NC scientists are studying Triangle deer. Here's what they're finding out. July 22, 2026 North Carolina, The News & Observer
... A study tracking hundreds of deer across Durham and Orange counties found vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death for urban deer, prompting researchers to look for new ways to reduce conflicts between deer and people. North Carolina is home to about 1 million white-tailed deer ..,
North Carolina to issue 2 elk hunting permits in 2027 July 20, 2026 North Carolina, Citizen Times
Elk were reintroduced to Western North Carolina in 2001. With the herd now estimated at 250, the state will issue two 2027 hunting permits..,
Western North Carolina's elk population: A conservation success with agricultural challenges June 27, 2026 Salisbury Post
... Elk were once native to North Carolina but disappeared from the region more than a century ago due to overhunting and habitat loss. Through restoration efforts, elk were successfully reintroduced to the Great Smoky Mountains in the early 2000s... stories of elk entering hay fields, grazing on corn, soybeans, vegetables and other crops...
New deer hunting rules aim to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease in North Carolina June 26, 2026 WCTI
... a new special early season for antlered deer on Aug. 22-23 in CWD management areas ... Hunters across the state must now properly dispose of non-edible deer parts by taking them to a lined landfill, burying them at least three feet underground and away from water, or leaving them within the county where the deer was harvested...
Pitt County added to state deer disease surveillance area May 4, 2026 North Carolina, WCTI
... The updated designation took effect May 1 and follows a recent increase in confirmed cases of the disease in eastern North Carolina...“Thirty-three deer tested positive for CWD during the 2025–26 hunting season, bringing the total number to 67 since it was first discovered in North Carolina in 2022,” said Deer Biologist April Boggs Pope...
Bald Head considers non-lethal plan for deer December 23, 2025 North Carolina, State Port Pilot
... Bald Head Island was one of the first places to use a deer immunocontraception program. The program, the first of its kind in NC, was initiated on the island by a research permit issued by NC Wildlife Resources Commission for five years beginning in 2014. The permit was extended for two years and was suspended in 2021 when the island’s deer population fell below the target herd size of approximately 200... Last year’s survey recommended the village return to a population management plan ...
Researchers Are Out to Take a Bite Out of a Big Challenge for Christmas Tree Growers: Deer December 8, 2025 North Carolina, NC State News - NC State University
... At North Carolina State University, researchers are working on a novel way to protect the trees: covering them with a specially designed fabric that deters the deer, while letting in the light, air and water the trees need to survive... “We want to develop a fabric that also protects the Christmas trees from all the other bad things that attack it.” ...
First case of Chronic Wasting Disease found in Edgecombe County deer November 5, 2025 North Carolina, Public Radio East
... the positive result was confirmed in a 3 1/2-year-old male white-tailed deer harvested by a hunter in the eastern corner of the county. The nearest confirmed CWD case from this site is 92 miles away in Cumberland County. The deer was harvested near the Pitt-Martin County line. If confirmed, this would be the 35th CWD-positive deer found in North Carolina since the disease was first detected in 2022..,
Mitigating Chronic Wasting Disease in NC's whitetail deer August 12, 2025 North Carolina, Carolina Journal
... Chronic Wasting Disease was first detected in North Carolina in 2021 and since then, 34 positive cases have been confirmed.... While current herd numbers are around 1 million, that was not always the case as the state’s whitetail population dropped to around 10,000 around 1900..,
Wildlife underpass use with gaps in exclusion fences along a 4‐lane highway 15 years post‐construction - North Carolina, Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2025
...Wildlife exclusion fence maintenance is often neglected, and post‐construction studies bgenerally focus on crossing structures. When fencing is left unattended, gaps can develop, creating the potential for more wildlife‐vehicle collisions. Our study highlights the importance of long‐term monitoring and maintenance of wildlife crossings and fencing designs, emphasizing their implications for effective and safe animal movement...
Infant deer rescued by deputy after mother killed by car in Chatham County June 4, 2025 North Carolina, CBS 17
... The infant deer was contained by Deputy Caitlin Cade and the motorist. Cade then transported the infant deer to Holly’s Nest Animal Rescue ...
The return of the White-Tailed Deer May 22, 2025 North Carolina, The Transylvania Times
... Pisgah National Forest ... deer were nearly gone from this region. By the early 1900s, overhunting had taken a heavy toll ... The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Forest Service partnered to build a fawn rearing station in Pink Beds. Locals could bring in young fawns and collect $4 for each one ... When the fawns were old enough to be released, many were sent to other forests in the region ...
Wildlife Commission Announces 2025-2026 CWD Surveillance Areas May 16, 2025 North Carolina, NC Wildlife
... “Ten deer tested positive for CWD during the 2024-25 hunting season, bringing the total number of deer that have tested positive for CWD to 34,” said Deer Biologist April Pope. “The additional positive deer were not found in any new counties during the 2024-25 deer hunting season ..,
Bald Head Island's abundant deer spur management talks May 2, 2025 North Carolina, Coastal Review
... The latest white-tailed survey on the island estimates the population at 221 deer... Dr. Chris DePerno, a North Carolina State University professor and wildlife biologist ... aid, 100 to 120 deer seems a reasonable number of white-tail on the island...
