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Coastal Region · 2026-27
Onslow County Hunting
Onslow 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)
Onslow County takes in 762 square miles of dry land plus 143 of water, governed from Jacksonville. Census staff estimated 212,954 residents for 2024, close to 279 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 5 bear rows. 23 counties share the Southeastern dates. Game land boundaries cover about 7,078 acres inside the line by GIS measure, 5 of them national forest.
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.
Onslow 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 Onslow 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 Onslow County only inside its rest-of-state total.
Night lights
Not named in the light-shining rule.
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 Onslow 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 Onslow 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 | Coastal BMU Zone 5 | Coastal BMU Zone 5 | Nov 9, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| 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 Onslow County
Game lands, refuges, Corps lakes and forest districts with ground in Onslow County total 3 on our list. Game land day types here: 1 open 3 days a week, 1 open 6 days a week and 1 permit-only. 5 acres of national forest lie within the county. The ten-mile ring around Jacksonville holds near 811 acres of public land. NCWRC also plants at least one game land dove field in Onslow County.
- Game lands in Onslow (3)Stones Creek Game Land (4,136 ac, 6 days), White Oak River Game Land (2,597 ac, 3 days), Rocky Run Game Land (390 ac, Permit only)
Over the county line, nearest first: Angola Bay Game Land 34,148 ac, 19 miles out; Holly Shelter Game Land 65,139 ac, 21 miles out; Croatan Ranger District (Croatan National Forest) 167,687 ac, 28 miles out; Croatan Game Land 166,267 ac, 28 miles out; Dover Bay Game Land 2,898 ac, 33 miles out.
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune: closed to every kind of hunting. Every state park is closed to hunting too.
All 130 land pages · Game lands statewide · Game land days · Ranger districts
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 Onslow County gives up
In 2025-26 the report cards logged 2,378 Onslow County deer, placing it 37th statewide. Set against 2019-20, the latest season is +18%. The gun season produced 1,911 deer; the muzzleloader fortnight gave 121. 110 of those deer came off game lands. NCWRC computes 1.68 antlered bucks per square mile for the county. Does outnumbered button bucks 1,126 to 144 in the antlerless share. In 1976 the county reported 879 deer; the record is 3,269 in 1993.
| Season | Bucks | Male fawns | Females | Total | Gun | BP | Bow | Crossbow | GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,108 | 144 | 1,126 | 2,378 | 1,911 | 121 | 239 | 107 | 110 |
| 2024-25 | 1,091 | 150 | 1,106 | 2,347 | 1,947 | 123 | 192 | 85 | 81 |
| 2023-24 | 1,125 | 133 | 1,105 | 2,363 | 1,966 | 116 | 181 | 100 | 91 |
| 2022-23 | 973 | 121 | 905 | 1,999 | 1,585 | 145 | 201 | 68 | 68 |
| 2021-22 | 1,041 | 125 | 965 | 2,131 | 1,755 | 132 | 181 | 63 | 62 |
| 2020-21 | 876 | 92 | 892 | 1,860 | 1,548 | 88 | 163 | 61 | 73 |
| 2019-20 | 948 | 125 | 945 | 2,018 | 1,702 | 86 | 153 | 77 | 71 |
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.
Onslow County local laws and county rules
1 county-specific prohibition from the local laws section of the digest applies in Onslow County.
- Hunt any wild animal or bird from the right-of-way of any public road without written permission of the owner or lessee of the land that abuts the 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. County fox seasons are set by local acts and are in a separate NCWRC fox seasons book. Alligators live in Onslow County (Unit 1); hunts are limited to municipal population-reduction permits and none are posted.
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.
Onslow County bear and gobbler numbers
Bear numbers
Onslow County is in the Coastal BMU Zone 5, open for bear Nov 9, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Onslow County hunters registered 105 bears in 2025. By land type, 105 of the 2025 bears were off game lands. Hound hunters took 70 and still hunters 35 in 2025.
