Zone X-5a is located in portions of Lassen County in the northeast portion of the state near the Nevada border.

Although not in X-5a, Eagle Lake is a nearby, large lake with nice campgrounds and excellent trout fishing. Fish in this alkaline lake are known for their larger size and many stock lines come from this breed of trout.

Zone X-5a covers a large geographic area. The terrain can be very steep and rugged and vegetation can be extremely dense.

The vegetation is highly varied throughout Zone X-5a ranging from low sage, sagebrush, bitterbrush and aspen to juniper habitats. This area is primarily a high desert environment with lots of open country available for extended glassing.

Cheatgrass is becoming a problem as it moves in quicker than the native sagebrush can regrow itself after a wildfire event. Cheatgrass has no nutritional value for deer further adding to the population problems in the high desert areas of the state.

There are extensive tracts of public lands with excellent access in Zone X-5a. Primary roadways in the zone are State Highway 139 (western X-5a) and U.S. Highway 395 (eastern X-5a). County Road 536 (Horse Lake Road) bisects the zone between Highway 139 and Highway 395. Many County and BLM roads branch off of these primary roadways providing access to public lands

Dirt roads in this area can become problematic after storms. Prepare for self-extraction for your vehicles in a safe environment without trees to anchor your winch to. Carrying a deadman anchoring device and shovel to create a winch/come along anchor is not a bad idea.

Zone X-5a contains a mixture of both public and private lands. Remember you must obtain and have in your possession written permission to hunt on private property. Public lands within Zone X-5a are administered by the Bureau of Land Management.

Campgrounds are very limited within Zone X-5a. The closest "improved" campground is actually outside of Zone X-5a at north of Eagle Lake (west of the State Highway 139 & County Road A-1 intersection).

This is one of the smaller zones by California standards so camping outside of the unit should not hinder your hunting efforts much.

There is limited camping at the Honey Lake Wildlife Area, Fleming Unit, near Litchfield. Campgrounds are marked on BLM maps. Camping outside of designated campgrounds is usually permitted on BLM lands. However, during fire season special regulations may apply and it will be necessary to obtain a fire permit from the BLM.