When the Government Puts Wolves in Your Backyard March 15, 2025 North Carolina, AOL on MSN
... Over the decades, more than 100 red wolves raised in captivity have been released into the area ... The message board runs to nearly 200 pages produced over a decade. It includes protests that genetic records show the red wolf is a hybrid rather than a "true" species and that fossil records contain no evidence red wolves ever inhabited North Carolina... hunter concerns over wolves preying on deer and small game ...
Options explored for Bald Head's deer population February 12, 2025 North Carolina, The State Port Pilot
... Bald Head Island has the highest deer density of any place in North Carolina ... “In terms of the health of the animals, they’re healthy,” ... Deer culls were regularly conducted in the early 2000s, and immunocontraception was conducted annually from 2014-2020 ... Immunocontraception is not cheap...
'Even with wildlife, we do our best to try to help.' North Canton firefighters rescue deer January 17, 2025 North Carolina, YAHOO!News
... The deer, which was in distress, was found in a pond behind homes on Shiloh Run SE and was struggling to free itself from the icy waters. After it was freed ... "The team spent some time drying and warming the deer ...
The World's Rarest Wolf Is Found Only In North Carolina January 11, 2025 TheTravel
... wild red wolves can only be found in the Tar Heel state's Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, in the north-central and eastern portions of the East Peninsula... Once abundant and roaming the eastern part of the country ..,
Higher deer harvests due to NCWRC population management, NC Wildlife says January 10,2025 North Carolina, News-Topic
... for Caldwell County ... Barden said that most of the increase from the last couple of years have to do with the availability of antlerless harvest days... A report on the Deer Observation Study from NCWRC showing data from 2014-2022 appears to show deer populations holding fairly steady through the years ...
Deer are driving a Durham neighborhood apart. Should hunting them in the city be easier? January 8, 2025 North Carolina, Raleigh News & Observer on MSN
... “Hunting in Durham? Please,” Peter Tocci said. “In the city limits? Please, come on. … We have children running in our neighborhood.” ... North Carolina has around 1 million white-tailed deer, and populations are “rapidly increasing” in urban and suburban areas where hunting is banned, according to the state Wildlife Resources Commission..,
Double Trouble | A rare site, two all-white deer living on NC Zoo property December 3, 2024 North Carolina, WFMY News2 on MSN
... The North Carolina Zoo posted to Facebook about seeing another all-white deer on their property...
With numbers increasing, Bald Head Island deer might soon be back on 'the Pill' November 21, 2024 North Carolina, AOL
... The program proved successful and was discontinued in 2020 after helping keep the island's deer population below the 200 animal target set by biologists ... But recent camera and spotlight surveys by the conservancy show deer numbers creeping back up ... "They didn't support the culling, so they were willing to pay for a different management approach." ...
Amazing! All white deer spotted on North Carolina Zoo property November 13, 2024 WFMY News2
... a leucistic whitetail deer fawn... Leucism, is a condition that causes faulty melanin production ... more information from the zoo
Urban-Rural Deer Ecology Study in Durham and Orange Counties September 16, 2024 North Carolina, NC Wildlife
... the Triangle Urban Deer Study team captured and collared 236 deer that were at least 6 months old and 112 recently born fawns. The GPS collar transmits data to the researchers ... Population estimates from fecal samples indicate that average deer densities in Durham County are around 80 deer per square mile ...
Changes in effect for 2024-25 deer hunting season in western North Carolina September 16, 2024 North Caronlina, The Stanly News and Press
... protecting yearling buck dispersal... balancing the buck-to-doe sex ratio ... due to the growth of deer herds across most of the western zone, particularly on private lands, these changes provide hunters with additional opportunity to harvest antlerless deer..,
Matthews no longer fawning over deer survey September 5, 2024 North Carolina, Charlotte Weekly
... The town reached out to different agencies but could not find one that did this kind of work in an urban area like Matthews. Staff found a company that uses drones with heat sensors to differentiate among different animals. But the cost to do this work is $25,000... Mayor John Higdon said he used to see 14 to 20 deer a day ... These days, he’ll see a couple a week...
Wildlife expert concerned NC's rapid growth could wipe out native species July 9, 2024 North Carolina, WFMY News2
... Some in Charlotte have also asked us about the deer population. According to NC Wildlife, the population trend in our state has decreased for many areas however, there are some areas throughout the state where the population has increased..,
DNA study yields new estimate of Great Smoky Mountains elk population July 4, 2024 North Carolina, The Asheville Citizen Times
... Over the decades since 52 elk were reintroduced to Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Cataloochee Valley in 2001 and 2002 ... collected elk scat went off to a lab for DNA analysis, which revealed important information about each sample ... as of 2022, approximately 240 elk lived in Western North Carolina, more than quadruple the original 52..,
Urbanization and primary productivity mediate the predator–prey relationship between deer and coyotes 2024, Ecosphere
... Though not conclusive, our results indicate the possibility that coyotes could have stronger effects on deer populations in NC if their densities rise, but primarily in less productive and/or more suburban habitats...
