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Coastal Region · 2026-27
Beaufort County Hunting
Beaufort County at a glance for 2026-27: which deer zone and bear unit it falls in, the local hunting acts, seven seasons of reported deer, bear and gobbler counts, game lands and a district biologist to call.
Photo: pburka (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Beaufort County takes in 833 square miles of dry land plus 130 of water, governed from Washington. Census staff estimated 44,576 residents for 2024, close to 54 per square mile. District 2 biologists cover it, under the Coastal Region supervisor. For season dates, read the Southeastern deer rows and the Coastal BMU Zone 3 bear rows. 23 counties share the Southeastern dates. Game land boundaries cover about 10,893 acres inside the line by GIS measure.
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.
Beaufort County Southeastern deer calendar
Under the Southeastern dates, archery runs Sep 12 to Oct 2, 2026, blackpowder Oct 3 to Oct 16, 2026 and gun Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. There are no either-sex day limits here: each open day allows antlerless deer. Sep 26 to Sep 27, 2026 are youth deer hunting days across the state. None of the CWD areas includes Beaufort County.
| Segment | Runs | Antlerless days |
|---|---|---|
| Bows | Sep 12–Oct 2, 2026 | Every open day |
| Blackpowder | Oct 3–Oct 16, 2026 | Every open day |
| Gun season | Oct 17–Jan 1, 2027 | Every open day |
| Youth days (statewide) | Sep 26–Sep 27, 2026 | Either sex, youth |
The testing chart lists Beaufort County only inside its rest-of-state total.
Night lights
No light-shining for deer after 11 p.m.
How many deer
No daily limit; six per season.
Register it
Report through Go Outdoors North Carolina before skinning or by noon next day.
The Southeastern group · Zones statewide · CWD areas
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.
What is open around Beaufort County this year
Dove, squirrel, rabbit and quail run statewide, while the deer zone, bear unit, I-95 duck line and goose zone set the rest for Beaufort County.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Southeastern | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 2, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Southeastern | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Southeastern | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Part 1 | Coastal BMU Zone 3 | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Part 2 | Coastal BMU Zone 3 | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 27, 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.
Public hunting land in Beaufort County
Game lands, refuges, Corps lakes and forest districts with ground in Beaufort County total 3 on our list. Game land day types here: 2 open 7 days a week and 1 permit-only. The ten-mile ring around Washington holds near 109 acres of public land.
- Game lands in Beaufort (3)Goose Creek Game Land (10,376 ac*, 7 days), Van Swamp Game Land (5,504 ac*, 7 days), Voice of America Game Land (2,818 ac, Permit only)
Over the county line, nearest first: Pungo River Game Land 350 ac, 20 miles out; Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge 16,000 ac, 27 miles out; Neuse River Game Land 5,965 ac, 28 miles out; Light Ground Pocosin Game Land 942 ac, 28 miles out; Bachelor Bay Game Land 2,786 ac, 29 miles out.
All 130 land pages · Game lands statewide · Game land days
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.
How many deer Beaufort County gives up
In 2025-26 the report cards logged 2,746 Beaufort County deer, placing it 29th statewide. Set against 2019-20, the latest season is +4%. The gun season produced 2,484 deer; the muzzleloader fortnight gave 126. 77 of those deer came off game lands. NCWRC computes 1.8 antlered bucks per square mile for the county. Does outnumbered button bucks 1,317 to 152 in the antlerless share. In 1976 the county reported 900 deer; the record is 3,388 in 2008.
| Season | Bucks | Male fawns | Females | Total | Gun | BP | Bow | Crossbow | GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,277 | 152 | 1,317 | 2,746 | 2,484 | 126 | 105 | 31 | 77 |
| 2024-25 | 1,131 | 104 | 1,270 | 2,505 | 2,340 | 66 | 57 | 42 | 55 |
| 2023-24 | 1,185 | 132 | 1,305 | 2,622 | 2,440 | 71 | 67 | 44 | 56 |
| 2022-23 | 1,049 | 113 | 1,249 | 2,411 | 2,193 | 103 | 79 | 36 | 47 |
| 2021-22 | 1,164 | 145 | 1,331 | 2,640 | 2,425 | 99 | 76 | 40 | 46 |
| 2020-21 | 1,094 | 132 | 1,241 | 2,467 | 2,247 | 105 | 88 | 27 | 35 |
| 2019-20 | 1,121 | 142 | 1,380 | 2,643 | 2,470 | 83 | 73 | 17 | 50 |
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.
Beaufort County local laws and county rules
2 county-specific prohibitions from the local laws section of the digest apply in Beaufort County.
- Hunt migratory wildfowl north of the Pamlico River channel between Broad Creek and Washington City Limits.
- To discharge, or attempt to discharge, a firearm or bow and arrow, from, on, or across the roadway or right-of-way of any public road.
Sunday rules: no firearm hunting within 500 yards of a place of worship and no deer chased by dogs with guns. Archers in an archery-only season may skip orange, except on youth days and gun-season Sundays. Coyote rules are tighter here: Beaufort County is in the red wolf area and coyote harvests are reported. County fox seasons are set by local acts and are in a separate NCWRC fox seasons book.
Compare local acts · Sunday law · Hunting laws
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.
Beaufort County bear and gobbler numbers
Bear numbers
Beaufort County is in the Coastal BMU Zone 3, open for bear Nov 14 to Nov 22, 2026 and Dec 12 to Dec 27, 2026. Beaufort County hunters registered 257 bears in 2025. By land type, 253 of the 2025 bears were off game lands. Hound hunters took 161 and still hunters 96 in 2025.
