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Mecklenburg County hunting town
Hunting trips out of Charlotte, NC
From Charlotte to the closest game land and federal tract, plus the Mecklenburg County deer zone, bear unit, waterfowl zones, harvest counts and taxidermists.
Photo: Charlotte skyline under storm clouds; the hunting is outside the city. jacreative (CC BY 2.0)
Charlotte serves as the Mecklenburg County seat and sits in District 6 of the wildlife commission. The Census puts Charlotte at 943,476 people for 2024. Public hunting land starts more than 10 miles from Charlotte; nothing listed falls closer. Nearest of all is Second Creek Game Land, about 35 miles out to its mapped center.
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 Charlotte, North Carolina
From Charlotte to the closest public ground
Nothing below lies inside 10 miles of Charlotte; every row is ranked by straight-line miles to the mapped center of the land.
From Charlotte, the nearest public hunting land by center distance is Second Creek Game Land at 35 miles, then Yadkin River Game Land at 43 miles. The lands list also places Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Nature Preserves (permit deer hunts) in Mecklenburg County; it carries no point, so check its page for access.
| Tract | Way | Type | Run by | Line | Point | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second Creek Game Land north, 35 mi | N | Permit-only game land | NCWRC | past 10 mi | 35 mi | 1,106 | Permit hunts |
| Yadkin River Game Land northeast, 43 mi | NE | 7-day game land | NCWRC | past 10 mi | 43 mi | 11,636 | deer, turkey |
| Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge east, 45 mi | E | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | past 10 mi | 45 mi | 8,500 | Drawn hunts |
| Linwood Game Land northeast, 45 mi | NE | 7-day game land | NCWRC | past 10 mi | 45 mi | 169 | deer, turkey |
| Perkins Game Land northeast, 49 mi | NE | 4-day game land | NCWRC | past 10 mi | 49 mi | 1,696 | Dove fields |
| Uwharrie Ranger District (Uwharrie National Forest) east, 50 mi | E | Ranger district | USDA Forest Service | past 10 mi | 50 mi | 53,011 | deer, turkey |
| Uwharrie Game Land east, 51 mi | E | 7-day game land | NCWRC | past 10 mi | 51 mi | 52,709 | Dove fields |
| Pee Dee River Game Land east, 54 mi | E | 7-day game land | NCWRC | past 10 mi | 54 mi | 8,938 | Permit hunts |
| South Mountains Game Land northwest, 58 mi | NW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | past 10 mi | 58 mi | 22,583 | Dove fields |
| Johns River Game Land northwest, 64 mi | NW | Permit-only game land | NCWRC | past 10 mi | 64 mi | 6,483 | Permit 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 Charlotte. Checked October 25, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Charlotte venison cutters, mounts and archery counters
Call, map and web buttons appear when the source supplied them; nobody checked opening hours. The Deer Shack (14 mi) takes donated deer for NC Hunters for the Hungry. Creekside Processing is the nearest Cervid Health Cooperator business.
| Service | Close (15 mi) | Wider (35 mi) | Closest | Miles | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer processors | 1 | 8 | The Deer Shack | 14 mi NW | Mount Holly |
| Taxidermy shops | 1 | 16 | Stillwell Whitetail Taxidermy | 15 mi N | Huntersville |
| Guides and preserves | 0 | 1 | Proudfoot Outfitters | 22 mi N | Denver |
| Sporting goods | 27 | 84 | Blackstone Shooting Sports | 2.6 mi W | Charlotte |
Deer processors
Taxidermy shops
Guides and preserves
Sporting goods
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.
Deer rules that apply at Charlotte
NCWRC places Mecklenburg County in the Central deer group. Gun season runs Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027, after archery from Sep 12 and blackpowder from Oct 31. Every archery, blackpowder and gun day is an antlerless day in this zone. NCWRC lists no CWD area in Mecklenburg County this season. The urban archery list names Huntersville for Mecklenburg County, not Charlotte. Spotlighting deer is restricted in Mecklenburg County from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise.
| Season | From | To | Doe days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | All days |
| Blackpowder | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | All days |
| Gun | Nov 14, 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.
Mecklenburg County deer harvest for Charlotte hunters
Mecklenburg County hunters reported 697 deer in 2025-26: 386 antlered bucks and 311 antlerless. Game land deer: 0. Other land: 697.
| Year | Total | Antlered bucks | Gun | Bow, crossbow | Blackpowder | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 768 | 425 | 264 | 418 | 86 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 792 | 430 | 281 | 418 | 93 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 854 | 455 | 267 | 487 | 100 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 697 | 386 | 198 | 378 | 121 | 0 |
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.
Local hunting acts around Charlotte
These local laws apply only in Mecklenburg County; the bare actions listed are unlawful there:
- Hunt deer with any rifle, except that a blackpowder rifle may be used during the primitive-weapons season.
- Hunt with a firearm from a public road or highway right-of-way.
From the digest local laws by county; checked October 25, 2026.
Charlotte seasons open now and next
For Charlotte, 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.
