Madison County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 1,963 deer in Madison County in the 2025-26 season: 1,144 antlered bucks and 758 does (NCWRC). That is 4.4 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 51st of North Carolina's 100. The count was 7% above 2024-25 (1,837). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 1,963 in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Madison CountyGame landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 1,963 (1,144 antlered bucks, 61 antlerless males, 758 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 4.4, 44th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 3.27 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,524 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 1,963 in 2025-26 |
| Deer season zone | Western (gun opens Nov. 28) |
| NCWRC district | District 9, Mountain; S. Pisgah unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 128 deer |
| Land area | 449.6 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 game lands, 55,448 acres |
| Towns | Marshall, Hot Springs and Mars Hill |
How many deer are killed in Madison County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 1,524; the most was 1,963 in 2025-26 and the fewest 1,087 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 63% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,963 | 4.4 |
| 2024-25 | 1,837 | 4.1 |
| 2023-24 | 1,775 | 3.9 |
| 2022-23 | 1,710 | 3.8 |
| 2021-22 | 1,532 | 3.4 |
| 2020-21 | 1,518 | 3.4 |
| 2019-20 | 1,242 | 2.8 |
| 2018-19 | 1,370 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | 1,087 | 2.4 |
| 2016-17 | 1,201 | 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 | 1,144 | 61 | 758 | 956 | 396 | 277 | 334 | 128 | 1,835 |
| 2024-25 | 1,125 | 54 | 658 | 910 | 383 | 246 | 298 | 132 | 1,705 |
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 449.6 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Madison County in 2026-27?
Madison 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 | Same as antlered |
| Gun | Nov. 28, 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 Madison County?
| Game land | Acres in Madison County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Pisgah Game Land | 54,805 | 702 |
| Sandy Mush Game Land | 643 | 96 |
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 Madison County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | Western | 1,963 | 4.4 | 63% |
| Buncombe County | Western | 1,626 | 2.5 | 126% |
| Haywood County | Western | 767 | 1.4 | 189% |
| Yancey County | Western | 1,758 | 5.6 | 45% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Madison County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 1,963 deer taken in Madison County in the 2025-26 season: 1,144 antlered bucks, 61 antlerless males and 758 does. 956 were taken with a gun, 396 with blackpowder, 277 with a bow and 334 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Madison County in 2026-27?
Madison 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 Madison County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Pisgah Game Land (54,805 acres in the county) and Sandy Mush Game Land (643 acres in the county) in Madison County.
Has the deer harvest in Madison County gone up or down?
From 1,201 in 2016-17 to 1,963 in 2025-26, 63% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 1,963 in 2025-26.
Get a North Carolina hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for North Carolina are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, North Carolina included.
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 Buncombe County Haywood County Yancey County