A single tag covers zones D3 through D5 and the quota is 33,000. Some tags for individual D Zones sell out each year, but there are always permits left over for several of the zones, including D3-D5.

Apparently, the take in 2008, in at least nine of the D Zones, eclipsed the total harvest in 2007 but not by much. Here's how the 2008 numbers compare with 2007.

First, looking at Zone D3, we find that 1,097 bucks were taken in 2007 and 1,070 in 2008; Zone D4 fell from 329 to 312; Zone D5 rose slightly from 1,699 to 1,705; Zone D6 dropped from 881 to 856; Zone D7 went from 574 to 558 and Zone D8 fell from 647 to 535. Meanwhile, Zone D9 slid from 245 to 179; Zone D10 improved slightly from 54 to 56; Zone D11 jumped from 230 to 296; Zone D12 slipped from 117 to 89; Zone D13 went up from 302 to 335; Zone D14 climbed from 178 to 235; Zone D15 went up one notch from 18 to 19; Zone D16 erupted from 265 to 429; Zone D17 increased from 84 to 98 and Zone D19 increased from 76 to 125.

The D Zones are not known for their high hunter success. The highest success rate occurred in D17 (19 percent), while the lowest was in D15, (5 percent). Just the same, some hunters score virtually every year in whatever D Zones they hunt, and occasionally a tremendous buck comes from one of these unheralded zones.

X ZONES
Without a doubt, the most coveted general season deer zones in the state are the 17 X Zones. They extend north along the eastern edge of the state from Inyo County to the Oregon line. The popularity of these zones stems from the mule deer that live there and habitat they live in. You'll find semi-arid high desert sagebrush-juniper country, as well as alpine ridges and everything in between. It's big, open country. And a good percentage of the bucks are bigger than deer in other areas.

The X Zones produce very well for tag holders as do additional, low-quota hunts for muzzleloaders, bowhunters, juniors and general-method hunts. The trick is to draw a tag, and that can take years with the current preference-point system.

All tags are awarded in the June drawing, along with special-hunt tags of all kinds. Last year, the total number of tags for the X Zones was 8,060, which was slightly higher than the year before. Hunter success ranged from just 10 percent in X10 to 55 percent in X3a. In round figures, the average success rate in the X Zones was 32 percent -- the best in the state.

Taking the X Zones individually, we find that the harvest of bucks was down somewhat in all but two of them. Here's what the figures looked like for 2007 and 2008. Zone X1 dropped from 585 in 2007 to 442 in 2008; Zone X2 fell from 82 to 67; Zone X3a went down from 231 to 137; Zone X3b slipped from 389 to 296; Zone X4 decreased slightly from 175 to 173; Zone X5a slid from 29 to 15; Zone X5b dropped from 52 to 41; Zone X6a improved from 146 to 156; Zone X6b declined from 117 to 78; Zone X7a dropped from 124 to 71 and Zone X7b fell from 51 to 46. Meanwhile, Zone X8 slipped from 57 to 53; Zone X9a dropped from 352 to 234; Zone X9b jumped from 88 to 104; Zone X9c fell from 64 to 47; Zone X10 dropped from 58 to 40 and Zone X12 slipped from 244 to 203.