North Carolina Deer Hunting

North Carolina White-Tailed Deer

North Carolina’s population of white-tailed deer is estimated at 1.1 million animals.
The state had a growing population of white-tailed deer until either-sex seasons
were liberalized in the early 1990s. This liberalization of either-sex seasons across
most areas of the state allowed for increased opportunity for sportsmen/women to
harvest antlerless deer. The population trend of our state’s deer herd quickly
stabilized and has actually started to decrease for most areas of the state. However,
there are areas throughout the state where localized populations continue to
increase. Those areas where populations are rapidly increasing are typically
urban/suburban areas where the utilization of hunting as a management tool has
been greatly hindered.

It is estimated that only 10,000 deer inhabited the state in 1900. North Carolina's
major efforts to restore our state's deer resource took place in the 1940s through
the 1970s. Our state's restoration program was responsible for stocking
approximately 4,000 deer throughout the state.

2005 NC White-Tailed Deer Distribution Map (pdf)
Note: Distribution maps updated every
5 years.

Learn About Chronic Wasting Disease in Deer, Elk

The cost of our state's white-tailed deer restoration program has been
conservatively estimated at $1.2 million (in 1950-1970 dollars). Today, North
Carolina sportsmen/women spend approximately $311 million on deer-related
hunting expenses every year.

More people hunt white-tailed deer than any other game species in North Carolina.
Each year approximately 250,000 sportsmen/women take more than 2.9 million
trips afield in pursuit of deer.