Deer Zone D13: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone D13 covers 1,305 square miles of Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. 60.4% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (486,733 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 372 deer in Zone D13 in 2025 (372 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 13.7%. The 2026 general season runs October 10 to November 8.
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 refugeState parkZone D13Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 5, South Coast Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura |
| Size | 835,276 acres (1,305 square miles) |
| Public land | 60.4% (504,638 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 4,000 |
| Archery season, 2026 | September 5 to 27 |
| General season, 2026 | October 10 to November 8 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 372 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 13.7% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Fillmore, Maricopa, Pine Mountain Club, Taft and Santa Clarita |
How many deer are taken in Zone D13?
CDFW estimates 372 deer were taken in Zone D13 in 2025, up from 254 in 2024. Hunters reported 203 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 45.4% of tag holders who did not report.
| Year | Tag quota | Tags issued | Bucks reported | Does reported | Deer taken (CDFW estimate) | Hunter success (CDFW) | Tag holders who did not report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,000 | not printed | 203 | 0 | 372 | 13.7% | 45.4% |
| 2024 | 4,000 | not printed | 145 | 0 | 254 | 8.6% | 42.9% |
| 2023 | 4,000 | not printed | 148 | 0 | 227 | 7.1% | 35% |
| 2022 | 4,000 | 3,360 | 217 | 0 | 330 | 9.8% | 34% |
| 2021 | 4,000 | 3,709 | 256 | 0 | 383 | 10.3% | 32.9% |
| 2020 | 4,000 | 3,533 | 264 | 0 | 379 | 10.7% | 30.5% |
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 D13?
Of the 203 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 15 (7.4%) had 4 points or more and 36 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%) | 152 (74.9%) | 36 (17.7%) | 14 (6.9%) | 1 (0.5%) | 203 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 99 (68.3%) | 32 (22.1%) | 13 (9%) | 1 (0.7%) | 145 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 97 (65.5%) | 38 (25.7%) | 13 (8.8%) | 0 (0%) | 148 |
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 D13 in 2026?
Archery only: September 5 to 27. General season: October 10 to November 8, 2026. Also valid in zones in D-11 and D-15. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone D-16 shall open on the fourth Saturday in October and extend for 30 consecutive days.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone D13 in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-7 | Ventura Muzzleloading Rifle Either-Sex Deer Hunt | November 28 to December 13 | 150 | 17 | 11.3% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone D13.
Deer taken in Zone D13 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt M-7: 12.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 45 (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 D13?
60.4% of Zone D13 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 504,638 of its 835,276 acres. The largest pieces are Los Padres National Forest (469,425 acres) and Angeles National Forest (17,308 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone D13 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 486,733 | 58.3% |
| State park | 20,293 | 2.4% |
| BLM | 17,547 | 2.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 16,956 | 2% |
| CDFW land | 358 | 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.
How do you get to Zone D13?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 33, I-5, CA 126, CA 99 and CA 166. 10 Census places are inside it, among them Fillmore, Maricopa, Pine Mountain Club, Lebec, Castaic and Hasley Canyon. Nearby: Taft (5 miles), Santa Clarita (6 miles), Ojai (7 miles) and Moorpark (7 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone D13?
Zone D13 touches 3 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 D10 | 1,379 | 2.4% | 241 | 36.9% |
| Zone D11 | 2,540 | 44.8% | 622 | 13.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone D13?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 4,000. In 2025 the quota was 4,000 and CDFW estimates 372 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone D13?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 13.7%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 8.6%.
When does deer season open in Zone D13 in 2026?
Archery season runs September 5 to 27, 2026, and the general season October 10 to November 8. CDFW's rule: The season in Zone D-16 shall open on the fourth Saturday in October and extend for 30 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone D13?
60.4% of Zone D13, 504,638 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Los Padres National Forest (469,425 acres) and Angeles National Forest (17,308 acres).
CDFW's boundary of Zone D13
In those portions of Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties within a line beginning at the intersection of Highways 99 and 166 at Mettler; south on Highway 99 and Interstate 5 to Highway 126; west on Highway 126 to the crossing of Sespe Creek; north and then west along Sespe Creek to Highway 33; north on Highway 33 to Highway 166; north and east on Highway 166 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 45, 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.