Deer Zone D6: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone D6 covers 5,021 square miles of Alpine, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties. 29.4% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (830,702 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 1,119 deer in Zone D6 in 2025 (1,119 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 11.2%. The 2026 general season runs September 19 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 Park ServiceState parkOther state or federal landZone D6Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 4, Central Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Alpine, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus and Tuolumne |
| Size | 3,213,330 acres (5,021 square miles) |
| Public land | 29.4% (943,578 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 10,000 |
| Archery season, 2026 | August 15 to September 6 |
| General season, 2026 | September 19 to November 1 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better, per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 1,119 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 11.2% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Modesto, Merced, Turlock, Ceres and Livingston |
How many deer are taken in Zone D6?
CDFW estimates 1,119 deer were taken in Zone D6 in 2025, up from 820 in 2024. Hunters reported 661 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 40.9% 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 | 10,000 | not printed | 661 | 0 | 1,119 | 11.2% | 40.9% |
| 2024 | 10,000 | not printed | 560 | 0 | 820 | 8.2% | 31.7% |
| 2023 | 10,000 | not printed | 565 | 0 | 723 | 7.2% | 21.9% |
| 2022 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 651 | 0 | 841 | 8.4% | 22.5% |
| 2021 | 10,000 | 9,994 | 920 | 0 | 1,173 | 11.7% | 21.6% |
| 2020 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 682 | 0 | 865 | 8.7% | 21.2% |
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 D6?
Of the 661 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 132 (20%) had 4 points or more and 204 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%) | 325 (49.2%) | 204 (30.9%) | 114 (17.2%) | 18 (2.7%) | 661 |
| 2024 | 1 (0.2%) | 237 (42.3%) | 200 (35.7%) | 100 (17.9%) | 22 (3.9%) | 560 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 262 (46.4%) | 186 (32.9%) | 102 (18.1%) | 15 (2.7%) | 565 |
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 D6 in 2026?
Archery only: August 15 to September 6. General season: September 19 to November 1, 2026. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone D-6 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 44 consecutive days.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone D6 in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J-15 | Anderson Flat Apprentice Buck Hunt | November 28 to December 6 | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| A-21 | Anderson Flat Archery Buck Hunt | November 14 to 27 | 25 | 12 | 50% |
| G-37 | Anderson Flat Buck Hunt | November 28 to December 6 | 25 | 16 | 80% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone D6.
Deer taken in Zone D6 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt A-21: 9, hunt G-37: 11 and hunt J-15: 5.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 44 (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 D6?
29.4% of Zone D6 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 943,578 of its 3,213,330 acres. The largest pieces are Stanislaus National Forest (736,030 acres), Sierra National Forest (89,740 acres) and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (4,631 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone D6 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 830,702 | 25.9% |
| National Park Service | 741,783 | 23.1% |
| BLM | 112,140 | 3.5% |
| Other state or federal land | 17,026 | 0.5% |
| State park | 7,438 | 0.2% |
| CDFW land | 736 | 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 D6?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 108, CA 120, CA 49, CA 140, CA 99 and CA 132. 63 Census places are inside it, among them Modesto, Merced, Turlock, Atwater, Oakdale and Riverbank. Nearby: Ceres (on the line), Livingston (on the line), Ripon (on the line) and Escalon (2 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone D6?
Zone D6 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 D5 | 4,815 | 27.6% | 2,484 | 19% |
| Zone D7 | 3,762 | 50.6% | 1,300 | 14.5% |
| Zone X8 | 520 | 89.4% | 49 | 24.3% |
| Zone X9a | 1,946 | 84% | 160 | 62.7% |
| Zone X12 | 1,031 | 84.4% | 193 | 58.7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone D6?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 10,000. In 2025 the quota was 10,000 and CDFW estimates 1,119 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone D6?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 11.2%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 8.2%.
When does deer season open in Zone D6 in 2026?
Archery season runs August 15 to September 6, 2026, and the general season September 19 to November 1. CDFW's rule: The season in Zone D-6 shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 44 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone D6?
29.4% of Zone D6, 943,578 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Stanislaus National Forest (736,030 acres), Sierra National Forest (89,740 acres) and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (4,631 acres).
CDFW's boundary of Zone D6
In those portions of Alpine, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties within a line beginning at the intersection of Highway 99 and the Stanislaus River at Ripon; east along the Stanislaus River and following the North Fork of the Stanislaus River to Highland Creek; east up Highland Creek to the road connecting Lower and Upper Highland Lakes at Upper Highland Lake; east along that road to the township line between Townships 7 and 8 North; east on that township line to the Sierra crest near Wolf Creek Pass; south along the Sierra crest to the Yosemite National Park boundary near Rodger Peak; along the eastern Yosemite National Park boundary to Highway 41; south along Highway 41 to the Madera-Mariposa county line south of Westfall Station; along the Madera-Mariposa and the Madera-Merced county lines to Highway 99; north along Highway 99 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 44, 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 4 Zone A Zone D5 Zone D7 Zone X8 Zone X9a Zone X12