Haywood County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 767 deer in Haywood County in the 2025-26 season: 571 antlered bucks and 181 does (NCWRC). That is 1.4 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 84th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 9% above 2024-25 (702). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 767 in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Haywood CountyGame landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 767 (571 antlered bucks, 15 antlerless males, 181 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 1.4, 94th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 1.53 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 476 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 767 in 2025-26 |
| Deer season zone | Western (gun opens Nov. 28) |
| NCWRC district | District 9, Mountain; S. Pisgah unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 53 deer |
| Land area | 553.6 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 3 game lands, 74,380 acres |
| Towns | Waynesville, Canton, Maggie Valley and Clyde |
How many deer are killed in Haywood County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 476; the most was 767 in 2025-26 and the fewest 236 in 2018-19. 2025-26 was 189% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 767 | 1.4 |
| 2024-25 | 702 | 1.3 |
| 2023-24 | 613 | 1.1 |
| 2022-23 | 590 | 1.1 |
| 2021-22 | 438 | 0.8 |
| 2020-21 | 474 | 0.9 |
| 2019-20 | 394 | 0.7 |
| 2018-19 | 236 | 0.4 |
| 2017-18 | 281 | 0.5 |
| 2016-17 | 265 | 0.5 |
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 | 571 | 15 | 181 | 464 | 124 | 76 | 103 | 53 | 714 |
| 2024-25 | 523 | 10 | 169 | 386 | 146 | 78 | 92 | 57 | 645 |
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 553.6 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Haywood County in 2026-27?
Haywood 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 Haywood County?
| Game land | Acres in Haywood County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Pisgah Game Land | 68,719 | 702 |
| Cold Mountain Game Land | 3,631 | 20 |
| William H. Silver Game Land | 2,030 | 3 |
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 Haywood County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haywood County | Western | 767 | 1.4 | 189% |
| Buncombe County | Western | 1,626 | 2.5 | 126% |
| Henderson County | Western | 944 | 2.5 | 167% |
| Jackson County | Western | 759 | 1.5 | 250% |
| Madison County | Western | 1,963 | 4.4 | 63% |
| Swain County | Western | 386 | 0.7 | 163% |
| Transylvania County | Western | 763 | 2 | 167% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Haywood County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 767 deer taken in Haywood County in the 2025-26 season: 571 antlered bucks, 15 antlerless males and 181 does. 464 were taken with a gun, 124 with blackpowder, 76 with a bow and 103 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Haywood County in 2026-27?
Haywood 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 Haywood County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Pisgah Game Land (68,719 acres in the county), Cold Mountain Game Land (3,631 acres in the county) and William H. Silver Game Land (2,030 acres in the county) in Haywood County.
Has the deer harvest in Haywood County gone up or down?
From 265 in 2016-17 to 767 in 2025-26, 189% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 767 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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