Deer hunt J-18: Pacific-Grizzly Flat Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt
Hunt J-18, CDFW's Pacific-Grizzly Flat Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt, is an apprentice hunt on 1,883,750 acres of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, inside deer Zone D5. The 2026 season runs September 26 to November 1 with 75 tags. CDFW estimates 28 deer were taken on this hunt in 2025, with 37.3% 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 landState parkOther state or federal landHunt J-18Deer zone linesLake or riverHighway
| Hunt J-18, 2026 | Pacific-Grizzly Flat Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt: September 26 to November 1, 75 tags |
|---|---|
| Counties | El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Stanislaus |
| Size | 1,883,750 acres |
| Public land | 26.7% (503,234 acres) |
| Deer zone | Zone D5 |
| Hunt J-18, 2025 | 28 deer, 37.3% hunter success (CDFW) |
How many deer are taken on hunt J-18?
CDFW estimates 28 deer were taken on hunt J-18 in 2025: 3 bucks and 25 does. Hunters reported 21; 25.3% of tag holders did not report.
| Year | Tag quota | Bucks reported | Does reported | Deer taken (CDFW estimate) | Hunter success (CDFW) | Did not report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 75 | 2 | 19 | 28 | 37.3% | 25.3% |
| 2024 | 75 | 4 | 21 | 28 | 37.3% | 9.3% |
| 2023 | 75 | 1 | 22 | 26 | 34.7% | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 75 | 3 | 27 | 33 | 45.2% | 11% |
| 2021 | 75 | 4 | 18 | 25 | 34.2% | 13.7% |
| 2020 | 75 | 6 | 16 | 24 | 32% | 10.7% |
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 J-18?
Of the 2 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-18, 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
Source: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 2 (reported deer kill by antler class).
What are CDFW's rules for hunt J-18?
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 132 hunters put hunt J-18 first for 75 tags (38 by preference points). Source: CDFW 2026 Big Game Drawing statistics.
Bag limit: One either-sex deer (see subsection 351(c)) per tag. Tags in the regulations: 75.
Season: The season for additional hunt J-18 (Pacific-Grizzly Flat Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt) shall be concurrent with the zone D-5 general season as defined in subsection 360(a)(4)(B).
- 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.
Source: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 58, Title 14, Sections 360 and 361; dates and quotas: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons.
How much public land is in hunt J-18?
26.7% of the ground is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 503,234 of 1,883,750 acres. The largest pieces: Eldorado National Forest (430,952 acres) and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (42,186 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the hunt area |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 473,579 | 25.1% |
| State park | 29,618 | 1.6% |
| BLM | 26,057 | 1.4% |
| CDFW land | 3,598 | 0.2% |
| Other state or federal land | 1,650 | 0.1% |
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: Cosumnes River Ecological Reserve (730 acres) and Pine Hill Ecological Reserve (670 acres).
How do you get to hunt J-18?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: US 50, CA 99, CA 49, CA 16, CA 193 and CA 12. Towns inside: Sacramento, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Galt and Placerville. Nearby: South Lake Tahoe (on the line), Ripon (on the line), Riverbank (on the line) and Auburn (on the line).
Deer zones the ground lies in: Zone D5 (1,883,750 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many tags are there for hunt J-18?
CDFW's 2026 quota is 75 tags. In 2025 the quota was 75. Only junior license holders may apply for an apprentice hunt.
What is the success rate on hunt J-18?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 37.3%: an estimated 28 deer on the tags issued. In 2024 it was 37.3% (28 deer).
When is hunt J-18 in 2026?
September 26 to November 1, by CDFW's approved 2026 seasons. CDFW's rule: The season for additional hunt J-18 (Pacific-Grizzly Flat Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt) shall be concurrent with the zone D-5 general season as defined in subsection 360(a)(4)(B).
Where is hunt J-18?
In El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, inside deer Zone D5. Towns in and near the ground: Sacramento, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, South Lake Tahoe and Ripon.
CDFW's boundary of hunt J-18
Excluding Alpine, Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, in those portions of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties within the area described as zone D-5 (see subsection 360(a)(4)(A)3).
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 58.
Get a California hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for California are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, California included.
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.