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Mountain region · Macon County
Public land and seasons near Franklin, NC
Franklin in the mountains: public ground in reach, zone dates for Macon County, reported deer, bear and gobbler harvest, and businesses near town.
Photo: Nearby stand-in: Nantahala Game Land, 1.7 mi from Franklin. aafromaa (CC BY 2.0)
County government for Macon County works out of Franklin, which puts hunters in the mountains. Hunters heading to Needmore Game Land often stay in Franklin; the boundary lies 4 miles away. Census Vintage 2024 figures give Franklin 4,362 residents across 4.9 square miles. Measured boundary by boundary, about 64,857 public acres fall within 10 miles of Franklin. The first public land you reach is Nantahala Game Land, whose closest boundary is 2 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 Franklin, North Carolina
Franklin deer dates and CWD status
Deer hunters around Franklin use the Western C season dates. Archery opens Sep 12, blackpowder Nov 14 and gun Nov 28, with the gun season closing Jan 1, 2027. Gun antlerless days are short here (Nov. 28, 2026 only). Macon County is not in a CWD management or surveillance area. Shining lights where deer feed is barred in Macon County from half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise.
| Deer hunt | Begins | Through | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | All days |
| Blackpowder | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | Limited |
| Gun | Nov 28, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | Limited |
| Youth days | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | Youth only |
| Western youth days | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 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.
North Carolina public land closest to Franklin
The map and table share 10 properties; bold pins mark a boundary within 10 miles of Franklin.
Nantahala Game Land is the giant of the nearby list at 527,696 acres. NCWRC game lands inside 10 miles of Franklin: Nantahala Game Land and Needmore Game Land. Federal ground lies close as well: Nantahala Ranger District (Nantahala National Forest).
| Public land | Way | Kind | Run by | To boundary | To center | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantahala Game Land west, 1.7 mi | W | 7-day game land | NCWRC | 1.7 mi | 14 mi | 527,696 | Permit hunts |
| Nantahala Ranger District (Nantahala National Forest) west, 1.7 mi | W | Ranger district | USDA Forest Service | 1.7 mi | 8.8 mi | 245,487 | Drawn hunts |
| Needmore Game Land northwest, 3.9 mi Key area | NW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | 3.9 mi | 13 mi | 5,237 | deer, bear |
| Tusquittee Ranger District (Nantahala National Forest) west, 25 mi | W | Ranger district | USDA Forest Service | over 10 mi | 25 mi | 159,278 | Drawn hunts |
| Toxaway Game Land east, 26 mi | E | 7-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 26 mi | 5,633 | Permit hunts |
| William H. Silver Game Land northeast, 28 mi | NE | 7-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 28 mi | 2,030 | deer, bear |
| Cold Mountain Game Land northeast, 31 mi | NE | 7-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 31 mi | 3,630 | deer, bear |
| Pisgah Ranger District (Pisgah National Forest) east, 35 mi | E | Ranger district | USDA Forest Service | over 10 mi | 35 mi | 163,168 | Drawn hunts |
| Cheoah Ranger District (Nantahala National Forest) west, 35 mi | W | Ranger district | USDA Forest Service | over 10 mi | 35 mi | 121,985 | Drawn hunts |
| Headwaters State Forest Game Land east, 36 mi | E | 6-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 36 mi | 6,208 | deer, bear |
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 Franklin. Checked October 25, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Bear and gobbler hunting from Franklin
Bears may be taken Oct 3 to Nov 21, 2026 and Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 under the Mountain BMU. The county holds bear management areas at Nantahala Game Land (Standing Indian) and Nantahala Game Land (Wayah). Hunters reported 82 bears from Macon County in 2025, against 66 in 2021. Turkey hunting is spring only: Apr 17 to May 15, 2027, with no fall season. Macon County gave up 160 spring turkeys in 2026. The I-95 line puts Macon County in the Inland duck zone; geese use the Resident Population Zone. Foxes may be taken in January in Macon County.
| Year | Bears | Gobblers |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 66 | 133 |
| 2022 | 95 | 115 |
| 2023 | 91 | 134 |
| 2024 | 106 | 148 |
| 2025 | 82 | 132 |
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.
Agency help near Franklin
Agency contacts for Franklin hunters: the nearest wildlife commission site, any Forest Service or refuge office in reach, and the District 9 biologist.
NCWRC Franklin Depot, heading northeast 1.8 mi
National Forests in North Carolina Nantahala Ranger District, southwest about 1.7 mi
National Forests in North Carolina Cheoah Ranger District, northwest about 27 mi
Justin McVey, NCWRC
From the NCWRC facilities layer, the NCWRC district biologist sheet and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 25, 2026.
Franklin hunters’ 2026-27 calendar
Franklin hunts deer on the Western C dates and bear on the Mountain BMU dates. The 53 rows below are the dated hunts the 2026-27 digest puts there.
| Game | Season | Where | Begins | Through | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Western C | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Western C | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Western youth days | Western zone | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Western C | Nov 28, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Part 1 | Mountain BMU | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Part 2 | Mountain BMU | Dec 12, 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 | |
| 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.
Franklin: county-only hunting laws
Local legislation for Macon County, as the digest prints it (bare actions are prohibited):
- Hunt, take or kill white-tailed deer from, on or across the right-of-way of any public road, street or highway.
