Zone C2, California

Zone C-2 covers a large geographic area of steep, rugged terrain with very dense vegetation. CDFW notes access to public land west of Big Bend and north of the Pit River is limited by steep, rugged terrain and dense brush. Third-party data (GOHUNT) puts the zone at roughly 927 square miles with elevations of about 1,000 to 5,600 feet. The legal boundary runs from the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 89 south of Mt. Shasta, east and south on Highway 89 to the Pit River at Lake Britton, west and south along the Pit River to I-5 at Shasta Lake, then north on I-5 to the start. Weather is highly variable, usually hot and dry with occasional early storms; snowfall is rare but heavy rain can make roads difficult to travel.

Zone C-2 is bounded by Interstate 5 on the west, State Highway 89 on the north and east, and the Pit River/Shasta Lake on the south; these highways are the primary entry routes. Public land — administered by the Shasta-Trinity National Forest (McCloud and Shasta Lake Ranger Districts) and Lassen National Forest (USFS), plus the BLM Redding Field Office — is accessible via county, USFS, and BLM roads branching off I-5, Hwy 89, and (just outside the zone's southern boundary) Hwy 299. One key interior route is the McCloud River Loop Road (USFS 40N44), reached from Hwy 89 approximately 5 miles southeast of the town of McCloud; gates on 40N44 close November 1 through April 1 at the Hwy 89 entrance and near Upper McCloud Falls. The Iron Canyon Reservoir area (Shasta Lake Ranger District) is reached by taking Hwy 299 east about 35 miles from I-5 to Big Bend Road (County Road 7M11), then 17 miles south to Big Bend and 5.5 more miles to the reservoir; Deadlun Campground (USFS, free, 30 units, no piped water) and the PG&E-managed Hawkins Landing (10 sites, fee) serve as staging areas, with a network of primitive roads and OHV trails radiating from the reservoir. Access to public land west of Big Bend and north of the Pit River is significantly limited by steep, rugged terrain and dense brush (per CDFW). CDFW historically notes productive named areas including Bartle Gap, Cattle Camp, Dead Horse Summit, Grizzly Mountain, Hatchet Creek/Mountain, Iron Canyon, Red Mountain, Squaw Creek, and the ridges around Shasta Lake and Lake Britton. Developed campgrounds along the McCloud River corridor include Fowlers (39 sites, partly reservable), Cattle Camp (27 sites, first-come), Camp 4 (group, reservation), Ah-Di-Na, Algoma, and Ash Camp. The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the Iron Canyon/Pit River Canyon area and provides foot/horse access into non-road terrain. Castle Crags Wilderness and Mount Shasta Wilderness (both non-motorized) lie on the western and northern flanks of the zone. The zone contains a mix of public and private land; written permission is required on private property, and additional access may be available through CDFW's Private Lands Management (PLM) program. Check current USFS Motor Vehicle Use Maps for designated road and OHV travel; seasonal fire closures may require a campfire permit from USFS or BLM.

Vegetation is highly varied per CDFW, ranging from mixed/montane chaparral, aspen, hardwood, hardwood-conifer, and dense conifer to subalpine habitats. Deer respond favorably to disturbances that enhance brush (wildfire and timber harvesting). Brush stands of buckbrush, deerbrush, and bitter cherry are productive; riparian corridors, recently burned areas, and re-sprouted clear-cuts are good, as are oak stands producing acorns. Lower deer densities occur in densely forested areas and in older, decadent brushlands.

Deer are primarily Columbian black-tailed deer and are generally resident, making no long seasonal migrations; movement is up and down slopes. They move to higher elevations in late spring and remain there until the first heavy fall storms force them below the snow line. This downward movement often occurs during the hunting season, so hunters should be prepared to shift to lower areas in the south and east of the zone later in the season after storms. CDFW describes the herd as stable to slightly declining and considerably below late-1960s/1970s levels, part of a long-term decline tied to fire suppression and maturing, less diverse habitat. Third-party HuntScore reports the rut extends from late October through late December.