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2026-27 · Central deer
Randolph County Hunting
Plan a Randolph 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: Donald Lee Pardue (CC BY 2.0)
Spread over 782 square miles of the Piedmont, Randolph County is run from Asheboro. About 148,389 residents lived in the county in 2024 (+2.9% against 2020). It sits in the Piedmont Region, District 5 on the NCWRC map. The at-a-glance sheet lists the county under Central for deer and Piedmont BMU (group 2) for bear. In total 19 counties follow these dates. Public hunters get some 10,528 game land acres in the county, 9,940 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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Randolph County
Randolph County: deer zone, doe days and disease rules
Deer seasons in Randolph County step from archery (Sep 12) to blackpowder (Oct 31) to gun (Nov 14), all inside the Central schedule. Hunters can fill antlerless tags on any legal day from the bow opener on. Young hunters have Sep 26 to Sep 27, 2026 statewide; everyone afield those days wears hunter orange. CWD area rules do not reach Randolph County.
| Season | Dates | Antlerless days |
|---|---|---|
| Bow and crossbow | Sep 12–Oct 30, 2026 | Every open day |
| Blackpowder | Oct 31–Nov 13, 2026 | Every open day |
| Rifle and shotgun | 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 |
The NCWRC chart has no county row for Randolph County; its samples fall under rest of state (366 tests, none positive).
Urban archery
Franklinville and Randleman take part in the urban archery season, Jan 9 to Feb 14, 2027.
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.
Central 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 Randolph County
For Randolph County, 54 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 | 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.
Randolph County public land with acreage
The map pins 2 tracts inside Randolph County and 5 neighbours just outside it. Count by hunting days: 1 open 7 days a week. National forest ground in Randolph County: 9,940 acres. From Asheboro, roughly 5,369 public acres lie within ten miles. The dove field program reaches Randolph County.
- Ranger districts, 1 hereUwharrie Ranger District (Uwharrie National Forest) (53,011 acres*)
- Game lands, count 1Uwharrie Game Land (52,709 acres*, 7 days)
- National forest landUwharrie National Forest (9,914 acres in Randolph)
Short drives over the line: Yadkin River Game Land 11,636 acres, 24 miles out; Linwood Game Land 169 acres, 30 miles out; Perkins Game Land 1,696 acres, 37 miles out; Buckhorn Game Land 491 acres, 39 miles out; Lee Game Land 1,441 acres, 44 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.
Randolph County deer on the report cards
Hunters registered 5,349 deer from Randolph County in 2025-26: 2,636 antlered bucks and 2,713 antlerless. That is 46% more than the 3,668 of 2019-20; 2023-24 is the best season in the table. Guns took 3,869 of them, blackpowder 758, bows 319 and crossbows 403. Land split: 56 game land, 5,293 other. Antlered bucks per square mile: 4.1. Antlerless males, the button bucks, came to 217. Peak season since 1976: 2023, 6,233 deer.
| Season | Antlered | Button | Doe | All | Gun | Muzzleloader | Bow | Xbow | On game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,636 | 217 | 2,496 | 5,349 | 3,869 | 758 | 319 | 403 | 56 |
| 2024-25 | 2,696 | 263 | 2,405 | 5,364 | 4,004 | 639 | 336 | 385 | 70 |
| 2023-24 | 3,141 | 267 | 2,825 | 6,233 | 4,674 | 647 | 416 | 496 | 67 |
| 2022-23 | 2,150 | 156 | 1,867 | 4,173 | 3,269 | 399 | 290 | 215 | 57 |
| 2021-22 | 2,338 | 207 | 1,877 | 4,422 | 3,216 | 638 | 315 | 253 | 66 |
| 2020-21 | 1,976 | 221 | 1,945 | 4,142 | 3,025 | 627 | 287 | 203 | 64 |
| 2019-20 | 1,829 | 151 | 1,688 | 3,668 | 2,562 | 692 | 248 | 166 | 53 |
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 Randolph County
Local acts add 1 county-only rule in Randolph County; the list is copied from the digest.
- Hunt from the right-of-way of a public road.
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. 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.
Randolph County bear unit, turkey harvest and duck zone
Bear dates and harvest
Bears may be hunted in Randolph County Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 (Piedmont BMU (group 2)). Randolph County produced 0 reported bears last season; the BMU tables run back to 2004.
