Durham County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 927 deer in Durham County in the 2025-26 season: 469 antlered bucks and 412 does (NCWRC). That is 3.2 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 83rd of North Carolina's 100. The count was 8% below 2024-25 (1,009). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 1,148 in 2023-24.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Durham CountyGame landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 927 (469 antlered bucks, 46 antlerless males, 412 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 3.2, 67th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 3.8 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 884 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 1,148 in 2023-24 |
| Deer season zone | Central (gun opens Nov. 14) |
| NCWRC district | District 5, Piedmont; N. Piedmont unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 170 deer |
| Land area | 287.5 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 game lands, 18,161 acres |
| Towns | Durham |
How many deer are killed in Durham County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 884; the most was 1,148 in 2023-24 and the fewest 664 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 40% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 927 | 3.2 |
| 2024-25 | 1,009 | 3.5 |
| 2023-24 | 1,148 | 4 |
| 2022-23 | 880 | 3.1 |
| 2021-22 | 904 | 3.1 |
| 2020-21 | 826 | 2.9 |
| 2019-20 | 874 | 3 |
| 2018-19 | 757 | 2.6 |
| 2017-18 | 853 | 3 |
| 2016-17 | 664 | 2.3 |
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 | 469 | 46 | 412 | 490 | 117 | 153 | 167 | 170 | 757 |
| 2024-25 | 516 | 49 | 444 | 555 | 110 | 164 | 180 | 164 | 845 |
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 287.5 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Durham County in 2026-27?
Durham County is in NCWRC's Central deer zone. Its 2026-27 dates:
| Method | Antlered deer | Antlerless deer |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sept. 12 to Oct. 30, 2026 | Same as antlered |
| Blackpowder | Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, 2026 | Same as antlered |
| Gun | Nov. 14, 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 Durham County?
| Game land | Acres in Durham County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land | 12,978 | 450 |
| Jordan Game Land | 5,183 | 283 |
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 Durham County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham County | Central | 927 | 3.2 | 40% |
| Chatham County | Central | 2,481 | 3.6 | 12% |
| Granville County | Central | 3,125 | 5.9 | 64% |
| Orange County | Central | 1,886 | 4.7 | 30% |
| Person County | Central | 2,604 | 6.6 | 26% |
| Wake County | Northeastern | 1,900 | 2.3 | 8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Durham County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 927 deer taken in Durham County in the 2025-26 season: 469 antlered bucks, 46 antlerless males and 412 does. 490 were taken with a gun, 117 with blackpowder, 153 with a bow and 167 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Durham County in 2026-27?
Durham County is in the Central deer zone: archery Sept. 12 to Oct. 30, 2026; blackpowder Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, 2026; gun Nov. 14, 2026 to Jan. 1, 2027 (NCWRC 2026-27 season dates).
Is there public hunting land in Durham County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land (12,978 acres in the county) and Jordan Game Land (5,183 acres in the county) in Durham County.
Has the deer harvest in Durham County gone up or down?
From 664 in 2016-17 to 927 in 2025-26, 40% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 1,148 in 2023-24.
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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 Chatham County Granville County Orange County Person County