Deer hunt G-6: Kern River Deer Herd Buck Hunt
Hunt G-6, CDFW's Kern River Deer Herd Buck Hunt, is an additional hunt on 299,975 acres of Kern and Tulare counties, inside deer Zone D8. The 2026 season runs December 5 to 13 with 50 tags. CDFW estimates 30 deer were taken on this hunt in 2025, with 66.7% hunter success.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: CDFW's deer harvest reports, 2020 to 2025. Seasons and tags: CDFW's approved 2026 seasons. Rules: the 2026-2027 regulations. Land: CPAD 2026a.
National forestBLMCDFW landHunt G-6Deer zone linesLake or riverHighway
| Hunt G-6, 2026 | Kern River Deer Herd Buck Hunt: December 5 to 13, 50 tags |
|---|---|
| Counties | Kern and Tulare |
| Size | 299,975 acres |
| Public land | 93.1% (279,355 acres) |
| Deer zone | Zone D8 |
| Hunt G-6, 2025 | 30 deer, 66.7% hunter success (CDFW) |
How many deer are taken on hunt G-6?
CDFW estimates 30 deer were taken on hunt G-6 in 2025: 30 bucks and 0 does. Hunters reported 27; 8.9% of tag holders did not report.
| Year | Tag quota | Bucks reported | Does reported | Deer taken (CDFW estimate) | Hunter success (CDFW) | Did not report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 50 | 27 | 0 | 30 | 66.7% | 8.9% |
| 2024 | 50 | 17 | 0 | 23 | 52.3% | 27.3% |
| 2023 | 50 | 26 | 0 | 29 | 61.7% | 12.8% |
| 2022 | 50 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 44.2% | 4.7% |
| 2021 | 50 | 15 | 0 | 16 | 39% | 9.8% |
| 2020 | 50 | 15 | 0 | 17 | 48.6% | 14.3% |
Source: CDFW California Deer Harvest Statistics (2020 to 2025), Table 1. CDFW's hunter success is its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued.
What size are the bucks taken on hunt G-6?
Of the 27 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in the latest year, 11 had 4 points or more.
| Hunt and year | Spike | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points or more | Does reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-6, 2025 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
Source: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 2 (reported deer kill by antler class).
What are CDFW's rules for hunt G-6?
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 904 hunters put hunt G-6 first for 50 tags (45 by preference points). Source: CDFW 2026 Big Game Drawing statistics.
Bag limit: One buck, forked horn (see subsection 351(a)) or better, per tag. Tags in the regulations: 50.
Season: The season for additional hunt G-6 (Kern River Deer Herd Buck Hunt) shall open on the first Saturday in December and extend for 9 consecutive days.
Source: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 51, Title 14, Sections 360 and 361; dates and quotas: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons.
How much public land is in hunt G-6?
93.1% of the ground is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 279,355 of 299,975 acres. The largest pieces: Sequoia National Forest (215,061 acres) and Giant Sequoia National Monument (50,039 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the hunt area |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 265,100 | 88.4% |
| BLM | 11,558 | 3.9% |
| CDFW land | 2,697 | 0.9% |
Measured by FilledTag inside CDFW's hunt boundary from California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a. "Public land" on this page means national forest, BLM and CDFW land, the three managers whose ground is open to hunting under their own rules. National Park Service land, state parks and most other public ground are listed but not counted: hunting there is closed or limited. Land held by cities, counties, districts and private groups is not shown.
CDFW wildlife areas and ecological reserves inside: Canebrake Ecological Reserve (2,792 acres).
How do you get to hunt G-6?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 155. Towns inside: Kernville, Wofford Heights and Ponderosa. Nearby: Alta Sierra (on the line), Onyx (on the line), Cedar Slope (2 miles) and Weldon (2 miles).
Deer zones the ground lies in: Zone D8 (299,954 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many tags are there for hunt G-6?
CDFW's 2026 quota is 50 tags. In 2025 the quota was 50.
What is the success rate on hunt G-6?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 66.7%: an estimated 30 deer on the tags issued. In 2024 it was 52.3% (23 deer).
When is hunt G-6 in 2026?
December 5 to 13, by CDFW's approved 2026 seasons. CDFW's rule: The season for additional hunt G-6 (Kern River Deer Herd Buck Hunt) shall open on the first Saturday in December and extend for 9 consecutive days.
Where is hunt G-6?
In Kern and Tulare counties, inside deer Zone D8. Towns in and near the ground: Kernville, Wofford Heights, Ponderosa, Alta Sierra and Onyx.
CDFW's boundary of hunt G-6
In those portions of Kern and Tulare counties lying within a line beginning at the intersection of County Road 521 and County Road 495 at Kernville; south on County Road 495 to the intersection of Highway 155 at Wofford Heights; west on Highway 155 to the intersection of U.S. Forest Service Road 24S15 at Greenhorn Summit; north on U.S. Forest Service Road 24S15 to the intersection of U.S. Forest Service Road 23S16 (near Portuguese Pass); northeast on U.S. Forest Service Road 23S16 to County Road SM50; west on County Road SM50 to the intersection of the Western Divide Highway (County Road SM107); north on County Road SM107 to the junction of U.S. Forest Service Road 21S50 (near Quaking Aspen Campground); north on U.S. Forest Service Road 21S50 to the junction of U.S. Forest Service Road 20S79; northeast on U.S. Forest Service Road 20S79 to the junction of U.S. Forest Service Road 20S53; northeast on U.S. Forest Service Road 20S53 to the Golden Trout Wilderness boundary (at Lewis Camp Trail Head); east on the Golden Trout Wilderness Boundary to Rattlesnake Creek; southeast on Rattlesnake Creek to U.S. Forest Service Road 22S05; south on U.S. Forest Service Road 22S05 to the Dome Land Wilderness Boundary; southwest on the Dome Land Wilderness Boundary to the intersection of the South Fork of the Kern River; south along the South Fork of the Kern River to the intersection of County Road 521; west on County Road 521 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 51.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, quotas and hunter success: CDFW California Deer Harvest Statistics (2020 to 2025).
- 2026 dates and tags: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons; rules and boundary: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations.
- Public land: California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a. Hunt boundaries: CDFW additional deer hunts (BIOS ds3241); CDFW archery deer hunts (BIOS ds3242, Title 14 Section 361).
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from CDFW, CPAD and the Census Bureau, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.