Deer Zone D9: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone D9 covers 1,457 square miles of Kern County. 47.7% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that BLM land (276,814 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 342 deer in Zone D9 in 2025 (340 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 17.1%. 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 Park ServiceState parkOther state or federal landZone D9Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 4, Central Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Kern |
| Size | 932,667 acres (1,457 square miles) |
| Public land | 47.7% (445,122 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 2,000 |
| 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 | 342 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 17.1% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Bakersfield, Tehachapi, Weldon, Arvin and Shafter |
How many deer are taken in Zone D9?
CDFW estimates 342 deer were taken in Zone D9 in 2025, up from 178 in 2024. Hunters reported 212 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 38% 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 | 2,000 | not printed | 211 | 0 | 342 | 17.1% | 38% |
| 2024 | 2,000 | not printed | 123 | 0 | 178 | 8.9% | 31.1% |
| 2023 | 2,000 | not printed | 89 | 1 | 112 | 5.6% | 20.2% |
| 2022 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 135 | 0 | 171 | 8.6% | 21.2% |
| 2021 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 193 | 0 | 242 | 12.1% | 20.3% |
| 2020 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 193 | 0 | 235 | 11.8% | 18.2% |
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 D9?
Of the 211 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 35 (16.6%) had 4 points or more and 67 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%) | 109 (51.7%) | 67 (31.8%) | 29 (13.7%) | 6 (2.8%) | 211 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 65 (52.8%) | 40 (32.5%) | 13 (10.6%) | 5 (4.1%) | 123 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 40 (44.9%) | 30 (33.7%) | 18 (20.2%) | 1 (1.1%) | 89 |
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 D9 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-9 shall open on the fourth Saturday in September and extend for 30 consecutive days.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 45 (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 D9?
47.7% of Zone D9 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 445,122 of its 932,667 acres. The largest piece is Sequoia National Forest (165,393 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone D9 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 276,814 | 29.7% |
| National forest | 165,393 | 17.7% |
| State park | 32,197 | 3.5% |
| CDFW land | 2,915 | 0.3% |
| Other state or federal land | 857 | 0.1% |
| National Park Service | 1 | 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 D9: Canebrake Ecological Reserve (2,906 acres here).
Which elk and pronghorn zones overlap Zone D9?
Elk zones: Tehachapi elk zone (932,099 acres inside Zone D9). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone D9?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 178, CA 14, CA 58, CA 184, CA 99 and CA 204. 13 Census places are inside it, among them Bakersfield, Tehachapi, Weldon, Onyx, Bodfish and East Niles. Nearby: Arvin (8 miles), Shafter (11 miles), California City (11 miles) and Ridgecrest (14 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone D9?
Zone D9 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 D8 | 5,794 | 26.4% | 916 | 16.2% |
| Zone D10 | 1,379 | 2.4% | 241 | 36.9% |
| Zone D17 | 19,555 | 47.1% | 58 | 11.6% |
| Zone X10 | 945 | 93.9% | 59 | 14.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone D9?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 2,000. In 2025 the quota was 2,000 and CDFW estimates 342 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone D9?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 17.1%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 8.9%.
When does deer season open in Zone D9 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-9 shall open on the fourth Saturday in September and extend for 30 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone D9?
47.7% of Zone D9, 445,122 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest piece: Sequoia National Forest (165,393 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone D9?
Canebrake Ecological Reserve (2,906 acres here), by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone D9
In that portion of Kern County within a line beginning at the intersection of Highways 99 and 178; northeast along Highway 178 along Lake Isabella and through Walker Pass to Highway 14; southwest along Highway 14 to Highway 58; northwest along Highway 58 to Highway 99; north along Highway 99 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 45, 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 D8 Zone D10 Zone D17 Zone X10