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Piedmont county guide
Guilford County Hunting
A county-level brief on Guilford 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: Donald Lee Pardue (CC BY 2.0)
The county line around Guilford County encloses 646 square miles of land; county offices sit in Greensboro. At 558,816 people in 2024, density works out near 865 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. Nothing in the game land boundary layer lies within the county line.
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 Guilford County
Guilford County deer zone, antlerless days and CWD
Mark Nov 14, 2026 for the Central gun opener in Guilford 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. Since 2026 Guilford County sits outside every CWD area.
| 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 |
| Urban archery | Jan 9–Feb 14, 2027 | Participating towns |
Guilford County is pooled into the rest-of-state line of the CWD chart, which shows no positives.
Towns with urban archery
Urban archery (Jan 9 to Feb 14, 2027) is open inside Jamestown, Oak Ridge, Pleasant Garden, Stokesdale and Summerfield.
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.
Guilford County calendar from August to May
Guilford County hunts deer on the Central dates and bear on the Piedmont BMU dates. The 54 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 | |
| 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.
Guilford County: game lands, forests and refuges
No game land, refuge or forest district on our list lies inside Guilford County; the map shows the 5 closest outside it.
Next-door options: Dan River Game Land 1,705 ac, 26 miles out; Paynes Branch Game Land 211 ac, 31 miles out; Buckhorn Game Land 491 ac, 32 miles out; R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell Game Land 18,014 ac, 35 miles out; Linwood Game Land 169 ac, 39 miles out.
The closed list for Guilford County: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park. State parks are closed to hunting across the system.
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.
Guilford County deer numbers since 2019-20
Guilford County ranked 39th of 100 counties in 2025-26 with 2,251 reported deer. Since 2019-20 (2,273 deer) the county moved -1%, with 2020-21 on top. By weapon: 61% gun, 12% blackpowder and 27% bow or crossbow. Game land deer numbered 0 last season. That is 4.2 antlered bucks per square mile (28th in the state). Hunters checked in 991 does, roughly 44 in every hundred deer. The long series back to 1976 peaks at 2,549 in 2020, against 17 in 1976.
| Year | Bucks | Buttons | Does | Total | Gun | Blackpowder | Archery | Crossbow | Game land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,163 | 97 | 991 | 2,251 | 1,368 | 267 | 319 | 297 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 1,126 | 91 | 934 | 2,151 | 1,384 | 252 | 250 | 265 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 1,271 | 69 | 937 | 2,277 | 1,476 | 210 | 280 | 311 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 1,277 | 100 | 1,113 | 2,490 | 1,737 | 259 | 268 | 226 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 1,212 | 92 | 980 | 2,284 | 1,392 | 349 | 330 | 213 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 1,200 | 127 | 1,222 | 2,549 | 1,636 | 354 | 321 | 238 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 1,118 | 110 | 1,045 | 2,273 | 1,318 | 399 | 357 | 199 | 0 |
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.
Guilford County local acts, Sundays and orange
Guilford County has 1 local law on hunting, listed as the digest words it.
- Hunt an animal with a firearm from a public road.
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 Guilford County
Bears
Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027: that is the Piedmont BMU (group 2) bear calendar Guilford County hunters use. NCWRC counted 0 bears from Guilford County in 2025 and 2 across every year in its table.
Guilford wild turkey
Shotguns and bows only for spring turkey, Apr 17 to May 15, 2027. In 2026, Guilford County turkey hunters registered 244 birds. Records start for Guilford County in 1977 with 2 birds. The game land share of the 2026 birds was 0.
| Spring | Adult gobblers | Jakes | Sum | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 206 | 38 | 244 | 0 |
| 2025 | 225 | 32 | 257 | 0 |
| 2024 | 233 | 19 | 252 | 0 |
| 2023 | 234 | 33 | 267 | 0 |
| 2022 | 145 | 29 | 174 | 0 |
| 2021 | 176 | 17 | 193 | 0 |
| 2020 | 197 | 44 | 241 | 0 |
Duck and goose zones
Ducks follow the Inland zone dates in Guilford 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.
Guilford County legal hunting light
The digest prints one sunrise and sunset table for Charlotte and a minute offset for each county. For Guilford County the offset is -3 minutes.
| Day | Hunt | First sun | Last sun | Game shooting | Bird shooting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:54 a.m. | 7:43 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 8:13 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:59 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 8:03 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:27 a.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:53 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:06 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:25 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:27 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:44 a.m. | 7:55 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 8:25 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:55 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 Guilford County hunters
When Guilford County has no shop of a kind, the nearest one next door is shown.
NCWRC contacts for Guilford County
Wildlife questions in Guilford County go to District 5 biologist Joe Folta. Drive 32 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 Guilford County
Use a Guilford County town page to see the closest game lands by distance.
- Greensboroseat of government · 307,381 people
- High Point118,601 people
- Burlingtonpart of town here · 61,365 people
The Census adjacency file pairs Guilford County with 6 neighbours.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Burning rules in Guilford County
- Permits: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Guilford 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 Guilford County hunters zero their guns
This guide counts 4 ranges in Guilford County, from gun clubs to indoor lanes and archery.
What you can shoot: archery, 3D archery
What you can shoot: sporting clays, shotgun
What you can shoot: 5-stand, shotgun
Of the ten NCWRC public ranges, R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell Shooting Range is closest, roughly 36 miles from the county center. Full page
Guilford County match dates
| Date and match | Category | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 28-29, 2026 — Greensboro Moose Lodge Gun & Knife Show | Gun show | Event page |
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Guilford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2, 2026 | North Carolina Hunter Education (D5) (Guilford) ⋅ hunter education course | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM | High Point Parks and Recreation Office ⋅ High Point ⋅ Guilford Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Guilford County hunters ask
Is hunter orange needed for spring gobblers in Guilford County?
No. Turkey hunters are exempt from the hunter orange law.
Which goose zone covers Guilford County?
Resident Population Zone.
Can I bait on game lands in Guilford County?
No. Bait is banned on all game lands.
Which NCWRC depot or office is closest to Guilford County?
NCWRC Caswell Depot, Yanceyville, about 32 miles away.
When is urban archery in Guilford County?
Jan 9 to Feb 14, 2027, inside participating towns.
Which venison processors sit closest to Guilford County?
Triad Meat Co, Shade Tree Packing and In The Bottom Deer Processing, nearest first.
When does deer gun season open in Guilford County?
Nov 14, 2026, under the Central dates, and it runs to Jan 1, 2027.
Can I shoot a doe in Guilford County during gun season?
Yes, on every open day.
How many deer were taken in Guilford County in 2025-26?
2,251 reported: 1,163 antlered bucks and 1,088 antlerless.
Must I test a Guilford County deer for CWD?
Testing is not mandatory this season; NCWRC offers free testing through cooperators and drop sites.
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.
Guilford County checks before the drive
Get written permission before hunting private land in Guilford 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: greenebriar (Public domain); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); Yellowstone National Park (Public domain); Where Are The Hikers? (CC BY 2.0); ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0); stefpet (CC BY-SA 2.0); btrentler (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).