California Deer — Zone D16
California Zone D16 covers 2,867,781 acres and lies 34 miles east of Escondido. 51% of it is public land, mostly BLM (18%) and state land (14%). In 2025, hunters took 322 deer here. The 2023 draw put up 3,000 tags here for 820 first-choice applicants.
Your chance of drawing here
Every deer license type on offer in Zone D16, with the prior-draw chance for a first-choice nonresident applicant. Type your points in to see your own number.
Chances are from the 2023 draw (the most recent) for a first-choice nonresident. "Points needed" = the cut in the last draw.
Simple view Odds at every point level-
100% Undersubscribed
| Hunt | Your odds (0 pts) | Points needed | Tags / applicants | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D16 ↗ Zone D16 Archery and General Seasons - Buck | 100% Undersubscribed | — | 3,000 / 820 undersubscribed | Oct 28 – Nov 26, 2023 |
What these columns mean
- Your odds —
- the share of applicants at your point level who drew this tag in the 2023 draw. Not a forecast: quotas and demand move every year.
- The badge —
- plain language for that number. Likely draw 75% or better · Real chance 40%+ · Long shot 15%+ · Point builder below that, so you are applying mainly to bank a point · Undersubscribed means fewer first-choice applicants than tags, so everyone who applied drew.
- Points needed —
- the lowest point total that still got a tag in the 2023 draw, and how that cut has moved since the earliest draw we hold.
- Tags / applicants —
- tags on offer and first-choice applicants for them, as the agency published them. Under five tags we print counts instead of a percentage, because one applicant either way swings it.
What it costs to apply (2025 nonresident fees)
| License | Up front | Gone if you miss | If you draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per application | $588.01 | $588.01 | $588.01 |
Application window: opens Apr 15, closes Jun 2, 2027 (expected). Full fee breakdown.
The country
Boundaries are drawn for orientation only — the written boundary description in the regulations governs.
Who owns the ground
- BLM 528,130 ac · 18%
- State land 401,717 ac · 14%
- National Forest 289,272 ac · 10%
- County or city land 194,551 ac · 7%
- Other public 20,649 ac · 1%
- National Wildlife Refuge 13,437 ac · 0%
- Department of Defense 596 ac · 0%
- National Park Service 152 ac · 0%
- Private or other non-public land 1,419,274 ac · 49%
Source: California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) 2026a -- Holdings by Agency Classification
How the hunting has gone
What California Department of Fish and Wildlife publishes for this area after each season — harvest statistics for everyone who hunted it, not draw odds and not a forecast.
| Season | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 322 | 11% |
| 2024 | 307 | 10% |
| 2023 | 235 | 8% |
| 2022 | 228 | 8% |
| 2021 | 256 | 9% |
Boundary: Deer Hunt Zones - Title 14, Section 360 [ds342]
Harvest: 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics
Harvest: 2024 California Deer Harvest Statistics