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Wake County · Piedmont hunting
Cary, NC hunting guide
A trip sheet for hunters basing in Cary: public land with acres and miles, 2026-27 dates for Wake County, legal light and the nearest NCWRC depot.
Photo: Jordan Game Land, 5.2 mi from Cary; a nearby stand-in, not the town. Don McCullough (CC BY 2.0)
In Wake County, Cary is a town in the Piedmont. With 182,659 residents in the 2024 estimate, Cary is the starting point here. Draw a 10-mile circle around town and it holds some 12,032 acres of public hunting ground (2 listed). The nearest choice is Jordan Game Land, whose closest boundary is 5 miles away.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; public acreage and boundary distances within 10 miles are a GIS measure over the NCWRC game land, USFS, USFWS and NPS boundaries. Checked October 25, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Cary, North Carolina
Game lands and federal land near Cary
Land whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Cary leads the table, closest line first; mapped tracts farther out follow by distance to their center.
By size, Jordan Game Land heads the 10-mile list with 40,462 acres. For game land hunting, Jordan Game Land comes first, with 1 more in the circle. Antlerless deer by gun on Jordan Game Land: Nov. 14 – Jan. 1, except that part in Wake Co. where the season is Oct. 17 – Jan. 1.
| Area | Direction | Category | Agency | Boundary miles | Center miles | Acres | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Game Land west, 5.2 mi | W | 6-day game land | Corps / NCWRC | 5.2 mi | 10 mi | 40,462 | Permit hunts |
| Harris Game Land southwest, 7.7 mi | SW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | 7.7 mi | 14 mi | 11,527 | Permit hunts |
| B. Everett Jordan Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) west, 10 mi | W | Corps lake | Corps / NCWRC | farther | 10 mi | 40,115 | Drawn hunts |
| Chatham Game Land southwest, 17 mi | SW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | farther | 17 mi | 2,671 | Permit hunts |
| Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land north, 18 mi | N | 6-day game land | Corps / NCWRC | farther | 18 mi | 37,480 | Permit hunts |
| Falls Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) north, 18 mi | N | Corps lake | Corps / NCWRC | farther | 18 mi | 31,844 | Drawn hunts |
| Lee Game Land southwest, 21 mi | SW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | farther | 21 mi | 1,441 | deer, turkey |
| Buckhorn Game Land northwest, 28 mi | NW | Permit-only game land | NCWRC | farther | 28 mi | 491 | Permit hunts |
| Rhodes Pond Game Land south, 39 mi | S | Permit-only game land | NCWRC | farther | 39 mi | 471 | Drawn hunts |
Lands, acreage and designations from the NCWRC regulations digest, NCWRC game land GIS and federal hunting pages (lands.json); boundary distances inside 10 miles from places.json; center distances are straight lines from the Census point for Cary. Checked October 25, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Cary season dates, 2026-27
Private land and game land share these dates in Cary unless a game land rule says otherwise; refuges and bases set their own.
| Animal | Segment | Area | Starts | Ends | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Northeastern | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 2, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Northeastern | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Northeastern | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Urban Archery Season | Urban archery towns only | Jan 9, 2027 | Feb 14, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Group 1 | Piedmont BMU group 1 | Oct 17, 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.
Cary hunter services, nearest first
The shop list keeps gun, archery, outdoor and chain sporting stores; gas stations and hardware counters that only sell licenses are not in it. For a CWD test, Buck Fever Taxidermy (19 mi) is a cooperator that takes samples.
| Type | Inside 15 | Inside 35 | Nearest one | Distance | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing shops | 0 | 7 | Buck Fever Taxidermy | 19 mi S | Angier |
| Mount makers | 5 | 23 | Jordan Lake Taxidermy | 8.8 mi NW | Durham |
| Preserves, guides | 0 | 1 | Anderson Creek Hunting | 33 mi S | Lillington |
| Outdoor stores | 28 | 84 | Bass Pro Shops | at town N | Cary |
Processing shops
Mount makers
Preserves, guides
Outdoor stores
Processors from NC Hunters for the Hungry, the NCWRC Cervid Health Cooperator layer and Yellow Pages; taxidermists from the cooperator layer and Yellow Pages; shops from Yellow Pages, Academy store pages and NCWRC CWD freezer hosts; guides and preserves from Yellow Pages. Checked October 25, 2026; hours were not checked.
