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Checked against the NCWRC digest, 2026-27
North Carolina Hunting
95 game lands and 35 other public places from the Nantahala to the Outer Banks, all 100 counties and 218 towns, deer season zones, bear units, 286 permit hunts and every license fee, each read from NCWRC sources on October 25, 2026.
Photo: jeffgunn (CC BY 2.0)
North Carolina hunting by the numbers
NCWRC manages about 2,000,000 acres as game lands, the backbone of public hunting here, and all four national forests are game lands too. Hunters reported 199,770 deer in 2025-26, the highest of the seven seasons on file.
Harvest figures are reported harvest as NCWRC prints it; national forest acres are Forest Service land inside the state. Sources: game land acreage; Forest Service acres; deer harvest; bear harvest; permit hunts; CWD testing chart, verified October 25, 2026.
Where the public can hunt in North Carolina
Game lands come in day schedules: some are open every day, others six, four or three days a week, and permit-only tracts are reached through the drawings. Corps lakes, refuges, the seashores and Fort Bragg run their own rules.
| Public land hub | What is in it |
|---|---|
| 95 game lands | 45 open 7 days a week |
| Mountain game lands | 23 properties |
| Piedmont game lands | 30 properties |
| Coastal game lands | 42 properties |
| Permit-only game lands | 17 properties |
| National forests | 4 forests, 8 districts |
| National wildlife refuges | 10 refuges |
| Corps lakes, seashores and Fort Bragg | 7 places |
| State forests and local permit land | 5 places |
| Game land schedule | Game lands |
|---|---|
| Seven days a week | 45 |
| Six days a week | 18 |
| Permit only | 17 |
| Three days a week | 10 |
| Four days a week | 5 |
The dove field program covers 201 fields on 27 game lands, about 1,654 acres. Dove fields
State parks are closed to hunting system-wide, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway are closed as well. Sources: regional game land tables; NCWRC game land layer; dove field layer, verified October 25, 2026.
Map of North Carolina hunting land
121 places with a map point, from the Cheoah Ranger District on the Tennessee line to the Currituck Banks. Larger dots mark properties of 20,000 acres or more.
North Carolina seasons open now and next
Taken from the 164 season rows of the 2026-27 digest. The Today column reads the date on your own device, so it stays correct after this page was built.
Open on Oct 27, 2026: 25 rows
| Game | Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Crow | Season 1 (Wed/Fri/Sat) | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Feb 27, 2027 | |
| Common Gallinule and Moorhen | Gallinule and moorhen | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Rails | King and clapper rail | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Remainder of state (either sex) | Statewide except the barrier islands above | Sep 5, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Rails | Virginia rail and sora | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Central | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Northwestern | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Northwestern CWD Management Area | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Western A | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Western B | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Western C | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Western D | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| Black Bear | Mountain BMU (segment 1) | Mountain BMU | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Fox Squirrel | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray Squirrel | Fall/winter | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Red Squirrel | Fall/winter | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Black Bear | Piedmont BMU group 1 | Piedmont BMU | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Gun | Northeastern | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Gun | Southeastern | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Gun | Southeastern CWD Management Area | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Wilson's Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Oct 27, 2026 | Feb 27, 2027 |
The next ten openers
| Game | Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Blackpowder | Central | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed Deer | Blackpowder | Northwestern CWD Management Area | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| American Coot | Split 2 | Inland duck zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| American Coot | Split 2 | Coastal duck zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Canada Goose | Resident Population Zone split 2 | Resident Population Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck season split 2 | Inland duck zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck season split 2 | Coastal duck zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Light Geese | Regular season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Mergansers | Split 2 | Inland duck zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Mergansers | Split 2 | Coastal duck zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 |
Trapping rows, falconry extensions, preserve seasons and rule-only rows stay on the season and species pages. Sources: deer seasons; bear; small game; migratory birds; Season Dates at a Glance, verified October 25, 2026.
