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North Carolina › Hunting seasons › Deer zones › Western A

Deer season zone

Western A deer zone, 2026-27

Seasons and harvest for the 6 counties in this group.

Deer zonesDeer pageDeer gear
Sep 12–Nov 13Archery
Nov 14–Nov 27Blackpowder
Nov 28–Jan 1Gun
10,1522025-26 harvest

Photo: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0)

Where the Western A dates apply

Western A: 6 counties, a 35-day gun season opening Nov 28, 2026, and 10,152 deer reported in 2025-26.

Avery · Burke · Caldwell · Madison · Mitchell · Yancey

NCWRC deer seasons, checked October 25, 2026.

Western A weapon seasons

SeasonOpensClosesDays
ArcherySep 12, 2026Nov 13, 202663
BlackpowderNov 14, 2026Nov 27, 202614
GunNov 28, 2026Jan 1, 202735
Youth Deer Hunting Days (Western deer season)Nov 26, 2026Nov 27, 20262
Youth Deer Hunting DaysSep 26, 2026Sep 27, 20262
Youth Deer Hunting Days (Western deer season)Nov 26, 2026Nov 27, 20262

Doe days in the Western A zone

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.

Where Western A hunters take deer

2025-26: 10,152 deer, 5,843 antlered bucks and 3,965 does; 482 came off game lands.

CountyTotalAntlered bucksDoesGunBow and crossbowGame lands
Burke2,1611,2818061,188552120
Madison1,9631,144758956611128
Yancey1,75892477179358675
Caldwell1,6681,03357986540351
Avery1,32573654266538972
Mitchell1,27772550960337036
Western A reported deer by season05,00010,00015,00020,00019-20: 6,9636,96319-2020-21: 7,8637,86320-2121-22: 7,7147,71421-2222-23: 8,2998,29922-2323-24: 8,8178,81723-2424-25: 8,7228,72224-2525-26: 10,15210,15225-26reported harvest

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

What changes county to county in Western A

CountyLocal deer notesBear unit
Averylights restricted from a half hour after sunsetMountain BMU
Burkelights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Glen Alpine, MorgantonMountain BMU
Caldwellurban archery: Lenoir, SawmillsMountain BMU
Madison–Mountain BMU
Mitchelllights restricted from a half hour after sunsetMountain BMU
Yanceylights restricted from a half hour after sunsetMountain BMU

The Western A zone sits inside the deer-dog ban area defined by the Rockingham-to-Union county line; eastern exceptions also apply.

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

Western A public hunting land

8 game lands, biggest first.

Game landDaysAcresCounties in zone
Pisgah7 days517,774Caldwell · Madison +4
South Mountains7 days22,583Burke
Buffalo Cove7 days7,030Caldwell
Johns RiverPermit only6,483Burke
Pisgah7 days4,829Burke · Mitchell +2
Sandy Mush3 days2,862Madison
Kings Creek6 days2,361Caldwell
North BendPermit only1,244Burke

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

Compare Western A with nearby zones

Western B3 counties, gun Nov 28Northwestern12 counties, gun Nov 21Northwestern CWD Management Area5 counties, gun Nov 14Western C7 counties, gun Nov 28
Game land daysEvery season rowDuck and goose zones
White-tailed buck and doe on a woods trail
White-tailed buck and doe on a woods trailPhoto: Casavell (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed deer moving through autumn woods
White-tailed deer moving through autumn woodsPhoto: NPS Photo (Public domain)
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)

Asked about Western A

Can does be taken in Western A gun season?

All open days

Western A harvest in 2025-26?

10,152 in 2025-26.

Western A gun season dates?

Nov 28, 2026, running to Jan 1, 2027.

Which counties make up Western A?

Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Madison, Mitchell and Yancey.