Wild turkey
Gobblers open Apr 17 and close May 15, 2027, after the Apr 10 to Apr 11, 2027 youth weekend. Spring 2026 reports: 301 turkeys, 7 from game lands. The county first shows a spring harvest in 1977. Private and other ground produced 98% of the county turkeys.
| Season | Gobblers | Jakes | Turkeys | Game land |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 263 | 38 | 301 | 7 |
| 2025 | 213 | 81 | 294 | 5 |
| 2024 | 208 | 32 | 240 | 5 |
| 2023 | 231 | 51 | 282 | 3 |
| 2022 | 173 | 52 | 225 | 4 |
| 2021 | 223 | 20 | 243 | 3 |
| 2020 | 192 | 68 | 260 | 3 |
Waterfowl
Randolph County lies in the Inland duck zone, west of the I-95 line. Canada geese: Resident Population Zone.
Piedmont 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.
Randolph 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 | 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.
Randolph County help after the shot
License sales run through Go Outdoors North Carolina online, by phone or at wildlife service agents.
District contacts
Joe Folta is the NCWRC biologist for District 5, which takes in Randolph County. Mount Gilead hosts the nearest NCWRC site, NCWRC Troy Depot.
Get a deer cut
For a mount
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.
Randolph County towns and bordering counties
Each Randolph County town page carries legal shooting light for that spot.
- Asheborocounty seat · 27,928 residents · 5,369 acres of public land in 10 miles
- High Pointcrosses the line · 118,601 residents
Counties sharing a line with Randolph County: 6 in-state.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Burn bans and permits in Randolph County
- Permits: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Randolph County is not on this list.
- Ban orders: 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 Randolph County
Randolph County has 5 listed ranges, all of them clubs, businesses or private ranges.
Lanes for shotgun, sporting clays
Lanes for rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, muzzleloader
Lanes for handgun, rifle, archery, skeet, shotgun
Lanes for shotgun, trap, skeet
Lanes for skeet, shotgun
Flintlock Valley Shooting Range in Montgomery County is the nearest range on the NCWRC list, about 24 miles. Open it
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Randolph County, dinners, classes and hunts
Listed as of October 25, 2026: 3 NCWRC classes and 1 posted result.
Hunter education dates
| On | Class | Time | Where held | Register | Found at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 3, 2026 | North Carolina Hunter Education Certification (D5) ⋅ hunter education course | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Tabernacle Fire Department ⋅ Trinity ⋅ Randolph Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Southwestern Randolph Middle YHEST Course ⋅ hunter education course | 3:00 PM–5:00 PM | Southwestern Randolph High School ⋅ Asheboro ⋅ Randolph Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Women's Hunter Education Course (Piedmont Region) ⋅ hunter education course | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Tabernacle Fire Department ⋅ Trinity ⋅ Randolph Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Posted results
| Held | Event | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2026 | Golden Triangle Coon Club Inc UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) ⋅ UKC club nite hunt | Nite Hunt 1st, cast winner: 'PR'Thousand Dollar Bob TW, Thomas Medley 225+ | Source |
Short answers for Randolph County
Are jakes legal in Randolph County?
Yes. Male or bearded turkeys are legal. 38 jakes were reported in 2026.
What bait rules cover bear hunters in Randolph County?
Only unprocessed natural bait on private land during the season; never on game lands.
Can I camp on game lands near Randolph County?
Only in posted camping areas.
Does Randolph County hunt ducks on Inland or Coastal dates?
Inland.
Which Randolph County towns have urban archery?
Franklinville and Randleman.
Who is the wildlife biologist for Randolph County?
Joe Folta, District 5, (336) 212-7550.
Which NCWRC deer zone group holds Randolph County?
Central. Archery Sep 12 to Oct 30, 2026, blackpowder Oct 31 to Nov 13, 2026, gun Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
Who processes deer for Randolph County hunters?
The closest names on our list are Harpley's Taxidermy/Deer Processing, Craven Deer Processing and Piedmont Custom Meats, Inc; call first.
How many Randolph County deer were taken with a bow?
319 with vertical bows and 403 with crossbows in 2025-26.
Do youth hunters in Randolph County get extra deer days?
Yes: Sep 26 to Sep 27, 2026 statewide.
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.
Randolph 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: jasonferrell (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Drew de F Fawkes (CC BY 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); Monkeystyle3000 (CC BY 2.0); don r faulkner (CC BY-SA 2.0); btrentler (CC BY 2.0).