Avery County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 1,325 deer in Avery County in the 2025-26 season: 736 antlered bucks and 542 does (NCWRC). That is 5.4 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 68th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 19% above 2024-25 (1,112). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 1,325 in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Avery CountyGame landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 1,325 (736 antlered bucks, 47 antlerless males, 542 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 5.4, 32nd of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 4.94 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 966 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 1,325 in 2025-26 |
| Deer season zone | Western (gun opens Nov. 28) |
| NCWRC district | District 8, Mountain; N. Pisgah unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 72 deer |
| Land area | 247.3 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 game lands, 31,104 acres |
| Towns | Sugar Mountain, Banner Elk, Grandfather Village, Newland and Elk Park |
How many deer are killed in Avery County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 966; the most was 1,325 in 2025-26 and the fewest 750 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 77% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,325 | 5.4 |
| 2024-25 | 1,112 | 4.5 |
| 2023-24 | 1,032 | 4.2 |
| 2022-23 | 1,099 | 4.4 |
| 2021-22 | 866 | 3.5 |
| 2020-21 | 1,060 | 4.3 |
| 2019-20 | 876 | 3.5 |
| 2018-19 | 778 | 3.1 |
| 2017-18 | 759 | 3.1 |
| 2016-17 | 750 | 3 |
How the last 2 seasons' deer were taken, and where:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does | Gun | Blackpowder | Bow | Crossbow | Game lands | Other land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 736 | 47 | 542 | 665 | 271 | 135 | 254 | 72 | 1,253 |
| 2024-25 | 676 | 47 | 389 | 554 | 227 | 105 | 226 | 63 | 1,049 |
Sources: NCWRC reported deer harvest by county, 1976-2024; NCWRC 2024-25 reported deer harvest by county; NCWRC 2025-26 reported deer harvest by county. Per square mile uses the county's 247.3 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Avery County in 2026-27?
Avery County is in NCWRC's Western deer zone. Its 2026-27 dates:
| Method | Antlered deer | Antlerless deer |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sept. 12 to Nov. 13, 2026 | Same as antlered |
| Blackpowder | Nov. 14 to 27, 2026 | Same as antlered |
| Gun | Nov. 28, 2026 to Jan. 1, 2027 | Same as antlered |
Source: NCWRC hunting and trapping season dates, 2026-27. On game lands, the game land's hunting days also apply.
Where is the public hunting land in Avery County?
| Game land | Acres in Avery County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Pisgah Game Land | 30,658 | 702 |
| Pisgah WRC Game Land | 446 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on NCWRC game land boundaries, U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
How does Avery County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avery County | Western | 1,325 | 5.4 | 77% |
| Burke County | Western | 2,161 | 4.3 | 74% |
| Caldwell County | Western | 1,668 | 3.5 | 140% |
| McDowell County | Western | 1,027 | 2.3 | 76% |
| Mitchell County | Western | 1,277 | 5.8 | 43% |
| Watauga County | Northwestern | 2,142 | 6.9 | 44% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Avery County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 1,325 deer taken in Avery County in the 2025-26 season: 736 antlered bucks, 47 antlerless males and 542 does. 665 were taken with a gun, 271 with blackpowder, 135 with a bow and 254 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Avery County in 2026-27?
Avery County is in the Western deer zone: archery Sept. 12 to Nov. 13, 2026; blackpowder Nov. 14 to 27, 2026; gun Nov. 28, 2026 to Jan. 1, 2027 (NCWRC 2026-27 season dates).
Is there public hunting land in Avery County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Pisgah Game Land (30,658 acres in the county) and Pisgah WRC Game Land (446 acres in the county) in Avery County.
Has the deer harvest in Avery County gone up or down?
From 750 in 2016-17 to 1,325 in 2025-26, 77% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 1,325 in 2025-26.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest by county, 1976-2024; NCWRC 2024-25 reported deer harvest by county; NCWRC 2025-26 reported deer harvest by county.
- Deer zones and dates: NCWRC hunting and trapping season dates, 2026-27.
- Public land: NCWRC game land boundaries; U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries. County land area: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. Numbers are copied from NCWRC and the Census Bureau or measured from public maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag.
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