Deer Zone D19: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone D19 covers 2,693 square miles of Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties. 23.2% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (203,038 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 156 deer in Zone D19 in 2025 (156 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 10.4%. The 2026 general season runs October 3 to November 1.
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 D19Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 6, Inland Deserts Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Imperial, Riverside and San Diego |
| Size | 1,723,721 acres (2,693 square miles) |
| Public land | 23.2% (399,277 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 1,500 |
| Archery season, 2026 | September 5 to 27 |
| General season, 2026 | October 3 to November 1 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better, per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 156 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 10.4% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Palm Springs, La Quinta, Indio, Brawley and San Jacinto |
How many deer are taken in Zone D19?
CDFW estimates 156 deer were taken in Zone D19 in 2025, up from 154 in 2024. Hunters reported 87 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 44.4% 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 | 1,500 | not printed | 87 | 0 | 156 | 10.4% | 44.4% |
| 2024 | 1,500 | not printed | 97 | 0 | 154 | 10.3% | 37% |
| 2023 | 1,500 | not printed | 99 | 0 | 137 | 9.1% | 28.2% |
| 2022 | 1,500 | 1,500 | 91 | 0 | 131 | 8.7% | 30.1% |
| 2021 | 1,500 | 1,499 | 91 | 0 | 120 | 8% | 24.5% |
| 2020 | 1,500 | 1,499 | 108 | 0 | 146 | 9.7% | 26.5% |
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 D19?
Of the 87 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 6 (6.9%) had 4 points or more and 30 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%) | 51 (58.6%) | 30 (34.5%) | 6 (6.9%) | 0 (0%) | 87 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 58 (59.8%) | 30 (30.9%) | 8 (8.2%) | 1 (1%) | 97 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 59 (59.6%) | 30 (30.3%) | 9 (9.1%) | 1 (1%) | 99 |
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 D19 in 2026?
Archery only: September 5 to 27. General season: October 3 to November 1, 2026. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in D-19 shall open the first Saturday in October and extend for 30 consecutive days.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone D19 in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-14 | Riverside Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt | November 21 to 29 | 30 | 14 | 46.7% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone D19.
Deer taken in Zone D19 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt J-14: 10.
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 D19?
23.2% of Zone D19 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 399,277 of its 1,723,721 acres. The largest pieces are San Bernardino National Forest (203,034 acres) and Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (29,684 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone D19 |
|---|---|---|
| State park | 410,832 | 23.8% |
| National forest | 203,038 | 11.8% |
| CDFW land | 111,658 | 6.5% |
| Other state or federal land | 92,770 | 5.4% |
| BLM | 84,581 | 4.9% |
| National wildlife refuge | 32,489 | 1.9% |
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 D19: Santa Rosa Wildlife Area (117,197 acres here), San Jacinto Wildlife Area (8,408 acres here), Imperial Wildlife Area (6,565 acres here), Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve (3,809 acres here), Peninsular Ranges Ecological Reserve (3,347 acres here), Carrizo Canyon Ecological Reserve (1,655 acres here) and San Felipe Valley Wildlife Area (24 acres here).
How do you get to Zone D19?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 86, CA 78, CA 111, CA 74, I-10 and CA 243. 27 Census places are inside it, among them Palm Springs, La Quinta, Indio, Beaumont, Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. Nearby: Brawley (on the line), San Jacinto (on the line), Hemet (on the line) and Banning (on the line).
Which deer zones border Zone D19?
Zone D19 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 D12 | 8,333 | 52.3% | 121 | 12.8% |
| Zone D14 | 1,704 | 53.4% | 503 | 16.8% |
| Zone D15 | 3,257 | 7.9% | 109 | 14.8% |
| Zone D16 | 4,481 | 30.2% | 322 | 10.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone D19?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 1,500. In 2025 the quota was 1,500 and CDFW estimates 156 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone D19?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 10.4%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 10.3%.
When does deer season open in Zone D19 in 2026?
Archery season runs September 5 to 27, 2026, and the general season October 3 to November 1. CDFW's rule: The season in D-19 shall open the first Saturday in October and extend for 30 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone D19?
23.2% of Zone D19, 399,277 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: San Bernardino National Forest (203,034 acres) and Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (29,684 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone D19?
Santa Rosa Wildlife Area (117,197 acres here), San Jacinto Wildlife Area (8,408 acres here), Imperial Wildlife Area (6,565 acres here), Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve (3,809 acres here) and Peninsular Ranges Ecological Reserve (3,347 acres here), and 2 more, by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone D19
Those portions of Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties within a line beginning at the junction of Interstate 10 and Highway 79; south on Highway 79 to Hemet; south on County Road R-3 to Highway 79; south on Highway 79 to the Riverside-San Diego county line; east on the Riverside-San Diego county line to the Anza-Borrego State Park boundary; south on the Anza-Borrego State Park boundary to Highway 78; east on Highway 78 to Highway 111; north on Highway 111 to the junction of Interstate 10 in Indio; west on Interstate 10 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 6 Zone D12 Zone D14 Zone D15 Zone D16