Johnston County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 2,716 deer in Johnston County in the 2025-26 season: 1,471 antlered bucks and 1,146 does (NCWRC). That is 3.4 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 30th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 1% below 2024-25 (2,734). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 2,734 in 2024-25.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Johnston CountyGame landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 2,716 (1,471 antlered bucks, 99 antlerless males, 1,146 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 3.4, 63rd of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 2.38 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 2,129 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 2,734 in 2024-25 |
| Deer season zone | Northeastern (gun opens Oct. 17) |
| NCWRC district | District 3, Coastal; Neuse unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 0 deer |
| Land area | 792 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | No game land |
| Towns | Clayton, Smithfield, Archer Lodge, Wilson's Mills and Selma |
How many deer are killed in Johnston County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 2,129; the most was 2,734 in 2024-25 and the fewest 1,471 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 85% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,716 | 3.4 |
| 2024-25 | 2,734 | 3.5 |
| 2023-24 | 2,600 | 3.3 |
| 2022-23 | 2,076 | 2.6 |
| 2021-22 | 2,160 | 2.7 |
| 2020-21 | 2,154 | 2.7 |
| 2019-20 | 2,134 | 2.7 |
| 2018-19 | 1,603 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 1,643 | 2.1 |
| 2016-17 | 1,471 | 1.9 |
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 | 1,471 | 99 | 1,146 | 2,363 | 75 | 162 | 116 | 0 | 2,716 |
| 2024-25 | 1,536 | 85 | 1,113 | 2,436 | 61 | 151 | 86 | 0 | 2,734 |
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 792 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Johnston County in 2026-27?
Johnston County is in NCWRC's Northeastern 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 Johnston County?
No game land boundary falls in Johnston County. The closest game lands with a page here: Rhodes Pond Game Land (about 26 miles), Harris Game Land (about 34 miles) and Chatham Game Land (about 34 miles).
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 Johnston County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston County | Northeastern | 2,716 | 3.4 | 85% |
| Franklin County | Northeastern | 2,411 | 4.9 | 15% |
| Harnett County | Southeastern | 1,871 | 3.1 | 34% |
| Nash County | Northeastern | 1,990 | 3.7 | 36% |
| Sampson County | Southeastern CWD Management Area | 1,942 | 2.1 | 5% |
| Wake County | Northeastern | 1,900 | 2.3 | 8% |
| Wayne County | Northeastern | 2,236 | 4 | 59% |
| Wilson County | Northeastern | 1,611 | 4.4 | 57% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Johnston County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 2,716 deer taken in Johnston County in the 2025-26 season: 1,471 antlered bucks, 99 antlerless males and 1,146 does. 2,363 were taken with a gun, 75 with blackpowder, 162 with a bow and 116 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Johnston County in 2026-27?
Johnston County is in the Northeastern 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 Johnston County?
No game land boundary falls in Johnston County. The closest game lands with a page here: Rhodes Pond Game Land (about 26 miles), Harris Game Land (about 34 miles) and Chatham Game Land (about 34 miles).
Has the deer harvest in Johnston County gone up or down?
From 1,471 in 2016-17 to 2,716 in 2025-26, 85% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 2,734 in 2024-25.
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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 Franklin County Harnett County Nash County Sampson County