Duplin County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 2,821 deer in Duplin County in the 2025-26 season: 1,443 antlered bucks and 1,262 does (NCWRC). That is 3.5 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 26th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 8% above 2024-25 (2,619). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 3,458 in 2008-09.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Duplin CountyGame landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 2,821 (1,443 antlered bucks, 116 antlerless males, 1,262 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 3.5, 60th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 2.09 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 2,307 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 3,458 in 2008-09 |
| Deer season zone | Southeastern (gun opens Oct. 17) |
| NCWRC district | District 2, Coastal; Cape Fear unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 7 deer |
| Land area | 814.7 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 game land, 6,795 acres; 207 acres of national wildlife refuge |
| Towns | Warsaw, Wallace, Kenansville, Greenevers and Beulaville |
How many deer are killed in Duplin County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 2,307; the most was 2,821 in 2025-26 and the fewest 1,779 in 2018-19. 2025-26 was 29% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,821 | 3.5 |
| 2024-25 | 2,619 | 3.2 |
| 2023-24 | 2,443 | 3 |
| 2022-23 | 2,059 | 2.5 |
| 2021-22 | 2,240 | 2.7 |
| 2020-21 | 2,276 | 2.8 |
| 2019-20 | 2,236 | 2.7 |
| 2018-19 | 1,779 | 2.2 |
| 2017-18 | 2,421 | 3 |
| 2016-17 | 2,180 | 2.7 |
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 | 1,443 | 116 | 1,262 | 2,608 | 70 | 104 | 39 | 7 | 2,814 |
| 2024-25 | 1,374 | 103 | 1,142 | 2,436 | 66 | 89 | 28 | 19 | 2,600 |
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 814.7 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Duplin County in 2026-27?
Duplin 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 Duplin County?
| Game land | Acres in Duplin County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Angola Bay Game Land | 6,795 | 79 |
207 acres of national wildlife refuge lie in the county, measured on the federal maps. National forest land in North Carolina is managed as game land under NCWRC's rules.
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 Duplin County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duplin County | Southeastern | 2,821 | 3.5 | 29% |
| Jones County | Southeastern | 1,882 | 4 | 24% |
| Lenoir County | Southeastern | 1,594 | 4 | 30% |
| Onslow County | Southeastern | 2,378 | 3.1 | 16% |
| Pender County | Southeastern | 3,271 | 3.8 | 36% |
| Sampson County | Southeastern CWD Management Area | 1,942 | 2.1 | 5% |
| Wayne County | Northeastern | 2,236 | 4 | 59% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Duplin County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 2,821 deer taken in Duplin County in the 2025-26 season: 1,443 antlered bucks, 116 antlerless males and 1,262 does. 2,608 were taken with a gun, 70 with blackpowder, 104 with a bow and 39 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Duplin County in 2026-27?
Duplin 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 Duplin County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Angola Bay Game Land (6,795 acres in the county) in Duplin County.
Has the deer harvest in Duplin County gone up or down?
From 2,180 in 2016-17 to 2,821 in 2025-26, 29% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 3,458 in 2008-09.
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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 Jones County Lenoir County Onslow County Pender County