Cache Creek elk zone: California elk hunting by the numbers
The Cache Creek elk zone covers 278 square miles of Lake, Colusa and Yolo counties and is hunted for tule elk. 57% is national forest, BLM or CDFW land (CPAD 2026a). CDFW's 2026 regulations list 3 hunts here with 5 tags in all. In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 4 elk taken on 5 tags, with 1,428 applications for this zone's hunts.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt statistics: CDFW, 2017 to 2022. 2026 hunts and tags: CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations. Land: CPAD 2026a.
National forestBLMCDFW landOther state or federal landCache CreekNeighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 2, North Central Region |
|---|---|
| Elk | Tule elk |
| Counties | Lake, Colusa and Yolo |
| Size | 178,103 acres (278 square miles) |
| Public land | 57% (101,469 acres) |
| Hunts and tags, 2026 | 3 hunts, 5 tags |
| Taken, 2022 | 4 on 5 tags (CDFW) |
| Applications, 2022 | 1,428 for this zone's hunts |
| Towns in and near it | Lucerne, Spring Valley, Lower Lake, Clearlake and Lakeport |
What elk hunts are in the Cache Creek zone in 2026?
CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations list 3 hunts for this zone, 5 tags in all:
| Hunt | Type | 2026 tags | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cache Creek Apprentice - Bull | Apprentice | 1 | October 10 to 25 |
| Cache Creek Period 1 General Methods - Bull | General Methods | 2 | October 10 to 25 |
| Cache Creek Period 2 General Methods - Antlerless | General Methods | 2 | October 17 to November 1 |
Source: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 85; hunt codes and dates: CDFW 2026 Elk Hunt Dates and General Information.
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 1,157 applications went to this zone's hunts:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Tags | By preference points | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 406 | Cache Creek Period 1 - General Methods - Bull | 2 | 1 | 842 |
| 416 | Cache Creek Period 2 - General Methods - Antlerless | 2 | 1 | 153 |
| 484 | Cache Creek Apprentice - General Methods - Bull | 1 | 0 | 162 |
Source: CDFW 2026 Big Game Drawing statistics. The rest of each quota goes by draw-by-choice. CDFW also prints applicants at each point level.
How many elk are taken in the Cache Creek zone?
In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 4 taken on 5 tags; 5 tag holders reported. CDFW notes that forest closures affected many elk hunts in 2020 and 2021. Year by year, for this zone's hunts:
| Year | Hunts | Tags | Applications | Tag holders who reported | Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 | 5 | 1,428 | 5 | 4 |
| 2021 | 3 | 5 | 1,422 | 5 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 | 5 | 1,454 | 4 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 | 5 | 1,371 | 5 | 5 |
| 2018 | 3 | 5 | 1,305 | 5 | 5 |
| 2017 | 3 | 5 | 1,309 | 5 | 4 |
Each hunt in 2022:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Applications | Tags | Taken | Success (CDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 484 | Cache Creek Apprentice - Bull | 216 | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| 406 | Cache Creek Period 1 - Bull | 1,019 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 416 | Cache Creek Period 2 - Antlerless | 193 | 2 | 1 | 50% |
Source: CDFW Elk Hunt Statistics (2017 to 2022); 2022: CDFW 2022 Elk Hunt Statistics. CDFW's success rate is reported harvest divided by tags. Applications are the sum of the applicant counts CDFW prints for each of this zone's hunts.
How much public land is in the Cache Creek zone?
57% of the zone, 101,469 of 178,103 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land. The largest public units: Mendocino National Forest (21,649 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the zone |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 72,187 | 40.5% |
| National forest | 21,649 | 12.2% |
| CDFW land | 7,633 | 4.3% |
| Other state or federal land | 2,534 | 1.4% |
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 lands in the zone: Indian Valley Wildlife Area (3,427 acres) and Cache Creek Wildlife Area (2,516 acres).
Which deer zones overlap the Cache Creek zone?
Zone A (178,103 acres; 9,184 deer taken in 2025).
How do you get to the Cache Creek zone?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 20 and CA 53. Towns inside: Lucerne, Spring Valley and Lower Lake. Nearby: Clearlake Oaks (on the line), Clearlake (on the line), Lakeport (7 miles) and Williams (17 miles).
Neighboring elk zones: Bear Valley elk zone and Lake Pillsbury elk zone.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk tags are there in the Cache Creek zone?
CDFW's 2026 regulations list 5 tags in 3 hunts: Cache Creek Apprentice - Bull (1), Cache Creek Period 1 General Methods - Bull (2) and Cache Creek Period 2 General Methods - Antlerless (2). Tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How many elk were taken in the Cache Creek zone?
CDFW's 2022 elk hunt statistics show 4 taken on 5 tags across 3 hunts. In 2021: 2 on 5 tags.
When are the Cache Creek elk hunts in 2026?
October 10 to 25 and October 17 to November 1, by hunt, in CDFW's 2026 regulations.
How much public land is in the Cache Creek zone?
57%: 101,469 acres of national forest, BLM and CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest public units: Mendocino National Forest (21,649 acres).
CDFW's boundary of the Cache Creek zone
In those portions of Lake, Colusa and Yolo Countiescounties within a line beginning at the junction of Highway 20 and the Colusa-Lake county line (County Line Ridge); south along the Colusa-Lake county line to the Yolo county line; east along the Yolo Countycounty line to Highway 16; south on Highway 16 to Reiff-Rayhouse Road; west on Reiff-Rayhouse Road to Morgan Valley Road; west on Morgan Valley Road to Highway 53; north on Highway 53 to Highway 20; west on Highway 20 to Forest Road 303; north and east on Forest Road 303 to Walker Ridge Road; south on Walker Ridge Road to Highway 20; east on Highway 20 to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 79, Title 14, Section 364.
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Where these numbers come from
- Hunt statistics: CDFW Elk Hunt Statistics, 2017 to 2022.
- 2026 hunts, tags and dates: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations.
- Public land: California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a. Zone boundary: CDFW elk hunt zones (BIOS ds786).
- 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 2 Bear Valley elk zone Lake Pillsbury elk zone