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Piedmont county guide
Richmond County Hunting
A county-level brief on Richmond 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: ncwetlands.org (CC0 1.0)
The county line around Richmond County encloses 474 square miles of land; county offices sit in Rockingham. At 41,990 people in 2024, density works out near 89 a square mile. NCWRC files it under Wildlife Management District 6 in the Piedmont Region. Its deer seasons are the Southeastern ones; bear seasons come from the Piedmont BMU (group 1). This deer group takes in 23 counties. About 38,567 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 Richmond County
Richmond County deer zone, antlerless days and CWD
Mark Oct 17, 2026 for the Southeastern gun opener in Richmond County; archery opens Sep 12 and blackpowder Oct 3. 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. Richmond County is not a CWD management or surveillance county.
| Hunt | Open | Does legal |
|---|---|---|
| Archery only | Sep 12–Oct 2, 2026 | Every open day |
| Muzzleloader | Oct 3–Oct 16, 2026 | Every open day |
| Gun | Oct 17–Jan 1, 2027 | Every open day |
| Youth days (statewide) | Sep 26–Sep 27, 2026 | Either sex, youth |
Richmond County is pooled into the rest-of-state line of the CWD chart, which shows no positives.
Spotlighting
The light-shining rule lists skip this county.
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 Southeastern 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.
Richmond County calendar from August to May
Richmond County hunts deer on the Southeastern 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 | Southeastern | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 2, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Southeastern | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Southeastern | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Group 1 | Piedmont BMU group 1 | Oct 17, 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.
Richmond County: game lands, forests and refuges
4 public tracts on our North Carolina list reach into Richmond County; Sandhills Game Land is the largest at 65,235 acres. Their week schedules break down to 1 open 3 days a week and 1 open 7 days a week. GIS puts 17,815 acres of open ground inside ten miles of Rockingham. Look for a game land dove field in Richmond County in September.
- Game lands: 2Sandhills Game Land (65,235 ac*, 3 days), Pee Dee River Game Land (8,938 ac*, 7 days)
- National wildlife refuges in Richmond (1)Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge (8,500 ac*)
- Military installation: 1Fort Bragg (incl. Camp Mackall)
Next-door options: Rockfish Creek Game Land 2,689 ac, 27 miles out; Nicholson Creek Game Land 1,021 ac, 32 miles out; Uwharrie Ranger District (Uwharrie National Forest) 53,011 ac, 32 miles out; Uwharrie Game Land 52,709 ac, 32 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.
Richmond County deer numbers since 2019-20
Richmond County ranked 38th of 100 counties in 2025-26 with 2,270 reported deer. Since 2019-20 (2,018 deer) the county moved +12%, with 2025-26 on top. By weapon: 92% gun, 4% blackpowder and 4% bow or crossbow. Game land deer numbered 165 last season. That is 3.15 antlered bucks per square mile (44th in the state). Hunters checked in 949 does, roughly 42 in every hundred deer. The long series back to 1976 peaks at 2,337 in 2013, against 214 in 1976.
| Year | Bucks | Buttons | Does | Total | Gun | Blackpowder | Archery | Crossbow | Game land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,232 | 89 | 949 | 2,270 | 2,088 | 96 | 45 | 41 | 165 |
| 2024-25 | 1,150 | 97 | 875 | 2,122 | 1,988 | 49 | 40 | 45 | 175 |
| 2023-24 | 1,195 | 76 | 933 | 2,204 | 2,041 | 92 | 46 | 25 | 132 |
| 2022-23 | 1,091 | 67 | 765 | 1,923 | 1,782 | 85 | 41 | 15 | 112 |
| 2021-22 | 1,148 | 65 | 742 | 1,955 | 1,815 | 71 | 47 | 22 | 88 |
| 2020-21 | 1,110 | 72 | 804 | 1,986 | 1,824 | 94 | 45 | 23 | 119 |
| 2019-20 | 1,082 | 74 | 862 | 2,018 | 1,848 | 104 | 50 | 16 | 106 |
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.
Richmond County local acts, Sundays and orange
Richmond County has 4 local laws on hunting, listed as the digest words them.
