Deer Zone X6b: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone X6b covers 688 square miles of Lassen and Plumas counties. 75.8% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (262,916 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 134 deer in Zone X6b in 2025 (134 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 47.7%. The 2026 general season runs October 3 to 18.
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 landOther state or federal landZone X6bNeighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 2, North Central Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Lassen and Plumas |
| Size | 440,003 acres (688 square miles) |
| Public land | 75.8% (333,508 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 310 |
| Archery, 2026 (hunt A-12) | August 15 to September 6 |
| General season, 2026 | October 3 to 18 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better, per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 134 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 47.7% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Chilcoot-Vinton, Beckwourth, Doyle, Portola and Loyalton |
How many deer are taken in Zone X6b?
CDFW estimates 134 deer were taken in Zone X6b in 2025, up from 124 in 2024. Hunters reported 97 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 27.4% 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 | 309 | not printed | 97 | 0 | 134 | 47.7% | 27.4% |
| 2024 | 309 | not printed | 104 | 0 | 124 | 43.5% | 15.8% |
| 2023 | 309 | not printed | 59 | 0 | 70 | 24.7% | 16.3% |
| 2022 | 309 | 288 | 61 | 0 | 70 | 24.3% | 13.2% |
| 2021 | 310 | 140 | 55 | 0 | 66 | 47.1% | 17.9% |
| 2020 | 309 | 261 | 94 | 0 | 108 | 41.4% | 13% |
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 X6b?
Of the 97 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 45 (46.4%) had 4 points or more and 20 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%) | 32 (33%) | 20 (20.6%) | 39 (40.2%) | 6 (6.2%) | 97 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 42 (40.4%) | 31 (29.8%) | 22 (21.2%) | 9 (8.7%) | 104 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 22 (37.3%) | 21 (35.6%) | 14 (23.7%) | 2 (3.4%) | 59 |
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 X6b in 2026?
General season: October 3 to 18, 2026. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone X-6b shall open on the first Saturday in October and extend for 16 consecutive days.
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 1,088 hunters put Zone X6b first for 309 tags (279 by preference points, 30 by draw-by-choice). For archery hunt A-12: 198 first-choice applicants for 90 tags. Source: CDFW 2026 Big Game Drawing statistics.
Archery hunting in Zone X6b is CDFW hunt A-12, Zone X-6b Archery Hunt: August 15 to September 6, 2026, 90 tags. In 2025 archers reported 18 deer taken in Zone X6b on that hunt.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone X6b in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-3 | Doyle Muzzleloading Rifle Buck Hunt | November 21 to 29 | 20 | 10 | 55.6% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone X6b.
Deer taken in Zone X6b in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt A-12: 18 and hunt M-3: 9.
Source: CDFW Approved 2026 Deer Seasons and CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 48 (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 X6b?
75.8% of Zone X6b is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 333,508 of its 440,003 acres. The largest piece is Plumas National Forest (262,916 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone X6b |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 262,916 | 59.8% |
| BLM | 53,068 | 12.1% |
| CDFW land | 17,524 | 4% |
| Other state or federal land | 5,332 | 1.2% |
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 X6b: Doyle Wildlife Area (10,395 acres here), Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area (3,915 acres here) and Crocker Meadows Wildlife Area (2,988 acres here).
Which elk and pronghorn zones overlap Zone X6b?
Pronghorn zones: Pronghorn Zone 4 (Lassen) (149,757 acres). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone X6b?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: US 395 and CA 284. Towns inside: Chilcoot-Vinton, Beckwourth, Doyle, Patton Village and Herlong. Nearby: Milford (on the line), Portola (3 miles), Loyalton (9 miles) and Susanville (17 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone X6b?
Zone X6b touches 2 other deer zones. Their size, public land and CDFW's 2025 numbers:
| Zone | Square miles | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 X6b?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 310. In 2025 the quota was 309 and CDFW estimates 134 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone X6b?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 47.7%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 43.5%.
When does deer season open in Zone X6b in 2026?
The general season runs October 3 to 18, 2026. Archery hunting here is a separate hunt, A-12, August 15 to September 6. CDFW's rule: The season in Zone X-6b shall open on the first Saturday in October and extend for 16 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone X6b?
75.8% of Zone X6b, 333,508 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest piece: Plumas National Forest (262,916 acres).
Which CDFW lands are in Zone X6b?
Doyle Wildlife Area (10,395 acres here), Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area (3,915 acres here) and Crocker Meadows Wildlife Area (2,988 acres here), by CDFW's land boundaries.
CDFW's boundary of Zone X6b
In those portions of Lassen and Plumas counties within a line beginning at the junction of County Road 336 and Highway 395 at Milford; south on Highway 395 to the junction of Highway 395 and the Herlong Access Road (County Road A-25); east on the Herlong Access Road to its junction with the UP-WP railroad line at Herlong; east on the UP-WP railroad line to the Nevada-California state line; south on the Nevada-California state line to the junction of the Nevada-California state line and Highway 395 at Bordertown; northwest on Highway 395 to its junction at Highway 70; west on Highway 70 to its junction with County Road 112; north on County Road 112 to its junction with U.S. Forest Service Road 24N08 at Lake Davis; north on Forest Service Road 24N08 to its junction with County Road 111; northwest on County Road 111 to its junction with Forest Service Road 29N43 at Flournoy Bridge; north on Forest Service Road 29N43 to Forest Service Road 28N03 near Antelope Lake; southeast on Forest Service Road 28N03 to Forest Service Road 26N16 at Doyle Crossing; east on Forest Service Road 26N16 to County Road 336 near the Plumas-Lassen county line; north on County Road 336 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 48, 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.