Unit D6 Zone D6
Big migratory mule deer country straddling the Yosemite high country and the western foothills.
Central Sierra Nevada — Stanislaus & Sierra National Forests · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
5,029
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
700–11,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Zone D6 is a sprawling central-Sierra general-season zone running from the oak-and-chaparral foothills up through the mixed-conifer belt to the granite crest around Yosemite. It holds migratory California mule deer that summer high near the Sierra crest and drift down into the timber and brush as storms push them in fall. At roughly 5,000 square miles it is one of the larger D zones, with a mix of heavy public forest in the east and fragmented private ranch and timber ground in the foothills.
Terrain
Steep foothill canyons of the Tuolumne, Merced and Stanislaus drainages rise east into dense conifer forest and, at the top, glaciated granite ridges near the Yosemite boundary.
Cover: Blue-oak and interior-live-oak woodland with chamise/manzanita chaparral in the foothills, giving way to ponderosa and mixed conifer, then red fir and lodgepole near the crest.
Landmarks: Stanislaus River canyon · Tuolumne River / Cherry Lake · Highway 108 (Sonora Pass corridor) · Highway 120 / Groveland · Yosemite National Park boundary (no hunting)
Access
The eastern half is largely open Stanislaus and Sierra National Forest with an extensive Forest Service road net; the lower-elevation western foothills are a checkerboard of private ranches and small BLM parcels where you must find gates or public inholdings. Yosemite NP is closed to hunting and takes a big bite out of the middle of the zone.
Managers: USFS Stanislaus NF, USFS Sierra NF, BLM Sierra foothills (Mother Lode Field Office), Private ranch and timber, National Park Service (Yosemite — closed to hunting)
Access points: Highway 108 up the Clavey/Cherry Lake road system · Highway 120 through Groveland to Cherry/Eleanor · Highway 140 up the Merced canyon · Evergreen Road and the Hetch Hetchy corridor · Forest Service roads off Sonora and Twain Harte
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityMigratory California mule deer are the marquee game. Success runs modest (single digits to low teens), typical of a general over-the-counter Sierra zone where hunters spread across a lot of country. Early-season deer are scattered high; the best hunting comes when the first storms concentrate migrating bucks in the mid-elevation timber and brush.
- →Glass foothill oak-brush edges and burn regrowth at first and last light
- →Time the season to storm fronts that trigger migration down the west slope
- →Hunt logging-road ridges and clearcut edges in the conifer belt
- →Push into roadless pockets away from the Highway 108/120 pressure
Black Bear
common opportunityThe central Sierra carries strong black bear numbers throughout the forested belt. Bears are frequently taken incidentally by deer hunters and on their own hunts in the oak and mixed-conifer country.
- →Work oak flats during the fall acorn drop
- →Glass north-slope brush and berry patches
- →Check drainage bottoms and springs in dry years
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophySierra Nevada bighorn occupy the high crest at the eastern fringe. This is a federally endangered population with only a tiny, coveted separate draw — not a general opportunity, but part of the zone's high-country character.
- →Reserved for the rare drawn tag on crest zones
- →Requires expedition-style backcountry effort
Pro tips
- →Watch the forecast — a hunt planned around the first cold storm dramatically outperforms a fixed calendar date here
- →Recent burn scars grow prime browse; deer key on the brush regrowth a few seasons after a fire
- →Get a good Stanislaus/Sierra NF motor-vehicle-use map to sort legal roads from the private checkerboard in the foothills
- →Work the elevation band where oak brush meets timber during the transition weeks
- →Camp high and hunt down — most road-hunters never leave the pavement corridors
Watch out for
- !Yosemite National Park is closed to all hunting — know the boundary
- !Foothill private/BLM checkerboard makes trespass easy; verify ownership before you shoot
- !Late-summer fire closures routinely shut roads and whole drainages in this zone
- !Water is scarce and hunters common in the drier foothills; carry your own
- !Steep canyon country makes pack-outs brutal — plan the retrieve before the shot
Logistics
Sonora, Groveland and Mariposa are the practical staging towns for fuel, groceries and lodging, with dispersed and developed Forest Service campgrounds throughout the Stanislaus and Sierra NF. Expect long drives on winding mountain highways; higher trailheads add hours. Cell service is spotty once you leave the highway corridors.
Nearest towns: Sonora, Groveland, Mariposa, Twain Harte, Oakhurst
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official California sources:
Research sources: CDFW — Deer Hunting Zones and Maps · USFS — Stanislaus National Forest · BLM Mother Lode Field Office
FAQ
- How big is Unit D6 in California?
- Unit D6 (Zone D6) covers about 5,029 square miles, ranging from roughly 700 to 11,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit D6?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Stanislaus NF, USFS Sierra NF, BLM Sierra foothills (Mother Lode Field Office), Private ranch and timber, National Park Service (Yosemite — closed to hunting). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit D6?
- Mule Deer, Black Bear, Bighorn Sheep. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official California agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit D6 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.