Grizzly Island elk zone: California elk hunting by the numbers
The Grizzly Island elk zone covers 14 square miles and is hunted for tule elk. 99.4% is national forest, BLM or CDFW land (CPAD 2026a). CDFW's 2026 regulations list 11 hunts here with 37 tags in all. In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 33 elk taken on 33 tags, with 6,667 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.
CDFW landOther state or federal landGrizzly IslandNeighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 3, Bay Delta Region |
|---|---|
| Elk | Tule elk |
| Size | 8,983 acres (14 square miles) |
| Public land | 99.4% (8,927 acres) |
| Hunts and tags, 2026 | 11 hunts, 37 tags |
| Taken, 2022 | 33 on 33 tags (CDFW) |
| Applications, 2022 | 6,667 for this zone's hunts |
| Towns in and near it | Pittsburg and Suisun City |
What elk hunts are in the Grizzly Island zone in 2026?
CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations list 11 hunts for this zone, 37 tags in all:
| Hunt | Type | 2026 tags | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grizzly Island Apprentice - Period 1 - Antlerless | Apprentice | 2 | August 11 to 14 |
| Grizzly Island Apprentice - Period 2 - Spike Bull | Apprentice | 2 | August 13 to 16 |
| Grizzly Island Period 1 General Methods Antlerless | General Methods | 2 | August 11 to 14 |
| Grizzly Island Period 2 General Methods Spike Bull | General Methods | 2 | August 13 to 16 |
| Grizzly Island Period 8 General Methods Spike Bull | General Methods | 6 | September 3 to 6 |
| Grizzly Island Period 9 General Methods Antlerless | General Methods | 4 | September 8 to 11 |
| Grizzly Island Period 10 General Methods Bull | General Methods | 4 | September 10 to 13 |
| Grizzly Island Period 11 General Methods Antlerless | General Methods | 4 | September 15 to 18 |
| Grizzly Island Period 12 General Methods Bull | General Methods | 4 | September 17 to 20 |
| Grizzly Island Period 13 General Methods Antlerless | General Methods | 4 | September 22 to 25 |
| Grizzly Island Period 13 General Methods Bull | General Methods | 3 | September 22 to 25 |
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, 2,312 applications went to 9 of this zone's 11 hunts (CDFW's tables for the others do not add up, so they are left out):
| Hunt code | Hunt | Tags | By preference points | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 437 | Grizzly Island Period 2 - General Methods - Spike Bull | 2 | 1 | 193 |
| 357 | Grizzly Island Period 8 - General Methods - Spike Bull | 6 | 5 | 284 |
| 381 | Grizzly Island Period 13 - General Methods - Bull | 3 | 2 | 590 |
| 433 | Grizzly Island Period 1 - General Methods - Antlerless | 2 | 1 | 305 |
| 358 | Grizzly Island Period 9 - General Methods - Antlerless | 4 | 3 | 185 |
| 360 | Grizzly Island Period 11 - General Methods - Antlerless | 4 | 3 | 199 |
| 363 | Grizzly Island Period 13 - General Methods - Antlerless | 4 | 3 | 288 |
| 466 | Grizzly Island Apprentice - Period 1 - General Methods - Antlerless | 2 | 1 | 119 |
| 469 | Grizzly Island Apprentice - Period 2 - General Methods - Spike Bull | 2 | 1 | 149 |
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 Grizzly Island zone?
In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 33 taken on 33 tags; 33 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 | 11 | 33 | 6,667 | 33 | 33 |
| 2021 | 11 | 33 | 6,560 | 33 | 33 |
| 2020 | 11 | 33 | 7,173 | 24 | 23 |
| 2019 | 19 | 87 | 7,137 | 80 | 47 |
| 2018 | 19 | 87 | 7,044 | 87 | 81 |
| 2017 | 19 | 86 | 6,875 | 86 | 82 |
Each hunt in 2022:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Applications | Tags | Taken | Success (CDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 466 | Grizzly Island Apprentice - Period 1 - Antlerless | 171 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 469 | Grizzly Island Apprentice - Period 2 - Spike Bull | 172 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 433 | Grizzly Island Period 1 - Antlerless | 500 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 437 | Grizzly Island Period 2 - Spike Bull | 241 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 357 | Grizzly Island Period 8 - Spike Bull | 336 | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| 358 | Grizzly Island Period 9 - Antlerless | 323 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 359 | Grizzly Island Period 10 - Bull | 3,050 | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 360 | Grizzly Island Period 11 - Antlerless | 241 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 362 | Grizzly Island Period 12 - Bull | 1,294 | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 363 | Grizzly Island Period 13 - Antlerless | 339 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 470 | Grizzly Island Fundraising - Bull | 1 | 1 | 100% |
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 Grizzly Island zone?
99.4% of the zone, 8,927 of 8,983 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the zone |
|---|---|---|
| CDFW land | 8,927 | 99.4% |
| Other state or federal land | 7 | 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 lands in the zone: Grizzly Island Wildlife Area (8,928 acres).
Which deer zones overlap the Grizzly Island zone?
Zone A (8,983 acres; 9,184 deer taken in 2025).
How do you get to the Grizzly Island zone?
No numbered highway crosses it. Nearby: Pittsburg (5 miles), Suisun City (6 miles), Fairfield (7 miles) and Concord (9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many elk tags are there in the Grizzly Island zone?
CDFW's 2026 regulations list 37 tags in 11 hunts: Grizzly Island Apprentice - Period 1 - Antlerless (2), Grizzly Island Apprentice - Period 2 - Spike Bull (2), Grizzly Island Period 1 General Methods Antlerless (2), Grizzly Island Period 2 General Methods Spike Bull (2), Grizzly Island Period 8 General Methods Spike Bull (6) and Grizzly Island Period 9 General Methods Antlerless (4), and more in the table above. Tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How many elk were taken in the Grizzly Island zone?
CDFW's 2022 elk hunt statistics show 33 taken on 33 tags across 11 hunts. In 2021: 33 on 33 tags.
When are the Grizzly Island elk hunts in 2026?
August 11 to 14, August 13 to 16, September 3 to 6, September 8 to 11 and September 10 to 13, by hunt, in CDFW's 2026 regulations.
How much public land is in the Grizzly Island zone?
99.4%: 8,927 acres of national forest, BLM and CDFW land by CPAD 2026a.
CDFW's boundary of the Grizzly Island zone
Those lands owned and managed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife as the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 81, 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.