- Shine a light intentionally upon any wild animal, including, but not limited to, deer, coyotes, or feral swine, from the right-of-way of any public road, street, or highway between the hours of one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise.
From the digest local laws by county; checked October 25, 2026.
Franklin area deer harvest by season
The 2025-26 reported harvest for Macon County was 1,232 deer, 889 of them antlered bucks. 273 of those came off game lands and 959 from other land.
| Season | Harvest | Bucks | Gun | Bow | Primitive | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 920 | 667 | 462 | 412 | 46 | 187 |
| 2023-24 | 913 | 700 | 552 | 328 | 33 | 242 |
| 2024-25 | 1,252 | 870 | 661 | 353 | 238 | 246 |
| 2025-26 | 1,232 | 889 | 735 | 314 | 183 | 273 |
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.
Processors and shops in reach of Franklin
Businesses Franklin hunters rely on, grouped by trade and sorted by miles. To give venison away, Adam Farms LLC is a Hunters for the Hungry processor. Deer can be sampled for CWD at Steve's Taxidermy & Studio, a cooperator 14 mi out.
| Kind | Listings 15 mi | Listings 35 mi | Nearest business | Away | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venison processing | 1 | 3 | K&B Processing | 14 mi NW | Bryson City |
| Taxidermy studios | 2 | 4 | Wilderness Taxidermy & Outfitters | 4.7 mi SE | Franklin |
| Gear shops | 4 | 21 | Jeff's Ammo & Arms | at town NE | Franklin |
Venison processing
Taxidermy studios
Gear shops
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.
Franklin area hunting events
1 upcoming event and 6 NCWRC classes inside about 30 straight-line miles, soonest first: NWTF banquet and hunter education course. Read October 25, 2026.
Coming up
| Dates | Name | Distance | Place | Link | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2027 | Nantahala Longbeards Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | 0 | Franklin ⋅ Macon Co. | Event details | Source |
Hunter education dates
| On | Class | Distance | Time | Where held | Register | Found at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification Course (D9) ⋅ hunter education course | 17 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | SCC Lauada ⋅ Bryson City ⋅ Swain Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 3, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D9) ⋅ hunter education course | 16 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Balsam Fire Department ⋅ Sylva ⋅ Jackson Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D9) ⋅ hunter education course | 0 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | SWCC ⋅ Franklin ⋅ Macon Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 8, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification ⋅ hunter education course | 26 | 2:00 PM–8:00 PM | Massey Branch Work Center ⋅ Robbinsville ⋅ Graham Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 17, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D9, A5) ⋅ hunter education course | 26 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Clay County Sheriff's Office ⋅ Hayesville ⋅ Clay Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 8, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D9) ⋅ hunter education course | 16 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Balsam Fire Department ⋅ Sylva ⋅ Jackson Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Sighting in near Franklin
Dirty John Shooting Range comes first at 2 miles, with two more after it.
What you can shoot: rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire
What you can shoot: rifle, handgun
What you can shoot: trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 25, 2026.
Hunting hours for Franklin
North Carolina law allows most game from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Doves, ducks and geese stop at sunset.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Big and small game | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 7:07 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 8:26 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 7:12 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 8:16 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:40 a.m. | 6:57 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 6:57 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 7:06 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:19 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:38 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:40 a.m. | 5:33 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:57 a.m. | 8:08 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 8:38 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 8:08 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.
Franklin hunting questions
What are the Sunday hunting rules around Franklin?
Firearms pause 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., migratory birds are closed, and three-day game lands are shut on Sundays.
Where do I check in a deer killed in Macon County?
Use Go Outdoors North Carolina (app or web), call 800-446-8663, or visit a wildlife service agent, by noon the day after the kill.
How big is the public acreage total inside 10 miles of Franklin?
About 64,857 acres, counting game land, forest, refuge and seashore ground once each.
How close does public hunting land come to Franklin?
Nantahala Game Land, whose closest boundary is 2 miles away. Nantahala Ranger District (Nantahala National Forest) ranks second from Franklin.
Which bear dates apply in Macon County?
Open Oct 3 to Nov 21, 2026 and Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027, under the Mountain BMU. 2025 saw 82 bears reported in Macon County.
When does deer gun season open near Franklin?
For Franklin, deer season is the Western C one, with the gun segment running Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Gun antlerless days are limited (Nov. 28, 2026 only).
What waterfowl zones cover Macon County?
Use the Inland duck season and the Resident Population Zone goose season. Sunday is closed for waterfowl.
Does CWD affect deer hunting near Franklin?
No CWD area covers Macon County this season.
What does Macon County add to state hunting law?
Macon County has 2 entries; one reads: Hunt, take or kill white-tailed deer from, on or across the right-of-way of any public road, street or highway.
What is the nearest processor to Franklin?
K&B Processing, 14 mi from town. The services band lists 3 of them.
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 leaving Franklin
The NCWRC digest and the game land rules are the final word for hunts from Franklin.
Other photos on this page: w_lemay (CC0 1.0); william_mckeehan (CC BY-SA 2.0); don r faulkner (CC BY-SA 2.0); ncwetlands.org (CC0 1.0); Where Are The Hikers? (CC BY 2.0); ianpreston (CC BY 2.0); cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).