California Deer — Zone X7A
California Zone X7A covers 451,316 acres and lies 80 miles north-east of Roseville and 96 miles north-east of Sacramento. 59% of it is public land, mostly national forest (49%) and state land (4%). In 2025, hunters took 52 deer here. The 2025 draw put up 229 tags here for 1,059 first-choice applicants.
Your chance of drawing here
Every deer license type on offer in Zone X7A, with the prior-draw chance for a first-choice nonresident applicant. Type your points in to see your own number.
Chances are from the 2025 draw (the most recent) for a first-choice nonresident. "Points needed" = the cut in the last draw.
Simple view Odds at every point level-
11% Point builder
-
28% Long shot
-
3% Point builder
| Hunt | Your odds (0 pts) | Points needed | Tags / applicants | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A13 ↗ Archery Hunt In Zone X7A - Buck Archery | 11% Point builder | — | 45 / 78 | Aug 16 – Sep 7, 2025 |
| J19 ↗ Zone X7A Apprentice Either - Sex - General Methods Rifle | 28% Long shot | — | 25 / 56 | Oct 4–19, 2025 |
| X7A ↗ Zone X7A General Season - Buck Rifle | 3% Point builder | — | 229 / 1,059 | Oct 4–19, 2025 |
What these columns mean
- Your odds —
- the share of applicants at your point level who drew this tag in the 2025 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 2025 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
- National Forest 222,181 ac · 49%
- State land 17,871 ac · 4%
- Other public 14,461 ac · 3%
- BLM 13,269 ac · 3%
- County or city land 34 ac · 0%
- Private or other non-public land 183,498 ac · 41%
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 | 52 | 23% |
| 2024 | 46 | 22% |
| 2023 | 38 | 18% |
| 2022 | 35 | 16% |
| 2021 | 71 | 35% |
Boundary: Deer Hunt Zones - Title 14, Section 360 [ds342]
Harvest: 2025 California Deer Harvest Statistics
Harvest: 2024 California Deer Harvest Statistics