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Piedmont county guide
Caswell County Hunting
A county-level brief on Caswell County in the Piedmont: 2026-27 dates by weapon, the local acts in the digest, deer reported since 2019-20, game lands and forest acres, and where to get a deer processed.
Photo: bobistraveling (CC BY 2.0)
The county line around Caswell County encloses 425 square miles of land; county offices sit in Yanceyville. At 22,363 people in 2024, density works out near 53 a square mile. NCWRC files it under Wildlife Management District 5 in the Piedmont Region. Its deer seasons are the Central ones; bear seasons come from the Piedmont BMU (group 2). This deer group takes in 19 counties. About 18,215 acres of the county lie inside game land boundaries.
Land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates, district and region from the NCWRC district biologist sheet, game land acres from the NCWRC game land boundary layer (GIS measure), deer groups from the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance. Checked October 25, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Caswell County
Caswell County deer zone, antlerless days and CWD
Mark Nov 14, 2026 for the Central gun opener in Caswell County; archery opens Sep 12 and blackpowder Oct 31. Antlerless deer are legal on every open day of all three weapon seasons. On Sep 26 to Sep 27, 2026 youth may take deer of either sex with any legal weapon. Caswell County is not a CWD management or surveillance county.
| Hunt | Open | Does legal |
|---|---|---|
| Archery only | Sep 12–Oct 30, 2026 | Every open day |
| Muzzleloader | Oct 31–Nov 13, 2026 | Every open day |
| Gun | Nov 14–Jan 1, 2027 | Every open day |
| Youth days (statewide) | Sep 26–Sep 27, 2026 | Either sex, youth |
Caswell County is pooled into the rest-of-state line of the CWD chart, which shows no positives.
Spotlighting
No deer spotlighting at any time after dusk.
Deer limit
Four antlerless and two antlered per season.
Harvest report
Punch the Big Game Harvest Report Card, then register by noon next day.
All Central counties · Deer zone map · CWD management areas
Zone groups, dates and antlerless days from the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance and the digest deer seasons; youth, CWD early and urban seasons from the digest deer regulations; CWD areas from the NCWRC CWD special regulations; tests from the NCWRC CWD testing chart (updated Oct 15, 2026); light rule from 15A NCAC 10B .0115. Checked October 25, 2026.
Caswell County calendar from August to May
Caswell County hunts deer on the Central dates and bear on the Piedmont BMU dates. The 53 rows below are the dated hunts the 2026-27 digest puts there.
| Game | Season | Where | Begins | Through | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Central | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Central | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Central | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Group 2 | Piedmont BMU group 2 | Nov 14, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Season (spring) | Statewide | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Statewide Spring Season | Statewide | Apr 17, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | |
| Feral swine | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 10, 2026 | |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Dec 16, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Remainder of state (either sex) | Rest of the state | Sep 5, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Fall/winter | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Spring season | Statewide | May 17, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Red squirrel | Fall/winter | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Inland zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Inland zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 3 | Inland zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | September Canada goose season | Statewide in September | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 1 | Resident Population Zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 2 | Resident Population Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 3 | Resident Population Zone | Dec 17, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 1 | Resident Population Zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 2 | Resident Population Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 3 | Resident Population Zone | Dec 17, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Brant | Statewide | Dec 28, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Tundra swan | Tundra swan (permit only) | Permit holders only | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Waterfowl | Veterans day | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Waterfowl | Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Waterfowl | Veterans day | Statewide | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Waterfowl | Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| King and clapper rail | Rails | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Virginia rail and sora | Rails | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Gallinule and moorhen | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Oct 27, 2026 | Feb 27, 2027 | |
| Crow | Season 1 (Wed/Fri/Sat) | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Feb 27, 2027 | |
| Crow | Season 2 (Wed/Fri/Sat) | Statewide | Jun 2, 2027 | Jul 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Firearms season | East of I-77; local acts vary | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Firearms season | East of I-77; local acts vary | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Groundhog | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Nutria | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Skunk | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Armadillo | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Beaver | Year-round | Statewide, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 2026-27 regulations digest and the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance, checked October 25, 2026.
Caswell County: game lands, forests and refuges
1 public tract on our North Carolina list reaches into Caswell County; R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell Game Land is the largest at 18,014 acres. Their week schedules break down to 1 open 3 days a week. GIS puts 18,006 acres of open ground inside ten miles of Yanceyville. Look for a game land dove field in Caswell County in September.
