Home › North Carolina › Towns › Old Fort
McDowell County, NCWRC district 8
North Carolina hunting around Old Fort
Game lands, national forest and refuge ground measured in miles from Old Fort, the McDowell County deer and bear dates, CWD status, local acts and the processors that serve hunters.
Photo: Taken on Grandfather Ranger District (Pisgah National Forest), 0.6 mi from Old Fort (nearby stand-in). npdoty (CC BY 2.0)
McDowell County, in the mountains, holds the town of Old Fort. The closest edge of Grandfather Ranger District (Pisgah National Forest) lies under a mile away from Old Fort, so it was picked as the base town. Its 2024 Census estimate stands at 833 residents. A 10-mile reach from Old Fort gathers close to 50,843 mapped public acres over 3 properties. Closest on the list is Grandfather Ranger District (Pisgah National Forest), whose closest boundary is under a mile 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 Old Fort, North Carolina
Old Fort to game land, mile by mile
Sorted by nearest boundary, then by center distance. Each land page carries its hunting days, permit hunts and posted zones.
At 517,774 acres, Pisgah Game Land outweighs every other tract near Old Fort. The nearest game land is Pisgah Game Land, open seven days per week (517,774 acres). Gun antlerless days on Pisgah Game Land: Nov. 28, except that portion in Watauga County where the season is Nov. 21. For federal ground, Grandfather Ranger District (Pisgah National Forest) comes up first.
| Name | Direction | Land type | Manager | Nearest line | Center point | Size (ac) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grandfather Ranger District (Pisgah National Forest) northeast, 0.6 mi Main area | NE | Ranger district | USDA Forest Service | 0.6 mi | 31 mi | 193,385 | Drawn hunts |
| Pisgah Game Land northwest, 0.6 mi | NW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | 0.6 mi | 14 mi | 517,774 | Permit hunts |
| Appalachian Ranger District (Pisgah National Forest) west, 6.6 mi | W | Ranger district | USDA Forest Service | 6.6 mi | 43 mi | 161,400 | Drawn hunts |
| North Bend Game Land east, 21 mi | E | Permit-only game land | NCWRC | 10+ mi | 21 mi | 1,244 | Permit hunts |
| Pisgah (WRC-owned) Game Land northeast, 21 mi | NE | 7-day game land | NCWRC | 10+ mi | 21 mi | 4,829 | Bear area |
| South Mountains Game Land east, 24 mi | E | 7-day game land | NCWRC | 10+ mi | 24 mi | 22,583 | Dove fields |
| Green River Game Land south, 24 mi | S | 6-day game land | NCWRC | 10+ mi | 24 mi | 15,224 | deer, bear |
| Sandy Mush Game Land west, 29 mi | W | 3-day game land | NCWRC | 10+ mi | 29 mi | 2,862 | Permit hunts |
| Johns River Game Land northeast, 31 mi | NE | Permit-only game land | NCWRC | 10+ mi | 31 mi | 6,483 | Permit hunts |
| DuPont State Forest Game Land southwest, 39 mi | SW | Permit-only game land | NCWRC | 10+ mi | 39 mi | 11,949 | 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 Old Fort. Checked October 25, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Old Fort deer processors, taxidermists and gun shops
North Carolina licenses taxidermists but publishes no list of them, so taxidermists come from the cooperator list and directory listings. Call before you drive. Circle S Meats processes donated deer at no cost to the hunter. Nearest CWD sampling business: Dink's Taxidermy.
| Kind | 15 mi | 35 mi | Closest listing | Distance | In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer cutting | 2 | 9 | William's Meat Processing Inc | 7.0 mi NE | Marion |
| Taxidermists | 3 | 12 | Bishop's Taxidermy | 9.8 mi NE | Marion |
| Guide services | 0 | 2 | The Hunt Company | 19 mi SW | Hendersonville |
| Hunting shops | 2 | 46 | Blue Ridge Outdoors | 10 mi E | Marion |
Deer cutting
Taxidermists
Guide services
Hunting 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.
