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District 2, Coastal
Pitt County Hunting
Everything county-specific about hunting Pitt County, from the Northeastern archery, blackpowder and gun windows to light-shining hours, waterfowl zones, game land acreage and harvest by year.
Photo: bobistraveling (CC BY 2.0)
With Greenville as its seat, Pitt County covers 652 square miles in the NCWRC Coastal Region. Its 2024 head count of 180,783 is +5.2% on the 2020 base. The Commission counts it in District 2 of its Coastal Region. Deer dates follow the Northeastern schedule, and bear dates the Coastal BMU Zone 4. Across the state, 22 counties run on this deer calendar. No NCWRC game land boundary falls inside the county, so public hunting means a drive or a permit hunt.
Land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates, district and region from the NCWRC district biologist sheet, game land acres from the NCWRC game land boundary layer (GIS measure), deer groups from the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance. Checked October 25, 2026.
How deer seasons work in Pitt County
The gun opener for Pitt County is Oct 17, 2026, after an archery stretch that starts Sep 12 and a blackpowder fortnight from Oct 3. Antlerless harvest is allowed through the whole archery, blackpowder and gun calendar. The statewide youth days, Sep 26 to Sep 27, 2026, let hunters under 16 use any legal weapon. NCWRC lists Pitt County as a CWD surveillance county (Secondary CWD Surveillance Area).
| Season | From and to | Doe days |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 12–Oct 2, 2026 | Every open day |
| Muzzleloaders | Oct 3–Oct 16, 2026 | Every open day |
| Firearms | Oct 17–Jan 1, 2027 | Every open day |
| Youth days (statewide) | Sep 26–Sep 27, 2026 | Either sex, youth |
Pitt County counts 0 CWD positives all years, with 1 clean tests so far this sampling year.
Lights at night
Deer may not be lit up from 11 p.m. until 30 minutes before sunrise.
Deer per season
Six deer a season: two antlered, four antlerless.
Report by noon
Phone 800-I-GOT-ONE or use the app; record the authorization number.
Northeastern deer page · Compare deer zones · CWD rules
Zone groups, dates and antlerless days from the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance and the digest deer seasons; youth, CWD early and urban seasons from the digest deer regulations; CWD areas from the NCWRC CWD special regulations; tests from the NCWRC CWD testing chart (updated Oct 15, 2026); light rule from 15A NCAC 10B .0115. Checked October 25, 2026.
Pitt County hunting dates by species
Pitt County rows run from the Sept. 1 Canada goose and dove openers to the spring gobbler season that closes in May.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Northeastern | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 2, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Northeastern | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Northeastern | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Coastal BMU Zone 4 | Coastal BMU Zone 4 | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Season (spring) | Statewide | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Statewide Spring Season | Statewide | Apr 17, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | |
| Feral swine | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 10, 2026 | |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Dec 16, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Remainder of state (either sex) | Rest of the state | Sep 5, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Fall/winter | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Spring season | Statewide | May 17, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Red squirrel | Fall/winter | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Teal | September teal season | East of U.S. 17 only | Sep 10, 2026 | Sep 19, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Coastal zone | Oct 23, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Coastal zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 3 | Coastal zone | Dec 17, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | September Canada goose season | Statewide in September | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 1 | Resident Population Zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 2 | Resident Population Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 3 | Resident Population Zone | Dec 17, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 1 | Resident Population Zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 2 | Resident Population Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 3 | Resident Population Zone | Dec 17, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Brant | Statewide | Dec 28, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Tundra swan | Tundra swan (permit only) | Permit holders only | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Waterfowl | Veterans day | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Waterfowl | Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Waterfowl | Veterans day | Statewide | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Waterfowl | Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| King and clapper rail | Rails | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Virginia rail and sora | Rails | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Gallinule and moorhen | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Oct 27, 2026 | Feb 27, 2027 | |
| Crow | Season 1 (Wed/Fri/Sat) | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Feb 27, 2027 | |
| Crow | Season 2 (Wed/Fri/Sat) | Statewide | Jun 2, 2027 | Jul 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Firearms season | East of I-77; local acts vary | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Firearms season | East of I-77; local acts vary | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Groundhog | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Nutria | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Skunk | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Armadillo | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Beaver | Year-round | Statewide, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 2026-27 regulations digest and the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance, checked October 25, 2026.
Pitt County tracts open to hunters
Our list holds no tract inside Pitt County; neighbouring counties carry the closest game lands.
Neighbouring tracts: Voice of America Game Land 2,818 acres, 15 miles out; Tar River Game Land 154 acres, 21 miles out; Dover Bay Game Land 2,898 acres, 26 miles out; Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge 21,306 acres, 28 miles out; Lower Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land 31,620 acres, 30 miles out.
