11,014 hunters applied only for a preference point. In 2023 its pronghorn statistics show 20,330 applications for 207 tags, and 10,384 point-only applicants (the sums of CDFW's rows for each hunt). For the 2026 drawing, 24 was the most preference points anyone could hold (regulations, page 9).
In 2026-2027, zone D-7, zones X-9a, X-9b and X-9c and hunts G-3, G-40, A-16, A-17 and A-18 are in CDFW's chronic wasting disease management zone: hunters there must send CDFW a CWD sample within 10 days of harvest (regulations, pages 66 to 69). California's free hunting days are November 21, 2026 and April 10, 2027 (regulations, page 10).
Where can you hunt elk in California?
California has three kinds of elk, and CDFW's hunt zones follow them: Roosevelt elk in the northwest (the Northwestern, Marble Mountains and Siskiyou zones), Rocky Mountain elk in the Northeastern and Tehachapi zones, and tule elk in the Owens Valley, along the central coast, in the inner coast ranges and on Grizzly Island. The Mendocino zone holds Roosevelt and tule elk. Each zone's page lists its 2026 hunts and CDFW's statistics for every hunt.
Bear Valley (2 in 2022), Cache Creek (4 in 2022), East Park Reservoir (2 in 2022), Fort Hunter Liggett (23 in 2022), Goodale (2 in 2022), Grizzly Island (33 in 2022), Independence (3 in 2022), La Panza (19 in 2022), Lake Pillsbury (5 in 2022), Lone Pine (1 in 2022), Marble Mountains (34 in 2022), Mendocino (2 in 2022), Northeastern (26 in 2022), Northwestern (20 in 2022), San Luis Reservoir (4 in 2022), Siskiyou (20 in 2022), West Tinemaha (1 in 2022), Whitney (2 in 2022).
In brackets: elk taken, from CDFW Elk Hunt Statistics.
Where can you hunt pronghorn in California?
CDFW's six pronghorn zones are all in northeastern California, in parts of Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen, Shasta and Plumas counties (Title 14, Section 363). The hunts are short: in 2026 the general methods hunts run August 22 to 30, archery August 8 to 16, and Lassen's second period September 5 to 13. Zone 1, Mount Dome, Zone 2, Clear Lake, Zone 3, Likely Tables, Zone 4, Lassen, Zone 5, Big Valley, Zone 6, Surprise Valley.
California's CDFW regions
| Region | Name (office) | Deer zones | Elk zones | Public land |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Northern Region (Redding) | 16 | 5 | 46.5% |
| Region 2 | North Central Region (Rancho Cordova) | 9 | 4 | 35.4% |
| Region 3 | Bay Delta Region (Napa) | 0 | 1 | 3.2% |
| Region 4 | Central Region (Fresno) | 7 | 3 | 23.1% |
| Region 5 | South Coast Region (San Diego) | 4 | 0 | 28% |
| Region 6 | Inland Deserts Region (Ontario) | 8 | 5 | 47.7% |
Zones are counted in the region that holds most of their ground. Public land measured by FilledTag from California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a.
How much of California is public hunting ground?
By CPAD 2026a, 35.9% of California is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: national forest 20.5%, BLM 14.5% and CDFW land 0.9%. National Park Service land adds 7.5% and state parks 1.6%, but hunting is closed or limited there.
CDFW lists 109 wildlife areas in Title 14, Section 551(b). Most are Type C, open daily for hunting all legal species without a hunting pass unless CDFW's rules for the area say otherwise; the Type A and B areas are run for waterfowl hunting, with passes and set shoot days (Section 551(e)). Hunting is prohibited on ecological reserves unless Section 630(d) lists the reserve: 52 are listed for 2026-2027 (CDFW land use regulations).
CDFW wildlife areas and ecological reserves with a page here: 136. Each region's page lists its own.
Questions hunters ask
When is the deadline for California's big game drawing?
For 2026 the application period ran from April 15 to midnight June 2, 2026 (CDFW 2026-2027 Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 9). The 2027 period is not printed in the 2026-2027 booklet.
How many deer are taken in California each year?
CDFW estimates 40,844 deer were taken statewide in 2025, 33,015 in 2024 and 28,637 in 2023 (CDFW Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1).
What is the deer hunter success rate in California?
CDFW puts statewide hunter success at 24.5% in 2025 and 19.3% in 2024. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued.
Can you still buy a California deer tag after the drawing?
Yes, for zones and hunts with tags left. On October 15, 2026, CDFW's list of available deer tags showed archery-only tags (94,035 left), D3-5 tags (5,264) and tags for zones D-8, D-10, D-11, D-13, D-15, D-16 and D-19, and 40 tags for hunt A-32.
Which California deer zones have the biggest harvest?
By CDFW's 2025 estimates: Zone A (9,184 deer), B-1 (3,992), B-2 (3,565), D-3 (2,509) and D-5 (2,484). Each zone's page has its own numbers for 2020 to 2025.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: CDFW California Deer Harvest Statistics (2020 to 2025). Elk and pronghorn: CDFW Elk Hunt Statistics; CDFW Pronghorn Hunt Statistics.
- Seasons, tags and rules: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations; CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons.
- Public land: California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a. Zones: CDFW BIOS.
FilledTag is not part of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. CDFW's hunting pages are the final word on every rule.