Deer Zone C2: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone C2 covers 927 square miles of Shasta and Siskiyou counties. 48.9% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (290,057 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 455 deer in Zone C2 in 2025 (455 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 30.1% for the C 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 forestBLMState parkOther state or federal landZone C2Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 1, Northern Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Shasta and Siskiyou |
| Size | 592,989 acres (927 square miles) |
| Public land | 48.9% (290,167 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 8,150 (all C zones) |
| Archery, 2026 (hunt A-1) | 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 | 455 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 30.1% (CDFW), C zones |
| Towns in and near it | Dunsmuir, Castella, Mount Shasta and Shasta Lake |
How many deer are taken in Zone C2?
CDFW estimates 455 deer were taken in Zone C2 in 2025, up from 328 in 2024. Hunters reported 301 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 33.8% of tag holders who did not report. CDFW's tag quota and hunter success for Zone C2 are for the C zones together, because one C 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 | 8,150 | not printed | 301 | 0 | 455 | 30.1% | 33.8% |
| 2024 | 8,150 | not printed | 238 | 0 | 328 | 20.5% | 27.4% |
| 2023 | 8,150 | not printed | 223 | 0 | 278 | 22.1% | 19.7% |
| 2022 | 8,150 | 8,136 | 199 | 0 | 253 | 21.4% | 20.9% |
| 2021 | 8,150 | 8,085 | 291 | 0 | 369 | 20.7% | 21.1% |
| 2020 | 8,150 | 8,080 | 167 | 0 | 205 | 15.1% | 18.7% |
Source: CDFW California Deer Harvest Statistics (2020 to 2025), Table 1. CDFW's hunter success is its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. Harvest on Private Lands Management and Section 554 landowner programs is not included.
What size are the bucks taken in Zone C2?
Of the 301 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 80 (26.6%) had 4 points or more and 112 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%) | 109 (36.2%) | 112 (37.2%) | 67 (22.3%) | 13 (4.3%) | 301 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 95 (39.9%) | 91 (38.2%) | 39 (16.4%) | 13 (5.5%) | 238 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 106 (47.5%) | 80 (35.9%) | 31 (13.9%) | 6 (2.7%) | 223 |
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 C2 in 2026?
General season: September 19 to October 25, 2026. C zone tags are valid during the general season only in any C zone. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone C-2 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 6,504 hunters put the C zones first for 8,150 tags (7,335 by preference points, 815 by draw-by-choice). For archery hunt A-1: 504 first-choice applicants for 1,945 tags. Source: CDFW 2026 Big Game Drawing statistics.
Archery hunting in Zone C2 is CDFW hunt A-1, C Zones Archery Only Hunt: August 15 to September 6, 2026, 1,945 tags for the C zones together. In 2025 archers reported 39 deer taken in Zone C2 on that hunt.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 42 (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 C2?
48.9% of Zone C2 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 290,167 of its 592,989 acres. The largest pieces are Shasta-Trinity National Forest (277,184 acres) and Lassen National Forest (12,874 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone C2 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 290,057 | 48.9% |
| Other state or federal land | 2,927 | 0.5% |
| State park | 1,114 | 0.2% |
| BLM | 110 | 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 C2?
Elk zones: Northeastern elk zone (591,848 acres inside Zone C2). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone C2?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 89 and I-5. Towns inside: Dunsmuir and Castella. Nearby: Mount Shasta (2 miles), Shasta Lake (6 miles), Weed (10 miles) and Redding (13 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone C2?
Zone C2 touches 4 other deer zones. Their size, public land and CDFW's 2025 numbers:
| Zone | Square miles | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone B2 | 3,842 | 74.2% | 3,565 | 32.5% |
| Zone C3 | 1,313 | 17.4% | 585 | 30.1% |
| Zone X1 | 2,904 | 55.2% | 331 | 45.5% |
| Zone X4 | 1,115 | 61.9% | 173 | 37.3% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone C2?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 8,150, shared by the C zones: C zone tags are valid during the general season only in any C zone. In 2025 the quota was 8,150 and CDFW estimates 455 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone C2?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 30.1% for the C zones as a group. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 20.5%.
When does deer season open in Zone C2 in 2026?
The general season runs September 19 to October 25, 2026. Archery hunting here is a separate hunt, A-1, August 15 to September 6. CDFW's rule: The season in Zone C-2 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone C2?
48.9% of Zone C2, 290,167 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Shasta-Trinity National Forest (277,184 acres) and Lassen National Forest (12,874 acres).
CDFW's boundary of Zone C2
In those portions of Shasta and Siskiyou counties within a line beginning at the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 89 south of the town of Mt. Shasta; east and south on Highway 89 to the Pit River at Lake Britton; west and south along the Pit River to Interstate 5 at Shasta Lake; north on Interstate 5 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 42, 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 B2 Zone C3 Zone X1 Zone X4