Unit A (South Unit 110) Zone A (South Unit 110)
Early-season blacktail in the oak-and-chaparral Diablo and Santa Lucia country
South Coast Ranges — Zone A (South Unit) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
26,614
sq mi
Public land
25%
approx.
Elevation
300–5,200
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
This southern unit of Zone A covers the sprawling South Coast Ranges — the Diablo Range west of Fresno, the San Benito and Monterey backcountry, and the northern Los Padres front. It is vast, dry, and overwhelmingly private cattle-ranch country, with public opportunity concentrated on BLM blocks (Clear Creek, Panoche, Tumey Hills) and the northern Los Padres National Forest. Columbian blacktail (grading toward the blacktail-mule intergrade at the southern edge) are the quarry, hunted under an early general season across hot, oak-savanna hills.
Terrain
Rolling oak-grass foothills breaking into steep, brushy Diablo and Santa Lucia ridges and dry interior canyons; San Benito Mountain is the high point of the Diablo Range.
Cover: Blue-oak and gray-pine savanna, annual grassland, and dense chamise-buckbrush chaparral on the ridges, with digger-pine and scattered conifer at the tops. Riparian oak strings along the creeks hold deer in the heat.
Landmarks: Diablo Range · San Benito Mountain · Clear Creek Management Area (BLM) · Panoche and Tumey Hills · Los Padres National Forest (north) · Pinnacles country
Access
This is huge, thinly-roaded ranch country — the vast majority is private and locked behind cattle-ranch gates, and many hunters buy access or hunt a PLM ranch. Public hunting centers on scattered BLM blocks (note the Clear Creek asbestos-hazard restrictions) and the northern Los Padres NF. Roads are dirt, remote, and impassable when wet; carry recovery gear.
Managers: Private ranch land (large cattle operations), BLM (Clear Creek, Panoche, Tumey, Ciervo-Panoche), USFS Los Padres NF (northern reaches), CDFW Wildlife Areas
Access points: BLM Panoche / Tumey Hills off I-5 and Panoche Road · Clear Creek Management Area (check access restrictions) · Los Padres NF roads from the Monterey/San Benito side · Ranch access via CDFW SHARE / PLM programs
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian blacktail (intergrading toward mule deer at the arid southeastern edge) are spread thin across big country at roughly 30% success. Deer densities are lower and hunting is more spot-and-stalk over long glass; older bucks live in the low-pressure private brush.
- →Glass big from ridge vantages at first and last light across oak-grass and chaparral basins
- →Hunt water hard — stock ponds, springs, and creek shade are magnets in the dry heat
- →Still-hunt oak-chaparral transition edges in the cool morning before deer bed in brush
- →Cover ground; deer are patchy across these vast ranges — find the pocket holding animals
- →Pursue a PLM or SHARE ranch tag for access and better buck age structure
Pronghorn
transient lowA few pronghorn use the open grasslands of the Panoche/interior valley fringe, but this is not a meaningful pronghorn hunt zone.
- →Glass open valley grassland flats if you happen onto a band
Pro tips
- →Line up private access or a PLM/SHARE ranch well before the season — most quality ground is private
- →In the heat, glass and hunt water sources; deer movement collapses to seeps and shade midday
- →Learn the BLM block boundaries and the Clear Creek access restrictions before you go
- →Optics-first zone: a good tripod and binos beat still-hunting in this open, brushy country
- →Get meat on ice immediately — early-season warmth is the biggest spoilage risk
Watch out for
- !Overwhelmingly private ranch land with strict trespass boundaries — verify with a parcel map
- !Clear Creek Management Area has naturally-occurring asbestos and access limits
- !Remote dirt roads turn impassable when wet and help is far away
- !Extreme heat, scarce water, and high fire danger at the opener
- !Rattlesnakes, ticks, and poison oak throughout the chaparral
Logistics
Stage out of Coalinga, Hollister, or King City for fuel, food, and lodging; interior access is off I-5, Panoche Road, and remote ranch/forest tracks. Bring plenty of water, full recovery gear for slick clay roads, and coolers — early-season temperatures routinely exceed 90F and meat spoils fast.
Nearest towns: Coalinga, Hollister, King City, Los Banos, Paicines
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official California sources:
Research sources: CDFW Zone A Deer Hunting Zone Description · CDFW Deer Hunting · BLM Central Coast Field Office - Clear Creek / Panoche · USFS Los Padres National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit A (South Unit 110) in California?
- Unit A (South Unit 110) (Zone A (South Unit 110)) covers about 26,614 square miles, ranging from roughly 300 to 5,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit A (South Unit 110)?
- Approximately 25% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private ranch land (large cattle operations), BLM (Clear Creek, Panoche, Tumey, Ciervo-Panoche), USFS Los Padres NF (northern reaches), CDFW Wildlife Areas. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit A (South Unit 110)?
- Blacktail Deer, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official California agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit A (South Unit 110) on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.