- Take deer with dogs west of Little River and that portion east of Little River, bounded by N.C. 73 to the north, by Hough Road to the east and by Grassy Island Road to the south.
- Hunt deer from a public road.
- Hunt with firearms from the right-of-way of any public road north of U.S. 74 and west of U.S. 220.
- Discharge a firearm or bow and arrow or attempt to discharge a firearm or bow and arrow, from, on, across or over the roadway or right-of-way of any public road. For purposes of this section, the term “public road” does not include any unpaved roads within the Wildlife Resources Commission’s Sandhills Game Land.
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 Richmond County
Bears
Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027: that is the Piedmont BMU (group 1) bear calendar Richmond County hunters use. NCWRC counted 0 bears from Richmond County in 2025 and 0 across every year in its table.
Richmond wild turkey
Shotguns and bows only for spring turkey, Apr 17 to May 15, 2027. In 2026, Richmond County turkey hunters registered 131 birds. Records start for Richmond County in 1977 with 3 birds. The game land share of the 2026 birds was 8.
| Spring | Adult gobblers | Jakes | Sum | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 119 | 12 | 131 | 8 |
| 2025 | 85 | 11 | 96 | 5 |
| 2024 | 124 | 13 | 137 | 10 |
| 2023 | 130 | 13 | 143 | 12 |
| 2022 | 127 | 10 | 137 | 10 |
| 2021 | 170 | 20 | 190 | 17 |
| 2020 | 141 | 36 | 177 | 10 |
Duck and goose zones
Ducks follow the Inland zone dates in Richmond 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.
Richmond County legal hunting light
The digest prints one sunrise and sunset table for Charlotte and a minute offset for each county. For Richmond County the offset is -5 minutes.
| Day | Hunt | First sun | Last sun | Game shooting | Bird shooting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:52 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 8:11 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:41 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:57 a.m. | 7:31 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 8:01 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:25 a.m. | 6:42 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 6:42 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:51 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:04 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:23 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:25 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:42 a.m. | 7:53 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 8:23 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 7:53 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 Richmond County hunters
When Richmond County has no shop of a kind, the nearest one next door is shown.
NCWRC contacts for Richmond County
Wildlife questions in Richmond County go to District 6 biologist Rupert Medford. Drive 10 miles to reach NCWRC Sandhills Depot, the nearest Commission site; it is not a walk-in license counter.
Meat processing
Taxidermists
Guides and preserves
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 Richmond County
Use a Richmond County town page to see the closest game lands by distance.
- Rockinghamseat of government · 8,802 people · 17,815 mapped public acres nearby
- Cordova6,846 mapped public acres nearby
- Hoffman422 people · 60,852 mapped public acres nearby
The Census adjacency file pairs Richmond County with 6 neighbours, including Chesterfield (SC) and Marlboro (SC) out of state.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Burning rules in Richmond County
- Permits: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Richmond County is not on this list.
- Who sets a ban: 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.
- Campfires while hunting: NC Wildlife Resources Commission game lands (15A NCAC 10D .0102(i)): no camping except on areas posted by the landowner for camping.
Where Richmond County hunters zero their guns
This guide counts 3 ranges in Richmond County, from gun clubs to indoor lanes and archery.
What you can shoot: rifle, handgun, 5-stand, skeet, trap
What you can shoot: rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, action pistol
What you can shoot: trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle
Richmond County match dates
| Date and match | Category | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 26, 2026 — 2026: Course & Pistol/Rifle ranges close early at 3pm for Thanksgiving at DeWitt's Outdoor Sports | Class | Event page |
| Dec 24, 2026 — 2026: Course & Pistol/Rifle ranges close early at 2pm for Christmas Eve at DeWitt's Outdoor Sports | Class | Event page |
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Richmond County, dinners, classes and hunts
On file for this county: 3 upcoming events, 2 NCWRC classes and 15 posted results (championship stake, club field trial, hunter education course and quail futurity).
