Yancey County deer harvest: North Carolina, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters reported 1,758 deer in Yancey County in the 2025-26 season: 924 antlered bucks and 771 does (NCWRC). That is 5.6 deer per square mile of land; by total the county ranked 57th of North Carolina's 100. The count was 24% above 2024-25 (1,422). NCWRC's records go back to 1976-77; the most in one season was 1,758 in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: NCWRC reported deer harvest to the 2025-26 season. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Yancey CountyGame landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 1,758 (924 antlered bucks, 63 antlerless males, 771 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 5.6, 29th of 100 |
| Antlered bucks per square mile | 3.9 (NCWRC) |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,458 deer a season |
| Most in one season since 1976 | 1,758 in 2025-26 |
| Deer season zone | Western (gun opens Nov. 28) |
| NCWRC district | District 8, Mountain; N. Pisgah unit |
| On game lands, 2025-26 | 75 deer |
| Land area | 312.6 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 game land, 38,284 acres |
| Towns | Burnsville |
How many deer are killed in Yancey County each season?
The average over the last 10 seasons was 1,458; the most was 1,758 in 2025-26 and the fewest 1,080 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 45% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer reported | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,758 | 5.6 |
| 2024-25 | 1,422 | 4.5 |
| 2023-24 | 1,508 | 4.8 |
| 2022-23 | 1,613 | 5.2 |
| 2021-22 | 1,509 | 4.8 |
| 2020-21 | 1,648 | 5.3 |
| 2019-20 | 1,392 | 4.5 |
| 2018-19 | 1,437 | 4.6 |
| 2017-18 | 1,080 | 3.5 |
| 2016-17 | 1,214 | 3.9 |
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 | 924 | 63 | 771 | 793 | 379 | 219 | 367 | 75 | 1,683 |
| 2024-25 | 776 | 33 | 613 | 688 | 347 | 160 | 227 | 29 | 1,393 |
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 312.6 square miles of land (Census).
When is deer season in Yancey County in 2026-27?
Yancey 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 Yancey County?
| Game land | Acres in Yancey County | Deer on the whole game land, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Pisgah Game Land | 38,284 | 702 |
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 Yancey County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yancey County | Western | 1,758 | 5.6 | 45% |
| Buncombe County | Western | 1,626 | 2.5 | 126% |
| Madison County | Western | 1,963 | 4.4 | 63% |
| McDowell County | Western | 1,027 | 2.3 | 76% |
| Mitchell County | Western | 1,277 | 5.8 | 43% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Yancey County, NC last season?
NCWRC reports 1,758 deer taken in Yancey County in the 2025-26 season: 924 antlered bucks, 63 antlerless males and 771 does. 793 were taken with a gun, 379 with blackpowder, 219 with a bow and 367 with a crossbow.
When is deer season in Yancey County in 2026-27?
Yancey 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 Yancey County?
Yes. NCWRC's map puts Pisgah Game Land (38,284 acres in the county) in Yancey County.
Has the deer harvest in Yancey County gone up or down?
From 1,214 in 2016-17 to 1,758 in 2025-26, 45% higher. The most since NCWRC's records began was 1,758 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.
North Carolina hunting North Carolina deer harvest by county Buncombe County Madison County McDowell County Mitchell County