Deer Zone B2: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone B2 covers 3,842 square miles of Humboldt, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity counties. 74.2% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (1,709,758 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 3,565 deer in Zone B2 in 2025 (3,565 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 Park ServiceState parkOther state or federal landZone B2Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 1, Northern Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Humboldt, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama and Trinity |
| Size | 2,458,771 acres (3,842 square miles) |
| Public land | 74.2% (1,823,580 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 | 3,565 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 32.5% (CDFW), B zones |
| Towns in and near it | Shasta Lake, Weed, Hayfork, Dunsmuir and Mount Shasta |
How many deer are taken in Zone B2?
CDFW estimates 3,565 deer were taken in Zone B2 in 2025, up from 2,463 in 2024. Hunters reported 2,113 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 B2 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 | 2,113 | 0 | 3,565 | 32.5% | 40.7% |
| 2024 | 35,000 | not printed | 1,617 | 0 | 2,463 | 23.8% | 34.3% |
| 2023 | 35,000 | not printed | 1,725 | 0 | 2,409 | 21.9% | 28.3% |
| 2022 | 35,000 | 34,998 | 1,445 | 0 | 2,023 | 19.6% | 28.5% |
| 2021 | 35,000 | 34,986 | 1,498 | 0 | 2,087 | 22.1% | 28% |
| 2020 | 35,000 | 34,982 | 1,122 | 0 | 1,517 | 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 B2?
Of the 2,113 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 487 (23%) had 4 points or more and 757 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 | 1 (0%) | 868 (41.1%) | 757 (35.8%) | 398 (18.8%) | 89 (4.2%) | 2,113 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 721 (44.6%) | 509 (31.5%) | 334 (20.7%) | 53 (3.3%) | 1,617 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 780 (45.2%) | 570 (33%) | 320 (18.6%) | 55 (3.2%) | 1,725 |
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 B2 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-2 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone B2 in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-4 | Shasta-Trinity Apprentice Buck Hunt | November 28 to December 6 | 15 | 13 | 86.7% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone B2.
Deer taken in Zone B2 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt J-4: 8.
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 B2?
74.2% of Zone B2 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 1,823,580 of its 2,458,771 acres. The largest pieces are Shasta-Trinity National Forest (1,335,280 acres), Klamath National Forest (209,747 acres) and Six Rivers National Forest (164,731 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone B2 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 1,709,758 | 69.5% |
| BLM | 113,459 | 4.6% |
| Other state or federal land | 7,470 | 0.3% |
| National Park Service | 6,191 | 0.3% |
| State park | 2,693 | 0.1% |
| CDFW land | 363 | under 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 B2: Cantara-Ney Springs Wildlife Area (153 acres here).
Which elk and pronghorn zones overlap Zone B2?
Elk zones: Marble Mountains elk zone (2,335,111 acres inside Zone B2). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone B2?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 3, CA 299, CA 96, I-5, CA 36 and CA 151. 19 Census places are inside it, among them Shasta Lake, Weed, Hayfork, Douglas City, Junction City and Hyampom. Nearby: Dunsmuir (on the line), Mount Shasta (on the line), Redding (2 miles) and Etna (11 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone B2?
Zone B2 touches 7 other deer zones. Their size, public land and CDFW's 2025 numbers:
| Zone | Square miles | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone B1 | 6,187 | 43.4% | 3,992 | 32.5% |
| Zone B5 | 2,054 | 21% | 1,309 | 32.5% |
| Zone B6 | 2,137 | 62.3% | 955 | 32.5% |
| Zone C1 | 925 | 25.1% | 284 | 30.1% |
| Zone C2 | 927 | 48.9% | 455 | 30.1% |
| Zone C3 | 1,313 | 17.4% | 585 | 30.1% |
| Zone X1 | 2,904 | 55.2% | 331 | 45.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone B2?
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 3,565 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone B2?
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 B2 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-2 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone B2?
74.2% of Zone B2, 1,823,580 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Shasta-Trinity National Forest (1,335,280 acres), Klamath National Forest (209,747 acres) and Six Rivers National Forest (164,731 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone B2?
Cantara-Ney Springs Wildlife Area (153 acres here), by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone B2
In those portions of Humboldt, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity counties within a line beginning at the intersection of Interstate 5 and Highway 299 in Redding; west on Highway 299 to the Bully Choop Mountain Road at the Shasta-Trinity county line and Buckhorn Summit; south on the Bully Choop Mountain Road to a point where this road leaves the Shasta-Trinity county line at Mud Springs; southwest along the Shasta-Trinity county line to the Browns Creek-Harrison Gulch Road; south on the Browns Creek-Harrison Gulch Road to Highway 36; east on Highway 36 (200 yards) to Forest Service Arterial Road 41; south on Forest Service Arterial Road 41 to Stuart Gap at the Tehama-Trinity county line; south on the Tehama-Trinity county line to the north boundary of the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness Area; west and south on the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness boundary to the South Fork of the Trinity River; north and west along the South Fork of the Trinity River to Highway 299; west and north on Highway 299 to Highway 96 at Willow Creek; north on Highway 96 to the Cecilville-Salmon River Road (Forest Service Road 93) at Somes Bar; east along the Cecilville-Salmon River Road to Highway 3 at Callahan; east along Highway 3 to the Gazelle-Callahan Road (Forest Service Road 1219); east along the Gazelle-Callahan Road to Highway 99; north along Highway 99 to Louie Road; east along Louie Road to Interstate 5; south along Interstate 5 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 B1 Zone B5 Zone B6 Zone C1 Zone C2 Zone C3 Zone X1