Land finder · 95 game lands · Which days to hunt
Tracts from our North Carolina land list (NCWRC regional game land tables, game land rules, USFS, USFWS, NPS and Corps records); game land acres from the NCWRC boundary layer and national forest acres from the USFS ownership layer, both GIS measures; acres within 10 miles of the seat from the same layers. Checked October 25, 2026.
Pitt County harvest card totals
1,502 bucks, 1,289 does and 108 button bucks came from Pitt County in 2025-26. 2025-26 leads the run of seasons with 2,899 deer. Weapon split last season: gun 2,641, bow and crossbow 178, blackpowder 80. Private and other ground supplied 2,899 deer, game lands 0. Per square mile, 2.95 bucks were taken. Within the antlerless count, 108 were button bucks, males with only skin-covered knobs. Fifty seasons of totals put the high mark at 2025, with 2,899 deer.
| Year | Antlered | Button bucks | Does | Deer | Gun | Blackpowder | Vertical bow | Crossbow | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,502 | 108 | 1,289 | 2,899 | 2,641 | 80 | 124 | 54 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 1,327 | 98 | 1,351 | 2,776 | 2,556 | 66 | 100 | 54 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 1,496 | 98 | 1,292 | 2,886 | 2,653 | 68 | 95 | 70 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 1,296 | 91 | 1,248 | 2,635 | 2,411 | 75 | 117 | 32 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 1,334 | 102 | 1,148 | 2,584 | 2,387 | 65 | 95 | 37 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 1,299 | 106 | 1,313 | 2,718 | 2,462 | 72 | 143 | 41 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 1,184 | 85 | 1,106 | 2,375 | 2,203 | 62 | 84 | 26 | 0 |
NCWRC 2025-26 deer harvest by county and earlier county PDFs on the harvest statistics page; long series from the NCWRC county deer harvest 1976-2025 table. Checked October 25, 2026.
Local hunting acts in Pitt County
The digest prints 5 local acts for Pitt County. Each item below is unlawful in the county.
- Hunt with a firearm from or on, or across a public road or the right-of-way thereof.
- Hunt while under the influence of an impairing substance.
- Hunt with a firearm within 300 feet of any residency or occupied building without the written, signed and dated permission of the owner or lessee of the land. Permission must be renewed annually.
- Hunt or to discharge a firearm on or across posted land without the written, signed and dated permission of the owner or lessee. Permission must be renewed annually.
- Release dogs on posted land without the written signed and dated permission of the owner or lessee of the land. Permission must be renewed annually.
Archery is allowed through Sunday morning; firearms wait until 12:30 p.m. Firearm hunters of most game wear hunter orange visible from all sides; deer hunters wear it during any gun season. Fox seasons vary by county under local acts; check the NCWRC fox book.
Local laws index · Sunday hours · General rules
Local acts from the digest local laws by county; Sunday rules from G.S. 103-2; hunter orange from G.S. 113-291.8; zone lists from the 2026-27 digest. Checked October 25, 2026.
Pitt County beyond whitetails
Pitt black bear
Bear season in Pitt County follows the Coastal BMU Zone 4: Nov 21 to Dec 20, 2026. The 2025 bear count for Pitt County: 59. Of the 2025 bears, 34 were male and 25 female; 0 came off game lands. Method in 2025: 47% with dogs.
Turkey harvest
Bearded birds only, from Apr 17, 2027 to May 15, 2027 statewide. The spring 2026 turkey count for Pitt County: 510 (54 jakes). The long-run table shows 2 birds in 2001, the first year listed. Game lands supplied 0 of those birds and other land 510.
| Spring | Gobblers | Jakes | Total | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 456 | 54 | 510 | 0 |
| 2025 | 369 | 70 | 439 | 0 |
| 2024 | 387 | 52 | 439 | 0 |
| 2023 | 376 | 41 | 417 | 0 |
| 2022 | 270 | 39 | 309 | 0 |
| 2021 | 270 | 29 | 299 | 0 |
| 2020 | 293 | 67 | 360 | 0 |
Waterfowl zones
Pitt County uses Coastal zone duck dates. The goose map puts Pitt County in the Resident Population Zone.
Coastal BMU Zone 4 page · Designated bear areas · I-95 duck line
Bear units and dates from the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance and the digest bear seasons; bear harvest from the NCWRC BMU county table, 2025 sex and land split from the 2025 county detail, method from the 2025 method table; turkey dates from the digest and harvest from the spring 2026 county table; waterfowl zones from the migratory bird digest page and the digest zone maps. Checked October 25, 2026.
Pitt County shooting time on key dates
On Sundays firearm hunting stops from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and migratory birds are closed all day; the hours below are for the other days.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal for game | Legal for ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:44 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 8:03 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 7:33 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:49 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:17 a.m. | 6:34 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 7:04 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 6:34 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:43 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 6:56 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:15 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:17 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:34 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. |
Sunrise and sunset from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission digest table for Charlotte with county offsets; hours rule G.S. 113-291.1; checked October 25, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Who to call in Pitt County
NCWRC publishes no list of licensed taxidermists or guides, so those rows come from directories; call before you go.