When deer season opens around Cary
The deer season zone for Wake County is Northeastern. Deer season in Wake County spans Sep 12 to Jan 1, 2027 across the three weapon segments. Antlerless harvest is allowed on all open days of the zone. CWD area restrictions do not apply in Wake County. Cary does not hold an urban archery season, but Wake Forest in the same county does. No spotlighting of deer fields in Wake County after 11 p.m. until half an hour before sunrise.
| Weapon | Opening | Closing | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 2, 2026 | All days |
| Blackpowder | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | All days |
| Gun | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | All days |
| Youth days | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | Youth only |
Deer zones and dates from the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance and the digest deer seasons; urban archery from the digest deer regulations; CWD counts from the NCWRC CWD testing chart; light-shining hours from 15A NCAC 10B. Checked October 25, 2026.
Deer reported around Cary
Wake County logged 1,900 deer on report cards in 2025-26. The split was 329 game land deer to 1,571 on private and other land.
| Season | Deer | Bucks | Rifle/shotgun | Bows | Blackpowder | Game land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 1,708 | 932 | 1,061 | 577 | 70 | 238 |
| 2023-24 | 2,145 | 1,240 | 1,338 | 731 | 76 | 274 |
| 2024-25 | 2,027 | 1,119 | 1,276 | 696 | 55 | 297 |
| 2025-26 | 1,900 | 1,042 | 1,190 | 639 | 71 | 329 |
Reported harvest (Big Game Harvest Report Card) from the NCWRC 2025-26 deer harvest by county; earlier seasons from the NCWRC harvest statistics page. Checked October 25, 2026.
Cary bear, turkey and duck zones
For black bear, Cary hunters use the Piedmont BMU, group 1 dates, Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. 1 bears were reported in Wake County in 2025. From Apr 17 to May 15, 2027 hunters may take gobblers anywhere in the state. Spring 2026 turkey harvest in Wake County: 146, with 9 jakes. For waterfowl, Wake County is Inland for ducks and Resident Population Zone for geese.
| Year | Bears reported | Spring turkeys |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 140 |
| 2022 | 0 | 144 |
| 2023 | 0 | 193 |
| 2024 | 1 | 151 |
| 2025 | 1 | 142 |
Bear units and dates from the digest bear seasons; bear harvest from the NCWRC bear harvest by county; spring turkey from the NCWRC spring 2026 turkey harvest; waterfowl zones from the digest migratory bird seasons. Checked October 25, 2026.
Wake County local laws for Cary hunters
Before hunting near Cary, read the local acts for Wake County. Items stated as actions are prohibited:
- Hunt deer with a dog on another’s land without written permission of the owner.
- Shoot at a deer from, on or across the right-of-way of a county road or state highway.
- Take any animal with a centerfire rifle, unless the person is positioned at least eight feet above the ground.
- Possess a loaded firearm or hunt on the land of another without written permission.
- Possess loaded shotguns or centerfire rifles upon highway right-of-ways.
From the digest local laws by county; checked October 25, 2026.
Cary shooting time on key dates
On Sundays firearm hunting stops from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and migratory birds are closed all day; the hours below are for the other days.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal for game | Legal for ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:49 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 8:08 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:54 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:22 a.m. | 6:39 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:09 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 6:39 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:48 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:01 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:20 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:22 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:39 a.m. | 7:50 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:50 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.
Cary: NCWRC and federal contacts
Questions about deer, bear or game land work near Cary go to the district biologist; depots keep field hours, so call first.
NC Wildlife Resources Commission Headquarters, 8.1 mi east of Cary
District 3 biologist
From the NCWRC facilities layer, the NCWRC district biologist sheet and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 25, 2026.
Cary area hunting events
A 30-mile circle drawn around Cary holds 7 upcoming events and 9 NCWRC classes. Kinds: DU banquet, NCWRC Learn to Hunt, NWTF banquet, deer and hunting expo, hunter education course and trapper education course.
