Deer Zone B1: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone B1 covers 6,187 square miles of Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Siskiyou and Trinity counties. 43.4% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (1,590,042 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 3,992 deer in Zone B1 in 2025 (3,990 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 32.5% for the B zones. The 2026 general season runs September 19 to October 25.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: CDFW's deer harvest reports, 2020 to 2025. Seasons and quotas: CDFW's approved 2026 seasons and the 2026-2027 regulations. Land: CPAD 2026a.
National forestBLMCDFW landNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceState parkOther state or federal landZone B1Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 1, Northern Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Siskiyou and Trinity |
| Size | 3,959,668 acres (6,187 square miles) |
| Public land | 43.4% (1,717,233 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 35,000 (all B zones) |
| Archery season, 2026 | August 15 to September 6 |
| General season, 2026 | September 19 to October 25 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better, per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 3,992 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 32.5% (CDFW), B zones |
| Towns in and near it | Eureka, Arcata, Fortuna, Willits and Rio Dell |
How many deer are taken in Zone B1?
CDFW estimates 3,992 deer were taken in Zone B1 in 2025, up from 2,941 in 2024. Hunters reported 2,366 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 40.7% of tag holders who did not report. CDFW's tag quota and hunter success for Zone B1 are for the B zones together, because one B tag is good in any of them.
| Year | Tag quota | Tags issued | Bucks reported | Does reported | Deer taken (CDFW estimate) | Hunter success (CDFW) | Tag holders who did not report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35,000 | not printed | 2,365 | 0 | 3,992 | 32.5% | 40.7% |
| 2024 | 35,000 | not printed | 1,930 | 0 | 2,941 | 23.8% | 34.3% |
| 2023 | 35,000 | not printed | 1,846 | 0 | 2,576 | 21.9% | 28.3% |
| 2022 | 35,000 | 34,998 | 1,765 | 0 | 2,471 | 19.6% | 28.5% |
| 2021 | 35,000 | 34,986 | 2,208 | 0 | 3,071 | 22.1% | 28% |
| 2020 | 35,000 | 34,982 | 1,107 | 0 | 1,497 | 13.7% | 25.9% |
Source: CDFW California Deer Harvest Statistics (2020 to 2025), Table 1. CDFW's hunter success is its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. Harvest on Private Lands Management and Section 554 landowner programs is not included.
What size are the bucks taken in Zone B1?
Of the 2,365 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 619 (26.2%) had 4 points or more and 942 had 3 points. CDFW counts antler points on one side.
| Year | Spike | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points or more | Bucks with points recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 (0%) | 804 (34%) | 942 (39.8%) | 521 (22%) | 98 (4.1%) | 2,365 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 727 (37.7%) | 718 (37.2%) | 422 (21.9%) | 63 (3.3%) | 1,930 |
| 2023 | 1 (0.1%) | 677 (36.7%) | 705 (38.2%) | 404 (21.9%) | 59 (3.2%) | 1,846 |
Source: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 2 (reported deer kill by antler class), and the two years before it. Shares are of the bucks reported with points recorded.
When is deer season in Zone B1 in 2026?
Archery only: August 15 to September 6. General season: September 19 to October 25, 2026. B zone tags are valid during the archery or general season in any B zone. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone B-1 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone B1 in 2026; M-11 uses the zone's own boundary:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-11 | Northwestern California Muzzleloading Rifle Buck Hunt | November 14 to 29 | 20 | 14 | 70% |
| A-30 | Covelo Archery Buck Hunt | November 14 to 29 | 40 | 12 | 32.4% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone B1.
Deer taken in Zone B1 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt A-30: 8 and hunt M-11: 12.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 40 (Title 14, Section 360). CDFW can change a season: check CDFW's deer zone page before you go.
How much public land is in Zone B1?
43.4% of Zone B1 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 1,717,233 of its 3,959,668 acres. The largest pieces are Six Rivers National Forest (810,449 acres), Klamath National Forest (325,804 acres), Mendocino National Forest (321,669 acres) and Shasta-Trinity National Forest (70,068 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone B1 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 1,590,042 | 40.2% |
| BLM | 102,342 | 2.6% |
| National Park Service | 77,907 | 2% |
| State park | 74,762 | 1.9% |
| CDFW land | 24,849 | 0.6% |
| Other state or federal land | 15,692 | 0.4% |
| National wildlife refuge | 2,728 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside CDFW's zone 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 in Zone B1: Headwaters Forest Ecological Reserve (7,588 acres here), Lake Earl Wildlife Area (5,977 acres here), Eel River Wildlife Area (1,908 acres here), Big Lagoon Wildlife Area (1,458 acres here), South Spit Wildlife Area (558 acres here), Mad River Slough Wildlife Area (556 acres here), Fay Slough Wildlife Area (477 acres here), Elk River Wildlife Area (100 acres here) and Waukell Creek Wildlife Area (27 acres here).
Which elk and pronghorn zones overlap Zone B1?
