Burke County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 2,161 deer in Burke County in the 2025-26 season: 1,281 antlered bucks and 806 does (NCWRC). That is 4.3 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 41st of North Carolina's 100. The count was 14% above 2024-25 (1,894). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 2,161 in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Burke CountyGame landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 2,161 (1,281 antlered bucks, 74 antlerless males, 806 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 4.3, 48th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 4.36 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,620 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 2,161 in 2025-26 |
| Deer season zone | Western (gun opens Nov. 28) |
| NCWRC district | District 8, Mountain; N. Pisgah unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 120 deer |
| Land area | 506.2 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 5 game lands, 62,225 acres |
| Towns | Morganton, Valdese, Connelly Springs, Hildebran and Rutherford College |
How many deer are killed in Burke County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 1,620; the most was 2,161 in 2025-26 and the fewest 1,240 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 74% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,161 | 4.3 |
| 2024-25 | 1,894 | 3.7 |
| 2023-24 | 1,963 | 3.9 |
| 2022-23 | 1,596 | 3.2 |
| 2021-22 | 1,700 | 3.4 |
| 2020-21 | 1,554 | 3.1 |
| 2019-20 | 1,442 | 2.8 |
| 2018-19 | 1,341 | 2.6 |
| 2017-18 | 1,310 | 2.6 |
| 2016-17 | 1,240 | 2.4 |
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 | 1,281 | 74 | 806 | 1,188 | 421 | 239 | 313 | 120 | 2,041 |
| 2024-25 | 1,223 | 47 | 624 | 1,022 | 475 | 151 | 246 | 76 | 1,818 |
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 506.2 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Burke County in 2026-27?
Burke 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 Burke County?
| Game land | Acres in Burke County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Pisgah Game Land | 49,634 | 702 |
| Johns River Game Land | 6,484 | 53 |
| South Mountains Game Land | 3,417 | 64 |
| Pisgah WRC Game Land | 1,445 | |
| North Bend Game Land | 1,245 | 10 |
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 Burke County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County | Western | 2,161 | 4.3 | 74% |
| Avery County | Western | 1,325 | 5.4 | 77% |
| Caldwell County | Western | 1,668 | 3.5 | 140% |
| Catawba County | Northwestern | 2,429 | 6.1 | 89% |
| Cleveland County | Northwestern | 3,948 | 8.5 | 115% |
| Lincoln County | Northwestern | 2,092 | 7.1 | 44% |
| McDowell County | Western | 1,027 | 2.3 | 76% |
| Rutherford County | Northwestern | 3,802 | 6.7 | 125% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Burke County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 2,161 deer taken in Burke County in the 2025-26 season: 1,281 antlered bucks, 74 antlerless males and 806 does. 1,188 were taken with a gun, 421 with blackpowder, 239 with a bow and 313 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Burke County in 2026-27?
Burke 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 Burke County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Pisgah Game Land (49,634 acres in the county), Johns River Game Land (6,484 acres in the county), South Mountains Game Land (3,417 acres in the county) and Pisgah WRC Game Land (1,445 acres in the county) in Burke County.
Has the deer harvest in Burke County gone up or down?
From 1,240 in 2016-17 to 2,161 in 2025-26, 74% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 2,161 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.
North Carolina hunting North Carolina deer harvest by county Avery County Caldwell County Catawba County Cleveland County