Deer Zone D8: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone D8 covers 5,794 square miles of Fresno, Kern and Tulare counties. 26.4% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (909,269 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 916 deer in Zone D8 in 2025 (916 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 16.2%. The 2026 general season runs September 26 to October 25.
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 ServiceOther state or federal landZone D8Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 4, Central Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Fresno, Kern and Tulare |
| Size | 3,708,104 acres (5,794 square miles) |
| Public land | 26.4% (978,225 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 8,000 |
| Archery season, 2026 | August 15 to September 6 |
| General season, 2026 | September 26 to October 25 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better, per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 916 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 16.2% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Visalia, Porterville, Dinuba, McFarland and Tulare |
How many deer are taken in Zone D8?
CDFW estimates 916 deer were taken in Zone D8 in 2025, up from 576 in 2024. Hunters reported 499 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 45.5% 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 | 8,000 | not printed | 499 | 0 | 916 | 16.2% | 45.5% |
| 2024 | 8,000 | not printed | 362 | 0 | 576 | 9.7% | 37.2% |
| 2023 | 8,000 | not printed | 348 | 0 | 511 | 8.4% | 31.9% |
| 2022 | 8,000 | 6,322 | 410 | 0 | 600 | 9.5% | 31.7% |
| 2021 | 8,000 | 5,605 | 318 | 0 | 440 | 7.9% | 27.8% |
| 2020 | 8,000 | 6,692 | 325 | 0 | 455 | 6.8% | 28.7% |
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 D8?
Of the 499 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 95 (19%) had 4 points or more and 144 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%) | 260 (52.1%) | 144 (28.9%) | 84 (16.8%) | 11 (2.2%) | 499 |
| 2024 | 1 (0.3%) | 198 (54.7%) | 110 (30.4%) | 42 (11.6%) | 11 (3%) | 362 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 178 (51.1%) | 95 (27.3%) | 64 (18.4%) | 11 (3.2%) | 348 |
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 D8 in 2026?
Archery only: August 15 to September 6. General season: September 26 to October 25, 2026. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone D-8 shall open on the fourth Saturday in September and extend for 30 consecutive days.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone D8 in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-6 | Kern River Deer Herd Buck Hunt | December 5 to 13 | 50 | 30 | 66.7% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone D8.
Deer taken in Zone D8 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt G-6: 27.
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 D8?
26.4% of Zone D8 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 978,225 of its 3,708,104 acres. The largest pieces are Sequoia National Forest (549,965 acres), Giant Sequoia National Monument (327,292 acres) and Sierra National Forest (31,207 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone D8 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 909,269 | 24.5% |
| National Park Service | 748,486 | 20.2% |
| BLM | 63,013 | 1.7% |
| Other state or federal land | 15,214 | 0.4% |
| CDFW land | 5,943 | 0.2% |
| National wildlife refuge | 909 | 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 D8: Canebrake Ecological Reserve (2,909 acres here) and Stone Corral Ecological Reserve (968 acres here).
Which elk and pronghorn zones overlap Zone D8?
Elk zones: Tehachapi elk zone (563,439 acres inside Zone D8). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone D8?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 180, CA 190, CA 99, CA 65, CA 198 and CA 63. 77 Census places are inside it, among them Visalia, Porterville, Dinuba, Reedley, Lindsay and Woodlake. Nearby: McFarland (on the line), Tulare (on the line), Delano (on the line) and Bakersfield (2 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone D8?
Zone D8 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 D7 | 3,762 | 50.6% | 1,300 | 14.5% |
| Zone D9 | 1,457 | 47.7% | 342 | 17.1% |
| Zone X9b | 741 | 86.6% | 65 | 29.4% |
| Zone X10 | 945 | 93.9% | 59 | 14.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone D8?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 8,000. In 2025 the quota was 8,000 and CDFW estimates 916 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone D8?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 16.2%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 9.7%.
When does deer season open in Zone D8 in 2026?
Archery season runs August 15 to September 6, 2026, and the general season September 26 to October 25. CDFW's rule: The season in Zone D-8 shall open on the fourth Saturday in September and extend for 30 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone D8?
26.4% of Zone D8, 978,225 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Sequoia National Forest (549,965 acres), Giant Sequoia National Monument (327,292 acres) and Sierra National Forest (31,207 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone D8?
Canebrake Ecological Reserve (2,909 acres here) and Stone Corral Ecological Reserve (968 acres here), by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone D8
In those portions of Fresno, Kern and Tulare counties within a line beginning at the intersection of Highway 99 and the Kings River; upstream and northeast along the Kings River through Reedley, Piedra and Pine Flat Reservoir to the junction of the Middle and South Forks of the Kings River; northeast along the Middle Fork Kings River to the Dusy Basin Trail; east along this trail to the Kings Canyon National Park boundary at Bishop Pass; south along the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park boundaries to the Main Kern River; southeast along the Main Kern River and the common boundary between the Inyo and Sequoia National Forests to the end of the Chimney Meadow-Blackrock Station Road (Forest Road 21S03) near Blackrock Mountain; southeast along the Chimney Meadow-Blackrock Station Road through Troy Meadows to the South Fork of the Kern River; south along the South Fork of the Kern River to the Doyle Ranch Road; south along the Doyle Ranch Road to Highway 178 in the town of Onyx; southwest along Highway 178 to Highway 99 at Bakersfield; north along Highway 99 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 44, Title 14, Section 360.
Get a California hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for California are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, California included.
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 D7 Zone D9 Zone X9b Zone X10