Siskiyou elk zone: California elk hunting by the numbers
The Siskiyou elk zone covers 2,132 square miles of Siskiyou County and is hunted for Roosevelt elk. 43.7% is national forest, BLM or CDFW land (CPAD 2026a). CDFW's 2026 regulations list 3 hunts here with 60 tags in all. In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 20 elk taken on 40 tags, with 1,516 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 ServiceOther state or federal landSiskiyouNeighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 1, Northern Region |
|---|---|
| Elk | Roosevelt elk |
| Counties | Siskiyou |
| Size | 1,364,205 acres (2,132 square miles) |
| Public land | 43.7% (596,810 acres) |
| Hunts and tags, 2026 | 3 hunts, 60 tags |
| Taken, 2022 | 20 on 40 tags (CDFW) |
| Applications, 2022 | 1,516 for this zone's hunts |
| Towns in and near it | Yreka, Mount Shasta, Montague, Weed and Dunsmuir |
What elk hunts are in the Siskiyou zone in 2026?
CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations list 3 hunts for this zone, 60 tags in all:
| Hunt | Type | 2026 tags | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siskiyou Archery Bull | Archery | 10 | August 26 to September 8 |
| Siskiyou General Methods - Antlerless | General Methods | 30 | September 9 to 20 |
| Siskiyou General Methods Bull | General Methods | 20 | October 7 to 18 |
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, 1,407 applications went to this zone's hunts:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Tags | By preference points | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 384 | Siskiyou - Archery - Bull | 10 | 8 | 136 |
| 300 | Siskiyou - General Methods - Bull | 20 | 15 | 859 |
| 401 | Siskiyou - General Methods - Antlerless | 30 | 23 | 412 |
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 Siskiyou zone?
In 2022, CDFW's elk hunt statistics show 20 taken on 40 tags; 37 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 | 2 | 40 | 1,516 | 37 | 20 |
| 2021 | 2 | 40 | 1,511 | 16 | 13 |
| 2020 | 2 | 40 | 1,508 | 31 | 24 |
| 2019 | 2 | 40 | 1,286 | 39 | 29 |
| 2018 | 2 | 40 | 1,172 | 38 | 24 |
| 2017 | 2 | 39 | 1,200 | 37 | 17 |
Each hunt in 2022:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Applications | Tags | Taken | Success (CDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401 | Siskiyou - General Methods - Antlerless | 433 | 20 | 10 | 50% |
| 300 | Siskiyou - General Methods - Bull | 1,083 | 20 | 10 | 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 Siskiyou zone?
43.7% of the zone, 596,810 of 1,364,205 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land. The largest public units: Klamath National Forest (316,033 acres), Shasta-Trinity National Forest (151,999 acres), Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (45,956 acres) and Modoc National Forest (42,188 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the zone |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 510,221 | 37.4% |
| BLM | 57,125 | 4.2% |
| National wildlife refuge | 47,398 | 3.5% |
| CDFW land | 29,464 | 2.2% |
| National Park Service | 13,085 | 1% |
| Other state or federal land | 895 | 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: Butte Valley Wildlife Area (13,325 acres), Horseshoe Ranch Wildlife Area (5,097 acres) and Shasta Valley Wildlife Area (4,665 acres).
Which deer zones overlap the Siskiyou zone?
Zone X1 (773,021 acres; 331 deer taken in 2025) and Zone C1 (591,023 acres; 284 deer taken in 2025). Pronghorn zones that overlap it: Pronghorn Zone 1 (Mount Dome).
How do you get to the Siskiyou zone?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: US 97, I-5, CA 161, CA 89 and CA 3. 13 Census places are inside it, among them Yreka, Mount Shasta, Montague, Dorris, Lake Shastina and McCloud. Nearby: Weed (on the line), Dunsmuir (3 miles), Tulelake (4 miles) and Fort Jones (12 miles).
Neighboring elk zones: Marble Mountains elk zone and Northeastern elk zone.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk tags are there in the Siskiyou zone?
CDFW's 2026 regulations list 60 tags in 3 hunts: Siskiyou Archery Bull (10), Siskiyou General Methods - Antlerless (30) and Siskiyou General Methods Bull (20). Tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How many elk were taken in the Siskiyou zone?
CDFW's 2022 elk hunt statistics show 20 taken on 40 tags across 2 hunts. In 2021: 13 on 40 tags.
When are the Siskiyou elk hunts in 2026?
August 26 to September 8, September 9 to 20 and October 7 to 18, by hunt, in CDFW's 2026 regulations.
How much public land is in the Siskiyou zone?
43.7%: 596,810 acres of national forest, BLM and CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest public units: Klamath National Forest (316,033 acres), Shasta-Trinity National Forest (151,999 acres) and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (45,956 acres).
CDFW's boundary of the Siskiyou zone
In that portion of Siskiyou County within a line beginning at the junction of Interstate 5 and the California-Oregon state line; east along the California-Oregon state line to Hill Road at Ainsworth Corner; south on Hill Road to Lava Beds National Monument Road; south on Lava Beds National Monument Road to USDA Forest Service Road 49; south on USDA Forest Service Road 49 to USDA Forest Service Road 77; west on USDA Forest Service Road 77 to USDA Forest Service Road 15 (Harris Spring Road); south on USDA Forest Service Road 15 to USDA Forest Service Road 13 (Pilgrim Creek Road); southwest on USDA Forest Service Road 13 to Highway 89; northwest on Highway 89 to Interstate 5; north on Interstate 5 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 Northeastern elk zone