Unit X5a Zone X5a
A small, high-success BLM sage-and-juniper mule deer zone between Eagle Lake and the Honey Lake basin east of Susanville.
Northeast California — Eagle Lake / Honey Lake Basin · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
544
sq mi
Public land
60%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–8,100
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Zone X-5a is a compact premium X-zone entirely within Lassen County, tucked between Eagle Lake to the northwest and the Honey Lake basin to the southeast, east of Susanville. It is low-density but high-quality deer country — a draw-only tag that has run around 52 percent success, among the best in the state — over sage, bitterbrush and juniper hills laced with aspen. It holds migratory Rocky Mountain mule deer that summer in the higher northwestern country around Fredonyer and drop southeast toward Honey Lake as storms push them down. At roughly 544 square miles it is one of the smaller X-zones, and almost all of the public ground is BLM rather than national forest.
Terrain
Rolling sage-and-juniper hills and steep brushy mountains — Fredonyer Peak, Snowstorm, Shaffer and Tunnison mountains — draining southeast toward the flat Honey Lake basin and northwest toward Eagle Lake.
Cover: Low sage, sagebrush and bitterbrush on the flats and slopes, aspen stringers in the draws, and juniper woodland that is steadily expanding and degrading deer forage. Deer key on bitterbrush, mountain mahogany, tall sage and recently burned re-sprouted brush.
Landmarks: Fredonyer Peak · Horse Lake · Snowstorm Mountain · Shaffer Mountain · Tunnison Mountain · Honey Lake basin · Eagle Lake (northwest edge) · Pine Creek
Access
Public land in X-5a is administered by BLM — there is no national forest inside the zone — and there are extensive tracts with excellent access. It is still a public/private mix; ranchland in the basins is private and requires written permission. Horse Lake Road (County Road 536) bisects the zone between Highway 139 and 395, and many county and BLM roads branch off. Note the special closures around six named wildlife watering places in Lassen and Modoc counties.
Managers: BLM (Eagle Lake Field Office), Private ranch, Honey Lake Wildlife Area (CDFW, Fleming Unit)
Access points: State Highway 139 (western X-5a) · U.S. Highway 395 (eastern X-5a) · County Road 536 / Horse Lake Road (bisects the zone) · BLM roads off Highway 139 and 395 · Honey Lake Wildlife Area, Fleming Unit near Litchfield
Species notes
Mule Deer
limited qualityMigratory Rocky Mountain mule deer are the sole big-game draw here. Densities are genuinely low, but the tightly limited draw-only tag delivers exceptional success — around 52 percent — and quality bucks for hunters who put in the miles. Deer summer in the higher northwestern country and move southeast toward Honey Lake as fall storms arrive, often during the season.
- →Glass bitterbrush, mountain mahogany and tall sage on Fredonyer, Snowstorm and Shaffer at first and last light
- →Hunt the higher northwestern country early, then work southeast as storms move deer down
- →Work Shaffer and Snowstorm Mountain slopes where deer move up and down seasonally
- →Cover ground and hike well off the roads — you won't see many deer from the truck
- →Key on recently burned draws and riparian stringers that re-sprouted with brush
Pronghorn
limited qualityThe open sage of the Honey Lake basin and surrounding Lassen plateau is California pronghorn range. Antelope are hunted only on a separate, hard-to-draw tag, not on the deer tag, but they are part of this northeast-corner country.
- →Reserved for the separate drawn pronghorn tag
- →Glass the open Honey Lake basin and sage flats
- →Use terrain folds for spot-and-stalk on open ground
Pro tips
- →This is one of California's highest-success deer tags but also one of its hardest to draw — bank preference points
- →Low density means glassing miles of sage and hiking hard beats road-hunting every time
- →Plan around the first storm push that moves deer down toward Honey Lake
- →Get BLM Eagle Lake and Susanville surface-management maps — there's no forest map for this zone
- →Juniper is overtaking forage; hunt the sage/bitterbrush openings and burns, not the thick juniper
Watch out for
- !Premium draw-only tag with a small quota — very hard to draw, cannot be bought over the counter
- !Basin ranchland is private and requires written permission; trespass is enforced
- !Improved camping is scarce inside the zone — plan to disperse-camp or base out of Susanville
- !Six named wildlife watering places carry special quarter-mile closures under Title 14 §730
- !Dry, waterless sage country and early storms that turn dirt roads impassable — carry water and recovery gear
Logistics
Susanville is the staging hub for fuel, groceries and lodging and hosts the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office. Improved camping is very limited inside the zone — the nearest developed campground is outside it north of Eagle Lake, with limited camping at the Honey Lake Wildlife Area Fleming Unit near Litchfield — but dispersed camping is generally allowed on BLM land. Carry water, recovery gear and fuel; the sage country is dry and cell service thin off the highways.
Nearest towns: Susanville, Litchfield, Standish, Janesville, Milford
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official California sources:
Research sources: CDFW — Zone X-5a and Area-Specific Archery Hunt A-8, 2025 General Deer Hunting Information · CDFW — Deer Hunting Zones and Maps · BLM — Eagle Lake Field Office
FAQ
- How big is Unit X5a in California?
- Unit X5a (Zone X5a) covers about 544 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 8,100 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit X5a?
- Approximately 60% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM (Eagle Lake Field Office), Private ranch, Honey Lake Wildlife Area (CDFW, Fleming Unit). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit X5a?
- Mule 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 X5a on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.