Deer Zone X10: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone X10 covers 945 square miles of Kern, Tulare and Inyo counties. 93.9% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (324,126 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 59 deer in Zone X10 in 2025 (59 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 14.9%. The 2026 general season runs September 26 to October 11.
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 ServiceOther state or federal landZone X10Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 4, Central Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Kern, Tulare and Inyo |
| Size | 604,967 acres (945 square miles) |
| Public land | 93.9% (567,850 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 400 |
| Archery, 2026 (hunt A-19) | August 15 to 30 |
| General season, 2026 | September 26 to October 11 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better, per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 59 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 14.9% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Olancha, Kennedy Meadows, Pearsonville, Ridgecrest and Weldon |
How many deer are taken in Zone X10?
CDFW estimates 59 deer were taken in Zone X10 in 2025, up from 39 in 2024. Hunters reported 35 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 40.3% 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 | 400 | not printed | 35 | 0 | 59 | 14.9% | 40.3% |
| 2024 | 400 | not printed | 27 | 0 | 39 | 10.1% | 31.2% |
| 2023 | 400 | not printed | 27 | 0 | 33 | 8.4% | 19.7% |
| 2022 | 400 | 394 | 23 | 0 | 29 | 7.4% | 21.6% |
| 2021 | 400 | 389 | 41 | 0 | 49 | 12.6% | 17.5% |
| 2020 | 400 | 356 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 3.9% | 15.7% |
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 X10?
Of the 35 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 9 (25.7%) had 4 points or more and 9 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%) | 17 (48.6%) | 9 (25.7%) | 7 (20%) | 2 (5.7%) | 35 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 13 (48.1%) | 9 (33.3%) | 5 (18.5%) | 0 (0%) | 27 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 16 (59.3%) | 5 (18.5%) | 5 (18.5%) | 1 (3.7%) | 27 |
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 X10 in 2026?
General season: September 26 to October 11, 2026. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone X-10 shall open on the last Saturday in September and extend for 16 consecutive days.
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 436 hunters put Zone X10 first for 400 tags (360 by preference points, 40 by draw-by-choice). Source: CDFW 2026 Big Game Drawing statistics.
Archery hunting in Zone X10 is CDFW hunt A-19, Zone X-10 Archery Hunt: August 15 to 30, 2026, 100 tags. In 2025 archers reported 6 deer taken in Zone X10 on that hunt.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone X10 in 2026; G-38 uses the zone's own boundary:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-38 | X-10 Late Season Buck Hunt | October 17 to November 1 | 300 | 40 | 13.6% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone X10.
Deer taken in Zone X10 in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt A-19: 6 and hunt G-38: 27.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 50 (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 X10?
93.9% of Zone X10 is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 567,850 of its 604,967 acres. The largest pieces are Inyo National Forest (257,659 acres) and Sequoia National Forest (66,467 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone X10 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 324,126 | 53.6% |
| BLM | 241,772 | 40% |
| National Park Service | 3,502 | 0.6% |
| CDFW land | 1,952 | 0.3% |
| Other state or federal land | 887 | 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 X10: Canebrake Ecological Reserve (1,749 acres here) and Monache Meadows Wildlife Area (234 acres here).
Which elk and pronghorn zones overlap Zone X10?
Elk zones: Tehachapi elk zone (90,327 acres inside Zone X10). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone X10?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: US 395, CA 178 and CA 14. Towns inside: Olancha, Kennedy Meadows, Pearsonville and Cartago. Nearby: Weldon (on the line), Onyx (on the line), Inyokern (3 miles) and Ridgecrest (12 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone X10?
Zone X10 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 D8 | 5,794 | 26.4% | 916 | 16.2% |
| Zone D9 | 1,457 | 47.7% | 342 | 17.1% |
| Zone D17 | 19,555 | 47.1% | 58 | 11.6% |
| Zone X9b | 741 | 86.6% | 65 | 29.4% |
| Zone X9c | 8,711 | 30.8% | 77 | 24% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone X10?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 400. In 2025 the quota was 400 and CDFW estimates 59 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone X10?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 14.9%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 10.1%.
When does deer season open in Zone X10 in 2026?
The general season runs September 26 to October 11, 2026. Archery hunting here is a separate hunt, A-19, August 15 to 30. CDFW's rule: The season in Zone X-10 shall open on the last Saturday in September and extend for 16 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone X10?
93.9% of Zone X10, 567,850 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest pieces: Inyo National Forest (257,659 acres) and Sequoia National Forest (66,467 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone X10?
Canebrake Ecological Reserve (1,749 acres here) and Monache Meadows Wildlife Area (234 acres here), by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone X10
In those portions of Kern, Tulare and Inyo counties within a line beginning at the intersection of Highway 178 and the Doyle Ranch Road in the town of Onyx; north along the Doyle Ranch Road to the South Fork of the Kern River; north along the South Fork of the Kern River to the Chimney Meadow-Blackrock Station Road (Forest Road 21S03); northwest along the Chimney Meadow-Blackrock Station Road through Troy Meadows to the road's end at the Inyo and Sequoia National Forest boundary near Blackrock Mountain; northwest along the Inyo and Sequoia National Forest boundary to the main Kern River; northwest along the main Kern River to the Sequoia National Park boundary; northeast along the Sequoia National Park boundary to the Inyo-Tulare county line; southeast along the Inyo-Tulare county line to the Cottonwood Pass Trail at Cottonwood Pass; east along the Cottonwood Pass Trail through Horseshoe Meadow to the Horseshoe Meadow Road; north along the Horseshoe Meadow Road to Cottonwood Creek; southeast along Cottonwood Creek to Highway 395; south along Highway 395 to Highway 14; south along Highway 14 to Highway 178; north and west along Highway 178 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 50, 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 D8 Zone D9 Zone D17 Zone X9b Zone X9c