Next dates
| Date | Event | Away | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2026 | Raleigh DU Banquet Presented By: Moffat Properties & Moffat Pipe ⋅ DU banquet | 11 | Kerr Scott Building At Fairgrounds ⋅ Raleigh ⋅ Wake Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 12, 2026 | NC State University DU Banquet Presented By: S.T. Wooten ⋅ DU banquet | 11 | Exposition Center at State Fairgrounds ⋅ Raleigh ⋅ Wake Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 22, 2026 | Learn to Hunt: Bear ⋅ NCWRC Learn to Hunt | 28 | Lee County Wildlife Club ⋅ Sanford ⋅ Lee Co. | Sign up | Source |
| Jan 29, 2027 | Chatham Co Limbhangers Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | 19 | Pittsboro ⋅ Chatham Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 5–7, 2027 | Dixie Deer Classic 2027 ⋅ Deer and hunting expo | 11 | NC State Fairgrounds ⋅ Raleigh ⋅ Wake Co. | Event details | Source |
| Mar 8, 2027 | Harnett County Strutters Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | 27 | Coats ⋅ Harnett Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 27, 2027 | Flat River Full Strutters NWTF Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | 24 | Bahama ⋅ Durham Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Hunter education classes
| Date | Course | Away | Hours | Place | Seat | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28–29, 2026 | D3 A5 Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 11 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Headquarters ⋅ Raleigh ⋅ Wake Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 2, 2026 | North Carolina Hunter Education Certification (D5) ⋅ hunter education course | 25 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | NC Wildlife Resources Commission Rogers Lake Depot ⋅ Creedmoor ⋅ Granville Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 8, 2026 | NC Hunter Education Certification (D4) ⋅ hunter education course | 25 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM | Raven Rock State Park ⋅ Lillington ⋅ Harnett Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 9–10, 2026 | D3 A5 Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 11 | 6:00 AM–9:00 AM | N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Headquarters ⋅ Raleigh ⋅ Wake Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 9, 2026 | North Carolina Hunter Education Certification (D5) ⋅ hunter education course | 28 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Lee County Wildlife Club ⋅ Sanford ⋅ Lee Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Holly Springs Baptist Church Hunter Ed (D4) ⋅ hunter education course | 25 | 9:00 AM–3:30 PM | Holly Springs Baptist Church Classroom ⋅ Lillington ⋅ Harnett Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 9, 2026 | North Carolina Hunter Education Certification (D5) ⋅ hunter education course | 26 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM | Bonnie Davis Environment and AG Center ⋅ Hillsborough ⋅ Orange Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 14, 2026 | North Carolina Hunter Education Certification (D5) ⋅ hunter education course | 28 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Lee County Wildlife Club ⋅ Sanford ⋅ Lee Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
1 more NCWRC classes are on the hunter education page. More classes
Closest firing lines to Cary
Durham County Wildlife Club is the closest, roughly 7 miles from Cary.
Built for trap, skeet, 5-stand, rifle, handgun
Built for rifle, handgun
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 25, 2026.
Cary hunters want to know
How do waterfowl zones work for Wake County?
The duck zone is Inland; the goose zone is Resident Population Zone. No migratory bird hunting on Sundays.
Where does Wake County stand on CWD?
It is not in any CWD area.
Which local laws cover Wake County?
The digest lists 6 local rules for Wake County, starting with: Hunt deer with a dog on another’s land without written permission of the owner.
How do Cary hunters register a deer, bear or turkey?
Register before skinning or leaving the animal, and no later than noon the day after, using the Go Outdoors North Carolina app, phone, web or an agent.
Can a deer shot near Cary be processed locally?
Buck Fever Taxidermy in Angier is the closest listing, 19 mi away. Call ahead; hours were not checked.
How far is Cary from a game land or national forest?
Start with Jordan Game Land, whose closest boundary is 5 miles away. Harris Game Land follows it in the table.
Can Cary hunters use a gun on Sunday?
Sunday hunting is allowed with limits: no firearms from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., no migratory birds, no deer chased by dogs with firearms, and no firearms within 500 yards of a place of worship.
What deer dates apply to Cary hunters?
Archery opens Sep 12, 2026 and the Northeastern gun season closes Jan 1, 2027. There is no short doe window.
How much game land and federal ground lies around Cary?
Inside a 10-mile reach of town the count runs near 12,032 acres.
What bear unit is Wake County in?
The Piedmont BMU, group 1 season applies: Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. 1 bears were reported here in 2025.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above; reporting from the digest deer regulations; Sunday rules from G.S. 103-2. Checked October 25, 2026.
Cary hunters, one last look
Wear hunter orange during deer gun season, carry your Big Game Harvest Report Card and register by noon the day after a harvest.
Other photos on this page: DGGeiser (Public Domain Mark 1.0); pmuellr (CC BY 2.0); Where Are The Hikers? (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); born1945 (CC BY 2.0); sarahstierch (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).