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District 5, Piedmont
Durham County Hunting
Everything county-specific about hunting Durham County, from the Central archery, blackpowder and gun windows to light-shining hours, waterfowl zones, game land acreage and harvest by year.
Photo: NathaniaJohnson (CC BY 2.0)
With Durham as its seat, Durham County covers 288 square miles in the NCWRC Piedmont Region. Its 2024 head count of 343,628 is +5.8% on the 2020 base. The Commission counts it in District 5 of its Piedmont Region. Deer dates follow the Central schedule, and bear dates the Piedmont BMU (group 2). Across the state, 19 counties run on this deer calendar. Roughly 18,289 acres of NCWRC game land fall within the county.
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.
How deer seasons work in Durham County
The gun opener for Durham County is Nov 14, 2026, after an archery stretch that starts Sep 12 and a blackpowder fortnight from Oct 31. Antlerless harvest is allowed through the whole archery, blackpowder and gun calendar. The statewide youth days, Sep 26 to Sep 27, 2026, let hunters under 16 use any legal weapon. Durham County lies outside the CWD management and surveillance areas.
| Season | From and to | Doe days |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 12–Oct 30, 2026 | Every open day |
| Muzzleloaders | Oct 31–Nov 13, 2026 | Every open day |
| Firearms | Nov 14–Jan 1, 2027 | Every open day |
| Youth days (statewide) | Sep 26–Sep 27, 2026 | Either sex, youth |
| Urban archery | Jan 9–Feb 14, 2027 | Participating towns |
CWD has not been detected in Durham County; NCWRC reports its samples with the rest of the state.
Urban archery towns
The urban season reaches Chapel Hill after the gun season closes.
Lights at night
Shining fields for deer is illegal from dusk to dawn.
Deer per season
Six deer a season: two antlered, four antlerless.
Report by noon
Phone 800-I-GOT-ONE or use the app; record the authorization number.
Central deer page · Compare deer zones · CWD rules
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.
Durham County hunting dates by species
Durham County rows run from the Sept. 1 Canada goose and dove openers to the spring gobbler season that closes in May.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Urban Archery Season | Urban archery towns only | Jan 9, 2027 | Feb 14, 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.
Durham County tracts open to hunters
Durham County shares 4 listed properties with the public; days per week come from the digest game land tables. By the digest tables, the game lands split as 2 open 6 days a week. 19,998 acres of public hunting ground sit within 10 miles of Durham. Game land dove fields include a site in Durham County.
- Game lands, 2 listedJordan Game Land (40,462 acres*, 6 days), Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land (37,480 acres*, 6 days)
- Corps of Engineers lakes, 2 hereB. Everett Jordan Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) (40,115 acres*), Falls Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) (31,844 acres*)
Neighbouring tracts: Buckhorn Game Land 491 acres, 19 miles out; Harris Game Land 11,527 acres, 30 miles out; Mayo Game Land 5,101 acres, 32 miles out; Chatham Game Land 2,671 acres, 33 miles out; R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell Game Land 18,014 acres, 33 miles out.
Land finder · 95 game lands · Which days to hunt
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.
Durham County harvest card totals
469 bucks, 412 does and 46 button bucks came from Durham County in 2025-26. 2023-24 leads the run of seasons with 1,148 deer. Weapon split last season: gun 490, bow and crossbow 320, blackpowder 117. Private and other ground supplied 757 deer, game lands 170. Per square mile, 3.8 bucks were taken. Within the antlerless count, 46 were button bucks, males with only skin-covered knobs. Fifty seasons of totals put the high mark at 2023, with 1,148 deer.
| Year | Antlered | Button bucks | Does | Deer | Gun | Blackpowder | Vertical bow | Crossbow | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 469 | 46 | 412 | 927 | 490 | 117 | 153 | 167 | 170 |
| 2024-25 | 516 | 49 | 444 | 1,009 | 555 | 110 | 164 | 180 | 164 |
| 2023-24 | 605 | 40 | 503 | 1,148 | 658 | 116 | 185 | 189 | 198 |
| 2022-23 | 498 | 26 | 356 | 880 | 487 | 84 | 168 | 141 | 165 |
| 2021-22 | 497 | 30 | 377 | 904 | 492 | 128 | 151 | 133 | 194 |
| 2020-21 | 442 | 32 | 352 | 826 | 451 | 120 | 132 | 123 | 150 |
| 2019-20 | 448 | 34 | 392 | 874 | 446 | 156 | 135 | 137 | 183 |
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.
Local hunting acts in Durham County
The digest prints 5 local acts for Durham County. Each item below is unlawful in the county.
- Discharge a firearm in taking game animals from the right-of-way of a public road adjoining posted land, without permission of the owner or person in charge of such land.
- Discharge a centerfire rifle on another’s land, or on or across such land from a public road, without having in possession written permission of the owner or lessee.
- Take deer with dogs.
- Hunt deer from a public road.
- Hunt any wildlife with a firearm from a public road.
