Northeastern elk zone: California elk hunting by the numbers
The Northeastern elk zone covers 10,521 square miles of Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen and Shasta counties and is hunted for Rocky Mountain elk. 52.7% is national forest, BLM or CDFW land (CPAD 2026a). CDFW's 2026 regulations list 4 hunts here with 37 tags in all. In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 26 elk taken on 37 tags, with 5,606 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 landNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceState parkOther state or federal landNortheasternNeighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 1, Northern Region |
|---|---|
| Elk | Rocky Mountain elk |
| Counties | Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen and Shasta |
| Size | 6,733,574 acres (10,521 square miles) |
| Public land | 52.7% (3,548,936 acres) |
| Hunts and tags, 2026 | 4 hunts, 37 tags |
| Taken, 2022 | 26 on 37 tags (CDFW) |
| Applications, 2022 | 5,606 for this zone's hunts |
| Towns in and near it | Alturas, Dunsmuir, Tulelake, Anderson and Susanville |
What elk hunts are in the Northeastern zone in 2026?
CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations list 4 hunts for this zone, 37 tags in all:
| Hunt | Type | 2026 tags | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Apprentice - Either-sex | Apprentice | 2 | September 16 to 27 |
| Northeastern Archery - Either-sex | Archery | 10 | September 2 to 13 |
| Northeastern General Methods - Antlerless | General Methods | 10 | November 11 to 22 |
| Northeastern General Methods - Bull | General Methods | 15 | September 16 to 27 |
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 3 of this zone's 4 hunts (CDFW's tables for the others do not add up, so they are left out):
| Hunt code | Hunt | Tags | By preference points | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 304 | Northeastern - General Methods - Antlerless | 10 | 8 | 378 |
| 411 | Northeastern - Archery - Either-Sex | 10 | 8 | 531 |
| 409 | Northeastern Apprentice- General Methods - Either-Sex | 2 | 1 | 248 |
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 Northeastern zone?
In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 26 taken on 37 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 | 4 | 37 | 5,606 | 33 | 26 |
| 2021 | 4 | 37 | 5,596 | 30 | 18 |
| 2020 | 4 | 37 | 5,728 | 32 | 15 |
| 2019 | 4 | 37 | 5,287 | 36 | 19 |
| 2018 | 4 | 37 | 5,560 | 36 | 19 |
| 2017 | 4 | 37 | 5,425 | 36 | 22 |
Each hunt in 2022:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Applications | Tags | Taken | Success (CDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 409 | Northeastern Apprentice - Either- sex | 327 | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| 411 | Northeastern Archery only - Either- sex | 697 | 10 | 8 | 80% |
| 304 | Northeastern - General Methods - Antlerless | 435 | 10 | 2 | 20% |
| 305 | Northeastern - General Methods - Bull | 4,147 | 15 | 15 | 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 Northeastern zone?
52.7% of the zone, 3,548,936 of 6,733,574 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land. The largest public units: Modoc National Forest (1,619,397 acres), Lassen National Forest (850,897 acres), Shasta-Trinity National Forest (482,227 acres) and Lassen Volcanic National Park (108,101 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the zone |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 2,955,970 | 43.9% |
| BLM | 567,736 | 8.4% |
| National Park Service | 141,038 | 2.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 66,833 | 1% |
| Other state or federal land | 47,794 | 0.7% |
| CDFW land | 25,230 | 0.4% |
| State park | 8,422 | 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: Ash Creek Wildlife Area (14,566 acres), Fitzhugh Creek Wildlife Area (2,135 acres), Pine Creek Wildlife Area (2,011 acres), Silver Creek Wildlife Area (2,007 acres), Mouth of Cottonwood Creek Wildlife Area (1,034 acres), Cinder Flats Wildlife Area (730 acres), Warner Valley Wildlife Area (702 acres), Battle Creek Wildlife Area (640 acres), Surprise Valley Wildlife Area (464 acres) and Dales Lake Ecological Reserve (377 acres), and 1 more.
Which deer zones overlap the Northeastern zone?
Zone X1 (1,085,690 acres; 331 deer taken in 2025), Zone X2 (1,036,873 acres; 78 deer taken in 2025), Zone X3b (987,361 acres; 161 deer taken in 2025), Zone C3 (839,953 acres; 585 deer taken in 2025), Zone X3a (798,277 acres; 209 deer taken in 2025), Zone C4 (717,764 acres; 1,129 deer taken in 2025), Zone X4 (674,944 acres; 173 deer taken in 2025) and Zone C2 (591,848 acres; 455 deer taken in 2025). Pronghorn zones that overlap it: Pronghorn Zone 3 (Likely Tables), Pronghorn Zone 5 (Big Valley), Pronghorn Zone 4 (Lassen), Pronghorn Zone 2 (Clear Lake), Pronghorn Zone 6 (Surprise Valley) and Pronghorn Zone 1 (Mount Dome).
How do you get to the Northeastern zone?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 299, CA 89, CA 139, CA 44, US 395 and I-5. 46 Census places are inside it, among them Alturas, Dunsmuir, Tulelake, Hat Creek, Mineral and Bella Vista. Nearby: Anderson (on the line), Susanville (on the line), Redding (on the line) and Red Bluff (on the line).
Neighboring elk zones: Marble Mountains elk zone and Siskiyou elk zone.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk tags are there in the Northeastern zone?
CDFW's 2026 regulations list 37 tags in 4 hunts: Northeastern Apprentice - Either-sex (2), Northeastern Archery - Either-sex (10), Northeastern General Methods - Antlerless (10) and Northeastern General Methods - Bull (15). Tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How many elk were taken in the Northeastern zone?
CDFW's 2022 elk hunt statistics show 26 taken on 37 tags across 4 hunts. In 2021: 18 on 37 tags.
When are the Northeastern elk hunts in 2026?
September 16 to 27, September 2 to 13 and November 11 to 22, by hunt, in CDFW's 2026 regulations.
How much public land is in the Northeastern zone?
52.7%: 3,548,936 acres of national forest, BLM and CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest public units: Modoc National Forest (1,619,397 acres), Lassen National Forest (850,897 acres) and Shasta-Trinity National Forest (482,227 acres).
CDFW's boundary of the Northeastern zone
Those portions of Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen, and Shasta Countiescounties within a line beginning in Siskiyou County at the junction of the California-Oregon state line and Hill Road at Ainsworth Corner; east along the California-Oregon state line to the California-Nevada state line; south along the California-Nevada state line to Lassen County Road 506 Tuledad(Tuledad) Road; west on Lassen County Road 506 to Lassen County Road 512 (Red Rock Road); west on Lassen County Road 512 to Lassen County Road 510 (Clark's Valley Road); west on Lassen County Road 510 to Highway 395 at Madeline; west on Lassen County Road 527 (Ash Valley Road) to Highway 139/299299/139 in Adin; south on Highway 299/139, then Highway 139 to Highway 36 in Susanville; west on Highway 36 to Interstate 5 in Red Bluff; north on Interstate 5 to Highway 89; southeast on Highway 89 to USDA Forest Service Road 13 (Pilgrim Creek Road); northeast on USDA Forest Service Road 13 to USDA Forest Service Road 15 (Harris Spring Road); north on USDA Forest Service Road 15 to USDA Forest Service Road 77; east on USDA Forest Service Road 77 to USDA Forest Service Road 49; north on USDA Forest Service Road 49 to Lava Beds National Monument Road; north on Lava Beds National Monument Road to Hill Road; north on Hill Road to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 78, 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 1 Marble Mountains elk zone Siskiyou elk zone