Charlotte bear, turkey and waterfowl
The Piedmont BMU, group 2 sets the bear season here: Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Bear reports from Mecklenburg County are at zero in the recent tables. Spring gobbler season runs Apr 17 to May 15, 2027 statewide, after youth days Apr 10 to Apr 11, 2027. 16 turkeys came from Mecklenburg County in spring 2026. Duck zone: Inland. Goose zone: Resident Population Zone.
| Season | Bear harvest | Turkey harvest |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 0 | 21 |
| 2022 | 0 | 18 |
| 2023 | 0 | 14 |
| 2024 | 0 | 19 |
| 2025 | 0 | 22 |
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.
Biologist and depots around Charlotte
For a license, use Go Outdoors North Carolina. For local wildlife questions around Charlotte, these are the people and places to call.
NCWRC Hydro Depot, 43 mi to the east
Biologist for Mecklenburg County
From the NCWRC facilities layer, the NCWRC district biologist sheet and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 25, 2026.
Charlotte shooting time on key dates
The NCWRC gives a Charlotte table with a +0 minute correction for Charlotte; the game and waterfowl columns are worked out from it.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Most game | Doves and waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:57 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 8:16 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 7:02 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 8:06 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:30 a.m. | 6:47 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:47 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:56 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:09 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:28 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:30 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:47 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 8:28 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:58 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.
Charlotte area hunting events
5 upcoming events and 7 NCWRC classes inside about 30 miles as of October 25, 2026.
Scheduled
| When | Event | Miles | Location | Tickets or entry | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30–31, 2026 | Lincoln County Coon Club UKC Coonhound Event ⋅ UKC club bench and HTX day | 29 | Lincolnton ⋅ Lincoln Co. | Event details | Source |
| Dec 3, 2026 | Charlotte Youth for Conservation Ducks Unlimited Banquet ⋅ DU banquet | 0 | The Palmer Building ⋅ Charlotte ⋅ Mecklenburg Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Feb 6, 2027 | Catawba River Cutters Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | 12 | Mt Holly ⋅ Gaston Co. | Event details | Source |
| Feb 20, 2027 | Lake Norman Chapter Delta Waterfowl Banquet ⋅ Delta Waterfowl banquet | 26 | Charles Mack Citizen Center ⋅ Mooresville ⋅ Iredell Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Feb 20, 2027 | South Fork Limbhangers NWTF Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | 29 | Lincolnton ⋅ Lincoln Co. | Event details | Source |
Classes and workshops
| Date | Course | Miles | Hours | Place | Seat | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification – Lincoln County (D8) ⋅ hunter education course | 29 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Lincolnton Sportsman Club ⋅ Lincolnton ⋅ Lincoln Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D6)* ⋅ hunter education course | 17 | 2:00 PM–8:00 PM | Bass Pro Shop ⋅ Concord ⋅ Cabarrus Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D8) ⋅ hunter education course | 12 | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Belmont Police Department ⋅ Belmont ⋅ Gaston Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 17, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D6)* ⋅ hunter education course | 17 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Concord Fire Department Station 3 ⋅ Concord ⋅ Cabarrus Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D6)* ⋅ hunter education course | 17 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Midland Fire and Rescue Station 1 ⋅ Midland ⋅ Cabarrus Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D6)* ⋅ hunter education course | 17 | 10:30 AM–4:30 PM | Bass Pro Shop ⋅ Concord ⋅ Cabarrus Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 13, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D6) * ⋅ hunter education course | 21 | 1:00 PM–7:00 PM | Union County Agri Ext. Office ⋅ Monroe ⋅ Union Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Ranges nearest Charlotte
The three ranges nearest Charlotte, in straight-line miles.
Closest NCWRC public range: Foothills Public Shooting Complex, about 37 miles. More
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 25, 2026.
Charlotte hunting, answered
Which public land is the quickest trip from Charlotte?
Measured from the town point: Second Creek Game Land, about 35 miles out to its mapped center. The runner-up is Yadkin River Game Land.
Is Charlotte short on public hunting acres?
None. No listed public hunting land reaches within 10 miles of Charlotte; the nearest is Second Creek Game Land, about 35 miles out to its mapped center.
How long is deer season around Charlotte?
Central dates: archery Sep 12, blackpowder Oct 31, gun Nov 14; the season ends Jan 1, 2027. Antlerless harvest is open every day of the season.
When is bear season around Charlotte?
Bear dates come from the Piedmont BMU, group 2: Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. County harvest in 2025: 0 bears.
Does a CWD area take in Mecklenburg County?
Mecklenburg County is outside the CWD management and surveillance areas this season.
Which side of the duck line is Charlotte on?
Inland duck dates and Resident Population Zone goose dates apply. Shooting for ducks and geese ends at sunset.
Do local acts change hunting around Charlotte?
2 local acts apply. For example: Hunt deer with any rifle, except that a blackpowder rifle may be used during the primitive-weapons season.
How far is the closest deer processor from Charlotte?
The nearest processor listed is The Deer Shack (14 mi). Register the deer before you drop it off.
How is big game reported in North Carolina?
Deer, bear and turkey go on the Big Game Harvest Report Card and must be registered by noon the following day.
Can I hunt on Sunday near Charlotte?
Sunday is open except firearms from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., all migratory birds, gun hunting for deer run by dogs, and gun hunting within 500 yards of a place of worship.
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.
Before the drive out of Charlotte
Heading out from Charlotte? Look up legal light for Mecklenburg County and the local acts before the first sit.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); chascow (CC BY 2.0); marneejill (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0).