Agency contacts
Pitt County falls to Chris Kent on the NCWRC biologist list. NCWRC Williamston Depot (Williamston) is the closest Commission facility, 24 miles out.
Venison processing
Taxidermists nearby
Preserves nearby
Pitt area gun and bow counters
Biologists and supervisors from the NCWRC district biologist sheet (updated Aug. 17, 2026); offices from the NCWRC facilities layer; processors and taxidermists from the NCWRC Cervid Health Cooperator list, NC Hunters for the Hungry and directory listings; shops from directory listings and store locators. Checked October 25, 2026; call ahead. All North Carolina hunting services.
Where to stay near Pitt County
The acreage beside a town is public land inside a 10-mile circle, measured on GIS layers.
- Greenvilleseat · 95,138 townspeople
- Stokes2,825 public acres in a 10-mile ring
Tiles below open each county next to Pitt County.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Before you burn in Pitt County
- Permit season: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Pitt County is not on this list.
- Ban orders: The Commissioner of Agriculture, during hazardous forest fire conditions or declared air pollution episodes, may prohibit all open burning regardless of whether a permit is required (G.S.
- Warming fires: NC Wildlife Resources Commission game lands (15A NCAC 10D .0102(i)): no camping except on areas posted by the landowner for camping.
Pitt County ranges, clubs and shoots
4 Pitt County ranges are listed; every card says who may shoot.
On offer: rifle, handgun, silhouette
On offer: trap, sporting clays, shotgun, rifle, handgun
On offer: sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
For a Commission-listed public range, Odom Shooting Range (Northampton County) is about 55 miles away.
Local match calendar
| Date, shoot | Format | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 — PITT COUNTY WILDLIFE CLUB 2026 GSMM MATCHES | High power | Register |
| Nov 21, 2026 — Down East Garand Shooters 2026 GSM North Carolina State Championship | High power | Register |
| Nov 21, 2026 — Down East Garand Shooters 2026 GSMM Match | High power | Register |
| Dec 19, 2026 — Down East Garand Shooters 2026 GSMM Match | High power | Register |
| Dec 19-20, 2026 — Greenville Gun & Knife Show | Gun show | See listing |
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Pitt County on the North Carolina events calendar
Read October 25, 2026: 1 upcoming event and 3 NCWRC classes, covering NWTF banquet and hunter education course.
Next dates
| Held | What | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 26, 2027 | Pitt Co. Chapter Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | Greenville ⋅ Pitt Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Hunter education classes
| Date | Course | Hours | Place | Seat | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 3, 2026 | D2, A2 Hunter Education Certification ⋅ hunter education course | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | River Park North ⋅ Greenville ⋅ Pitt Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Feb 22, 2027 | D2, A2 Hunter Education Certification ⋅ hunter education course | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | River Park North ⋅ Greenville ⋅ Pitt Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Jun 23, 2027 | D2, A2 Hunter Education Certification ⋅ hunter education course | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Pitt Community College ⋅ Winterville ⋅ Pitt Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Pitt County, answered
How many bears did Pitt County hunters register in 2025?
59 reported.
What are the Sunday hours for gun hunters in Pitt County?
Yes, but no firearms from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and no migratory birds.
Do I need HIP for doves in Pitt County?
Yes. HIP certification is required for migratory birds.
How many turkeys came from Pitt County in 2026?
510 reported.
Which NCWRC district is Pitt County in?
District 2, Coastal Region.
What is the biggest public tract in Pitt County?
No listed tract has acres here.
Which deer dates apply to Pitt County hunters?
The Northeastern group from the 2026-2027 at-a-glance sheet.
Who should a Pitt County hunter call about processing?
Riley's Deer Processing; book early in November.
Is the Pitt County deer harvest rising?
Season by season the cards show 2,375 in 2019-20, 2,776 in 2024-25 and 2,899 in 2025-26.
Are button bucks antlerless in Pitt County?
Yes. Knobs under skin are not antlers, so button bucks count as antlerless.
Answers from the 2026-27 NCWRC digest, the Season Dates at a Glance, harvest reporting rules, NCWRC harvest and CWD data and the sources above. Checked October 25, 2026.
Pitt County, last word
Dates on this page are for 2026-27 only; recheck the digest if you plan a later season.
Sources: 2026-27 NCWRC regulations digest, Season Dates at a Glance, NCWRC hunting, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 25, 2026.
Other photos on this page: alexfiles (CC BY-SA 2.0); GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); GerryT (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); The Hendersons Paradox (CC BY-SA 2.0); born1945 (CC BY 2.0); GlacierNPS (Public domain); Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0); kdwood2 (CC BY-SA 2.0).