Deer Zone X9b: California deer hunting by the numbers
Deer Zone X9b covers 741 square miles of Inyo County. 86.6% of it is national forest, BLM or CDFW land, most of that national forest (308,447 acres), by the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD 2026a). CDFW estimates hunters took 65 deer in Zone X9b in 2025 (65 bucks); CDFW puts hunter success at 29.4%. The 2026 general season runs September 19 to October 12.
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 forestBLMNational Park ServiceOther state or federal landZone X9bNeighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 6, Inland Deserts Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Inyo |
| Size | 474,521 acres (741 square miles) |
| Public land | 86.6% (411,080 acres) |
| Tag quota, 2026 | 230 |
| Archery, 2026 (hunt A-17) | August 15 to September 6 |
| General season, 2026 | September 19 to October 12 |
| Bag limit | One buck, forked horn or better per tag. |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 65 (CDFW estimate) |
| Hunter success, 2025 | 29.4% (CDFW) |
| Towns in and near it | Lone Pine, Wilkerson, Big Pine, Bishop and Independence |
CDFW's note for Zone X9b: In 2026-2027, X-9b is part of the CWD Management Zone and hunters shall submit a CWD sample to CDFW within 10 days of harvest. Hunters are also encouraged to leave brain, spinal column, and gut pile at the harvest site.
How many deer are taken in Zone X9b?
CDFW estimates 65 deer were taken in Zone X9b in 2025, up from 63 in 2024. Hunters reported 43 of them; CDFW adds an estimate for the 33.5% 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 | 230 | not printed | 43 | 0 | 65 | 29.4% | 33.5% |
| 2024 | 230 | not printed | 43 | 0 | 63 | 29% | 31.8% |
| 2023 | 230 | not printed | 23 | 0 | 28 | 12.8% | 19.3% |
| 2022 | 230 | 220 | 25 | 0 | 31 | 14.1% | 19.5% |
| 2021 | 230 | 196 | 45 | 0 | 53 | 27% | 15.8% |
| 2020 | 230 | 130 | 23 | 0 | 26 | 20% | 14.6% |
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 X9b?
Of the 43 bucks hunters reported with points recorded in 2025, 9 (20.9%) 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%) | 14 (32.6%) | 20 (46.5%) | 8 (18.6%) | 1 (2.3%) | 43 |
| 2024 | 0 (0%) | 17 (39.5%) | 16 (37.2%) | 10 (23.3%) | 0 (0%) | 43 |
| 2023 | 0 (0%) | 11 (47.8%) | 6 (26.1%) | 5 (21.7%) | 1 (4.3%) | 23 |
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 X9b in 2026?
General season: September 19 to October 12, 2026. CDFW's rule for the season: The season in Zone X-9b shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 24 consecutive days.
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 573 hunters put Zone X9b first for 230 tags (207 by preference points, 23 by draw-by-choice). For archery hunt A-17: 25 first-choice applicants for 210 tags. Source: CDFW 2026 Big Game Drawing statistics.
Archery hunting in Zone X9b is CDFW hunt A-17, Zone X-9b Archery Hunt: August 15 to September 6, 2026, 210 tags. In 2025 archers reported 6 deer taken in Zone X9b on that hunt.
Other CDFW deer hunts held in Zone X9b in 2026:
| Hunt | Name | 2026 dates | 2026 tags | Deer taken, 2025 | Hunter success, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-3 | Goodale Buck Hunt | December 5 to 20 | 25 | 20 | 90.9% |
Harvest of these hunts: CDFW 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics, Table 1, for the whole hunt, which may reach past Zone X9b.
Deer taken in Zone X9b in 2025 on other hunts' tags, as hunters reported them: hunt A-17: 6 and hunt G-3: 16.
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 X9b?
86.6% of Zone X9b is national forest, BLM or CDFW land: 411,080 of its 474,521 acres. The largest piece is Inyo National Forest (308,447 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of Zone X9b |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 308,447 | 65% |
| BLM | 102,633 | 21.6% |
| National Park Service | 1,278 | 0.3% |
| Other state or federal land | 39 | 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.
Which elk and pronghorn zones overlap Zone X9b?
Elk zones: Whitney elk zone (100,035 acres inside Zone X9b), Goodale elk zone (81,764 acres inside Zone X9b), West Tinemaha elk zone (43,379 acres inside Zone X9b) and Tinemaha Mountain elk zone (19,550 acres inside Zone X9b). Elk and pronghorn tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How do you get to Zone X9b?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: US 395 and CA 168. Towns inside: Lone Pine, Wilkerson and Big Pine. Nearby: Bishop (on the line), Independence (on the line), West Bishop (on the line) and Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek (2 miles).
Which deer zones border Zone X9b?
Zone X9b 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 D7 | 3,762 | 50.6% | 1,300 | 14.5% |
| Zone D8 | 5,794 | 26.4% | 916 | 16.2% |
| Zone X9a | 1,946 | 84% | 160 | 62.7% |
| Zone X9c | 8,711 | 30.8% | 77 | 24% |
| Zone X10 | 945 | 93.9% | 59 | 14.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer tags are there for Zone X9b?
CDFW's 2026 tag quota is 230. In 2025 the quota was 230 and CDFW estimates 65 deer were taken here.
What is the hunter success rate in Zone X9b?
CDFW puts 2025 hunter success at 29.4%. CDFW works it out as its estimated deer kill divided by tags issued. In 2024 it was 29%.
When does deer season open in Zone X9b in 2026?
The general season runs September 19 to October 12, 2026. Archery hunting here is a separate hunt, A-17, August 15 to September 6. CDFW's rule: The season in Zone X-9b shall open on the third Saturday in September and extend for 24 consecutive days.
How much public land is in Zone X9b?
86.6% of Zone X9b, 411,080 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest piece: Inyo National Forest (308,447 acres).
CDFW's boundary of Zone X9b
That portion of Inyo County within a line beginning at the intersection of Highway 395 and Cottonwood Creek; northwest along Cottonwood Creek to the Horseshoe Meadow Road; south along the Horseshoe Meadow Road to the Cottonwood Pass Trail; west along the Cottonwood Pass Trail through Horseshoe Meadow to the Inyo-Tulare county line at Cottonwood Pass; north on the Inyo-Tulare and the Inyo-Fresno county lines to the Piute Pass Trail; east along the Piute Pass Trail to the North Lake Road; east and south on the North Lake Road to Highway 168; north and east on Highway 168 to Highway 395; south on Highway 395 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 6 Zone D7 Zone D8 Zone X9a Zone X9c Zone X10