49 North Carolina species guides
Whitetails across all 100 counties, black bears from the Blue Ridge to the pocosins, spring gobblers only, ducks split by the I-95 line, tundra swans by permit and feral swine year-round on private land. Elk, Red Wolf, Cougar and Sandhill Crane have no season; their pages explain why.
Elk · American Alligator · Gray Squirrel · Red Squirrel · Fox Squirrel · Rabbit · Northern Bobwhite Quail · Ruffed Grouse · Ring-necked Pheasant · Raccoon · Opossum · Pen-raised birds on controlled hunting preserves · Mourning Dove · Rails · Common Gallinule and Moorhen · American Woodcock · Wilson's Snipe · Mergansers · American Coot · Canada Goose · White-fronted Goose · Light Geese · Brant · Youth and Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days · Sandhill Crane · American Crow · Beaver · Bobcat · Mink · Muskrat · Nutria · River Otter · Striped Skunk · Weasel · Red Fox · Gray Fox · Coyote · Groundhog · Nine-banded Armadillo · Furbearers · Bullfrog · Red Wolf · Cougar
Deer zones and bear units across North Carolina
Deer dates follow 10 zone groups, from the Northeastern zone, where gun season opens in mid-October, to the four Western groups, where it waits until late November. Bear seasons follow the Mountain unit, three Piedmont groups and five Coastal zones.
| Deer zone group | Counties | Archery | Gun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern | 22 | Sep 12-Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Southeastern | 23 | Sep 12-Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Southeastern CWD Management Area | 2 | Sep 12-Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Central | 19 | Sep 12-Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Northwestern | 12 | Sep 12-Nov 6, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Northwestern CWD Management Area | 5 | Sep 12-Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Western A | 6 | Sep 12-Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Western B | 3 | Sep 12-Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Western C | 7 | Sep 12-Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
| Western D | 1 | Sep 12-Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026-Jan 1, 2027 |
Archery and gun dates are each group’s main season; antlerless days and youth days are on the zone pages. Sources: deer season zones; bear management units, verified October 25, 2026.
Three NCWRC regions, 100 counties
NCWRC splits the state into nine wildlife districts grouped in three regions. Pick a region, then a county for its deer zone, bear unit, local acts, harvest history and the game lands nearby.
Mountain Region (34)
Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, Yancey
Piedmont Region (32)
Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Guilford, Halifax, Johnston, Lee, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Nash, Northampton, Orange, Person, Randolph, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, Union, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wayne, Wilson
Coastal Region (34)
Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Gates, Greene, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Tyrrell, Washington
Regions follow NCWRC districts: Coastal 1, 2 and 4, Piedmont 3, 5 and 6, Mountain 7, 8 and 9. Land pages are counted by their district. Sources: NCWRC district layer, verified October 25, 2026.
Eight North Carolina rules to know first
Licenses
Residents start with State Hunting at $32, add the big game privilege for $18, or buy Comprehensive Hunting at $49. Nonresidents pay $124 plus big game.
Harvest reporting
Deer, bear and turkey are reported by noon the day after harvest: in the Go Outdoors North Carolina app, online, by phone or at a wildlife service agent.
Hunter orange
Firearm hunters of most game and every deer hunter during a gun season wear orange visible from all sides; turkey hunters are exempt. The penalty is a $25 infraction.
Sunday hunting
Legal, but no firearms from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., none within 500 yards of a place of worship, no deer with dogs using guns, and no migratory birds.
Permit hunts
286 hunt items in 8 application deadlines, drawn at random for $8 an application.
Shooting hours
Thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset; migratory birds stop at sunset. NCWRC prints one Charlotte table and a minute offset per county.
Local acts
94 counties have local laws on road hunting, written permission, rifles, dogs or lights that sit on top of the statewide rules.
Youth and veterans
Youth deer days Sep 26-27, 2026, youth turkey Apr 10-11, 2027, and youth and veterans waterfowl days on Dec 5, 2026 and Feb 6, 2027.
