Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area: hunting rules and map
Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area is 325 acres of CDFW land in Inyo County, in CDFW's Inland Deserts Region. Title 14, Section 551 lists it as Type C: open daily for hunting all legal species without a hunting pass, except where CDFW's area rules say otherwise. It lies in deer Zone X9a, where CDFW estimates 160 deer were taken in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: CDFW's 2026-2027 land use regulations (updated July 1, 2026). Boundary and acres: CDFW. Zones: CDFW. Land around it: CPAD 2026a.
National forestBLMCDFW landButtermilk Country WADeer zone lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 325 acres (CDFW boundary) |
|---|---|
| CDFW region | Region 6, Inland Deserts Region |
| County | Inyo |
| Wildlife area type | Type C |
| Camping | Not listed in section 551(m), so not allowed |
| Deer zone | Zone X9a |
| Nearest towns | Round Valley (7 mi), West Bishop (8 mi) and Mesa (8 mi) |
What are CDFW's rules for Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area?
As a Type C area, Buttermilk Country WA needs no hunting pass.
CDFW lists no rules for Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area beyond those for every wildlife area (Sections 550 and 551).
Source: CDFW 2026-2027 Waterfowl, Upland Game, and Public Use of Department Lands Regulations, Title 14, Section 551. CDFW's page for Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area has maps and contacts. Deer, elk and pronghorn hunting also follow the zone's own season and tag.
What does CDFW say about Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area?
Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area consists of 325 acres of high desert meadow, surrounded by Inyo National Forest, and dominated by Great Basin vegetation consisting of sagebrush, bitterbrush, rabbitbrush, saltbrush, buckwheat and pinyon-juniper woodland habitats. McGee Creek runs along its eastern boundary. The wildlife area provides important habitat for the migration of the Round Valley deer herd between their summer and winter ranges.
On hunting, CDFW's page says: Deer, mountain quail, and blue grouse may be present. Method of take: shotguns, rifles, archery.
CDFW lists big game, small game and upland game birds hunting for the area, and also wildlife viewing, hiking trails and fishing.
From CDFW's page for Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area, read October 2026.
Which hunt zones is Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area in?
CDFW's numbers for each zone are for the whole zone, not the wildlife area alone.
| Zone | Acres of Buttermilk Country WA in it | CDFW's latest numbers for the zone |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Zone X9a | 325 | 160 deer taken in 2025, 62.7% hunter success; 2026 general season September 19 to October 12 |
CDFW deer hunts whose ground includes part of Buttermilk Country WA: hunt J-12 (Round Valley Apprentice Buck Hunt), hunt G-39 (Round Valley Late Season Buck Hunt) and hunt A-16 (Zone X-9a Archery Hunt).
Harvest: CDFW California Deer Harvest Statistics (2020 to 2025). Acres measured by FilledTag from CDFW's boundaries.
What public land is around Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area?
Within 4 miles of its boundary, CPAD 2026a maps 36,904 acres of national forest, 533 acres of BLM land and 325 acres of CDFW land.
How do you get to Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area?
CDFW's directions: From Bishop and Hwy 395 head westerly on Hwy 168 to Buttermilk Road and go west for about 6 miles. The road passes through the western portion of the wildlife area.
CDFW's location note: 12 miles west of Bishop on east slope of Sierra Nevada on Buttermilk Road; west of Grouse Mountain. Highways within 8 miles: CA 168 and US 395. Nearest towns: Round Valley (7 miles), West Bishop (8 miles), Mesa (8 miles) and Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek (11 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area?
Yes. Section 551 lists it as Type C. Type C areas are open daily for all legal species, unless CDFW's area rules say otherwise.
Can you camp on Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area?
No. Section 551(m) does not list Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area, and camping is prohibited on wildlife areas it does not list (Section 550(p)).
Which deer zone is Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area in?
All of it is in deer Zone X9a, by CDFW's boundaries. CDFW estimates 160 deer were taken in Zone X9a in 2025, across the whole zone.
What is the closest town to Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area?
Round Valley (7 miles), West Bishop (8 miles) and Mesa (8 miles), by the Census Bureau's places.
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Where these facts come from
- Rules: CDFW 2026-2027 Waterfowl, Upland Game, and Public Use of Department Lands Regulations.
- Boundary and acres: CDFW public access lands (BIOS ds3077); CDFW, Buttermilk Country Wildlife Area.
- Zones: CDFW BIOS zone layers. Surrounding public land: California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a.
- Deer harvest: CDFW California Deer Harvest Statistics (2020 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.