Richmond County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 2,270 deer in Richmond County in the 2025-26 season: 1,232 antlered bucks and 949 does (NCWRC). That is 4.8 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 38th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 7% above 2024-25 (2,122). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 2,337 in 2013-14.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Richmond CountyGame landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 2,270 (1,232 antlered bucks, 89 antlerless males, 949 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 4.8, 37th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 3.15 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 2,002 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 2,337 in 2013-14 |
| Deer season zone | Southeastern (gun opens Oct. 17) |
| NCWRC district | District 6, Coastal; Sandhills unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 165 deer |
| Land area | 473.7 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 game lands, 38,166 acres; 974 acres of national wildlife refuge |
| Towns | Rockingham, Hamlet, Hoffman, Ellerbe and Dobbins Heights |
How many deer are killed in Richmond County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 2,002; the most was 2,270 in 2025-26 and the fewest 1,555 in 2018-19. 2025-26 was 21% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,270 | 4.8 |
| 2024-25 | 2,122 | 4.5 |
| 2023-24 | 2,204 | 4.7 |
| 2022-23 | 1,923 | 4.1 |
| 2021-22 | 1,955 | 4.1 |
| 2020-21 | 1,986 | 4.2 |
| 2019-20 | 2,018 | 4.3 |
| 2018-19 | 1,555 | 3.3 |
| 2017-18 | 2,112 | 4.5 |
| 2016-17 | 1,873 | 4 |
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 | 1,232 | 89 | 949 | 2,088 | 96 | 45 | 41 | 165 | 2,105 |
| 2024-25 | 1,150 | 97 | 875 | 1,988 | 49 | 40 | 45 | 175 | 1,947 |
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 473.7 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Richmond County in 2026-27?
Richmond 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 Richmond County?
| Game land | Acres in Richmond County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Sandhills Game Land | 33,564 | 228 |
| Pee Dee River Game Land | 4,602 | 142 |
974 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 Richmond County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County | Southeastern | 2,270 | 4.8 | 21% |
| Anson County | Central | 4,254 | 8 | 23% |
| Hoke County | Southeastern | 646 | 1.7 | 48% |
| Montgomery County | Central | 2,984 | 6.1 | 32% |
| Moore County | Southeastern | 3,360 | 4.8 | 33% |
| Scotland County | Southeastern | 1,215 | 3.8 | 104% |
| Stanly County | Central | 3,371 | 8.5 | 47% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Richmond County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 2,270 deer taken in Richmond County in the 2025-26 season: 1,232 antlered bucks, 89 antlerless males and 949 does. 2,088 were taken with a gun, 96 with blackpowder, 45 with a bow and 41 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Richmond County in 2026-27?
Richmond 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 Richmond County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Sandhills Game Land (33,564 acres in the county) and Pee Dee River Game Land (4,602 acres in the county) in Richmond County.
Has the deer harvest in Richmond County gone up or down?
From 1,873 in 2016-17 to 2,270 in 2025-26, 21% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 2,337 in 2013-14.
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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 Anson County Hoke County Montgomery County Moore County