Gobblers
Turkey hunting in Beaufort County is spring only: youth Apr 10 to Apr 11, 2027, everyone Apr 17 to May 15, 2027. Beaufort County gave up 434 birds in spring 2026, against 396 in 2025. 1999 is the first year with a reported bird. Of every hundred 2026 birds, about 1 came from game lands.
| Spring | Adults | Juveniles | Birds | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 392 | 42 | 434 | 5 |
| 2025 | 323 | 73 | 396 | 3 |
| 2024 | 327 | 27 | 354 | 2 |
| 2023 | 297 | 44 | 341 | 6 |
| 2022 | 271 | 36 | 307 | 5 |
| 2021 | 325 | 27 | 352 | 4 |
| 2020 | 284 | 79 | 363 | 6 |
Beaufort ducks and geese
The Coastal zone covers all of Beaufort County. Geese follow the Resident Population Zone dates.
Coastal BMU Zone 3 details · Bear management areas · Duck and goose zones
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.
Beaufort County shooting time on key dates
Legal light at Beaufort County: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset for deer, bear and small game, and sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset for waterfowl and doves.
| Day | Season | Sun up | Sun down | Deer and small game | Migratory birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:43 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:48 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:16 a.m. | 6:33 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:03 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:42 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 6:55 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:14 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:16 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:33 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 7:44 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.
Beaufort County hunting services and NCWRC staff
Processors marked as CWD cooperators or Hunters for the Hungry partners come from NCWRC and charity lists; the rest are directory listings.
Phone list for Beaufort
Call Chris Kent, District 2 biologist, about deer, bear or habitat in Beaufort County. The nearest NCWRC office is NCWRC Williamston Depot in Williamston, about 32 miles away; depots are work centres, so call ahead.
Deer processors
Mounts
Guided hunts
Outdoor stores
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.
Beaufort County seat, towns and next-door counties
Pick a base in Beaufort County: every town below links to a page with nearby game lands and services.
- Washingtoncounty seat · 9,738 people in 2024 · 109 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Aurora451 people in 2024 · 6,084 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Pinetown4,983 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
6 North Carolina counties touch Beaufort County.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Burn bans and permits in Beaufort County
- Permit season: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Beaufort County is on this list.
- Who declares bans: 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.
- Fires on public land: NC Wildlife Resources Commission game lands (15A NCAC 10D .0102(i)): no camping except on areas posted by the landowner for camping.
Beaufort County ranges and match dates
2 ranges in Beaufort County as of October 25, 2026, each with its access rule.
Firing lines: sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
Firing lines: skeet, shotgun
Nearest NCWRC public range: Odom Shooting Range in Northampton County, about 71 miles from the county center.
Matches in the county
| When and what | Kind | Go |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2027 — District 2 YHEST 2027 | YHEST | Enter |
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Beaufort County on the North Carolina events calendar
Delta Waterfowl banquet and hunter education course: 1 upcoming event and 5 NCWRC classes. Read October 25, 2026.
Still to come
| Held | What | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 9, 2027 | Eastern North Carolina Chapter Delta Waterfowl Banquet ⋅ Delta Waterfowl banquet | Southern Acres of Bath ⋅ Bath ⋅ Beaufort Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
NCWRC classes
| When | Course | Hours | Venue | Sign up | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 16–17, 2026 | Hunter Education Beaufort (D2 A2) ⋅ hunter education course | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Beaufort Community College ⋅ Washington ⋅ Beaufort Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Jan 26, 2027 | Hunter Education Beaufort (D2 A2) ⋅ hunter education course | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | Beaufort Community College ⋅ Washington ⋅ Beaufort Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Feb 8, 2027 | Terra Ceia (D2 A2) ⋅ hunter education course | 3:00 PM–6:00 PM | Terra Ceia School ⋅ Pantego ⋅ Beaufort Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Mar 23–24, 2027 | Hunter Education Beaufort (D2 A2) ⋅ hunter education course | 3:00 PM–9:00 PM | Beaufort Community College ⋅ Washington ⋅ Beaufort Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Jun 7, 2027 | Hunter Education Beaufort (D2 A2) ⋅ hunter education course | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Beaufort Community College ⋅ Washington ⋅ Beaufort Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Beaufort County questions, short answers
Is Beaufort County in a CWD management area?
No.
Can I shine a light on deer at night in Beaufort County?
Not from 11 p.m. to half an hour before sunrise.
What bear management unit does Beaufort County sit in?
The Coastal BMU Zone 3.
Does Beaufort County get any autumn turkey days?
No. North Carolina sets spring only.
Is Beaufort County east or west of the I-95 duck line?
East: Coastal zone.
Does Beaufort County have game land or other public ground?
Yes: 3 listed tracts, about 10,893 game land acres by GIS.
Where do I buy a license for Beaufort County?
Go Outdoors North Carolina, online, by phone or at wildlife service agents.
Which shop near Beaufort County handles venison?
The Skinning Shack and Riley's Deer Processing on our list.
How long is blackpowder season in Beaufort County?
Oct 3 to Oct 16, 2026, between archery and gun.
How many deer fit under one season limit in Beaufort County?
Six per season: two antlered and four antlerless, statewide.
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.
Double-check before Beaufort County
NCWRC can change dates and rules between seasons. The digest and 15A NCAC 10B are the legal reference.
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: PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Festive Coquette (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); ianpreston (CC BY 2.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); GerryT (CC BY 2.0).