Brunswick County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 2,141 deer in Brunswick County in the 2025-26 season: 1,005 antlered bucks and 1,022 does (NCWRC). That is 2.5 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 43rd of North Carolina's 100. The count was 1% above 2024-25 (2,128). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 3,030 in 1990-91.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Brunswick CountyGame landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 2,141 (1,005 antlered bucks, 114 antlerless males, 1,022 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.5, 77th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 1.63 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,698 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 3,030 in 1990-91 |
| Deer season zone | Southeastern (gun opens Oct. 17) |
| NCWRC district | District 4, Coastal; Cape Fear unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 171 deer |
| Land area | 850.1 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 3 game lands, 33,764 acres |
| Towns | Leland, Boiling Spring Lakes, Oak Island, Navassa and Shallotte |
How many deer are killed in Brunswick County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 1,698; the most was 2,141 in 2025-26 and the fewest 1,235 in 2018-19. 2025-26 was 32% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,141 | 2.5 |
| 2024-25 | 2,128 | 2.5 |
| 2023-24 | 1,888 | 2.2 |
| 2022-23 | 1,774 | 2.1 |
| 2021-22 | 1,582 | 1.9 |
| 2020-21 | 1,509 | 1.8 |
| 2019-20 | 1,486 | 1.7 |
| 2018-19 | 1,235 | 1.5 |
| 2017-18 | 1,616 | 1.9 |
| 2016-17 | 1,625 | 1.9 |
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 | 1,005 | 114 | 1,022 | 1,835 | 96 | 116 | 94 | 171 | 1,970 |
| 2024-25 | 1,039 | 110 | 979 | 1,830 | 60 | 155 | 83 | 139 | 1,989 |
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 850.1 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Brunswick County in 2026-27?
Brunswick County is in NCWRC's Southeastern deer zone. Its 2026-27 dates:
| Method | Antlered deer | Antlerless deer |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sept. 12 to Oct. 2, 2026 | Same as antlered |
| Blackpowder | Oct. 3 to 16, 2026 | Same as antlered |
| Gun | Oct. 17, 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 Brunswick County?
| Game land | Acres in Brunswick County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Green Swamp Game Land | 18,575 | 92 |
| Juniper Creek Game Land | 14,055 | 81 |
| Columbus County Game Land | 1,134 | 55 |
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 Brunswick County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick County | Southeastern | 2,141 | 2.5 | 32% |
| Columbus County | Southeastern | 2,921 | 3.1 | 96% |
| New Hanover County | Southeastern | 183 | 1 | 42% |
| Pender County | Southeastern | 3,271 | 3.8 | 36% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Brunswick County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 2,141 deer taken in Brunswick County in the 2025-26 season: 1,005 antlered bucks, 114 antlerless males and 1,022 does. 1,835 were taken with a gun, 96 with blackpowder, 116 with a bow and 94 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Brunswick County in 2026-27?
Brunswick County is in the Southeastern deer zone: archery Sept. 12 to Oct. 2, 2026; blackpowder Oct. 3 to 16, 2026; gun Oct. 17, 2026 to Jan. 1, 2027 (NCWRC 2026-27 season dates).
Is there public hunting land in Brunswick County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Green Swamp Game Land (18,575 acres in the county), Juniper Creek Game Land (14,055 acres in the county) and Columbus County Game Land (1,134 acres in the county) in Brunswick County.
Has the deer harvest in Brunswick County gone up or down?
From 1,625 in 2016-17 to 2,141 in 2025-26, 32% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 3,030 in 1990-91.
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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.
North Carolina hunting North Carolina deer harvest by county Columbus County New Hanover County Pender County