Buncombe County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 1,626 deer in Buncombe County in the 2025-26 season: 1,030 antlered bucks and 537 does (NCWRC). That is 2.5 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 59th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 19% above 2024-25 (1,372). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 1,626 in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Buncombe CountyGame landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 1,626 (1,030 antlered bucks, 59 antlerless males, 537 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.5, 78th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 2.54 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,117 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 1,626 in 2025-26 |
| Deer season zone | Western (gun opens Nov. 28) |
| NCWRC district | District 9, Mountain; S. Pisgah unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 169 deer |
| Land area | 656.5 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 game lands, 32,289 acres |
| Towns | Asheville, Woodfin, Black Mountain, Weaverville and Biltmore Forest |
How many deer are killed in Buncombe County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 1,117; the most was 1,626 in 2025-26 and the fewest 720 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 126% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,626 | 2.5 |
| 2024-25 | 1,372 | 2.1 |
| 2023-24 | 1,192 | 1.8 |
| 2022-23 | 1,203 | 1.8 |
| 2021-22 | 1,101 | 1.7 |
| 2020-21 | 1,252 | 1.9 |
| 2019-20 | 1,052 | 1.6 |
| 2018-19 | 835 | 1.3 |
| 2017-18 | 818 | 1.2 |
| 2016-17 | 720 | 1.1 |
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 | 1,030 | 59 | 537 | 777 | 243 | 249 | 357 | 169 | 1,457 |
| 2024-25 | 889 | 54 | 429 | 661 | 212 | 231 | 268 | 157 | 1,215 |
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 656.5 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Buncombe County in 2026-27?
Buncombe 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 | Nov. 28 to Dec. 5, 2026 (all gun days in parts of Buncombe and Henderson) |
In the part of Buncombe County 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 the part of Henderson County east of N.C. 191 and north and west of N.C. 280, antlerless deer may be taken on all days of the antlered season.
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 Buncombe County?
| Game land | Acres in Buncombe County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Pisgah Game Land | 30,070 | 702 |
| Sandy Mush Game Land | 2,219 | 96 |
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 Buncombe County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buncombe County | Western | 1,626 | 2.5 | 126% |
| Haywood County | Western | 767 | 1.4 | 189% |
| Henderson County | Western | 944 | 2.5 | 167% |
| Madison County | Western | 1,963 | 4.4 | 63% |
| McDowell County | Western | 1,027 | 2.3 | 76% |
| Rutherford County | Northwestern | 3,802 | 6.7 | 125% |
| Transylvania County | Western | 763 | 2 | 167% |
| Yancey County | Western | 1,758 | 5.6 | 45% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Buncombe County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 1,626 deer taken in Buncombe County in the 2025-26 season: 1,030 antlered bucks, 59 antlerless males and 537 does. 777 were taken with a gun, 243 with blackpowder, 249 with a bow and 357 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Buncombe County in 2026-27?
Buncombe 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 Buncombe County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Pisgah Game Land (30,070 acres in the county) and Sandy Mush Game Land (2,219 acres in the county) in Buncombe County.
Has the deer harvest in Buncombe County gone up or down?
From 720 in 2016-17 to 1,626 in 2025-26, 126% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 1,626 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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