Baby deer was dehydrated and had injured nose. NC wildlife rehabilitators have it now. May 31, 2024 North Carolina, The Herald-Sun on MSN
... when ARC Officer Karen Rogers saw the fawn had an injured nose and ears showing signs of dehydration, she knew the “bustling downtown area,” was not safe for the baby deer ...The center contacted Holly’s Nest Wildlife Rehabilitation ...
NC Wildlife Resources Commission Reports Additional Cases of Chronic Wasting Disease April 17, 2024 North Carolina, NC Wildlife
... The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is confirming 13 new cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from deer samples submitted since July 1, 2023. This brings the total number of positive results in North Carolina to 24, since the disease was first detected in a Yadkin County deer harvested in 2021... CWD-positive deer were not detected in any new counties during the 2023-24 season ..,
Town of Matthews leaders attempting to control the deer population. March 25, 2024 North Carolina, WCNC-TV Charlotte on MSN.com
... plans included shooting deer or giving them contraceptives, with leaders instead finally agreeing to focus on educating the community about the wildlife while also investing $4,000 towards a head count of the deer population...
New WNC black bear, deer hunting seasons pass despite public disapproval March 5, 2024 North Carolina, AOL.com
... a measure that will significantly expand the length of black bear hunting in the mountain region... 69% of the 646 respondents saying they do not support the change ... the bear population in the mountains is growing 7% each year ..,
Can a small number of wolves have impact? March 1, 2024 North Carolina, The Columbian
... a paper observing a correlation between the red wolf’s decline, which accelerated around 2015, and increases in many of the animals that the wolves hunt ... From spring 2018 to spring 2021, as the wolf population declined ... Populations of deer, which red wolves hunt, remained relatively consistent, increasingly slightly... Raccoon sightings increased ...
Fighting the fatal chronic wasting disease in N.C. deer January 2, 2024 North Carolina, Spectrum News
...So far in 2023, there have been five CWD cases reported in three counties. This sampling period will run until June 30, 2024. 2022 was the first year CWD was confirmed in North Carolina, and by the end of the year, it had been reported in seven counties for a total of 15 cases..,
CWD By the Numbers as of Dec. 15, 2023 North Carolina Wildlife Commission
The Wildlife Commission continues to test hunter-harvested deer for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) statewide. As of Dec. 15, 2023, biologists have: Collected tissue samples from 25,368 deer. Received “Not Detected” results from 8,187 of those samples
Received “Positive” results for five samples (3 Cumberland County, 1 Johnston County, 1 Franklin County) ...
Franklin County landowners push for more dog deer hunting restrictions December 8, 2023 North Carolina, WRAL
... they want to prevent hunting dogs from coming onto their land without permission. “Dogs do not respect boundaries, and it’s not their fault,” ...
The state sees a major increase in hunting incidents involving serious injury or death December 7, 2023 North Carolina, WFMY News 2
... there have been five fatalities involving hunting with a firearm this hunting season, more than the past three seasons combined, which had one fatality between 2020-2022. Fourteen hunting-related incidents have occurred thus far in 2023, with 11 of them involving a firearm...
With chronic wasting disease deer cases increasing, NC pushes testing December 7, 2023 North Carolina, The Fayetteville Observer
... North Carolina wildlife officials are reminding hunters to be careful when handling deer carcasses and to get harvested animals tested... stresses to hunters the importance of taking precautions when transporting or disposing of deer carcasses." ...
Wildlife Agency Confirms First Case of CWD in Franklin County, North Carolina November 21, 2023 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission News
... confirms a 2.5-year-old female white-tailed deer harvested in Franklin County has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The deer was hunter-harvested during firearms season and represents the first detection of the disease in Franklin County..,
Advent of trail cameras really changed deer hunting November 19, 2023 South Carolina, Davie County Enterprise Record
... Nowadays, a great majority of those successful hunters knew exactly what they were dealing with, having seen the bucks on trail-camera photos right up until the time they pulled the trigger... More than anything I’ve seen in 50 years in the woods, the trail camera has changed the way hunters target ...
CWD spread continues in NC November 10, 2023 Couth Carolina, Carolina Sportsman
... Chronic Wasting Disease has reached Johnston County, NC for the first time. Testing on a 31/2-year-old doe was conducted after the deer was harvested in the county by a hunter during archery season...
Deer discovered swimming off North Carolina’s coast, police say. See the odd video October 17, 2023 AOL
... The deer traveled about a third of a mile before heading back to shore, police said. It then galloped onto the beach and took off running for the dunes...
Chronic wasting disease detected in Johnston County deer, 1st case in Triangle October 13, 2023 North Carolina, YAHOO!News
... A deer in Johnston County died from chronic wasting disease, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission confirmed Friday, marking the first case of the fatal illness around the Triangle... a 3 1/2-year-old female white-tailed deer ..,