Archery is allowed through Sunday morning; firearms wait until 12:30 p.m. Firearm hunters of most game wear hunter orange visible from all sides; deer hunters wear it during any gun season. Fox seasons vary by county under local acts; check the NCWRC fox book.
Local laws index · Sunday hours · General rules
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.
Durham County beyond whitetails
Durham black bear
Bear season in Durham County follows the Piedmont BMU (group 2): Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. The 2025 bear count for Durham County: 0.
Turkey harvest
Bearded birds only, from Apr 17, 2027 to May 15, 2027 statewide. The spring 2026 turkey count for Durham County: 58 (2 jakes). The long-run table shows 2 birds in 1981, the first year listed. Game lands supplied 11 of those birds and other land 47.
| Spring | Gobblers | Jakes | Total | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 56 | 2 | 58 | 11 |
| 2025 | 53 | 3 | 56 | 14 |
| 2024 | 54 | 7 | 61 | 12 |
| 2023 | 51 | 2 | 53 | 7 |
| 2022 | 37 | 7 | 44 | 11 |
| 2021 | 61 | 4 | 65 | 9 |
| 2020 | 59 | 6 | 65 | 11 |
Waterfowl zones
Durham County hunts ducks on Inland zone splits. The goose map puts Durham County in the Resident Population Zone.
Piedmont BMU page · Designated bear areas · I-95 duck line
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.
Durham County shooting time on key dates
On Sundays firearm hunting stops from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and migratory birds are closed all day; the hours below are for the other days.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal for game | Legal for ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:51 a.m. | 7:40 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 8:10 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:56 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:24 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:50 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:03 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:22 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:24 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:41 a.m. | 7:52 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 8:22 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 7:52 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.
Who to call in Durham County
NCWRC publishes no list of licensed taxidermists or guides, so those rows come from directories; call before you go.
Agency contacts
Durham County falls to Joe Folta on the NCWRC biologist list. NCWRC Butner Depot (Bahama) is the closest Commission facility, 6 miles out.
Venison processing
Taxidermists nearby
Durham area gun and bow counters
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.
Where to stay near Durham County
The acreage beside a town is public land inside a 10-mile circle, measured on GIS layers.
- Durhamseat · 301,870 townspeople · 19,998 public acres in a 10-mile ring
- Gorman30,050 public acres in a 10-mile ring
- Caryspans the line · 182,659 townspeople · 12,032 public acres in a 10-mile ring
- Chapel Hillspans the line · 64,028 townspeople · 17,874 public acres in a 10-mile ring
- Raleighspans the line · 499,825 townspeople · 4,215 public acres in a 10-mile ring
Tiles below open each county next to Durham County.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Burning rules in Durham County
- Permit season: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Durham 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.
- Public land fires: NC Wildlife Resources Commission game lands (15A NCAC 10D .0102(i)): no camping except on areas posted by the landowner for camping.
Durham County ranges, clubs and shoots
2 Durham County ranges are listed; every card says who may shoot.
On offer: rifle, smallbore rimfire
On offer: trap, skeet, 5-stand, rifle, handgun
For a Commission-listed public range, Wake County Firearms Education and Training Center (Wake County) is about 25 miles away. Hours and fees
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Durham County on the North Carolina events calendar
Read October 25, 2026: 1 upcoming event and 1 NCWRC class, covering NWTF banquet and trapper education course.
Next dates
| Held | What | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2027 | Flat River Full Strutters NWTF Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | Bahama ⋅ Durham Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Hunter education classes
| Date | Course | Hours | Place | Seat | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 2027 | North Carolina Trapper education Certification (D5) ⋅ trapper education course | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM | Wake County Wildlife Club ⋅ Durham ⋅ Durham Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Durham County, answered
What weapons are legal in the Durham County urban season?
Archery equipment only.
Which NCWRC district is Durham County in?
District 5, Piedmont Region.
Which deer dates apply to Durham County hunters?
The Central group from the 2026-2027 at-a-glance sheet.
Who should a Durham County hunter call about processing?
Buckhorn Taxidermy & Deer Processing; book early in November.
Is the Durham County deer harvest rising?
Season by season the cards show 874 in 2019-20, 1,009 in 2024-25 and 927 in 2025-26.
Are button bucks antlerless in Durham County?
Yes. Knobs under skin are not antlers, so button bucks count as antlerless.
What are the Sunday hours for gun hunters in Durham County?
Yes, but no firearms from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and no migratory birds.
Has a CWD-positive deer turned up in Durham County?
No positive is listed for the county.
How many turkeys came from Durham County in 2026?
58 reported.
How many bears did Durham County hunters register in 2025?
0 reported.
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.
Durham County, last word
Dates on this page are for 2026-27 only; recheck the digest if you plan a later season.
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: LFLamb (CC BY-SA 2.0); GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); razvan.orendovici (CC BY 2.0); James Willamor (CC BY-SA 2.0); npdoty (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).