North Carolina Adds 2-Day Early Deer Season as CWD Spreads to 7 Counties
Updated
Updated · WCTI12.com · Jun 26
North Carolina Adds 2-Day Early Deer Season as CWD Spreads to 7 Counties
2 articles · Updated · WCTI12.com · Jun 26
Summary
Aug. 22-23 will become a special early antlered deer season in North Carolina's CWD management areas under new 2026-27 hunting rules aimed at slowing the disease's spread.
July 1 also opens applications for extra harvest tags in CWD management and surveillance areas, while northwestern management areas get earlier blackpowder and gun seasons to increase deer harvests.
Statewide carcass-disposal rules now require non-edible deer parts to go to a lined landfill, be buried at least 3 feet underground away from water, or remain in the harvest county.
Since CWD was first detected in North Carolina in 2022, officials have tested nearly 100,000 deer and confirmed the disease in 7 counties.
The CDC says no human CWD cases have been reported, but still advises hunters not to eat meat from deer that test positive.