Pronghorn Zone 6, Surprise Valley: California pronghorn hunting by the numbers
Pronghorn Zone 6 (Surprise Valley) covers 817 square miles of Modoc and Lassen counties. 57.1% is national forest, BLM or CDFW land (CPAD 2026a). CDFW's 2026 regulations list 3 hunts here with 15 tags in all. In 2023, CDFW's pronghorn hunt statistics show 11 pronghorn taken on 15 tags, with 1,557 applications for this zone's hunts.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt statistics: CDFW, 2018 to 2023. 2026 hunts and tags: CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations. Land: CPAD 2026a.
National forestBLMCDFW landOther state or federal landZone 6Neighboring zonesLake or riverHighway
| CDFW region | Region 1, Northern Region |
|---|---|
| Counties | Modoc and Lassen |
| Size | 522,881 acres (817 square miles) |
| Public land | 57.1% (298,697 acres) |
| Hunts and tags, 2026 | 3 hunts, 15 tags |
| Taken, 2023 | 11 on 15 tags (CDFW) |
| Applications, 2023 | 1,557 for this zone's hunts |
| Towns in and near it | Lake City, Cedarville, Fort Bidwell, Alturas and New Pine Creek |
What pronghorn hunts are in Zone 6 in 2026?
CDFW's 2026-2027 regulations list 3 hunts for this zone, 15 tags in all:
| Hunt | Type | 2026 tags | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 6 Surprise Valley Either-sex Apprentice | Apprentice | 4 | August 22 to 30 |
| Zone 6 Surprise Valley Archery Buck | Archery | 1 | August 8 to 16 |
| Zone 6 Surprise Valley General Methods Buck | General Methods | 10 | August 22 to 30 |
Source: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, page 94.
In CDFW's 2026 Big Game Drawing, 1,598 applications went to 2 of this zone's 3 hunts (CDFW's tables for the others do not add up, so they are left out):
| Hunt code | Hunt | Tags | By preference points | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 760 | Zone 6 - Surprise Valley - General Methods - Buck | 10 | 8 | 1,487 |
| 765 | Zone 6 - Surprise Valley - Archery - Buck | 1 | 0 | 111 |
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 pronghorn are taken in Zone 6?
In 2023, CDFW's pronghorn hunt statistics show 11 taken on 15 tags; 15 tag holders reported. Year by year, for this zone's hunts:
| Year | Hunts | Tags | Applications | Tag holders who reported | Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3 | 15 | 1,557 | 15 | 11 |
| 2022 | 3 | 15 | 1,697 | 14 | 11 |
| 2021 | 3 | 15 | 1,597 | 11 | 10 |
| 2020 | 3 | 15 | not printed | 14 | 13 |
| 2019 | 3 | 15 | 1,527 | 15 | 13 |
| 2018 | 3 | 15 | 1,477 | 15 | 13 |
Each hunt in 2023:
| Hunt code | Hunt | Applications | Tags | Taken | Success (CDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 760 | Zone 6 - Surprise Valley - General Methods - Buck | 1,285 | 10 | 9 | 90% |
| 765 | Zone 6 - Surprise Valley - Archery only - Buck | 111 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| 766 | Zone 6 - Surprise Valley Apprentice - General Methods - Either-sex | 161 | 4 | 2 | 50% |
Source: CDFW Pronghorn Hunt Statistics (2018 to 2023); 2023: CDFW 2023 Pronghorn 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. CDFW's 2020 pronghorn applicant counts do not line up with its rows and are left out.
How much public land is in Zone 6?
57.1% of the zone, 298,697 of 522,881 acres, is national forest, BLM or CDFW land. The largest public units: Modoc National Forest (137,773 acres).
| Manager | Acres | Share of the zone |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 158,510 | 30.3% |
| National forest | 137,773 | 26.3% |
| Other state or federal land | 4,207 | 0.8% |
| CDFW land | 2,414 | 0.5% |
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: Silver Creek Wildlife Area (2,007 acres) and Surprise Valley Wildlife Area (464 acres).
Which deer zones overlap Zone 6?
Zone X3b (522,856 acres; 161 deer taken in 2025). Elk zones that overlap it: Northeastern elk zone.
How do you get to Zone 6?
Numbered highways through it, longest stretch first: CA 299. Towns inside: Lake City, Cedarville, Fort Bidwell and Eagleville. Nearby: New Pine Creek (5 miles), Madeline (12 miles), Alturas (13 miles) and Daphnedale Park (13 miles).
Neighboring pronghorn zones: Pronghorn Zone 3 (Likely Tables) and Pronghorn Zone 4 (Lassen).
Questions hunters ask
How many pronghorn tags are there in Zone 6?
CDFW's 2026 regulations list 15 tags in 3 hunts: Zone 6 Surprise Valley Either-sex Apprentice (4), Zone 6 Surprise Valley Archery Buck (1) and Zone 6 Surprise Valley General Methods Buck (10). Tags are drawn in CDFW's big game drawing, apart from a few fundraising tags.
How many pronghorn were taken in Zone 6?
CDFW's 2023 pronghorn hunt statistics show 11 taken on 15 tags across 3 hunts. In 2022: 11 on 15 tags.
When are the Zone 6 pronghorn hunts in 2026?
August 22 to 30 and August 8 to 16, by hunt, in CDFW's 2026 regulations.
How much public land is in Zone 6?
57.1%: 298,697 acres of national forest, BLM and CDFW land by CPAD 2026a. The largest public units: Modoc National Forest (137,773 acres).
CDFW's boundary of Zone 6
Those portions of Modoc and Lassen counties within a line beginning at the intersection junction of the crest of the Warner Mountains and the California-Oregon state line; east along the California-Oregon state line to the California-Nevada state line; south along the California-Nevada state line to Tuledad-Clarks Valley Road; west and northwest on Tuledad-Clarks Valley Road to Clarks Valley-Long Valley Road; north on Clarks Valley-Long Valley Road to South Warner Road; east on South Warner Road to the Summit Trail near Patterson Guard Station; north along the Summit Trail to the crest of the Warner Mountains at Pepperdine Camp; north along the crest of the Warner Mountains to the California-Oregon state line to the point of beginning.
From CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations, Title 14, Section 363.
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Where these numbers come from
- Hunt statistics: CDFW Pronghorn Hunt Statistics, 2018 to 2023.
- 2026 hunts, tags and dates: CDFW 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations.
- Public land: California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a. Zone boundary: CDFW pronghorn hunt zones (BIOS ds787).
- 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 Pronghorn Zone 3 (Likely Tables) Pronghorn Zone 4 (Lassen)