Best mule deer units

[Easy_green]

I have lived in California for about 7 years (moved here twice). I have only hunted 1 unit for mule deer while living here which was D9. I spend the majority of my time hunting in Utah and Colorado. Utah has limited entry units and premium limited entry units, but I am not very familiar with the California management plan for mule deer. Which units in California do you think are the top mule deer units in the state?

I have heard good things about X-12, but I have no idea how the units are managed.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

the X zones typically have the best “mule deer”, D zones are hybrid black tail / muley. The draw (which all x zones are) is a modified preference, which means majority of tags go to highest preference point holders and i think 10% of tags go to a random draw. X12 is a great zone but over rated I think. It takes 6 or 7 points to draw now and the deer heard is not what it used to be. But I’m sure that can be said about every mule deer unit across the west.

 

[Snoopdogg]

You can kill whoppers in any X-zone and while some of our country looks similar to Colorado and Utah, you will not see apples to apples comparison of deer numbers, despite how purdy it looks. I'm sure you realize that.

The Big Game Booklet has a recap of how many bucks were killed along with the antler points too. Use that along with the number of points needed to draw that tag and the best/popular muley zones are evident. Again, any zone can produce, some just require more patience and/or boot leather.

 

[Easy_green]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the feedback and the information. I will checkout Big Game Booklet. I know California is very different compared to other western states. There is some awesome country here and I figure I should make the most of it and at least apply.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Do you have any points built up?

 

[Easy_green]

Do you have any points built up?

No, points in California.

 

[buckmster28]

Build points for sure but I would start looking now, I would scout an x zone that is close enough to make a few trips too and I would make a few trips during the season since it will be a few years before you draw don’t wait til you get the tag you will have opportunity to see what it’s like during season without a tag, may change your mind about even hunting it and look elsewhere. I hunt out of state too but have taken some nice bucks here that I would shoot out of state, that being said on average our deer don’t seem to get as big as some in other states, I have seen very few Ca bucks that will surpass the 170 mark

 

[Easy_green]

Build points for sure but I would start looking now, I would scout an x zone that is close enough to make a few trips too and I would make a few trips during the season since it will be a few years before you draw don’t wait til you get the tag you will have opportunity to see what it’s like during season without a tag, may change your mind about even hunting it and look elsewhere. I hunt out of state too but have taken some nice bucks here that I would shoot out of state, that being said on average our deer don’t seem to get as big as some in other states, I have seen very few Ca bucks that will surpass the 170 mark

Thank you for the good advice. I will start building my points and then take the time to learn some of the units. I am located in the Mojave Desert. So I’m not too far away from several X units.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Put in for an x zone of your liking (x12 will do) and hope for a random draw tag on your first choice, then for second choice put d9 or whatever ”restricted“ or “unrestricted“ zone you want to hunt. That’ll build a point or give you a shot at a decent tag.

 

[jester]

Check out zone if you want to hunt with out pts

 

[jester]

C zone I should say.
Jester

 

[oljc]

pm me

 

[Easy_green]

pm me

Pm sent.

 

[DeerHunter53]

I hunted x-12 way back in the 70's there are some spots out there in the desert that are amazing.
Sparse in deer numbers always was but some great bucks have come out of there.
There are some good populations of cottontails and quail out there that we tapped into while hunting there.
You can draw some of the other X-zones with less points than max but they are up north.

 

[Snoopdogg]

I hunted x-12 way back in the 70's there are some spots out there in the desert that are amazing.
Sparse in deer numbers always was but some great bucks have come out of there.
There are some good populations of cottontails and quail out there that we tapped into while hunting there.
You can draw some of the other X-zones with less points than max but they are up north.

Very pretty zone, but like so many other California X-zones, you would expect there to be 2-3 times the deer/bucks than what you see on a typical hunt.

 

[Easy_green]

I just want to say thank you to all of you guys for the information. I have learned a lot more about mule deer units in California during the last 12 hours than I have my 7 years here. You all are awesome!

 

[Sierra]

Unfortunately, the best CA deer hunting is out-of-state hunts.

 

[Yalo]

Unfortunately, the best CA deer hunting is out-of-state hunts.

Sure seems like it!