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North Carolina › Hunting seasons › Deer zones › Central

Deer season zone

Central deer zone, 2026-27

Every deer date for these 19 counties.

Deer zonesDeer page
Sep 12–Oct 30Archery
Oct 31–Nov 13Blackpowder
Nov 14–Jan 1Gun
52,8982025-26 harvest

Photo: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain)

Central: who hunts these dates

19 counties share the Central deer dates: archery Sep 12–Oct 30, blackpowder Oct 31–Nov 13 and gun Nov 14–Jan 1.

Alamance · Anson · Cabarrus · Caswell · Chatham · Davidson · Durham · Granville · Guilford · Lee · Mecklenburg · Montgomery · Orange · Person · Randolph · Rockingham · Rowan · Stanly · Union

NCWRC deer seasons, checked October 25, 2026.

Central deer season dates

SeasonOpensClosesDays
ArcherySep 12, 2026Oct 30, 202649
BlackpowderOct 31, 2026Nov 13, 202614
GunNov 14, 2026Jan 1, 202749
Youth Deer Hunting DaysSep 26, 2026Sep 27, 20262

Central antlerless calendar

Weapon seasonAntlerless days
ArcheryAll open days
BlackpowderAll open days
GunAll open days

NCWRC deer seasons and Season Dates at a Glance, checked October 25, 2026.

Central deer harvest by county

52,898 deer in 2025-26 across 19 counties, 7,224 by blackpowder.

CountyTotalAntlered bucksDoesGunBow and crossbowGame lands
Randolph5,3492,6362,4963,86972256
Anson4,2541,9482,0773,38233068
Rockingham4,0332,1421,7272,65072730
Union3,7831,8601,7442,8355500
Davidson3,5271,9231,4682,55552991
Stanly3,3711,6301,5722,64536635
Rowan3,2031,6901,3532,325508104
Granville3,1251,4791,4632,217459139
Montgomery2,9841,5931,2542,156287330
Caswell2,9201,5221,2551,954356219
Alamance2,7691,3721,2731,9544610
Person2,6041,2511,2191,904297103
Chatham2,4811,2431,1481,716411281
Guilford2,2511,1639911,3686160
Cabarrus2,0301,0698861,4523850
Orange1,8869458741,25944311
Durham927469412490320170
Lee7043613245059514
Mecklenburg6973862841983780
Central reported deer by season017,50035,00052,50070,00019-20: 43,87043,87019-2020-21: 47,51647,51620-2121-22: 47,27247,27221-2222-23: 46,28946,28922-2323-24: 56,25956,25923-2424-25: 52,82352,82324-2525-26: 52,89852,89825-26deer reported

NCWRC 2025-26 deer harvest by county; earlier seasons from the Harvest Statistics page, checked October 25, 2026.

Central county rules

CountyLocal deer notesBear unit
Alamancelights restricted from a half hour after sunsetPiedmont BMU
Ansonlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: AnsonvillePiedmont BMU
Cabarruslights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Concord, Harrisburg, Kannapolis, MidlandPiedmont BMU
Caswelllights restricted from a half hour after sunsetPiedmont BMU
Chathamlights restricted from a half hour after sunsetPiedmont BMU
Davidsonlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: DentonPiedmont BMU
Durhamlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Chapel HillPiedmont BMU
Granvillelights restricted from a half hour after sunsetPiedmont BMU
Guilfordlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Jamestown, Oak Ridge, Pleasant Garden, Stokesdale, SummerfieldPiedmont BMU
Leelights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: SanfordPiedmont BMU
Mecklenburglights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: HuntersvillePiedmont BMU
Montgomerylights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Mount GileadPiedmont BMU
Orangelights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Chapel HillPiedmont BMU
Personlights restricted from a half hour after sunsetPiedmont BMU
Randolphlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Franklinville, RandlemanPiedmont BMU
Rockinghamlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Eden, Reidsville, WentworthPiedmont BMU
Rowanlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: China Grove, Cleveland, Granite Quarry, Kannapolis, LandisPiedmont BMU
Stanlylights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Albemarle, New London, Norwood, Oakboro, Red Cross, Richfield, StanfieldPiedmont BMU
Unionlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Fairview, Indian Trail, Mineral Springs, Stallings, Unionville, Waxhaw, WeddingtonPiedmont BMU

Deer dog rules in the Central counties: the digest bans dog hunting for deer in and west of the Rockingham-Guilford-Randolph-Montgomery-Stanly-Union line and in listed eastern counties or parts; check each county before running hounds.

NCWRC deer regulations, NCWRC CWD pages and 15A NCAC 10B .0115, checked October 25, 2026.

Public deer ground in Central

15 game lands with deer touch Central.

Game landDaysAcresCounties in zone
Uwharrie7 days52,709Montgomery · Randolph +1
Jordan6 days40,462Chatham · Durham
Butner-Falls of Neuse6 days37,480Durham · Granville
R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell3 days18,014Caswell
Yadkin River7 days11,636Rowan · Davidson +2
Harris7 days11,527Chatham
Pee Dee River7 days8,938Anson · Montgomery +1
Mayo7 days5,101Person
Chatham7 days2,671Chatham
Hyco7 days2,382Person
Dan River3 days1,705Rockingham
Lee7 days1,441Lee · Chatham

Game land records from NCWRC, checked October 25, 2026. Game land hunting days.

Neighbouring zones to Central

Northwestern CWD Management Area5 counties, gun Nov 14Southeastern CWD Management Area2 counties, gun Oct 17Northwestern12 counties, gun Nov 21Southeastern23 counties, gun Oct 17
Duck and goose zonesGame land daysEvery season row
White-tailed buck bedded among autumn leaves
White-tailed buck bedded among autumn leavesPhoto: GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
White-tailed buck feeding at the edge of an open field
White-tailed buck feeding at the edge of an open fieldPhoto: FieldsportsChannel.tv (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed buck emerging from the tree line at the edge of a field
White-tailed buck emerging from the tree line at the edge of a fieldPhoto: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain)

Questions about Central

When does gun season open in the Central zone?

Nov 14, 2026; the last gun day is Jan 1, 2027.

Central deer harvest total?

52,898 in 2025-26.

Central antlerless gun rule?

All open days

Where does Central apply?

Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Granville, Guilford, Lee, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly and Union.