Lake Sonoma deer hunts J-1 and A-25
CDFW holds 2 deer hunts on the same 5,227 acres of Sonoma County, inside deer Zone A: J-1, Lake Sonoma Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt (November 7 to 8, 25 tags) and A-25, Lake Sonoma Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt (October 3 to 26, 35 tags). CDFW estimates 16 deer were taken on them in 2025: 9 on J-1 (36% success) and 7 on A-25 (22.6% 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.
CDFW landOther state or federal landLake SonomaDeer zone linesLake or riverHighway
| Hunt J-1, 2026 | Lake Sonoma Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt: November 7 to 8, 25 tags |
|---|---|
| Hunt A-25, 2026 | Lake Sonoma Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt: October 3 to 26, 35 tags |
| Counties | Sonoma |
| Size | 5,227 acres |
| Public land | 86.8% (4,536 acres) |
| Deer zone | Zone A |
| Hunt J-1, 2025 | 9 deer, 36% hunter success (CDFW) |
| Hunt A-25, 2025 | 7 deer, 22.6% hunter success (CDFW) |
How many deer are taken on the Lake Sonoma deer hunts?
CDFW's estimates for each hunt, 2020 to 2025. In 2025: J-1 9 deer (8 bucks, 2 does) and A-25 7 deer (5 bucks, 2 does).
| Hunt | Year | Tag quota | Bucks reported | Does reported | Deer taken (CDFW estimate) | Hunter success (CDFW) | Did not report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-1 | 2025 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 36% | 36% |
| J-1 | 2024 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 24% | 12% |
| J-1 | 2023 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 36% | 16% |
| J-1 | 2022 | 25 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 24% | 28% |
| J-1 | 2021 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.2% | 16.7% |
| J-1 | 2020 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 25% | 37.5% |
| A-25 | 2025 | 35 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 22.6% | 38.7% |
| A-25 | 2024 | 35 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 15.6% | 25% |
| A-25 | 2023 | 35 | 9 | 3 | 13 | 38.2% | 11.8% |
| A-25 | 2022 | 35 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6.1% | 12.1% |
| A-25 | 2021 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9.7% | 16.1% |
| A-25 | 2020 | 35 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 21.2% | 6.1% |
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 the Lake Sonoma deer hunts?
Of the 7 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in the latest year, 0 had 4 points or more.
| Hunt and year | Spike | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points or more | Does reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-1, 2025 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A-25, 2025 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Source: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 2 (reported deer kill by antler class).
What are CDFW's rules for the Lake Sonoma deer hunts?
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 76 hunters put hunt J-1 first for 25 tags (13 by preference points) and 106 hunters put hunt A-25 first for 35 tags (32 by preference points). Source: CDFW 2026 Big Game Drawing statistics.
J-1, Lake Sonoma Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt
Bag limit: One either-sex deer (see subsection 351(c)) per tag. Tags in the regulations: 25.
Season: The season for additional hunt J-1 (Lake Sonoma Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt) shall open on the first Saturday in November and extend for two consecutive days.
- 1. Only junior license holders shall apply (see subsection 708.2). 2. Tagholders shall be accompanied by an adult chaperon 18 years of age or older while hunting. 3. Tagholders shall attend an orientation meeting the day before the opening day of the season. 4. The use of dogs is prohibited. 5. Boats are required for all areas west of Cherry Creek (2/3 of the hunt area). Only cartop boats are allowed to launch from the Yorty Creek access.
A-25, Lake Sonoma Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt
Bag limit: One either-sex deer (see subsection 351(c)) per tag. Tags in the regulations: 35.
Season: The season for hunt A-25 (Lake Sonoma Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt) shall be open on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays only, beginning on the first Saturday in October and extending for 24 consecutive days.
- 1. The use of dogs is prohibited. 2. Boats are required for all areas west of Cherry Creek (some 2/3 0f the hunt area). Only cartop boats are allowed to launch from the Yorty Creek access.
Source: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 55, Title 14, Sections 360 and 361; dates and quotas: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons.
How much public land is in the Lake Sonoma deer hunts?
86.8% of the ground is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 4,536 of 5,227 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the hunt area |
|---|---|---|
| CDFW land | 4,536 | 86.8% |
| Other state or federal land | 426 | 8.1% |
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: Lake Sonoma Wildlife Area (5,047 acres).
How do you get to the Lake Sonoma deer hunts?
No numbered highway crosses it. Nearby: Cloverdale (2 miles), Geyserville (9 miles), Healdsburg (14 miles) and Lakeport (18 miles).
Deer zones the ground lies in: Zone A (5,227 acres).
Questions hunters ask
Which deer hunts are held on the Lake Sonoma ground?
J-1 (Lake Sonoma Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt) and A-25 (Lake Sonoma Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt), by CDFW's 2026 regulations. All 2 use the same boundary.
How many tags are there for the Lake Sonoma hunts?
J-1: 25 and A-25: 35 in 2026. Only junior license holders may apply for an apprentice hunt.
What is the success rate on the Lake Sonoma hunts?
CDFW's 2025 hunter success: J-1 36% (9 deer) and A-25 22.6% (7 deer). CDFW works it out as its estimated kill divided by tags issued.
When are the Lake Sonoma hunts in 2026?
J-1: November 7 to 8 and A-25: October 3 to 26, by CDFW's approved 2026 seasons.
Where are the Lake Sonoma hunts?
In Sonoma County, inside deer Zone A. Towns in and near the ground: Cloverdale and Healdsburg.
CDFW's boundary of the Lake Sonoma hunts
That portion of Sonoma County within the boundaries of the Lake Sonoma Area, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) property described as follows: Beginning at the intersection of Hot Springs Road and the COE boundary; east and south along the boundary line to the intersection with Brush Creek; west along the north bank of Brush Creek (shoreline) to the Dry Creek arm of Lake Sonoma; south along the shoreline of the Dry Creek arm to Smittle Creek; north along the COE property line to Dry Creek; east along the COE boundary across Cherry Creek, Skunk Creek, and Yorty Creek to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 55, hunt J-1.
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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.