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2026-27 · Western C deer
Clay County Hunting
Plan a Clay County hunt with the county facts NCWRC publishes: zone dates and antlerless days, local laws, CWD testing, bear and turkey harvest, game land acres and the nearest wildlife depot.
Photo: alex_ford (CC BY 2.0)
Spread over 215 square miles of the mountains, Clay County is run from Hayesville. About 12,042 residents lived in the county in 2024 (+8.6% against 2020). It sits in the Mountain Region, District 9 on the NCWRC map. The at-a-glance sheet lists the county under Western C for deer and Mountain BMU for bear. In total 7 counties follow these dates. Public hunters get some 66,615 game land acres in the county, 66,192 on national forest.
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.
Clay County: deer zone, doe days and disease rules
Deer seasons in Clay County step from archery (Sep 12) to blackpowder (Nov 14) to gun (Nov 28), all inside the Western C schedule. Bows take antlerless deer every open day, but the blackpowder window is Nov 21 to Nov 27, 2026 and the gun window Nov 28, 2026 only. Young hunters have Sep 26 to Sep 27, 2026 statewide; everyone afield those days wears hunter orange. Nov 26 to Nov 27, 2026 is a Western-only youth hunt. CWD area rules do not reach Clay County.
| Season | Dates | Antlerless days |
|---|---|---|
| Bow and crossbow | Sep 12–Nov 13, 2026 | Every open day |
| Blackpowder | Nov 14–Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 21–Nov 27, 2026 |
| Rifle and shotgun | Nov 28–Jan 1, 2027 | Nov 28, 2026 only |
| Youth days (statewide) | Sep 26–Sep 27, 2026 | Either sex, youth |
| Western youth days | Nov 26–Nov 27, 2026 | Either sex, youth |
The NCWRC chart has no county row for Clay County; its samples fall under rest of state (366 tests, none positive).
Light-shining
Light-shining for deer is banned from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.
Bag limit
Season limit six, no more than two antlered.
Reporting
Register by noon the day after the kill: app, 800-446-8663, online or an agent.
Western C zone page · Every deer zone · CWD map
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.
Every dated hunt for Clay County
For Clay County, 53 segments cover deer, bear, small game, waterfowl and furbearers this license year.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Western C | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Western C | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Western youth days | Western zone | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Western C | Nov 28, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Part 1 | Mountain BMU | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Part 2 | Mountain BMU | Dec 12, 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 | |
| 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.
Clay County public land with acreage
The map pins 2 tracts inside Clay County and 3 neighbours just outside it. Count by hunting days: 1 open 7 days a week. National forest ground in Clay County: 66,192 acres. From Hayesville, roughly 52,699 public acres lie within ten miles.
- Game lands, count 1Nantahala Game Land (527,696 acres*, 7 days)
- Ranger districts, 1 hereTusquittee Ranger District (Nantahala National Forest) (159,278 acres*)
- National forest landNantahala National Forest (66,682 acres in Clay)
Short drives over the line: Nantahala Ranger District (Nantahala National Forest) 245,487 acres, 14 miles out; Needmore Game Land 5,237 acres, 23 miles out; Cheoah Ranger District (Nantahala National Forest) 121,985 acres, 24 miles out.
Land statewide · Game land pages · Hunting days table · Forests
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.
Clay County deer on the report cards
Hunters registered 711 deer from Clay County in 2025-26: 440 antlered bucks and 271 antlerless. That is 70% more than the 418 of 2019-20; 2025-26 is the best season in the table. Guns took 307 of them, blackpowder 126, bows 109 and crossbows 169. Land split: 95 game land, 616 other. Antlered bucks per square mile: 2.71. Antlerless males, the button bucks, came to 25. Peak season since 1976: 2025, 711 deer.
| Season | Antlered | Button | Doe | All | Gun | Muzzleloader | Bow | Xbow | On game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 440 | 25 | 246 | 711 | 307 | 126 | 109 | 169 | 95 |
| 2024-25 | 441 | 32 | 233 | 706 | 283 | 156 | 97 | 170 | 89 |
| 2023-24 | 353 | 9 | 141 | 503 | 270 | 28 | 83 | 122 | 66 |
| 2022-23 | 349 | 6 | 134 | 489 | 246 | 30 | 79 | 134 | 54 |
| 2021-22 | 321 | 6 | 106 | 433 | 218 | 16 | 78 | 121 | 54 |
| 2020-21 | 362 | 13 | 97 | 472 | 278 | 23 | 79 | 92 | 65 |
| 2019-20 | 321 | 7 | 90 | 418 | 241 | 17 | 68 | 92 | 64 |
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.
What is unlawful in Clay County
Local acts add 2 county-only rules in Clay County; the list is copied from the digest.
- To take or kill any wild animal or wild bird with the use of a firearm or to discharge a firearm from, on, or across the right-of-way of a public road, street, highway or other public vehicular area.
- Shine a light intentionally upon any wild animal, including, but not limited to, deer, coyotes, or feral swine, from the right-of-way of any public road, street, or highway between the hours of one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise.