- Game lands: 1R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell Game Land (18,014 ac, 3 days)
Next-door options: Hyco Game Land 2,382 ac, 20 miles out; Dan River Game Land 1,705 ac, 26 miles out; Buckhorn Game Land 491 ac, 26 miles out; Mayo Game Land 5,101 ac, 27 miles out; Falls Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) 31,844 ac, 42 miles out.
Land by type · All game lands · Game land hunting days
Tracts from our North Carolina land list (NCWRC regional game land tables, game land rules, USFS, USFWS, NPS and Corps records); game land acres from the NCWRC boundary layer and national forest acres from the USFS ownership layer, both GIS measures; acres within 10 miles of the seat from the same layers. Checked October 25, 2026.
Caswell County deer numbers since 2019-20
Caswell County ranked 23rd of 100 counties in 2025-26 with 2,920 reported deer. Since 2019-20 (2,217 deer) the county moved +32%, with 2023-24 on top. By weapon: 67% gun, 21% blackpowder and 12% bow or crossbow. Game land deer numbered 219 last season. That is 4.0 antlered bucks per square mile (30th (tied) in the state). Hunters checked in 1,255 does, roughly 43 in every hundred deer. The long series back to 1976 peaks at 3,120 in 2007, against 240 in 1976.
| Year | Bucks | Buttons | Does | Total | Gun | Blackpowder | Archery | Crossbow | Game land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,522 | 143 | 1,255 | 2,920 | 1,954 | 610 | 174 | 182 | 219 |
| 2024-25 | 1,287 | 115 | 1,062 | 2,464 | 1,833 | 411 | 111 | 109 | 186 |
| 2023-24 | 1,606 | 118 | 1,208 | 2,932 | 2,233 | 439 | 131 | 129 | 213 |
| 2022-23 | 1,114 | 119 | 940 | 2,173 | 1,689 | 299 | 119 | 66 | 182 |
| 2021-22 | 1,098 | 101 | 913 | 2,112 | 1,438 | 446 | 147 | 81 | 174 |
| 2020-21 | 1,025 | 133 | 1,070 | 2,228 | 1,594 | 429 | 124 | 81 | 163 |
| 2019-20 | 1,079 | 102 | 1,036 | 2,217 | 1,537 | 462 | 145 | 73 | 182 |
NCWRC 2025-26 deer harvest by county and earlier county PDFs on the harvest statistics page; long series from the NCWRC county deer harvest 1976-2025 table. Checked October 25, 2026.
Caswell County local acts, Sundays and orange
Caswell County has 3 local laws on hunting, listed as the digest words them.
- Hunt deer from the surface or right-of-way of a public road.
- It is unlawful for a person to take wildlife or attempt to take wildlife on the land of another, or fish on the land of another, without having on one’s person while hunting or fishing the written permission, signed and dated for the current hunting and fishing season.
- It is unlawful for a person to take wildlife or attempt to take wildlife while under the influence of an impairing substance.
On Sundays, firearms may not be used from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and migratory birds are closed all day. A landholder hunting on his own land is exempt from hunter orange. For fox, look up the county in the NCWRC fox seasons publication.
All county local acts · Hunting on Sunday · Statewide hunting laws
Local acts from the digest local laws by county; Sunday rules from G.S. 103-2; hunter orange from G.S. 113-291.8; zone lists from the 2026-27 digest. Checked October 25, 2026.
Other big game and birds in Caswell County
Bears
Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027: that is the Piedmont BMU (group 2) bear calendar Caswell County hunters use. NCWRC counted 8 bears from Caswell County in 2025 and 85 across every year in its table. Males made up 62% of the 2025 county bear harvest. In 2025 0 bears were taken with dogs.
Caswell wild turkey
Shotguns and bows only for spring turkey, Apr 17 to May 15, 2027. In 2026, Caswell County turkey hunters registered 315 birds. Records start for Caswell County in 1977 with 51 birds. The game land share of the 2026 birds was 50.
| Spring | Adult gobblers | Jakes | Sum | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 275 | 40 | 315 | 50 |
| 2025 | 280 | 25 | 305 | 29 |
| 2024 | 313 | 23 | 336 | 26 |
| 2023 | 364 | 22 | 386 | 42 |
| 2022 | 234 | 36 | 270 | 25 |
| 2021 | 298 | 25 | 323 | 32 |
| 2020 | 306 | 41 | 347 | 22 |
Duck and goose zones
Ducks follow the Inland zone dates in Caswell County. Goose zone: Resident Population Zone.
