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North Carolina › Hunting seasons › Deer zones › Northeastern

Deer season zone

Northeastern deer zone, 2026-27

Seasons and harvest for the 22 counties in this group.

Deer zonesDeer pageDeer gear
Sep 12–Oct 2Archery
Oct 3–Oct 16Blackpowder
Oct 17–Jan 1Gun
40,5572025-26 harvest

Photo: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain)

Where the Northeastern dates apply

Northeastern: 22 counties, a 77-day gun season opening Oct 17, 2026, and 40,557 deer reported in 2025-26.

Bertie · Camden · Chowan · Currituck · Edgecombe · Franklin · Gates · Greene · Halifax · Hertford · Johnston · Martin · Nash · Northampton · Pasquotank · Perquimans · Pitt · Vance · Wake · Warren · Wayne · Wilson

NCWRC deer seasons, checked October 25, 2026.

Northeastern weapon seasons

SeasonOpensClosesDays
ArcherySep 12, 2026Oct 2, 202621
BlackpowderOct 3, 2026Oct 16, 202614
GunOct 17, 2026Jan 1, 202777
Youth Deer Hunting DaysSep 26, 2026Sep 27, 20262

Doe days in the Northeastern zone

Weapon seasonAntlerless days
ArcheryAll open days
BlackpowderAll open days
GunAll open days

NCWRC deer seasons and Season Dates at a Glance, checked October 25, 2026.

Where Northeastern hunters take deer

2025-26: 40,557 deer, 19,825 antlered bucks and 18,739 does; 1,092 came off game lands.

CountyTotalAntlered bucksDoesGunBow and crossbowGame lands
Northampton3,6831,6241,8343,38015092
Halifax3,6571,8141,6513,366121165
Bertie3,0851,3781,5332,841112122
Pitt2,8991,5021,2892,6411780
Edgecombe2,8451,4691,2622,5779924
Johnston2,7161,4711,1462,3632780
Franklin2,4111,1691,1072,1361989
Wayne2,2361,2089522,0371400
Martin2,0659899651,9305887
Nash1,9901,0488751,842942
Wake1,9001,0427991,190639329
Wilson1,6118137451,506660
Hertford1,5977167781,4469156
Warren1,4766956761,3875338
Vance1,3986886461,23710582
Gates1,3255606581,2285946
Greene1,2496345691,138710
Perquimans694274373631460
Chowan5882453095611711
Pasquotank396176190357270
Currituck3911781843552626
Camden345132198314163
Northeastern reported deer by season012,50025,00037,50050,00019-20: 35,08035,08019-2020-21: 36,17236,17220-2121-22: 35,26935,26921-2222-23: 34,01534,01522-2323-24: 39,04539,04523-2424-25: 38,92138,92124-2525-26: 40,55740,55725-26reported harvest

NCWRC 2025-26 deer harvest by county; earlier seasons from the Harvest Statistics page, checked October 25, 2026.

What changes county to county in Northeastern

CountyLocal deer notesBear unit
Bertie–Coastal BMU Zone 3
Camdenlights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 2
Chowanlights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 2
Curritucklights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 2
Edgecombelights restricted from a half hour after sunset; Primary CWD Surveillance AreaCoastal BMU Zone 4
Franklinlights restricted from 11 p.m.; urban archery: Wake ForestPiedmont BMU
Gateslights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 2
Greenelights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 4
Halifaxlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; Secondary CWD Surveillance AreasCoastal BMU Zone 4
Hertfordlights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 3
Johnstonlights restricted from a half hour after sunset; urban archery: Archer Lodge, ClaytonPiedmont BMU
Martinlights restricted from 11 p.m.; Secondary CWD Surveillance AreasCoastal BMU Zone 3
Nashlights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 4
Northamptonlights restricted from a half hour after sunsetCoastal BMU Zone 4
Pasquotanklights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 2
Perquimanslights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 2
Pittlights restricted from 11 p.m.; Secondary CWD Surveillance AreasCoastal BMU Zone 4
Vancelights restricted from 11 p.m.Piedmont BMU
Wakelights restricted from 11 p.m.; urban archery: Wake ForestPiedmont BMU
Warrenlights restricted from 11 p.m.Piedmont BMU
Waynelights restricted from 11 p.m.Coastal BMU Zone 4
Wilson–Coastal BMU Zone 4

The Northeastern zone sits partly or wholly outside the deer-dog ban area defined by the Rockingham-to-Union county line; eastern exceptions also apply.

NCWRC deer regulations, NCWRC CWD pages and 15A NCAC 10B .0115, checked October 25, 2026.

Northeastern public hunting land

19 game lands, biggest first.

Game landDaysAcresCounties in zone
Jordan6 days40,462Wake
Butner-Falls of Neuse6 days37,480Wake
Chowan Swamp6 days33,769Gates · Hertford +1
Lower Roanoke River WetlandsPermit only31,620Bertie · Martin
North River7 days26,654Camden · Currituck
Harris7 days11,527Wake
Upper Roanoke River WetlandsPermit only11,065Northampton · Halifax +1
Embro7 days9,381Warren · Halifax
Shocco Creek7 days8,113Warren · Franklin +2
Tillery7 days5,253Halifax
Bertie County6 days4,238Bertie
Brinkleyville7 days3,341Halifax

Game land records from NCWRC, checked October 25, 2026. Game land hunting days.

Compare Northeastern with nearby zones

Southeastern23 counties, gun Oct 17Southeastern CWD Management Area2 counties, gun Oct 17Central19 counties, gun Nov 14Northwestern CWD Management Area5 counties, gun Nov 14
Every season rowDuck and goose zonesGame land days
White-tailed doe standing in light snow
White-tailed doe standing in light snowPhoto: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain)
White-tailed buck feeding at the edge of an open field
White-tailed buck feeding at the edge of an open fieldPhoto: FieldsportsChannel.tv (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed deer moving through autumn woods
White-tailed deer moving through autumn woodsPhoto: NPS Photo (Public domain)

Asked about Northeastern

Northeastern gun season dates?

Oct 17, 2026, running to Jan 1, 2027.

Which counties make up Northeastern?

Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Johnston, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wayne and Wilson.

Can does be taken in Northeastern gun season?

All open days

Northeastern harvest in 2025-26?

40,557 in 2025-26.