Unit D5 Zone D5
Big central-Sierra general zone from the Mother Lode foothills to the Carson-Iceberg and Mokelumne wilderness crest, driven by the fall deer migration.
Central Sierra Nevada — Eldorado & Stanislaus National Forests · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
4,823
sq mi
Public land
50%
approx.
Elevation
50–10,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Zone D5 is one of the larger D zones, running from the Sacramento Valley edge up the western slope of the central Sierra to the granite crest along Highways 88, 50 and 4. It covers Amador and Calaveras counties in full plus portions of Alpine, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne, with the huntable deer country concentrated in the timbered eastern half in the Eldorado and Stanislaus National Forests. The herd is migratory California mule deer mixed with resident Columbian black-tailed deer, summering high near the crest and dropping to intermediate and winter range as fall storms arrive. Success is opportunity-grade at roughly 14%, typical of a general over-the-counter Sierra zone.
Terrain
Steep, rugged, densely vegetated country rising from the Mother Lode oak foothills through the mixed-conifer belt to alpine granite around Blue Lakes, Mount Reba and the Carson-Iceberg and Mokelumne wilderness high country.
Cover: Oak woodland and mixed/montane chaparral in the foothills, giving way to hardwood-conifer, dense conifer and aspen, with alpine habitat on the crest. Buckbrush, deerbrush and bitter cherry brush stands, burns and re-sprouted clearcuts hold the best browse; intermediate range sits 4,000–5,500 ft.
Landmarks: Carson-Iceberg Wilderness · Mokelumne Wilderness · Blue Lakes / Mount Reba / Bear Valley (Hwy 4) · Silver Lake & Caples Lake (Hwy 88) · Wrights Lake / Ice House Reservoir (Hwy 50) · Bear River Reservoir
Access
The eastern, higher-elevation portion is largely open Eldorado and Stanislaus National Forest with an extensive Forest Service road net along the Highway 88, 50 and 4 corridors; the western foothills are predominantly private ranch and timber. Sierra Pacific Industries owns large blocks in the intermediate and winter range and allows foot-access public hunting behind locked gates — no written permit required, but no camping or fires. The Carson-Iceberg and Mokelumne wilderness areas offer pack-in hunting.
Managers: USFS Eldorado NF, USFS Stanislaus NF, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (Carson Ranger District), BLM (Mother Lode foothills), Private timber (Sierra Pacific Industries), Private ranch
Access points: Highway 88 to Silver Lake, Caples Lake and Bear River Reservoir · Highway 50 to Wrights Lake, Ice House Reservoir and the Crystal Basin · Highway 4 to Bear Valley, Mount Reba and Pacific Valley · Iron Mountain Road and the north/south road to Highway 88 · Forest roads into the Westpoint/Bald Mountain and Blue Mountain country
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityMigratory California mule deer are the marquee game, summering high on Eldorado and Stanislaus NF land in the eastern crest country early to mid-season. CDFW rates the herd stable to slightly declining and below historic levels; success runs in the low teens. From about mid-October, any significant storm pushes high-elevation deer down through intermediate range (4,000–5,500 ft) onto the private western foothills, so weather timing drives the hunt.
- →Hunt high early season around Blue Lakes, Silver Lake, Caples Lake and the wilderness fringes
- →Time later hunts to the post-October-20 storms that move deer into intermediate and winter range
- →Work intermediate ridges (Peavine, Bailey, Summit Level, Blue Mountain) as deer drop
- →Hunt buckbrush/deerbrush stands, burns and re-sprouted clearcuts
- →Pack into the Carson-Iceberg or Mokelumne wilderness to escape road pressure
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian black-tailed deer occur as resident animals primarily on private lands at lower western elevations. CDFW confirms both subspecies inhabit D5; the west-slope and foothill winter-range deer skew blacktail.
- →Hunt foothill oak-woodland and chaparral winter range late season
- →Focus the mid-elevation SPI timber (Hermit Springs, Upper Bailey Ridge, Cuneo Camp)
- →Still-hunt dense brush edges where blacktails hold tight
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are well distributed through the forested central Sierra and are frequently encountered by deer hunters in the oak and mixed-conifer belt of the Eldorado and Stanislaus forests.
- →Work oak flats during the fall acorn drop
- →Glass north-slope brush and berry patches
- →Check drainage bottoms and springs in dry years
Pro tips
- →Hunt the public high country (Blue Lakes, Silver/Caples, wilderness fringes) early — before storms pull deer down to the private west side
- →Storms after October 20 are the trigger; position on intermediate ridges (Peavine, Bailey, Summit Level) to catch the moving deer
- →SPI owns big intermediate/winter-range blocks and allows foot-only public hunting behind their gates — a major overlooked access resource
- →The Carson-Iceberg and Mokelumne wilderness offer pack-in hunting away from the road crowds
- →Recent burns and re-sprouted clearcuts grow prime browse; deer key on that regrowth for several seasons
Watch out for
- !Western foothills are largely private ranch/timber — verify ownership and carry written permission before hunting private ground
- !Late-summer and fall fire closures routinely shut roads and whole drainages in this zone
- !Steep, rugged crest and canyon country makes pack-outs brutal — plan the retrieve before the shot
- !No camping or fires on SPI property, and honor the foot-access-only rules
- !Do not camp within 200 yards of guzzlers/wildlife water sources (Title 14 violation); water is scarce in the drier foothills
Logistics
Jackson, Placerville and the Highway 88/4 mountain towns (Pioneer, Arnold, Bear Valley) are the practical staging points for fuel, groceries and lodging, with numerous developed and informal USFS campgrounds through the Eldorado and Stanislaus forests (campfire permit required). Expect long drives on winding mountain highways with much steeper, rougher backcountry access; horses are useful for wilderness pack-ins but you may need to carry feed. Carry a shovel, spare tire and extra water — cell service dies off the highway corridors.
Nearest towns: Jackson, Placerville, Pioneer, Arnold, Bear Valley, Markleeville
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official California sources:
Research sources: CDFW — Zone D-5 General Deer Hunting Information (2025) · CDFW — Deer Hunting Zones and Maps · USFS — Eldorado National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit D5 in California?
- Unit D5 (Zone D5) covers about 4,823 square miles, ranging from roughly 50 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit D5?
- Approximately 50% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Eldorado NF, USFS Stanislaus NF, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (Carson Ranger District), BLM (Mother Lode foothills), Private timber (Sierra Pacific Industries), Private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit D5?
- Mule Deer, Blacktail 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 D5 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.