Deer Zone D3: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone D3 covers 3,778 square miles of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Sutter and Yuba counties. 37.7% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (835,053 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 2,509 deer in Zone D3 in 2025 (2,506 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 19% for the D3-5 zones. The 2026 general season runs September 26 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 D3Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 2, North Central Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Sutter and Yuba |
| Size | 2,417,620 acres (3,778 square miles) |
| Public land | 37.7% (910,402 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 33,000 (all D3-5 zones) |
| Archery season, 2026 | August 15 to September 6 |
| General season, 2026 | September 26 to November 1 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better, per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 2,509 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 19% (CDFW), D3-5 zones |
| Towns in and near it | Oroville, Wheatland, Grass Valley, Colusa and Yuba City |
How many deer are taken in Zone D3?
CDFW estimates 2,509 deer were taken in Zone D3 in 2025, up from 2,036 in 2024. Hunters reported 1,434 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 42.8% of tag holders who did not report. CDFW's tag quota and hunter success for Zone D3 are for the D3-5 zones together, because one D3-5 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 | 33,000 | not printed | 1,434 | 0 | 2,509 | 19% | 42.8% |
| 2024 | 33,000 | not printed | 1,307 | 1 | 2,036 | 14.6% | 35.7% |
| 2023 | 33,000 | not printed | 1,194 | 0 | 1,643 | 12.1% | 27.3% |
| 2022 | 33,000 | 32,995 | 1,205 | 0 | 1,654 | 12% | 26.9% |
| 2021 | 33,000 | 32,997 | 1,411 | 1 | 1,916 | 14.3% | 26.3% |
| 2020 | 33,000 | 32,993 | 1,123 | 0 | 1,459 | 10.8% | 22.9% |
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 D3?
Of the 1,433 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 302 (21.1%) had 4 points or more and 471 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%) | 660 (46.1%) | 471 (32.9%) | 254 (17.7%) | 48 (3.3%) | 1,433 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 639 (48.9%) | 404 (30.9%) | 225 (17.2%) | 39 (3%) | 1,307 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 533 (44.6%) | 416 (34.8%) | 202 (16.9%) | 43 (3.6%) | 1,194 |
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 D3 in 2026?
Archery only: August 15 to September 6. General season: September 26 to November 1, 2026. D3-5 tags are valid during the archery or general season in zones D-3, D-4 or D-5. CDFW's rule for the season: The season for zones for D-3 through D-5 shall open on the fourth Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone D3 in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-16 | Bucks Mountain/Nevada City Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt | September 26 to November 1 | 75 | 35 | 46.7% |
| G-7 | Beale Either-Sex Deer Hunt (Military Only) | September 12 to November 29 | 20 | not in the report | |
| G-12 | Gray Lodge Shotgun Either-Sex Deer Hunt | September 19 to 27 | 30 | 8 | 27.6% |
| J-8 | Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area Apprentice Either-Sex Deer Hunt | December 5 to 31 | 15 | 8 | 53.3% |
| J-9 | Little Dry Creek Apprentice Shotgun Either-Sex Deer Hunt | September 19 to 27 | 5 | 4 | 80% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone D3.
Deer taken in Zone D3 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt G-12: 6, hunt J-8: 5 and hunt J-16: 27.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 43 (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 D3?
37.7% of Zone D3 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 910,402 of its 2,417,620 acres. The largest pieces are Plumas National Forest (478,541 acres), Tahoe National Forest (350,515 acres), Pines to Mines (3,484 acres) and Lassen National Forest (2,114 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone D3 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 835,053 | 34.5% |
| CDFW land | 51,401 | 2.1% |
| State park | 41,148 | 1.7% |
| BLM | 23,948 | 1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 19,096 | 0.8% |
| Other state or federal land | 10,503 | 0.4% |
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 D3: Spenceville Wildlife Area (11,728 acres here), Oroville Wildlife Area (10,192 acres here), Gray Lodge Wildlife Area (9,239 acres here), Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area (8,763 acres here), Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area (6,168 acres here), North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve (3,329 acres here), Sacramento River Wildlife Area (1,608 acres here) and Colusa Bypass Wildlife Area (1,358 acres here).
How do you get to Zone D3?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 70, CA 49, CA 20, CA 162, CA 45 and I-5. 58 Census places are inside it, among them Oroville, Wheatland, Grass Valley, Marysville, Live Oak and Willows. Nearby: Colusa (on the line), Yuba City (on the line), Williams (on the line) and Colfax (2 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone D3?
Zone D3 touches 6 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 B3 | 1,056 | 41.2% | 1,222 | 32.5% |
| Zone C4 | 3,864 | 30.6% | 1,129 | 30.1% |
| Zone D4 | 2,275 | 22.2% | 905 | 19% |
| Zone X6a | 1,234 | 48.7% | 247 | 77.2% |
| Zone X7a | 705 | 56.1% | 52 | 23.4% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone D3?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 33,000, shared by the D3-5 zones: D3-5 tags are valid during the archery or general season in zones D-3, D-4 or D-5. In 2025 the quota was 33,000 and CDFW estimates 2,509 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone D3?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 19% for the D3-5 zones as a group. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 14.6%.
When does deer season open in Zone D3 in 2026?
Archery season runs August 15 to September 6, 2026, and the general season September 26 to November 1. CDFW's rule: The season for zones for D-3 through D-5 shall open on the fourth Saturday in September and extend for 37 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone D3?
37.7% of Zone D3, 910,402 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Plumas National Forest (478,541 acres), Tahoe National Forest (350,515 acres), Pines to Mines (3,484 acres) and Lassen National Forest (2,114 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone D3?
Spenceville Wildlife Area (11,728 acres here), Oroville Wildlife Area (10,192 acres here), Gray Lodge Wildlife Area (9,239 acres here), Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area (8,763 acres here) and Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area (6,168 acres here), and 3 more, by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone D3
In those portions of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Sutter and Yuba counties within a line beginning at the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 162 at Willows; east on Highway 162 to Highway 70 at Oroville; northeast on Highway 70 to Highway 89; south on Highway 89 to the new Gold Lake Road (near Graeagle); south on the new Gold Lake Road to Highway 49 at Bassetts; east on Highway 49 to Yuba Pass; south on the Yuba Pass-Webber Lake Road (main haul road) through Bonta Saddle to the Jackson Meadows Highway (Fiberboard Road); west on the Jackson Meadows Highway for two miles to the White Rock Lake Road; south on the White Rock Lake Road to the new road to White Rock Lake (below Bear Valley); south and east on the new White Rock Lake Road to the Pacific Crest Trail (one mile west of White Rock Lake in section 21, T18N, R14E, M.D.B.M.); south and east on the Pacific Crest Trail to Interstate 80 near the Castle Peak-Boreal Ridge Summit; west on Interstate 80 to Highway 20; west on Highway 20 to the Bear River in Bear Valley; west along the Bear River to Highway 65 near Wheatland; north on Highway 65 to Highway 70; north on Highway 70 to Highway 20 in Marysville; west on Highway 20 to Interstate 5 at Williams; north on Interstate 5 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 43, 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 2 Zone A Zone B3 Zone C4 Zone D4 Zone X6a Zone X7a