Cherokee County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 1,339 deer in Cherokee County in the 2025-26 season: 844 antlered bucks and 456 does (NCWRC). That is 2.9 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 67th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 9% above 2024-25 (1,227). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 1,339 in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Cherokee CountyGame landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 1,339 (844 antlered bucks, 39 antlerless males, 456 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.9, 73rd of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 2.61 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 847 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 1,339 in 2025-26 |
| Deer season zone | Western (gun opens Nov. 28) |
| NCWRC district | District 9, Mountain; Nantahala unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 233 deer |
| Land area | 455.5 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 game land, 93,244 acres |
| Towns | Murphy and Andrews |
How many deer are killed in Cherokee County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 847; the most was 1,339 in 2025-26 and the fewest 524 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 156% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,339 | 2.9 |
| 2024-25 | 1,227 | 2.7 |
| 2023-24 | 900 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 907 | 2 |
| 2021-22 | 875 | 1.9 |
| 2020-21 | 768 | 1.7 |
| 2019-20 | 702 | 1.5 |
| 2018-19 | 675 | 1.5 |
| 2017-18 | 550 | 1.2 |
| 2016-17 | 524 | 1.2 |
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 | 844 | 39 | 456 | 549 | 335 | 155 | 300 | 233 | 1,106 |
| 2024-25 | 740 | 22 | 465 | 471 | 332 | 146 | 278 | 190 | 1,037 |
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 455.5 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Cherokee County in 2026-27?
Cherokee 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 | Nov. 21 to 27, 2026 |
| Gun | Nov. 28, 2026 to Jan. 1, 2027 | Nov. 28, 2026 |
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 Cherokee County?
| Game land | Acres in Cherokee County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Nantahala Game Land | 93,244 | 933 |
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 Cherokee County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | Western | 1,339 | 2.9 | 156% |
| Clay County | Western | 711 | 3.3 | 111% |
| Graham County | Western | 168 | 0.6 | 185% |
| Macon County | Western | 1,232 | 2.4 | 86% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Cherokee County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 1,339 deer taken in Cherokee County in the 2025-26 season: 844 antlered bucks, 39 antlerless males and 456 does. 549 were taken with a gun, 335 with blackpowder, 155 with a bow and 300 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Cherokee County in 2026-27?
Cherokee 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 Cherokee County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Nantahala Game Land (93,244 acres in the county) in Cherokee County.
Has the deer harvest in Cherokee County gone up or down?
From 524 in 2016-17 to 1,339 in 2025-26, 156% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 1,339 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 Clay County Graham County Macon County