Northwestern elk zone: California elk hunting by the numbers
The Northwestern elk zone covers 4,294 square miles of Humboldt and Del Norte counties and is hunted for Roosevelt elk. 27.2% is national forest, BLM or CDFW land (CPAD 2026a). CDFW's 2026 regulations list 3 hunts here with 43 tags in all. In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 20 elk taken on 21 tags, with 1,812 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 landNorthwesternNeighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 1, Northern Region |
|---|---|
| Elk | Roosevelt elk |
| Counties | Humboldt and Del Norte |
| Size | 2,748,046 acres (4,294 square miles) |
| Public land | 27.2% (748,084 acres) |
| Hunts and tags, 2026 | 3 hunts, 43 tags |
| Taken, 2022 | 20 on 21 tags (CDFW) |
| Applications, 2022 | 1,812 for this zone's hunts |
| Towns in and near it | Eureka, Arcata, Fortuna, Salyer and Burnt Ranch |
What elk hunts are in the Northwestern zone in 2026?
CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations list 3 hunts for this zone, 43 tags in all:
| Hunt | Type | 2026 tags | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern General Methods - Antlerless | General Methods | 15 | September 2 to 24 |
| Northwestern General Methods - Bull | General Methods | 25 | September 2 to 24 |
| Northwestern General Methods - Either-sex | General Methods | 3 | September 2 to 24 |
Source: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 86; hunt codes and dates: CDFW 2026 Elk Hunt Dates and General Information.
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 1,700 applications went to this zone's hunts:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Tags | By preference points | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 355 | Northwestern - General Methods - Bull | 25 | 19 | 1,178 |
| 374 | Northwestern - General Methods - Antlerless | 15 | 12 | 186 |
| 483 | Northwestern - General Methods - Either-Sex | 3 | 2 | 336 |
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 Northwestern zone?
In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 20 taken on 21 tags; 20 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 | 21 | 1,812 | 20 | 20 |
| 2021 | 3 | 21 | 2,182 | 20 | 18 |
| 2020 | 3 | 21 | 1,865 | 21 | 19 |
| 2019 | 2 | 18 | 1,617 | 18 | 18 |
| 2018 | 2 | 18 | 1,624 | 18 | 18 |
| 2017 | 2 | 18 | 1,547 | 18 | 16 |
Each hunt in 2022:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Applications | Tags | Taken | Success (CDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 374 | Northwestern - General Methods - Antlerless | 256 | 15 | 14 | 93% |
| 355 | Northwestern - General Methods - Bull | 911 | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 483 | Northwestern - General Methods - Either-sex | 645 | 3 | 3 | 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 Northwestern zone?
27.2% of the zone, 748,084 of 2,748,046 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land. The largest public units: Six Rivers National Forest (604,149 acres), Redwood National Park (77,864 acres), Siskiyou National Forest (31,401 acres) and Shasta-Trinity National Forest (2,119 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the zone |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 637,697 | 23.2% |
| State park | 124,014 | 4.5% |
| BLM | 88,432 | 3.2% |
| National Park Service | 77,864 | 2.8% |
| CDFW land | 21,955 | 0.8% |
| National wildlife refuge | 2,714 | 0.1% |
| Other state or federal land | 2,199 | 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: Headwaters Forest Ecological Reserve (7,588 acres), Lake Earl Wildlife Area (5,974 acres), Eel River Wildlife Area (2,348 acres), Big Lagoon Wildlife Area (1,458 acres), South Spit Wildlife Area (603 acres), Mad River Slough Wildlife Area (546 acres), Fay Slough Wildlife Area (477 acres), Elk River Wildlife Area (100 acres) and Waukell Creek Wildlife Area (27 acres).
Which deer zones overlap the Northwestern zone?
Zone B1 (2,227,703 acres; 3,992 deer taken in 2025), Zone B4 (517,750 acres; 296 deer taken in 2025) and Zone B2 (1,192 acres; 3,565 deer taken in 2025).
How do you get to the Northwestern zone?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: US 101, CA 299, CA 36, US 199, CA 169 and CA 254. 47 Census places are inside it, among them Eureka, Arcata, Fortuna, Rio Dell, Crescent City and Ferndale. Nearby: Salyer (on the line), Burnt Ranch (3 miles), Mad River (3 miles) and Trinity Village (4 miles).
Neighboring elk zones: Marble Mountains elk zone and Mendocino elk zone.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk tags are there in the Northwestern zone?
CDFW's 2026 regulations list 43 tags in 3 hunts: Northwestern General Methods - Antlerless (15), Northwestern General Methods - Bull (25) and Northwestern General Methods - Either-sex (3). Tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How many elk were taken in the Northwestern zone?
CDFW's 2022 elk hunt statistics show 20 taken on 21 tags across 3 hunts. In 2021: 18 on 21 tags.
When are the Northwestern elk hunts in 2026?
September 2 to 24, by hunt, in CDFW's 2026 regulations.
How much public land is in the Northwestern zone?
27.2%: 748,084 acres of national forest, BLM and CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest public units: Six Rivers National Forest (604,149 acres), Redwood National Park (77,864 acres) and Siskiyou National Forest (31,401 acres).
CDFW's boundary of the Northwestern zone
In those portions of Humboldt and Del Norte counties within a line beginning at the intersection of Highway 299 and Highway 96; north on Highway 96 to the Del Norte-Siskiyou county line; north along the Del Norte-Siskiyou county line to the California-Oregon state line; west along the California-Oregon state line to the Pacific coastline; south along the Pacific coastline to the Humboldt-Mendocino county line; east along the Humboldt-Mendocino county line to the Humboldt-Trinity county line; north along the Humboldt-Trinity county line to Highway 299; west on Highway 299 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 Mendocino elk zone