Deer hunt J-4: Shasta-Trinity Apprentice Buck Hunt
Hunt J-4, CDFW's Shasta-Trinity Apprentice Buck Hunt, is an apprentice hunt on 323,752 acres of Shasta and Trinity counties, inside deer Zone B2. The 2026 season runs November 28 to December 6 with 15 tags. CDFW estimates 13 deer were taken on this hunt in 2025, with 86.7% 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 landNational Park ServiceOther state or federal landHunt J-4Deer zone linesLake or riverHighway
| Hunt J-4, 2026 | Shasta-Trinity Apprentice Buck Hunt: November 28 to December 6, 15 tags |
|---|---|
| Counties | Shasta and Trinity |
| Size | 323,752 acres |
| Public land | 58.5% (189,331 acres) |
| Deer zone | Zone B2 |
| Hunt J-4, 2025 | 13 deer, 86.7% hunter success (CDFW) |
How many deer are taken on hunt J-4?
CDFW estimates 13 deer were taken on hunt J-4 in 2025: 13 bucks and 0 does. Hunters reported 8; 40% of tag holders did not report.
| Year | Tag quota | Bucks reported | Does reported | Deer taken (CDFW estimate) | Hunter success (CDFW) | Did not report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 86.7% | 40% |
| 2024 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 15 | 100% | 13.3% |
| 2023 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 86.7% | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 80% | 13.3% |
| 2021 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 85.7% | 14.3% |
| 2020 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 86.7% | 13.3% |
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 J-4?
Of the 8 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in the latest year, 7 had 4 points or more.
| Hunt and year | Spike | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points or more | Does reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-4, 2025 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
Source: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 2 (reported deer kill by antler class).
What are CDFW's rules for hunt J-4?
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 437 hunters put hunt J-4 first for 15 tags (8 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: 15.
Season: The season for additional hunt J-4 (Shasta-Trinity Apprentice Buck Hunt) shall open on the fourth Saturday in November and extend for nine 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.
Source: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 56, Title 14, Sections 360 and 361; dates and quotas: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons.
How much public land is in hunt J-4?
58.5% of the ground is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 189,331 of 323,752 acres. The largest piece: Shasta-Trinity National Forest (122,193 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the hunt area |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 122,193 | 37.7% |
| BLM | 66,994 | 20.7% |
| National Park Service | 6,133 | 1.9% |
| Other state or federal land | 4,015 | 1.2% |
| CDFW land | 144 | under 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.
How do you get to hunt J-4?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 3 and CA 299. Towns inside: Lewiston, French Gulch and Lakehead. Nearby: Trinity Center (on the line), Shasta Lake (3 miles), Redding (5 miles) and Anderson (14 miles).
Deer zones the ground lies in: Zone B2 (323,674 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many tags are there for hunt J-4?
CDFW's 2026 quota is 15 tags. In 2025 the quota was 15. Only junior license holders may apply for an apprentice hunt.
What is the success rate on hunt J-4?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 86.7%: an estimated 13 deer on the tags issued. In 2024 it was 100% (15 deer).
When is hunt J-4 in 2026?
November 28 to December 6, by CDFW's approved 2026 seasons. CDFW's rule: The season for additional hunt J-4 (Shasta-Trinity Apprentice Buck Hunt) shall open on the fourth Saturday in November and extend for nine consecutive days.
Where is hunt J-4?
In Shasta and Trinity counties, inside deer Zone B2. Towns in and near the ground: Lewiston, French Gulch, Lakehead, Shasta Lake and Redding.
CDFW's boundary of hunt J-4
In those portions of Shasta and Trinity counties beginning at the junction of Highway 3 and Highway 299 in Weaverville; north on Highway 3 to the East Side Road at the north end of Trinity Lake; east on the East Side Road to Dog Creek Road; east on Dog Creek Road to Interstate 5 at Vollmers; south on Interstate 5 to Shasta Lake; south along the west shore of Shasta Lake to Shasta Dam; south along Shasta Dam along the Sacramento River to Keswick Dam Road; west on Keswick Dam Road to Rock Creek Road; south on Rock Creek Road to Highway 299; west on Highway 299 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 56.
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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.