Sources: Go Outdoors North Carolina; harvest reporting; G.S. 113-291.8; G.S. 103-2; permit hunts; sunrise and sunset table; local laws; youth and veterans days, verified October 25, 2026.
Classes, banquets and ranges statewide
230 hunting events are on the calendar from Oct 28, 2026, most of them hunter education classes listed on Go Outdoors North Carolina. The shooting side lists 184 ranges, 10 of them NCWRC public ranges.
| Date | Event | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28, 2026 | D3 A5 Hunter Education | Raleigh, Wake County | Class |
| Oct 28, 2026 | Hunter Education Class Wilkesboro | North Wilkesboro, Wilkes County | Class |
| Oct 29, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification (D6) * | Select One, Wilkes County | Class |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Lincoln County Coon Club UKC Coonhound Event | Lincolnton, Lincoln County | Coon hunt |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Toe River Houndsmen Association UKC Coonhound Event | Burnsville, Yancey County | Coon hunt |
| Oct 30, 2026 | Yadkin River Coon Club UKC Coonhound Event | Lexington, Davidson County | Coon hunt |
Where Tar Heel hunters take a deer, a mount or a gun
Deer processors
94 listed, 16 of them Hunters for the Hungry donation processors.
Taxidermists
210 shops. NCWRC licenses taxidermists but publishes no list of holders.
Guides and preserves
25 listings; NCWRC posts preserve rules but no list of licensed preserves.
Gun and bow shops
627 stores, including 18 Academy stores that sell licenses at the counter.
Wildlife offices
50 NCWRC depots and offices, Forest Service ranger districts and refuge visitor centers.
Sources: NC Hunters for the Hungry; NCWRC Cervid Health Cooperators; NCWRC facilities layer; Academy store locator, verified October 25, 2026.
North Carolina hunting questions
Does North Carolina open turkey hunting in the fall?
No. North Carolina has a spring gobbler season only; the 2026-27 youth days are Apr 10-11, 2027.
How do North Carolina permit hunts work?
Apply through Go Outdoors North Carolina for $8 per application; parties are drawn at random. The 2026-27 book lists 286 hunt items across 704 hunt areas.
How many acres of game land are open to North Carolina hunters?
NCWRC manages about 2,000,000 acres of public and private land as game lands, open with most hunting licenses. National forests, refuges, Corps lakes and Fort Bragg are mapped on the public land pages.
Can you hunt elk in North Carolina?
No. Elk in Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties are protected; the rule framework exists, but there is no season, and taking one carries a $2,500 minimum fine.
Can you hunt on Sunday in North Carolina?
Yes, with limits: no firearms from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., no firearm hunting within 500 yards of a place of worship, no deer hunting with dogs using firearms, and no migratory birds. Archery has no Sunday time limit.
When does deer gun season open in North Carolina?
It depends on the zone. The Northeastern and Southeastern zones open Oct 17, 2026, the Central zone Nov 14, 2026, and the Western groups later in November; all close Jan 1, 2027.
Where and by when is a North Carolina deer registered?
Validate your Big Game Harvest Report Card, then register the deer by noon the next day in the Go Outdoors North Carolina app, online, by phone at 800-446-8663 or at a wildlife service agent.
May a North Carolina deer hunter hunt over bait?
On private land, yes; no statewide ban appears in the digest. Bait is banned on game lands, and in CWD areas no bait or food may be put out from Jan. 2 to Aug. 31.
What is the heaviest bear on the NCWRC list?
The NCWRC record is an 880-pound male from Craven County in 1998, taken on a dog hunt. Hunters reported 4,495 bears in 2025.
How many deer were reported last season?
199,770 in 2025-26, the highest season on file (2025-26), with 150,949 taken with guns.
Plan a North Carolina season
Start with a county for its deer zone, bear unit and local acts, or a town for the nearest game land and a processor down the road.
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