McDowell County deer zone from Old Fort
McDowell County hunts deer on the Western B dates of the NCWRC season zones. Bowhunters start Sep 12; muzzleloaders take over Nov 14; rifles and shotguns come in Nov 28. The antlerless gun window is Nov. 28 – Dec. 5, 2026 (all open days of the gun season in the parts of Buncombe east of N.C. 191, south of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, west of U.S. 25 and north of N.C. 280, and of Henderson east of N.C. 191 and north and west of N.C. 280). McDowell County is outside every CWD management and surveillance area this season. McDowell County is a dusk county for the deer spotlighting rule.
| Segment | First day | Last day | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | All days |
| Blackpowder | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | All days |
| 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.
Deer numbers behind Old Fort
1,027 deer came from McDowell County in 2025-26, the 78th highest county total. By land type: 67 on game lands, 960 elsewhere.
| Season | Total | Bucks | Gun | Bow and crossbow | Blackpowder | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 768 | 534 | 516 | 205 | 47 | 38 |
| 2023-24 | 820 | 586 | 568 | 202 | 50 | 60 |
| 2024-25 | 789 | 560 | 434 | 154 | 201 | 48 |
| 2025-26 | 1,027 | 659 | 578 | 244 | 205 | 67 |
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.
County rules to know in Old Fort
The digest lists these McDowell County local laws; the plain items are acts that are prohibited:
- Discharge a firearm from the right-of-way of a state-numbered road for the purpose of taking big game animals. This does not apply to those portions along N.C. 105 bordered on both sides by game lands.
From the digest local laws by county; checked October 25, 2026.
Every dated hunt near Old Fort
Dove, squirrel, rabbit and quail run statewide, while the deer zone, bear unit, I-95 duck line and goose zone set the rest for Old Fort.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Western B | 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 B | 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 B | 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.
Old Fort: bear dates, turkeys, ducks
Bear season comes from the Mountain BMU: Oct 3 to Nov 21, 2026 and Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Bear management areas near Old Fort: Pisgah Game Land (Mount Mitchell). Bear check-ins for McDowell County totaled 151 in 2025. Gobblers open Apr 17, 2027 and close May 15; North Carolina has no fall turkey hunt. The spring 2026 turkey count for McDowell County was 194 (150 adult gobblers). Ducks: Inland zone. Canada geese: Resident Population Zone.
| Year | Bear count | Turkey count |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 107 | 212 |
| 2022 | 135 | 165 |
| 2023 | 140 | 242 |
| 2024 | 99 | 228 |
| 2025 | 151 | 161 |
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.
Wildlife commission offices for Old Fort hunters
NCWRC depots are work centers for game land and wildlife staff, not license counters; licenses come through Go Outdoors North Carolina online, by phone or at a wildlife service agent.
NCWRC Marion Depot, 11 mi off to the northeast
National Forests in North Carolina Grandfather Ranger District, 15 mi away, east
National Forests in North Carolina Forest Supervisor's Office, 22 mi away, west
District biologist: Clint Barden
From the NCWRC facilities layer, the NCWRC district biologist sheet and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 25, 2026.
Old Fort legal hunting light
Times below take the Charlotte table, add the Old Fort offset of +6 minutes, then apply the half-hour rule for game and the sunset rule for migratory birds.
| Date | Moment | Sunrise | Sunset | Game hours | Waterfowl and dove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 7:03 a.m. | 7:52 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 8:22 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 7:08 a.m. | 7:42 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 8:12 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:36 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 7:02 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:15 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:34 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:36 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:53 a.m. | 8:04 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 8:34 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 8:04 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.
Old Fort area hunting events
Read October 25, 2026. 1 upcoming event and 15 NCWRC classes fall inside about 30 miles, covering UKC club bench and HTX day, hunter education course and trapper education course.