More on the Piedmont BMU · Bear area rules · Duck zones
Bear units and dates from the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance and the digest bear seasons; bear harvest from the NCWRC BMU county table, 2025 sex and land split from the 2025 county detail, method from the 2025 method table; turkey dates from the digest and harvest from the spring 2026 county table; waterfowl zones from the migratory bird digest page and the digest zone maps. Checked October 25, 2026.
Caswell County legal hunting light
The digest prints one sunrise and sunset table for Charlotte and a minute offset for each county. For Caswell County the offset is -4 minutes.
| Day | Hunt | First sun | Last sun | Game shooting | Bird shooting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:53 a.m. | 7:42 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 8:12 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:58 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:26 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:43 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:52 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:05 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:24 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:26 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:43 a.m. | 7:54 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 8:24 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. |
Sunrise and sunset from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission digest table for Charlotte with county offsets; hours rule G.S. 113-291.1; checked October 25, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Services for Caswell County hunters
When Caswell County has no shop of a kind, the nearest one next door is shown.
NCWRC contacts for Caswell County
Wildlife questions in Caswell County go to District 5 biologist Joe Folta. Drive 2 miles to reach NCWRC Caswell Depot, the nearest Commission site; it is not a walk-in license counter.
Meat processing
Taxidermists
Hunting shops
Biologists and supervisors from the NCWRC district biologist sheet (updated Aug. 17, 2026); offices from the NCWRC facilities layer; processors and taxidermists from the NCWRC Cervid Health Cooperator list, NC Hunters for the Hungry and directory listings; shops from directory listings and store locators. Checked October 25, 2026; call ahead. All North Carolina hunting services.
Base towns in and around Caswell County
Use a Caswell County town page to see the closest game lands by distance.
- Yanceyvilleseat of government · 1,811 people · 18,006 mapped public acres nearby
The Census adjacency file pairs Caswell County with 4 neighbours, including Danville (VA), Halifax (VA) and Pittsylvania (VA) out of state.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Fires, permits and bans around Caswell County
- Permit season: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Caswell County is not on this list.
- Burn bans come from: The Commissioner of Agriculture, during hazardous forest fire conditions or declared air pollution episodes, may prohibit all open burning regardless of whether a permit is required (G.S.
- Fires on public land: NC Wildlife Resources Commission game lands (15A NCAC 10D .0102(i)): no camping except on areas posted by the landowner for camping.
Where Caswell County hunters zero their guns
This guide counts 2 ranges in Caswell County, from gun clubs to indoor lanes and archery.
What you can shoot: rifle, handgun, archery, 3D archery
What you can shoot: trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Caswell County, dinners, classes and hunts
On file for this county: 1 NCWRC class (hunter education course).
Free NCWRC courses
| When | Course | Hours | Venue | Sign up | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 2027 | Hunter Education Certification ⋅ hunter education course | 8:30 AM–3:30 PM | CoSquare ⋅ Yanceyville ⋅ Caswell Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Caswell County hunters ask
How many deer were taken in Caswell County in 2025-26?
2,920 reported: 1,522 antlered bucks and 1,398 antlerless.
Must I test a Caswell County deer for CWD?
Testing is not mandatory this season; NCWRC offers free testing through cooperators and drop sites.
How many local acts apply in Caswell County?
3.
Do I submit a bear tooth from Caswell County?
Yes. A premolar tooth is mandatory by Jan. 31 after the season.
Is hunter orange needed for spring gobblers in Caswell County?
No. Turkey hunters are exempt from the hunter orange law.
Which goose zone covers Caswell County?
Resident Population Zone.
Can I bait on game lands in Caswell County?
No. Bait is banned on all game lands.
Which NCWRC depot or office is closest to Caswell County?
NCWRC Caswell Depot, Yanceyville, about 2 miles away.
Which venison processors sit closest to Caswell County?
Steve Jones, Quaqua Creek Farm and Broken Arrow Taxidermy & Long Row Processing, nearest first.
When does deer gun season open in Caswell County?
Nov 14, 2026, under the Central dates, and it runs to Jan 1, 2027.
Answers from the 2026-27 NCWRC digest, the Season Dates at a Glance, harvest reporting rules, NCWRC harvest and CWD data and the sources above. Checked October 25, 2026.
Caswell County checks before the drive
Get written permission before hunting private land in Caswell County; several counties make it a local law.
Sources: 2026-27 NCWRC regulations digest, Season Dates at a Glance, NCWRC hunting, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 25, 2026.
Other photos on this page: don r faulkner (CC BY-SA 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); tbausti (CC BY 2.0); Mike's Birds (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Ryan Hodnett (CC BY-SA 2.0).