Unit D19 Zone D19
Steep San Bernardino National Forest peaks and the Santa Rosa desert front, close to millions of hunters yet full of vertical, brushy deer country.
Southern California — San Jacinto & Santa Rosa Mountains · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,700
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
0–10,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Zone D-19 wraps the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains across Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties, climbing from the desert floor near sea level to the 10,800-foot San Jacinto crest. Roughly half the country is public — the San Bernardino National Forest and the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (BLM/USFS) — with the balance in private ranch and tribal land and closed state park along the Anza-Borrego edge. Deer are southern/California mule deer that hold in thick brush at all elevations; the Santa Rosa country is the traditional opening-weekend producer. Tags are easy but this is a heavily pressured metro-adjacent zone.
Terrain
Dramatic vertical relief from the Coachella Valley desert floor to the alpine San Jacinto crest, with the Santa Rosa Mountains forming a rugged desert-facing wall of canyons and ridges.
Cover: Desert scrub and cactus on the low east front, dense chamise/manzanita chaparral through the mid-slopes, and mixed conifer — Jeffrey pine, white fir, incense cedar — on the high San Jacinto ridges.
Landmarks: San Jacinto Peak · Santa Rosa Mountains · Toro Peak · Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument · Anza-Borrego desert front · San Bernardino National Forest
Access
Over half public between the San Bernardino National Forest and the co-managed National Monument, but the ground is steep and fragmented by private ranches, tribal land and closed state parks. A Forest Adventure Pass is required to park on much of the San Bernardino NF, and a wilderness pass is needed for the San Jacinto Wilderness. The best deer country is often a stiff hike above the roads.
Managers: USFS San Bernardino NF (San Jacinto Ranger District), BLM / Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, Private ranch land, Tribal reservations, California State Parks (Anza-Borrego, Mount San Jacinto)
Access points: Highway 74 (Palms-to-Pines) over the Santa Rosa divide · Highway 243 to Idyllwild · Santa Rosa Truck Trail · Pinyon Flat / Ribbonwood area off Hwy 74 · Anza / Highway 371 on the west side
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunitySouthern/California mule deer scattered through brushy canyons and forested ridges; recent success near 9% with a couple hundred bucks taken. The Santa Rosa country is the reliable opening-weekend producer.
- →Hunt the Santa Rosa Mountains hard on opening weekend — traditionally the zone's most productive ground
- →Glass brushy chaparral benches and canyon heads at first and last light; the cover is thick even up high
- →Climb above the roads into the San Jacinto pine country to escape crowds and find undisturbed deer
- →Work desert-front canyons and springs early season when deer stay low and tied to water
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears inhabit the higher San Jacinto and San Bernardino forest country at low density — an incidental opportunity while deer hunting.
- →Check oak flats and berry-choked drainages in the mid-elevation forest
- →Treat any bear as a bonus rather than a primary hunt in this zone
Pro tips
- →Prioritize the Santa Rosa Mountains for opening weekend — the zone's historical hot spot
- →Be ready to climb; the brush is thick at every elevation and the deer favor rugged, less-pressured slopes
- →Carry your Forest Adventure Pass and a wilderness permit for the San Jacinto high country
- →Glass from ridgelines into brushy canyon heads rather than still-hunting the noisy chamise
- →Know the private/tribal/state-park boundaries — Anza-Borrego and Mount San Jacinto state parks are closed to hunting
Watch out for
- !Heavy opening-weekend crowds from the surrounding metro area — wear blaze orange
- !Steep, brushy terrain with big elevation swings; physically demanding
- !Fragmented access — private ranch, tribal and closed state-park land
- !Early-season heat and limited water on the desert front; fire closures can shut forest roads
- !Peninsular bighorn sheep are federally protected — not a legal target
Logistics
The zone is ringed by major towns — Palm Desert and the Coachella Valley on the east, Hemet on the west — so services are close and day-hunting is easy, but the huntable ground demands steep hikes. Idyllwild and Anza are the closest mountain supply points, with forest campgrounds along Highways 74 and 243. Cell service is decent near towns and highways, spotty in the canyons.
Nearest towns: Idyllwild, Anza, Palm Desert, Hemet, Mountain Center
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official California sources:
Research sources: CDFW Deer Hunting Zones · USFS San Bernardino National Forest · BLM Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
FAQ
- How big is Unit D19 in California?
- Unit D19 (Zone D19) covers about 2,700 square miles, ranging from roughly 0 to 10,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit D19?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS San Bernardino NF (San Jacinto Ranger District), BLM / Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, Private ranch land, Tribal reservations, California State Parks (Anza-Borrego, Mount San Jacinto). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit D19?
- 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 D19 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.