Unit X7b Zone X7b
Compact draw-only zone wrapping the Truckee reservoirs and the north shore of Lake Tahoe.
Northern Sierra Nevada — Truckee & north-Tahoe basin X-zone · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
335
sq mi
Public land
50%
approx.
Elevation
5,500–8,700
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Zone X-7b is a small, premium limited-draw X-zone in Nevada, Placer and Sierra counties, covering the Truckee River country and the ridges above the north and west shore of Lake Tahoe. It's part of the Loyalton-Truckee deer herd — migratory Rocky Mountain mule deer, with some Columbian blacktails in the western portions — that summer in the mixed conifer and montane brush and only reach lower winter range (mostly outside the zone) after the season ends. A capped tag quota on a tight, road-accessible piece of the Sierra makes this a coveted but crowd-conscious draw.
Terrain
Timbered northern-Sierra ridges and reservoir country between Truckee and the Tahoe basin, climbing from the Truckee River flats and reservoirs to conifer ridges and rimrock near 8,000-8,700 feet.
Cover: Low sage, sagebrush and bitterbrush low down through montane chaparral, aspen, hardwood-conifer and juniper into dense mixed conifer, with mountain-mahogany rimrock and alpine habitat on the high ridges.
Landmarks: Boca Hill / Boca Ridge · Prosser Reservoir · Stampede Reservoir · Martis Peak · Verdi Peak · Truckee River · Lake Tahoe (north/west shore) · Barker Pass
Access
A public/private mix, with significant private ground along Juniper Creek and near Martis Peak plus the developed private and urban lands of the north Tahoe basin and Truckee. Public land is mostly Tahoe National Forest, threaded by county, USFS and BLM roads off the two main highways. Written permission is required on private, and boundaries need verifying near town and the lake.
Managers: USFS Tahoe NF, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (winter range fringe), BLM, Private (Juniper Creek, Martis Peak, Tahoe basin)
Access points: Interstate 80 through Truckee · Highway 89 (Truckee to Tahoe City) · Prosser / Boca / Stampede reservoir roads · Blackwood Canyon Road to Barker Pass (Forest Route 03) · Henness Pass / Kyburz Flat Road (County Road S450)
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityMigratory Rocky Mountain mule deer of the Loyalton-Truckee herd are the target, with a few Columbian blacktails on the west side. Recent success is in the mid-20-percent range on a capped premium tag. Because winter range sits mostly outside the zone and deer seldom enter it during the season, hunting is a summer-range game — glass the high conifer and brush and don't wait on a migration.
- →Glass bitterbrush, mountain mahogany and montane chaparral edges at dawn and dusk
- →Hunt the Boca, Prosser and Stampede reservoir ridges and Verdi Peak country
- →Work re-sprouted burns and clear-cuts for fresh browse
- →Get off the road system into the timber — deer are hard to spot from a vehicle
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are common through the Truckee-Tahoe conifer country and turn up regularly for deer hunters. A dependable incidental or dedicated opportunity in a general California bear zone.
- →Check creek bottoms and berry patches in the timber
- →Glass north-facing brush slopes
- →Work riparian corridors along the reservoirs and Truckee River drainages
Pro tips
- →Premium limited-draw zone — accumulate points and apply before the June deadline
- →Winter range is mostly outside the zone and deer rarely enter it in season — hunt summer range high
- →The reservoir ridges (Boca, Prosser, Stampede) and Verdi Peak are historically productive
- →Private is significant near Juniper Creek, Martis Peak and around the lake/Truckee — verify lines
- →Small zone next to a busy corridor; scout to find pockets away from other hunters and recreation
Watch out for
- !Heavy private and urban ownership in the north Tahoe basin and around Truckee — permission and boundary care required
- !Compact zone can concentrate hunters; e-scout to spread out
- !Variable season storms can bring snow to the high ridges
- !Fire and smoke closures are a chronic late-summer risk
- !Don't linger within 200 yards of guzzlers/water sources (Title 14 §730)
Logistics
Truckee anchors the zone for fuel, food and lodging, with Tahoe City and Kings Beach on the lake and Reno close by. Several Tahoe National Forest campgrounds and dispersed camping (campfire permit required) sit around the reservoirs. The road net off I-80 and Highway 89 is dense and mostly two-wheel-drive; carry a spare, shovel and water, and expect to share popular country given the small footprint near a major recreation corridor.
Nearest towns: Truckee, Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Verdi (NV)
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official California sources:
Research sources: CDFW — Zone X-7b General Deer Hunting Information (2025) · CDFW — Deer Hunting Zones and Maps · USFS — Tahoe National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit X7b in California?
- Unit X7b (Zone X7b) covers about 335 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,500 to 8,700 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit X7b?
- Approximately 50% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Tahoe NF, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (winter range fringe), BLM, Private (Juniper Creek, Martis Peak, Tahoe basin). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit X7b?
- 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 X7b on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.