Deer Zone B5: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone B5 covers 2,054 square miles of Glenn, Mendocino, Shasta, Tehama and Trinity counties. 21% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (236,803 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 1,309 deer in Zone B5 in 2025 (1,309 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 B5Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 1, Northern Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Glenn, Mendocino, Shasta, Tehama and Trinity |
| Size | 1,314,249 acres (2,054 square miles) |
| Public land | 21% (276,145 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 | 1,309 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 32.5% (CDFW), B zones |
| Towns in and near it | Redding, Red Bluff, Anderson, Corning and Orland |
How many deer are taken in Zone B5?
CDFW estimates 1,309 deer were taken in Zone B5 in 2025, up from 949 in 2024. Hunters reported 775 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 B5 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 | 775 | 0 | 1,309 | 32.5% | 40.7% |
| 2024 | 35,000 | not printed | 622 | 0 | 949 | 23.8% | 34.3% |
| 2023 | 35,000 | not printed | 559 | 0 | 781 | 21.9% | 28.3% |
| 2022 | 35,000 | 34,998 | 453 | 0 | 636 | 19.6% | 28.5% |
| 2021 | 35,000 | 34,986 | 499 | 0 | 696 | 22.1% | 28% |
| 2020 | 35,000 | 34,982 | 299 | 0 | 406 | 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 B5?
Of the 775 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 166 (21.4%) had 4 points or more and 317 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%) | 292 (37.7%) | 317 (40.9%) | 149 (19.2%) | 17 (2.2%) | 775 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 287 (46.1%) | 231 (37.1%) | 85 (13.7%) | 19 (3.1%) | 622 |
| 2023 | 1 (0.2%) | 260 (46.5%) | 208 (37.2%) | 72 (12.9%) | 18 (3.2%) | 559 |
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 B5 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-5 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
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 B5?
21% of Zone B5 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 276,145 of its 1,314,249 acres. The largest pieces are Mendocino National Forest (142,115 acres) and Shasta-Trinity National Forest (93,999 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone B5 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 236,803 | 18% |
| BLM | 38,756 | 2.9% |
| National Park Service | 36,020 | 2.7% |
| Other state or federal land | 1,851 | 0.1% |
| CDFW land | 586 | under 0.1% |
| State park | 5 | 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.
Which elk and pronghorn zones overlap Zone B5?
Elk zones: Marble Mountains elk zone (443,231 acres inside Zone B5). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone B5?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 36, I-5, CA 273, CA 99, CA 299 and CA 32. 12 Census places are inside it, among them Redding, Red Bluff, Anderson, Happy Valley, Cottonwood and Rancho Tehama Reserve. Nearby: Corning (on the line), Orland (on the line), Tehama (4 miles) and Shasta Lake (5 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone B5?
Zone B5 touches 5 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 B2 | 3,842 | 74.2% | 3,565 | 32.5% |
| Zone B3 | 1,056 | 41.2% | 1,222 | 32.5% |
| Zone C3 | 1,313 | 17.4% | 585 | 30.1% |
| Zone C4 | 3,864 | 30.6% | 1,129 | 30.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone B5?
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 1,309 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone B5?
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 B5 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-5 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone B5?
21% of Zone B5, 276,145 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Mendocino National Forest (142,115 acres) and Shasta-Trinity National Forest (93,999 acres).
CDFW's boundary of Zone B5
In those portions of Glenn, Mendocino, Shasta, Tehama and Trinity counties within a line beginning at the intersection of Highway 299 and Interstate 5 in Redding; south along Interstate 5 to the Black Butte Lake-Newville Road near Orland; west and north on the Black Butte Lake-Newville Road to the Round Valley-Paskenta Road; west on the Round Valley-Paskenta Road to the Pacific Crest Road (U.S. Forest Service Road M-2) near Government Flat; north on the Pacific Crest Road to the Summit Trailhead at Green Springs; north along Summit Trail to Soldier Ridge Trail; south and west along Soldier Ridge Trail to Minnie Creek; north and west on Minnie Creek to Balm of Gilead Creek; west on Balm of Gilead Creek to the Middle Fork of the Eel River; west on the Middle Fork of the Eel River to the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Eel River; north on the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Eel River to the Four Corners Rock-Washington Rock Trail; north and west on the Four Corners Rock-Washington Rock Trail to the boundary of the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness Area; north along the boundary of the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness Area to the Tehama-Trinity county line; north on the Tehama-Trinity county line to Forest Service Arterial Road 41 at Stuart Gap; north on Forest Service Arterial Road 41 to Highway 36; west on Highway 36 (200 yards) to the Browns Creek-Harrison Gulch Road; north on the Browns Creek-Harrison Gulch Road to the Shasta-Trinity county line; northeast along the Shasta-Trinity county line to Mud Springs, where the Bully Choop Mountain Road joins the Shasta-Trinity county line; north on the Bully Choop Mountain Road to Highway 299 at Buckhorn Summit and the Shasta-Trinity county line; east on Highway 299 to Interstate 5 in Redding.
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 B2 Zone B3 Zone C3 Zone C4