Gobblers
Turkey hunting in Onslow County is spring only: youth Apr 10 to Apr 11, 2027, everyone Apr 17 to May 15, 2027. Onslow County gave up 418 birds in spring 2026, against 395 in 2025. 1977 is the first year with a reported bird. Of every hundred 2026 birds, about 3 came from game lands.
| Spring | Adults | Juveniles | Birds | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 361 | 57 | 418 | 14 |
| 2025 | 331 | 64 | 395 | 7 |
| 2024 | 437 | 38 | 475 | 13 |
| 2023 | 421 | 50 | 471 | 15 |
| 2022 | 404 | 83 | 487 | 14 |
| 2021 | 409 | 44 | 453 | 14 |
| 2020 | 321 | 126 | 447 | 15 |
Onslow ducks and geese
The Coastal zone covers all of Onslow County. Geese follow the Resident Population Zone dates.
Coastal BMU Zone 5 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.
Onslow County shooting time on key dates
Legal light at Onslow 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.
Onslow 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 Onslow
Call Chris Kent, District 2 biologist, about deer, bear or habitat in Onslow County. The nearest NCWRC office is NCWRC Holly Shelter Depot in Rocky Point, about 23 miles away; depots are work centres, so call ahead.
Deer processors
Mounts
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.
Onslow County seat, towns and next-door counties
Pick a base in Onslow County: every town below links to a page with nearby game lands and services.
- Jacksonvillecounty seat · 70,840 people in 2024 · 811 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Holly Ridge5,766 people in 2024 · 42,281 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- North Topsail Beach1,081 people in 2024 · 4,728 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Swansboro4,165 people in 2024 · 37,999 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
4 North Carolina counties touch Onslow County.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Burn bans and permits in Onslow County
- Burn permit: Year-round.
- NC high hazard counties (G.S. 106-942(a)), stricter year-round permit and land-clearing rules: Onslow 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.
Onslow County ranges and match dates
3 ranges in Onslow County as of October 25, 2026, each with its access rule.
Firing lines: archery, 3D archery
Firing lines: handgun, rifle, 5-stand, shotgun
Nearest NCWRC public range: Holly Shelter Shooting Range in Pender County, about 22 miles from the county center. Details
Matches in the county
| When and what | Kind | Go |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 31-Nov 1, 2026 — 6 Shooters Jacksonville Armory Gun & Knife Show | Gun show | Listing |
| Nov 7-8, 2026 — Jacksonville Gun Show at National Guard Armory | Gun show | Admission info |
Ranges from the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Onslow County on the North Carolina events calendar
NWTF banquet and hunter education course: 1 upcoming event and 4 NCWRC classes. Read October 25, 2026.
Still to come
| Held | What | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2027 | New River Longbeards Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
NCWRC classes
| When | Course | Hours | Venue | Sign up | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 2026 | Hunter Education (D2) ⋅ hunter education course | 8:00 AM–4:00 PM | Half Moon Volunteer Fire Dept ⋅ Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Feb 14, 2027 | D2 A4 Onslow Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Rhodestown Fire Department ⋅ Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Mar 14, 2027 | D2 A4 Onslow Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Rhodestown Fire Department ⋅ Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Mar 21, 2027 | D2 A4 Onslow Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Rhodestown Fire Department ⋅ Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Onslow County questions, short answers
Does Onslow County have game land or other public ground?
Yes: 3 listed tracts, about 7,078 game land acres by GIS.
Where do I buy a license for Onslow County?
Go Outdoors North Carolina, online, by phone or at wildlife service agents.
Which shop near Onslow County handles venison?
In Your Sight Taxidermy/Wild Game Processing, Riverside Meats and Beaver Creek Wild Game Processing on our list.
How long is blackpowder season in Onslow County?
Oct 3 to Oct 16, 2026, between archery and gun.
How many deer fit under one season limit in Onslow County?
Six per season: two antlered and four antlerless, statewide.
How many antlered bucks did Onslow County report in 2025-26?
1,108 antlered bucks in 2025-26.
Is Onslow County in a CWD management area?
No.
Can I shine a light on deer at night in Onslow County?
The county is not on the light-shining lists; statewide rules still apply.
What bear management unit does Onslow County sit in?
The Coastal BMU Zone 5.
Does Onslow County get any autumn turkey days?
No. North Carolina sets spring only.
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 Onslow 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: Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Festive Coquette (CC BY 2.0); stefpet (CC BY-SA 2.0); Ryan Hodnett (CC BY-SA 2.0); Monkeystyle3000 (CC BY 2.0).