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North Carolina › Hunting seasons › Deer zones › Western C

Deer season zone

Western C deer zone, 2026-27

The 2026-27 deer calendar for this zone.

Deer zonesDeer page
Sep 12–Nov 13Archery
Nov 14–Nov 27Blackpowder
Nov 28–Jan 1Gun
5,9572025-26 harvest

Photo: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain)

Western C deer zone counties

This page covers the Western C deer zone: 7 counties, three weapon seasons and the antlerless days that go with them.

Cherokee · Clay · Haywood · Jackson · Macon · Swain · Transylvania

NCWRC deer seasons, checked October 25, 2026.

Western C season table

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

Antlerless rules for Western C

Weapon seasonAntlerless days
ArcheryAll open days
BlackpowderNov. 21 – Nov. 27, 2026
GunNov. 28, 2026 only

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

Western C deer harvest record

Gun hunters took 3,068 of the 5,957 deer reported here in 2025-26; bows and crossbows added 1,777.

CountyTotalAntlered bucksDoesGunBow and crossbowGame lands
Cherokee1,339844456549455233
Macon1,232889325735314273
Haywood76757118146417953
Transylvania763529220393260195
Jackson759549199443171191
Clay71144024630727895
Swain386236145177120125
Western C reported deer by season01,7503,5005,2507,00019-20: 3,4033,40319-2020-21: 3,6893,68920-2121-22: 3,6043,60421-2222-23: 4,1014,10122-2323-24: 4,1264,12623-2424-25: 5,3735,37324-2525-26: 5,9575,95725-26harvest total

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

Western C county notes

CountyLocal deer notesBear unit
Cherokeelights restricted from a half hour after sunsetMountain BMU
Claylights restricted from a half hour after sunsetMountain BMU
Haywood–Mountain BMU
Jackson–Mountain BMU
Maconlights restricted from a half hour after sunsetMountain BMU
Swainlights restricted from a half hour after sunsetMountain BMU
Transylvanialights restricted from a half hour after sunsetMountain BMU

Deer-dog hunting is legal only east of the Rockingham-Union line, minus listed counties, so the Western C counties follow that map.

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

Game lands in the Western C zone

The biggest of 8 deer game lands in these counties.

Game landDaysAcresCounties in zone
Nantahala7 days527,696Macon · Cherokee +3
Pisgah7 days517,774Transylvania · Haywood
DuPont State ForestPermit only11,949Transylvania
Headwaters State Forest6 days6,208Transylvania
Toxaway7 days5,633Transylvania
Needmore7 days5,237Swain · Macon
Cold Mountain7 days3,630Haywood
William H. Silver7 days2,030Haywood

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

Deer zones near Western C

Western D1 counties, gun Nov 28Western B3 counties, gun Nov 28Western A6 counties, gun Nov 28Northwestern12 counties, gun Nov 21
All species pagesBear unit datesHunting law summary
White-tailed deer buck in the trees
White-tailed deer buck in the treesPhoto: USFWS/Southeast (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)

Western C deer zone questions

What day does Western C gun season start?

Nov 28, 2026; the last gun day is Jan 1, 2027.

What counties use the Western C dates?

Cherokee, Clay, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and Transylvania.

When are does legal in Western C?

Nov. 28, 2026 only

What was the Western C harvest?

5,957 in 2025-26.