Dates ahead
| When | Event | Location | Tickets or entry | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 | Central Carolina Field Trial Club, Inc. 2026 ⋅ Club field trial | Sandhills Game Land ⋅ Hoffman ⋅ Richmond Co. | Event details | Source |
| Nov 8, 2026 | North Carolina Field Trial Association 2026 ⋅ Club field trial | Sandhills Game Land ⋅ Hoffman ⋅ Richmond Co. | Event details | Source |
| Jan 2, 2027 | United States Quail Shooting Dog Futurity 2027 ⋅ Quail futurity | Sandhills Game Land ⋅ Hoffman ⋅ Richmond Co. | Event details | Source |
Free NCWRC courses
| When | Course | Hours | Venue | Sign up | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | North Carolina Hunter Education Certification (D6) (150646)* ⋅ hunter education course | 2:00 PM–8:00 PM | John Lentz Hunter Education Complex ⋅ Ellerbe ⋅ Richmond Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 6, 2026 | North Carolina Hunter Education Certification (D6) (150647)* ⋅ hunter education course | 2:00 PM–8:00 PM | John Lentz Hunter Education Complex ⋅ Ellerbe ⋅ Richmond Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Recent winners
| Held | Event | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 20, 2026 | Region 3 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship 2026 ⋅ Championship stake | Region 3 Amateur Shooting Dog Championship winner: Bittersweet War Dance (pointer male; Ralph Gillota & Pete Del Collo, owners; Pete Del Collo, handler) | Source |
| Feb 6, 2026 | U. S. Complete National Open Championship 2026 ⋅ Championship stake | U. S. Complete National Open Championship winner: Mohawk Mill Knight Hawk (pointer male; Gary & Ellen Winall, owners; Tony Bingham, handler) | Source |
| Jan 9, 2026 | Pinehurst Field Trial Club 2026 ⋅ Club field trial | Amateur All-age 1st: Mohawk Mill At Dawn (pointer female; Gary & Ellen Winall, owners; Gary Winall, handler) | Source |
| Jan 2, 2026 | 62nd United States Quail Shooting Dog Futurity 2026 ⋅ Quail futurity | First stake 1st: Silver W Hot Pink (pointer female; Debbie Ozner, owner; Shawn Kinkelaar, handler) | Source |
| Oct 31, 2025 | Central Carolina Amateur Field Trial Club 2025 ⋅ Club field trial | Amateur All-age 1st: Storm's End (pointer female; Matt Pendergest & Megan Henry, owners; Jim Pendergest, handler) | Source |
| Oct 28, 2025 | National Open Pheasant Championship 2025 ⋅ Championship stake | National Open Pheasant Championship winner: Haney's Silver Dollar (pointer male; Chris Cagle Sr. & Chris Cagle Jr., owners; Luke Eisenhart, handler) | Source |
| Oct 24, 2025 | International Open Pheasant Championship 2025 ⋅ Championship stake | International Pheasant Championship winner: Haney's Storm Warning (pointer male; Chris Cagle Sr. & Chris Cagle Jr., owners; Luke Eisenhart, handler) | Source |
| Mar 18, 2025 | North Carolina Open Quail Championship 2025 ⋅ Championship stake | North Carolina Open Quail Championship winner: Lester's Storm Chaser (pointer male; John Ivester, owner; Lefty Henry, handler) | Source |
Richmond County hunters ask
Which goose zone covers Richmond County?
Resident Population Zone.
Can I bait on game lands in Richmond County?
No. Bait is banned on all game lands.
Which NCWRC depot or office is closest to Richmond County?
NCWRC Sandhills Depot, Hoffman, about 10 miles away.
Which venison processors sit closest to Richmond County?
Wildlife Processors, LLC, Matt Thompson and Scott's Deer Processing, nearest first.
When does deer gun season open in Richmond County?
Oct 17, 2026, under the Southeastern dates, and it runs to Jan 1, 2027.
Can I shoot a doe in Richmond County during gun season?
Yes, on every open day.
How many deer were taken in Richmond County in 2025-26?
2,270 reported: 1,232 antlered bucks and 1,038 antlerless.
Must I test a Richmond 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 Richmond County?
4.
Do I submit a bear tooth from Richmond County?
Yes. A premolar tooth is mandatory by Jan. 31 after the season.
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.
Richmond County checks before the drive
Get written permission before hunting private land in Richmond 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: stefpet (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); greenebriar (Public domain).