Deer Zone D15: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone D15 covers 3,257 square miles of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties. 7.9% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (135,364 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 109 deer in Zone D15 in 2025 (109 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 14.8%. 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 parkOther state or federal landZone D15Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 5, South Coast Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego |
| Size | 2,084,492 acres (3,257 square miles) |
| Public land | 7.9% (164,802 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 1,500 |
| 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 | 109 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 14.8% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Los Angeles, Riverside, Irvine, Calimesa and Redondo Beach |
How many deer are taken in Zone D15?
CDFW estimates 109 deer were taken in Zone D15 in 2025, up from 52 in 2024. Hunters reported 47 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 57% 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 | 1,500 | not printed | 47 | 0 | 109 | 14.8% | 57% |
| 2024 | 1,500 | not printed | 31 | 0 | 52 | 5.4% | 40.9% |
| 2023 | 1,500 | not printed | 30 | 0 | 42 | 4.6% | 29.8% |
| 2022 | 1,500 | 1,012 | 45 | 0 | 78 | 7.7% | 41.5% |
| 2021 | 1,500 | 1,025 | 41 | 1 | 59 | 5.8% | 29.3% |
| 2020 | 1,500 | 967 | 45 | 0 | 64 | 6.6% | 29.8% |
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 D15?
Of the 47 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 4 (8.5%) had 4 points or more and 8 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%) | 35 (74.5%) | 8 (17%) | 2 (4.3%) | 2 (4.3%) | 47 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 18 (58.1%) | 10 (32.3%) | 3 (9.7%) | 0 (0%) | 31 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 20 (66.7%) | 7 (23.3%) | 3 (10%) | 0 (0%) | 30 |
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 D15 in 2026?
Archery only: September 5 to 27. General season: October 10 to November 8, 2026. Also valid in zones D-11 and D-13. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone D-15 shall open on the second Saturday in October and extend for 30 consecutive days.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone D15 in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-10 | Camp Pendleton Either-Sex Deer Hunt (Military Only; Hunt Day Restrictions) | September 5 to November 29 | 250 | not in the report |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone D15.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 46 (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 D15?
7.9% of Zone D15 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 164,802 of its 2,084,492 acres. The largest piece is Cleveland National Forest (134,734 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone D15 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 135,364 | 6.5% |
| State park | 29,639 | 1.4% |
| CDFW land | 20,560 | 1% |
| BLM | 8,878 | 0.4% |
| Other state or federal land | 8,347 | 0.4% |
| National wildlife refuge | 966 | 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 D15: San Jacinto Wildlife Area (9,837 acres here), Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve (5,375 acres here), Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (1,326 acres here), Coal Canyon Ecological Reserve (927 acres here), Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve (758 acres here), French Valley Wildlife Area (671 acres here), Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve (556 acres here), Pilgrim Creek Ecological Reserve (171 acres here), Sycamore Canyon Ecological Reserve (128 acres here) and Laguna Laurel Ecological Reserve (79 acres here).
How do you get to Zone D15?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: I-5, CA 60, CA 91, I-15, CA 1 and I-405. 171 Census places are inside it, among them Los Angeles, Riverside, Irvine, Moreno Valley, Long Beach and Anaheim. Nearby: Calimesa (on the line), Redondo Beach (on the line), Santa Monica (on the line) and El Monte (on the line).
Which deer zones border Zone D15?
Zone D15 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 A | 35,615 | 11.8% | 9,184 | 34.2% |
| Zone D11 | 2,540 | 44.8% | 622 | 13.8% |
| Zone D14 | 1,704 | 53.4% | 503 | 16.8% |
| Zone D16 | 4,481 | 30.2% | 322 | 10.7% |
| Zone D19 | 2,693 | 23.2% | 156 | 10.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone D15?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 1,500. In 2025 the quota was 1,500 and CDFW estimates 109 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone D15?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 14.8%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 5.4%.
When does deer season open in Zone D15 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-15 shall open on the second Saturday in October and extend for 30 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone D15?
7.9% of Zone D15, 164,802 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest piece: Cleveland National Forest (134,734 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone D15?
San Jacinto Wildlife Area (9,837 acres here), Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve (5,375 acres here), Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (1,326 acres here), Coal Canyon Ecological Reserve (927 acres here) and Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve (758 acres here), and 5 more, by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone D15
Including Santa Catalina Island, those portions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties within a line beginning at the Pacific Ocean and Interstate 10 in Santa Monica; east on Interstate 10 to Highway 79 at Beaumont; south on Highway 79 to Hemet; south on County Road R-3 through Sage to Highway 79; west on Highway 79 to Interstate 15; south on Interstate 15 to Highway 76; west on Highway 76 to the Pacific Ocean; north along the shoreline to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 46, 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 5 Zone A Zone D11 Zone D14 Zone D16 Zone D19