Overview
Each year CDFW biologists estimate the deer population in California using a computer model that uses harvest numbers along with survey data. Harvest numbers come from harvest reports submitted by successful hunters and data collected from meat locker records. Survey data is collected by field biologists using aerial and ground surveys in the fall and spring. Estimates are computed for each zone and on a statewide basis to provide information for developing tag quotas for the upcoming hunting season.
California estimated deer population. Click/tap image to enlarge in new tab.
Population Estimates by Year
| Year
|
Deer Population Estimate
|
| 1990
|
850,000
|
| 1991
|
700,000
|
| 1992
|
640,000
|
| 1993
|
684,000
|
| 1994
|
681,000
|
| 1995
|
564,000
|
| 1996
|
561,744
|
| 1997
|
570,000
|
| 1998
|
568,000
|
| 1999
|
510,900
|
| 2000
|
509,000
|
| 2001
|
674,500
|
| 2002
|
554,000
|
| 2003
|
525,230
|
| 2004
|
475,580
|
| 2005
|
602,650
|
| 2006
|
420,140
|
| 2007
|
438,140
|
| 2008
|
487,000
|
| 2009
|
484,400
|
| 2010
|
445,446
|
| 2011
|
445,810
|
| 2012
|
484,750
|
| 2013
|
443,289
|
| 2014
|
511,871
|
| 2015
|
649,338
|
| 2016
|
621,082
|
| 2017
|
532,621
|
Population Esitmates by Hunt Zone
| Hunt Zone
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
| A
|
165,250
|
161,908
|
130,266
|
129,750
|
97,520
|
| B-1
|
36,135
|
39,456
|
57,013
|
38,950
|
46,780
|
| B-2
|
27,940
|
27,585
|
48,230
|
33,714
|
36,750
|
| B-3
|
7,818
|
8,832
|
9,342
|
8,284
|
7,398
|
| B-4
|
3,867
|
6,203
|
9,683
|
5,288
|
4,058
|
| B-5
|
11,670
|
10,165
|
14,527
|
11,585
|
9,595
|
| B-6
|
14,689
|
11,861
|
18,728
|
14,021
|
15,500
|
| C-1
|
5,988
|
7,226
|
9,875
|
19,862
|
5,407
|
| C-2
|
3,757
|
3,738
|
7,100
|
7,887
|
5,868
|
| C-3
|
5,307
|
5,259
|
8,283
|
9,241
|
7,521
|
| C-4
|
29,567
|
22,516
|
28,558
|
29,824
|
29,031
|
| D-10
|
2,272
|
1,943
|
2,772
|
3,215
|
2,950
|
| D-11
|
5,560
|
5,201
|
7,695
|
11,199
|
7,717
|
| D-12
|
2,010
|
2,252
|
4,666
|
6,595
|
5,174
|
| D-13
|
8,059
|
4,822
|
4,152
|
5,288
|
4,652
|
| D-14
|
4,251
|
4,466
|
8,121
|
8,148
|
6,423
|
| D-15
|
3,557
|
4,023
|
4,225
|
3,512
|
2,691
|
| D-16
|
8,080
|
7,374
|
10,207
|
12,210
|
7,290
|
| D-17
|
3,122
|
3,785
|
4,641
|
5,380
|
6,322
|
| D-19
|
2,577
|
2,015
|
3,643
|
3,956
|
2,968
|
| D-3
|
41,350
|
32,577
|
54,731
|
35,156
|
36,450
|
| D-4
|
16,480
|
11,698
|
14,530
|
10,740
|
9,644
|
| D-5
|
40,572
|
40,582
|
56,364
|
30,565
|
30,036
|
| D-6
|
23,531
|
17,914
|
22,421
|
20,062
|
15,501
|
| D-7
|
16,807
|
14,042
|
18,504
|
13,155
|
10,986
|
| D-8
|
10,681
|
7,347
|
7,601
|
10,823
|
8,762
|
| D-9
|
8,882
|
5,119
|
6,632
|
7,389
|
3,905
|
| X-1
|
5,645
|
6,075
|
6,962
|
7,226
|
7,932
|
| X-10
|
2,122
|
1,817
|
2,640
|
2,987
|
3,037
|
| X-12
|
5,381
|
7,607
|
11,899
|
7,711
|
6,880
|
| X-2
|
1,438
|
2,075
|
2,372
|
3,107
|
2,183
|
| X-3A
|
4,702
|
3,175
|
3,852
|
3,317
|
3,481
|
| X-3B
|
7,277
|
6,227
|
8,952
|
7,126
|
6,698
|
| X-4
|
3,135
|
3,010
|
3,814
|
3,837
|
7,040
|
| X-5A
|
544
|
967
|
1,007
|
745
|
942
|
| X-5B
|
1,320
|
832
|
843
|
787
|
1,013
|
| X-6A
|
3,288
|
3,358
|
2,378
|
4,490
|
5,450
|
| X-6B
|
3,081
|
2,521
|
2,608
|
4,901
|
5,450
|
| X-7A
|
1,567
|
1,973
|
1,960
|
3,302
|
4,414
|
| X-7B
|
1,357
|
1,514
|
985
|
1,496
|
2,247
|
| X-8
|
1,078
|
451
|
622
|
2,054
|
1,156
|
| X-9A
|
7,408
|
12,251
|
11,587
|
11,319
|
6,810
|
| X-9B
|
3,710
|
4,901
|
5,151
|
8,614
|
5,722
|
| X-9C
|
3,433
|
3,114
|
2,634
|
3,698
|
3,060
|