On the calendar
| Held | What | Miles away | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30–31, 2026 | Toe River Houndsmen Association UKC Coonhound Event ⋅ UKC club bench and HTX day | 21 | Burnsville ⋅ Yancey Co. | Event details | Source |
Class dates
| When | Course | Miles away | Hours | Venue | Sign up | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | Trapper Education Certification ⋅ trapper education course | 26 | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM | Sandy Springs Baptist Church ⋅ Columbus ⋅ Polk Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D9) ⋅ hunter education course | 29 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Mills River Fire Department ⋅ Mills River ⋅ Henderson Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D9) ⋅ hunter education course | 21 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | AB Tech ⋅ Asheville ⋅ Buncombe Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 9, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D8) ⋅ hunter education course | 28 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Morganton Wildlife Depot ⋅ Morganton ⋅ Burke Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 9, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D8) ⋅ hunter education course | 22 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Rutherford County Livestock Educational Facility ⋅ Rutherfordton ⋅ Rutherford Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 9, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D9) ⋅ hunter education course | 26 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Polk Co Rescue ⋅ Columbus ⋅ Polk Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 14, 2026 | carolina cat hunter safety class ⋅ hunter education course | 21 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM | carolina cat ⋅ Asheville ⋅ Buncombe Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D8) ⋅ hunter education course | 10 | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Marion Fish Hatchery ⋅ Marion ⋅ McDowell Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Plus 7 further class dates. All class dates
Gun ranges near Old Fort
Old Fort shooters have these three closest, each card with its access rule.
Firing lines: handgun, rifle, shotgun
Firing lines: 5-stand, rifle, muzzleloader, air gun, shotgun
Firing lines: rifle, handgun, archery, 3D archery
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 25, 2026.
Old Fort hunting FAQ
Which deer zone covers Old Fort?
In the Western B zone, gun season is Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027, after archery from Sep 12 and blackpowder from Nov 14. The gun antlerless window is Nov. 28 – Dec. 5, 2026 (all open days of the gun season in the parts of Buncombe east of N.C. 191, south of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, west of U.S. 25 and north of N.C. 280, and of Henderson east of N.C. 191 and north and west of N.C. 280).
How many acres of public land can hunters based in Old Fort reach in 10 miles?
The boundary overlay credits Old Fort with roughly 50,843 acres in that radius.
Is chronic wasting disease an issue in McDowell County?
No CWD area includes it.
What are the McDowell County bear dates?
McDowell County is in the Mountain BMU, open Oct 3 to Nov 21, 2026 and Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Hunters reported 151 bears from the county in 2025.
Are there county-only hunting rules near Old Fort?
The local laws section includes: Discharge a firearm from the right-of-way of a state-numbered road for the purpose of taking big game animals. This does not apply to those portions along N.C. 105 bordered on both sides by game lands.
Which goose zone applies near Old Fort?
Ducks: Inland zone. Canada geese: Resident Population Zone. Migratory birds stop at sunset and are closed on Sundays.
Where does a deer from Old Fort go for cutting?
William's Meat Processing Inc is 7.0 mi away. Hours vary by season.
Do Sunday limits apply to Old Fort hunters?
Sunday hunting is legal under G.S. 103-2 with a midday firearm break and no migratory bird hunting.
What is the deadline to register a deer from McDowell County?
Validate the Big Game Harvest Report Card, then register by noon the day after harvest through the Go Outdoors North Carolina app, by phone at 800-446-8663, online or at a wildlife service agent.
Which public tract is the shortest drive from Old Fort?
Closest is Grandfather Ranger District (Pisgah National Forest), whose closest boundary is under a mile away. After that comes Pisgah Game Land.
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.
Old Fort trip checklist
Before leaving Old Fort, confirm the game land hunting days, any permit hunt, and the Western B dates for McDowell County.
Other photos on this page: msprague (CC BY-SA 2.0); Mike's Birds (CC BY-SA 2.0); Jason A G (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); GlacierNPS (Public domain); born1945 (CC BY 2.0); MarkDoliner (CC BY-SA 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).