Elk zones: Northwestern elk zone (2,227,703 acres inside Zone B1), Mendocino elk zone (756,515 acres inside Zone B1), Marble Mountains elk zone (433,816 acres inside Zone B1) and Lake Pillsbury elk zone (131,040 acres inside Zone B1). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone B1?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: US 101, CA 36, CA 299, US 199, CA 96 and CA 162. 47 Census places are inside it, among them Eureka, Arcata, Fortuna, Crescent City, Blue Lake and Trinidad. Nearby: Willits (on the line), Rio Dell (on the line), Ferndale (3 miles) and Ukiah (17 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone B1?
Zone B1 touches 6 other deer zones. Their size, public land and CDFW's 2025 numbers:
| Zone | Square miles | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A | 35,615 | 11.8% | 9,184 | 34.2% |
| Zone B2 | 3,842 | 74.2% | 3,565 | 32.5% |
| Zone B3 | 1,056 | 41.2% | 1,222 | 32.5% |
| Zone B4 | 934 | 13.3% | 296 | 32.5% |
| Zone B5 | 2,054 | 21% | 1,309 | 32.5% |
| Zone B6 | 2,137 | 62.3% | 955 | 32.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone B1?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 35,000, shared by the B zones: B zone tags are valid during the archery or general season in any B zone. In 2025 the quota was 35,000 and CDFW estimates 3,992 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone B1?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 32.5% for the B zones as a group. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 23.8%.
When does deer season open in Zone B1 in 2026?
Archery season runs August 15 to September 6, 2026, and the general season September 19 to October 25. CDFW's rule: The season in Zone B-1 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone B1?
43.4% of Zone B1, 1,717,233 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Six Rivers National Forest (810,449 acres), Klamath National Forest (325,804 acres), Mendocino National Forest (321,669 acres) and Shasta-Trinity National Forest (70,068 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone B1?
Headwaters Forest Ecological Reserve (7,588 acres here), Lake Earl Wildlife Area (5,977 acres here), Eel River Wildlife Area (1,908 acres here), Big Lagoon Wildlife Area (1,458 acres here) and South Spit Wildlife Area (558 acres here), and 4 more, by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone B1
In the County of Del Norte and those portions of Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Siskiyou and Trinity counties within a line: Beginning at the California-Oregon state line and the Pacific Ocean; east along the state line to the point where Cook-Green Pass Road (Forest Service Road 48N20) intersects the California-Oregon state line; south on the Cook-Green Pass Road to Highway 96 near Seiad Valley; west and south along Highway 96 to Highway 299 at Willow Creek; southeast along Highway 299 to the South Fork of the Trinity River; southeast along the South Fork of the Trinity River to the boundary of the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness Area; southwest along the boundary of the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness Area to the Four Corners Rock-Washington Rock Trail; south and east on the Four Corners Rock-Washington Rock Trail to the North Fork of Middle Fork Eel River; south on the North Fork of Middle Fork Eel River to Middle Fork Eel River; east on Middle Fork Eel River to confluence with Balm of Gilead Creek; north and east on Balm of Gilead Creek to confluence with Minnie Creek; east and south on Minnie Creek to Soldier Ridge Trail; north on Soldier Ridge Trail to Summit Trail; south on Summit Trail to Green Springs Trail head at Pacific Crest Road (U.S. Forest Service Road M-2); south on the Mendocino Pass Road to the intersection of Forest Highway 7; west on Forest Highway 7 to the Middle Fork of the Eel River near Eel River Work Center; southwest on the Middle Fork of the Eel River to the Black Butte River; Black Butte River to the Glenn-Mendocino county line; south along the Glenn-Mendocino and Lake-Mendocino county lines to the northern boundary of State Game Refuge 2-A; east and south along the northern and eastern boundaries of State Game Refuge 2-A to the Glenn-Lake near Sheetiron Mountain; south along the Glenn-Lake and Colusa-Lake county lines to Forest Service Road 17N16; west on Forest Service Road 17N16 to Forest Service Road M-10; west on Forest Service Road M-10 to the Rice Fork of the Eel River; northwest along the Rice Fork of the Eel River and the shore of Lake Pillsbury to the Main Eel River at Scott Dam; west and north along the Main Eel River to the Hearst-Willits Road; southwest on the Hearst-Willits Road to Commercial Avenue; west on Commercial Avenue to Highway 101; north on Highway 101 to Highway 1 at Leggett; west on Highway 1 to its intersection with the South Fork of the Eel River; north and west along the South Fork of the Eel River to the main Eel River; west and north along the main Eel River to mouth of the Eel River and north along the Pacific coastline to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 40, Title 14, Section 360.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, quotas, hunter success and antler classes: CDFW California Deer Harvest Statistics (2020 to 2025).
- 2026 seasons and quotas: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons; boundary, bag limit and season rule: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations.
- Public land: California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a. Zone boundary: CDFW deer hunt zones (BIOS ds342, Title 14 Section 360).
- 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.
California hunting CDFW Region 1 Zone A Zone B2 Zone B3 Zone B4 Zone B5 Zone B6