Unit C1 Zone C1
Where coastal blacktail meets high-desert mule deer under Mount Shasta
Northeast California — Klamath / Shasta Valley Transition · Last reviewed 2026-07-13
Area
926
sq mi
Public land
45%
approx.
Elevation
2,500–9,025
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Zone C-1 is a limited-quota C-zone tag covering roughly 926 square miles of Siskiyou County east of the Klamath Mountains, around Yreka and the Shasta and Butte valleys beneath Mount Shasta. It is a genuine transition zone: primarily Columbian black-tailed deer, but Rocky Mountain mule deer show up in the drier eastern reaches where the Cascade and Modoc country begins. Terrain runs from sagebrush and juniper flats up through hardwood-conifer into dense fir. Five-year harvest averages about 280 deer at a 22% success rate — lower total than the big B zones because tags are capped, which also means less crowding on the ground.
Terrain
Broad valley floors — Shasta Valley and Butte Valley near 2,500-3,000 feet — rising into juniper-sage benches and forested Cascade and eastern Klamath foothills, with high ground toward Mount Eddy (9,025 ft) on the west and the Cascade shoulders east of I-5. Country is more open and rolling here than the wilderness B zones to the west.
Cover: Transitional and varied: chaparral, sagebrush, and juniper on the dry lower and eastern ground, grading into hardwood-conifer and dense conifer on the higher, wetter slopes. Burns and re-sprouted brush fields draw deer.
Landmarks: Shasta Valley · Butte Valley · Mount Shasta (backdrop) · Mount Eddy · The Whaleback / Goosenest · Little Shasta country · Klamath River (north edge)
Access
A true public-private mix. Klamath and Shasta-Trinity National Forest plus BLM cover the higher and rougher ground, but the productive valley floors and foothill margins around Yreka, Montague, and Butte Valley are heavily private ranch and hay ground where written permission is mandatory. Access is generally good by C-zone standards — many forest and county roads — but the best low deer are often behind gates.
Managers: USFS Klamath NF, USFS Shasta-Trinity NF, BLM Redding Field Office, Private ranch (Shasta & Butte valleys), Private timber
Access points: Interstate 5 (Yreka / Weed corridor) · Highway 97 to Butte Valley · Little Shasta Road and Shasta Valley county roads · Klamath NF roads east and west of I-5 · BLM lands north and west of Yreka
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian black-tailed deer are the primary deer of C-1, resident animals working up and down slope on the western and central forested ground. The capped C-zone tag means lighter pressure than the B zones, and mature blacktail hold in the brushy transition timber.
- →Hunt the chaparral-conifer edge and re-sprouted burns at first and last light
- →Glass juniper-sage benches transitioning into timber
- →Follow the deer downslope after the first heavy fall storms
- →Work oak and brush pockets during mast drop
Mule Deer
limited opportunityRocky Mountain mule deer occur in the eastern portion of the zone where the sagebrush-juniper high desert and Cascade-Modoc country take over. Numbers are secondary to blacktail, but a hunter working the dry east side can encounter true muleys.
- →Push east into the Butte Valley and Cascade-fringe juniper and sage
- →Glass open benches and rims at dawn
- →Watch water sources and ag edges on the dry east side
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears inhabit the forested western and higher country of C-1 and are taken incidental to deer or on a general-season bear hunt.
- →Glass burns and berry patches at dawn
- →Work oak flats during acorn drop
- →Check creek bottoms and seeps in dry years
Pro tips
- →Apply for the C-1 draw — it is a capped tag, so tag access is the first hurdle, not deer density
- →Split your effort: forested west and central for blacktail, dry juniper-sage east for mule deer
- →Time the hunt to the first storm to pull blacktail down out of the high timber
- →Nail down valley-ranch permission early; the private hay and pasture ground holds low-country deer
- →Use I-5 access to your advantage — glass multiple drainages in a day, then commit to the best
Watch out for
- !Extensive private ranch and hay ground in Shasta and Butte valleys — written permission required, trespass enforced
- !Limited-quota tag — no over-the-counter option, must draw
- !Early Cascade snow closes high roads; dry east side runs short on water
- !Nonlead ammunition is mandatory statewide for all deer and big game
- !Public-private boundaries are a checkerboard near town — verify before you shoot
Logistics
Yreka and Weed on I-5 are full-service staging towns with fuel, groceries, and lodging — C-1 is one of the more logistically convenient northern zones because the interstate runs right through it. Klamath and Shasta-Trinity NF campgrounds plus dispersed camping on public land handle most hunters; valley hunts can often be run out of town. Carry the Klamath National Forest map for the public-private mosaic.
Nearest towns: Yreka, Weed, Montague, Grenada, Macdoel
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official California sources:
Research sources: CDFW Zone C-1 General Deer Hunting Information · CDFW Deer Hunting · USFS Klamath National Forest · USFS Shasta-Trinity National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit C1 in California?
- Unit C1 (Zone C1) covers about 926 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,500 to 9,025 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit C1?
- Approximately 45% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Klamath NF, USFS Shasta-Trinity NF, BLM Redding Field Office, Private ranch (Shasta & Butte valleys), Private timber. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit C1?
- Blacktail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official California agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit C1 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.