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Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area

Description

The Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area is approximately 7,000 acres of rolling hills covered with blue and live oak, gray pine, thick brush, and poison oak. There are four units and the approximate acreages are: Daugherty Hill (3,200 acres), Donovan Hill (1,800 acres), Quail Valley (1,300 acres), and Darby Road (700 acres). Popular game species on these areas include dove, quail, turkeys, deer, and some jump shooting opportunities for waterfowl.

For more information, call the North Central Region Rancho Cordova office at (916) 358-2900.

Recreational Opportunities

Wildlife Viewing Hiking Trails Deer Hunting Turkey Hunting Quail Hunting Hunting with Shotguns Bow Hunting

*Special Note* Homes are located near some of the wildlife area boundaries.

Activities: wildlife viewing, hiking, and hunting

Hunting: Deer: Zone D-3. Small resident population; Columbian black-tailed deer migrate down from higher elevations in Plumas and Sierra counties in late October.

Type C: Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area does not require the purchase of a hunting pass for entry. Entry permits and/or passes or special drawing may be required for hunting on some Type C wildlife areas.

Facilities: None

Area History

The property has apparently been used for the grazing of cattle for many years. What were once large tracts of undeveloped land and ranches have been subdivided into smaller holdings and ranchette-type developments. This fragmentation has especially impacted wildlife migration corridors that run between the valley floor up into the higher elevations of the Sierra Mountains. The property was designated as a wildlife area by the Fish and Game Commission in 1991, and has since undergone several expansions to protect oak woodlands and deer winter range habitat.

map of Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area - click to enlarge in new window
Click to enlarge

Location

North Central Region (Region 2)

Yuba and Butte counties

North of Highway 20 approximately 17 miles east of Marysville

Access:

  • Daugherty Hill Unit: The parking lot for the Daugherty Hill unit is located one mile east of Marysville Road on Dolan Harding Road. Fee access to the Daugherty Hill Unit is also available through the Collins Lake Recreation Area.
  • Donovan Hill Unit: Take Highway 20 to Marysville Road; proceed north (left) on Marysville Road about 8.3 miles to the second Dolan Harding Road intersection. The Donovan Hill Unit begins here.
  • Quail Valley Unit: Driving from Marysville, take Hwy 20 to Marysville Road; proceed north (left) on Marysville Road about 9 miles. Turn left on Loma Rica Road and travel about 1.4 miles. Turn right on Los Verjeles Road and proceed to one of the two designated public parking areas located at .8 miles and 1.5 miles.
  • Darby Road Unit: Going north on Marysville Road from Highway 20, turn west on Loma Rica Road for 1.4 miles. Turn north on Los Verjeles Road for 5 miles to Bangor. Turn north on La Porte Road and go three miles to Darby Road. Parking lot is located .2 miles east of South Honcut Creek crossing.

*WARNING* During periods of high water the concrete road crossing over South Honcut Creek will be impassable as vehicles could be washed off the road. If water is flowing over the road crossing, return to La Porte Road, turn east for 4.2 miles and turn right on Vierra Road for 3.8 miles to reach the parking lot.

Unit Maps: Donovan Hill, Daugherty Hill & Quail Valley Units (PDF) | Darby Road Unit (PDF)

Topographic Maps: Daugherty WA (PDF) | Donovan Hill & Quail Valley Units (PDF) | Daugherty Hill Unit (PDF) | Darby Road Unit (PDF)

CDFW Lands Viewer

Wildlife Branch - Lands Program
Mailing: P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090