Chapel Hill is home to hundreds of deer (source: Deer Density map, NC Wildlife Resources Commission). While the presence of deer may be a welcomed sight to some, deer can be a cause of motor vehicle accidents and carry diseases, such as Lyme disease.

What can I do to help keep the deer population controlled and healthy?

Please don’t feed the deer! Deer naturally forage alone or in small groups, spreading out to sample natural foods which are usually spread across the landscape. Artificial feeding sites, however, attract many deer and other wildlife to one spot. Feeding deer is harmful to the deer population and creates a nuisance for neighbors. Deer fed by humans are more prone to disease because of an unbalanced diet. Deer may return to the same source even when the feed is no longer available and often end up “visiting” neighboring property. 

Include native, deer resistant plants within your landscape. Assistance on these plant species is available from the NC Cooperative Extension Service.

Use a variety of spray applications that are designed to protect landscape plants from deer by making them unappetizing. 

Deer Hunting in Chapel Hill

In North Carolina, each municipality has the option to determine whether it will allow hunting on public property and to establish restrictions for hunting on private property within the municipal limits. Current Town of Chapel Hill ordinances prohibit the discharge of firearms within the Town limits and no hunting of any kind is allowed on publicly held property, including land owned by the University. There are no Town ordinances that specifically limit the ability of individuals to hunt with bow and arrow on their own property or on other properties with permission of the landowner. 

Bow hunting is regulated by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. The statewide bow hunting season, including inside the Town limits of Chapel Hill, typically runs from early September through January.  

Since 2010, the Town has participated in the Urban Archery Program administered by the Wildlife Resources Commission. The Urban Archery Program extends the bow hunting season inside participating towns and cities and typically runs from the end of the bow hunting season through early February.

2023-2024 Season Date: 

Urban Archery Only (January 13 – February 18, 2024) 

Urban Deer Season (open in participating cities only; see regulations digest for list and contact information)

2023-2024 Season Dates Season-Dates.pdf (ncwildlife.org)

Bow Hunting Tips

Hunting on private land in Chapel Hill is by bow and arrow only. To hunt, fish, or trap on private land, written permission of the property owner, signed and dated within the last twelve months, is required, whether or not the owner has posted a “No Hunting” sign. 

The following list is additional common-sense guidance collected in consultation with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. These recommendations are to promote the community’s general wellbeing and are not a guarantee of safety. The Town of Chapel Hill cannot be responsible for damage or harm that occurs due to hunting on private land. Please consult all applicable laws and regulations before hunting.

• Consider the suitability of the property you wish to hunt on. Bow hunting is not recommended on properties less than 2 acres in size. Bow hunting is not recommended within 150 ft. of any dwelling or road or within 300 ft. of a daycare, school, place of worship, or park. Consider avoiding these areas.
• Be sure of your target in order to take the safest shot. Ensure there are no people, houses, vehicles, pets, or livestock in front of or behind your target.
• While hunting, wear orange to make yourself clearly visible to others who might be near you.
• If hunting from a stand, place the stand a minimum of ten feet off the ground.
• Shoot “inward” (towards the center of the property), not “outward” (towards the outer perimeter of the property) to keep discharged arrows within the property boundaries. Shoot level or downward if possible. 
• Review materials at the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s “Home from the Hunt” website. “Home from the Hunt” is a nationally recognized campaign that encourages everyone to be prepared and be safe during time spent outdoors. More information can be found at this link: https://www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/Laws-Safety/Home-From-the-Hunt  
• Enroll in a hunter education course offered by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. More information can be found at this link: https://www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/Hunting-in-North-Carolina#90011758-hunter-education-information

Need to Report Illegal Hunting or Have Questions?

The Wildlife Resources Commission is tasked with enforcement of hunting violations. Contact them at 1-800-662-7137 or askenforcement@ncwildlife.org . For any complaints about unlawful hunting behavior, you may also call 9-1-1. Be aware of property owner rights and protections and report any violations to 9-1-1 as soon as they occur.

To report injured wildlife or to receive other related resource information, visit https://www.ncwildlife.org/Have-A-Problem.

The Parks and Recreation Department serves as the Town’s point of contact for this webpage and for the urban archery program. Questions can be directed to the department at parksrec@townofchapelhill.org or 919-968-2784.

Background Information

A public forum on the issue of deer in Chapel Hill was held in spring 2010. A panel of experts from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Orange County Health Department and others provided information related to deer overpopulation, including the effects of the deer population on the environment, potential health risks related to deer overpopulation and the feasibility of an urban bow hunt for deer.

Based on the information gathered at the public forum and through staff research, the Town Council took immediate action to ask the Wildlife Resources Commission to authorize the Urban Archery Season for Deer Hunting. This extension of the regular hunting season was approved by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

Council Memoranda 

• April 19, 2010 - Public Forum on Deer Population Control
• January 11, 2010 - Response to Petition for Urban Deer Hunt in Mt. Bolus Neighborhood
• October 12, 2009 - Deer Population

Petitions to Council

• March 8, 2009 Petition (pdf)
• October 12, 2009 Petition (pdf)
• Sustainability Committee Petition (pdf)

Information Materials

• Deer Resistant Plants (pdf)
• Mt. Bolus Area Map (pdf)