Gun hunters pause on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 12:30 under G.S. 103-2. Orange applies to bear, feral swine, rabbit, squirrel and upland bird hunters with guns, but not to turkey hunters. The January fox county list includes Clay County. This page does not list county fox dates; NCWRC publishes them separately.
Local laws for every county · Sunday rules · Law summary
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.
Clay County bear unit, turkey harvest and duck zone
Bear dates and harvest
Bears may be hunted in Clay County Oct 3 to Nov 21, 2026 and Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 (Mountain BMU). Bear hunting is closed or by permit in designated areas such as Nantahala Game Land (Fires Creek). Clay County produced 57 reported bears last season; the BMU tables run back to 1996. Game lands gave up 52 of the 2025 bears; other land 5. Still hunting produced 5% of the county bears.
Wild turkey
Gobblers open Apr 17 and close May 15, 2027, after the Apr 10 to Apr 11, 2027 youth weekend. Spring 2026 reports: 83 turkeys, 17 from game lands. The county first shows a spring harvest in 1979. Private and other ground produced 80% of the county turkeys.
| Season | Gobblers | Jakes | Turkeys | Game land |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 71 | 12 | 83 | 17 |
| 2025 | 56 | 5 | 61 | 21 |
| 2024 | 64 | 9 | 73 | 20 |
| 2023 | 64 | 6 | 70 | 16 |
| 2022 | 37 | 4 | 41 | 5 |
| 2021 | 63 | 7 | 70 | 15 |
| 2020 | 64 | 12 | 76 | 13 |
Waterfowl
Clay County lies in the Inland duck zone, west of the I-95 line. Canada geese: Resident Population Zone.
Mountain BMU dates · Bear sanctuaries today · Goose 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.
Clay County legal hunting light
North Carolina law allows most game from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Doves, ducks and geese stop at sunset.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Big and small game | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 7:09 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 8:28 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 7:14 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 8:18 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:42 a.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 6:59 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 7:08 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:21 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:40 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:42 a.m. | 5:35 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 6:05 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:59 a.m. | 8:10 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 8:40 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 8:10 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.
Clay County help after the shot
License sales run through Go Outdoors North Carolina online, by phone or at wildlife service agents.
District contacts
Justin McVey is the NCWRC biologist for District 9, which takes in Clay County. Andrews hosts the nearest NCWRC site, NCWRC Andrews Depot.
Get a deer cut
For a mount
Preserves and guides
Gear 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.
Clay County towns and bordering counties
Each Clay County town page carries legal shooting light for that spot.
- Hayesvillecounty seat · 481 residents · 52,699 acres of public land in 10 miles
Counties sharing a line with Clay County: 2 in-state, plus Rabun (GA), Towns (GA) and Union (GA).
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Can you burn in Clay County?
- Permits: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Clay County is not on this list.
- Who declares bans: 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.
- Warming fires: NC Wildlife Resources Commission game lands (15A NCAC 10D .0102(i)): no camping except on areas posted by the landowner for camping.
Sighting in a rifle in Clay County
Nearest to Clay County: Dirty John Shooting Range, roughly 21 miles away.
Lanes for rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire
Lanes for rifle, handgun
Lanes for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
Wayne E. Smith Cold Mountain Shooting Range in Haywood County is the nearest range on the NCWRC list, about 51 miles. Open it
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Clay County, dinners, classes and hunts
Listed as of October 25, 2026: 1 NCWRC class.
Hunter education dates
| On | Class | Time | Where held | Register | Found at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 17, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D9, A5) ⋅ hunter education course | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Clay County Sheriff's Office ⋅ Hayesville ⋅ Clay Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Short answers for Clay County
Can I camp on game lands near Clay County?
Only in posted camping areas.
Does Clay County hunt ducks on Inland or Coastal dates?
Inland.
Who processes deer for Clay County hunters?
The closest names on our list are Adam Farms LLC; call first.
Who is the wildlife biologist for Clay County?
Justin McVey, District 9, (828) 273-7980.
Do youth hunters in Clay County get extra deer days?
Yes: Sep 26 to Sep 27, 2026 statewide and Nov 26 to Nov 27, 2026 in the Western zone.
Which NCWRC deer zone group holds Clay County?
Western C. Archery Sep 12 to Nov 13, 2026, blackpowder Nov 14 to Nov 27, 2026, gun Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
Is there an August deer season in Clay County?
No. The August early season is only in the two CWD Management Areas.
How many Clay County deer were taken with a bow?
109 with vertical bows and 169 with crossbows in 2025-26.
What bait rules cover bear hunters in Clay County?
Only unprocessed natural bait on private land during the season; never on game lands.
Does Clay County have local hunting laws?
Yes, 2 local acts; the first reads: To take or kill any wild animal or wild bird with the use of a firearm or to discharge a firearm from, on, or across the right-of-way of a public road, street, highway or other public vehicular area.
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.
Clay County: before you go
Where this page and the digest differ, follow the digest.
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: ncwetlands.org (CC0 1.0); GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); w_lemay (CC0 1.0); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0).