Deer Zone D16: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone D16 covers 4,481 square miles of Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties. 30.2% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that BLM land (523,483 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 322 deer in Zone D16 in 2025 (322 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 10.7%. The 2026 general season runs October 24 to November 22.
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 refugeNational Park ServiceState parkOther state or federal landZone D16Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 5, South Coast Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Imperial, Riverside and San Diego |
| Size | 2,867,781 acres (4,481 square miles) |
| Public land | 30.2% (865,866 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 3,000 |
| Archery season, 2026 | September 5 to 27 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 22 |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 322 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 10.7% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Westmorland and Calexico |
How many deer are taken in Zone D16?
CDFW estimates 322 deer were taken in Zone D16 in 2025, up from 307 in 2024. Hunters reported 167 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 48.1% 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 | 3,000 | not printed | 167 | 0 | 322 | 10.7% | 48.1% |
| 2024 | 3,000 | not printed | 187 | 0 | 307 | 10.2% | 39.1% |
| 2023 | 3,000 | not printed | 181 | 0 | 235 | 7.8% | 23.2% |
| 2022 | 3,000 | 3,000 | 168 | 0 | 228 | 7.6% | 26.6% |
| 2021 | 3,000 | 3,001 | 197 | 0 | 256 | 8.5% | 23.3% |
| 2020 | 3,000 | 2,999 | 214 | 0 | 273 | 9.1% | 21.8% |
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 D16?
Of the 167 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 12 (7.2%) had 4 points or more and 68 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 (0.6%) | 86 (51.5%) | 68 (40.7%) | 8 (4.8%) | 4 (2.4%) | 167 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 118 (63.1%) | 56 (29.9%) | 11 (5.9%) | 2 (1.1%) | 187 |
| 2023 | 1 (0.6%) | 95 (52.5%) | 63 (34.8%) | 21 (11.6%) | 1 (0.6%) | 181 |
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 D16 in 2026?
Archery only: September 5 to 27. General season: October 24 to November 22, 2026.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone D16 in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-13 | San Diego Antlerless Deer Hunt | October 24 to November 15 | 300 | 45 | 15% |
| M-6 | San Diego Muzzleloading Rifle Either-Sex Deer Hunt | December 19 to 31 | 80 | 4 | 5% |
| A-22 | San Diego Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt (Split season) | September 5 to October 18; November 21 to December 31 | 1,000 | 52 | 5.2% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone D16.
Deer taken in Zone D16 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt A-22: 28, hunt G-13: 31 and hunt M-6: 3.
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 D16?
30.2% of Zone D16 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 865,866 of its 2,867,781 acres. The largest pieces are Cleveland National Forest (289,330 acres) and McCain Valley National Cooperative Land and Wildlife Management Area (75,969 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone D16 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 523,483 | 18.3% |
| State park | 340,478 | 11.9% |
| National forest | 289,330 | 10.1% |
| CDFW land | 53,053 | 1.8% |
| National wildlife refuge | 14,612 | 0.5% |
| Other state or federal land | 8,653 | 0.3% |
| National Park Service | 153 | 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 D16: San Felipe Valley Wildlife Area (17,757 acres here), Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve (7,039 acres here), Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area (6,848 acres here), Crestridge Ecological Reserve (2,756 acres here), Sycuan Peak Ecological Reserve (2,734 acres here), San Felipe Creek Ecological Reserve (1,996 acres here), Otay Mountain Ecological Reserve (1,242 acres here), Boden Canyon Ecological Reserve (1,211 acres here), San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve (726 acres here), Blue Sky Ecological Reserve (611 acres here), Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve (553 acres here) and Walker Canyon Ecological Reserve (512 acres here), and 7 smaller ones.
How do you get to Zone D16?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: I-8, CA 78, CA 79, CA 94, I-15 and I-5. 60 Census places are inside it, among them San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Poway, Carlsbad and Escondido. Nearby: Westmorland (on the line), Calexico (on the line), Temecula (on the line) and Murrieta (7 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone D16?
Zone D16 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 D12 | 8,333 | 52.3% | 121 | 12.8% |
| Zone D15 | 3,257 | 7.9% | 109 | 14.8% |
| Zone D19 | 2,693 | 23.2% | 156 | 10.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone D16?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 3,000. In 2025 the quota was 3,000 and CDFW estimates 322 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone D16?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 10.7%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 10.2%.
When does deer season open in Zone D16 in 2026?
Archery season runs September 5 to 27, 2026, and the general season October 24 to November 22.
How much public land is in Zone D16?
30.2% of Zone D16, 865,866 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Cleveland National Forest (289,330 acres) and McCain Valley National Cooperative Land and Wildlife Management Area (75,969 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone D16?
San Felipe Valley Wildlife Area (17,757 acres here), Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve (7,039 acres here), Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area (6,848 acres here), Crestridge Ecological Reserve (2,756 acres here) and Sycuan Peak Ecological Reserve (2,734 acres here), and 14 more, by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone D16
Those portions of Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties within the line beginning at the Pacific Ocean and Highway 76; east on Highway 76 to Interstate 15; north on Interstate 15 to Highway 79; east on Highway 79 to the San Diego-Riverside county line; east along the San Diego-Riverside county line to the Anza-Borrego State Park boundary; south along the Anza-Borrego State Park boundary to Highway 78; east on Highway 78 to Highway 111; south on Highway 111 to the U.S.-Mexican border;
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.