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Wildlife refuge · NCWRC data
Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge: hunter notes for 2026-27
Rules and seasons for hunting in Carteret County: tundra swan, Canada goose and snow goose.
Photo: jjmusgrove (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
Parking, trailheads and gates near Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Cedar Island Boat RampParking · 4.7 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Cedar Island NWR: ownership, acres and manager
Filed as a national wildlife refuge with a hunt program, Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge covers ground in Carteret County. Its NCWRC wildlife district is District 2. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the managing agency. It measures 14,327 acres (FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified (fee-owned GIS acres, whole refuge)). Size rank: 7th out of 10 refuges. Refuge page: 400 acres of marsh are open for waterfowl hunting.
From USFWS hunting; acreage FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified (fee-owned GIS acres, whole refuge); checked October 25, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
What you can hunt on Cedar Island NWR
7 species groups are listed for Cedar Island NWR; open seasons for others can still apply under the game land rules.
Tundra swan
Season dates
Canada goose
Resident population zone
Snow goose
Season dates
Brant
Season dates
Ducks
Coastal duck zone
Teal
Coastal duck zone
Coot
Season dates
Species from USFWS hunting; checked October 25, 2026.
Map of Cedar Island NWR with its neighbors
Around Cedar Island NWR lie 10 more public tracts, pinned and listed below. That is 288,380 more public acres.
| Neighbor | Type | Acres | Days | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carteret County | Game land | 7,144 | 7 days | 5.6 mi | west |
| Cape Lookout Seashore | National seashore | – | – | 8.9 mi | south |
| Goose Creek | Game land | 10,376 | 7 days | 26 mi | northwest |
| Light Ground Pocosin | Game land | 942 | 7 days | 27 mi | west |
| Swanquarter NWR | Wildlife refuge | 16,000 | – | 32 mi | north |
| Gull Rock | Game land | 31,336 | 7 days | 36 mi | north |
| Neuse River | Game land | 5,965 | 6 days | 38 mi | west |
| Mattamuskeet NWR | Wildlife refuge | 50,000 | – | 39 mi | north |
| Pungo River | Game land | 350 | 6 days | 39 mi | north |
| Croatan | Game land | 166,267 | 7 days | 40 mi | west |
Points: FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified (fee-owned land in North Carolina) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
When and how you can hunt Cedar Island NWR
Waterfowl hunting only, in the designated marsh hunt area (about 400 acres of marsh per the refuge page); portable blinds removed daily; two boat launches; guns unloaded and cased when boating through no-hunting areas.
Code of Federal Regulations cite for the hunt: 50 CFR 32.52(b).
From USFWS hunting; checked October 25, 2026.
Zones, units and dates for Cedar Island NWR
County lines decide the deer calendar on Cedar Island NWR; here are the 2026-27 dates for each zone it touches.
| Zone group | County | Bow | Muzzleloader | Firearm | Antlerless (gun) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern | Carteret | Sep 12–Oct 2 | Oct 3–Oct 16 | Oct 17–Jan 1 | All open days |
Black bear seasons reaching Cedar Island NWR
| Bear zone | Counties | Segments |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal BMU Zone 5 | Carteret | Nov 9–Jan 1 |
Zones from deer seasons, bear seasons and duck and goose zone map in the 2026-27 digest; checked October 25, 2026.
Inside Cedar Island NWR: areas with their own rules
Cedar Island NWR hunt units
| Refuge unit | Open? | GIS acres | Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Yes | 463 | No |
Closed areas named in the FWS layer: B.
From USFWS hunting and the NCWRC game land GIS; checked October 25, 2026.
What the Carteret County harvest says about Cedar Island NWR
Reported deer in Carteret County moved from 643 (2019-20) to 944 (2025-26).
| License year | Reported | Antlered bucks | Game lands | Gun | Bow + crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 643 | 307 | 121 | 570 | 27 |
| 2020-21 | 677 | 340 | 162 | 587 | 42 |
| 2021-22 | 655 | 302 | 165 | 564 | 42 |
| 2022-23 | 741 | 354 | 166 | 622 | 73 |
| 2023-24 | 838 | 386 | 239 | 728 | 55 |
| 2024-25 | 863 | 404 | 254 | 761 | 60 |
| 2025-26 | 944 | 447 | 291 | 817 | 65 |
Bear harvest around Cedar Island NWR
| Year | Bears taken |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 30 |
| 2021 | 44 |
| 2022 | 59 |
| 2023 | 53 |
| 2024 | 55 |
| 2025 | 52 |
Spring gobblers reported in Carteret County
| Spring | Toms | Jakes | Game lands | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 205 | 25 | 55 | 230 |
| 2024 | 191 | 14 | 34 | 205 |
| 2025 | 133 | 39 | 37 | 172 |
| 2026 | 147 | 24 | 45 | 171 |
County figures from NCWRC harvest statistics, bear harvest report, spring turkey report and CWD testing; checked October 25, 2026.
Cedar Island NWR dated hunts from the digest
Cedar Island NWR 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 | 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 | Rest of the state | Sep 5, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Barrier islands (male only) | Barrier islands only | Nov 21, 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 | 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 | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Firearms season | East of I-77 | 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.
Carteret County acts for Cedar Island NWR hunters
Local acts for Carteret County, which covers most of Cedar Island NWR, make it unlawful to:
- Set a steel trap or Conibear®-type trap, or take an animal therefrom, on another’s land without a written lease authorizing trapping.
- Take migratory waterfowl within 500 yards of another’s permanent hunting location without permission of the landholder upon whose land the waterfowl is taken.
- Hunt deer from a public road adjoining lands of others without written permission of the owners or lessees.
Local laws by county, 2026-27 digest; checked October 25, 2026. All county local laws.
Towns, shops and offices near Cedar Island NWR
Call ahead: hours change in season.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic | Carteret | 5.0 mi | – | 26,644 |
| Ocracoke | Hyde | 21 mi | – | 10,965 |
| Harkers Island | Carteret | 22 mi | – | 13,874 |
| Beaufort | Carteret | 24 mi | 4,895 | 12,288 |
County pages that cover Cedar Island NWR: Carteret County.
Processors, taxidermists and gun shops near Cedar Island NWR
NCWRC and federal offices near Cedar Island NWR
District biologist (Carteret County): Chris Kent at (252) 617-0019.
Towns and populations from Census 2024 estimates; businesses from store locators and listings; offices from NCWRC, USFS and USFWS; district biologists from NCWRC. Checked October 25, 2026.
Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge: nearest firing lines
It is about 88 miles from Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge to Holly Shelter Shooting Range, the closest Commission-listed range. Club ranges inside 30 miles fill the other cards.
Built for rifle, handgun, archery, 3D archery
Built for skeet, shotgun
Built for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
From the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Cedar Island NWR: first and last legal light
Times below take the Charlotte table, add the Cedar Island NWR offset of -17 minutes, then apply the half-hour rule for game and the sunset rule for migratory birds.
| Day | Hunt | First sun | Last sun | Game shooting | Bird shooting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:40 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:45 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:13 a.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:39 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 6:52 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:11 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:13 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:30 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 8:11 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 7:41 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.
Around Cedar Island NWR: photos
Cedar Island NWR: short answers from the data
How far is Cedar Island NWR from the nearest town?
Atlantic, about 5.0 mi away.
What are the 2026-27 deer gun dates for Cedar Island NWR?
Gun deer runs Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 (Southeastern).
Who is the managing agency for Cedar Island NWR?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, per the record.
Can I hunt Cedar Island NWR on a Sunday morning?
Follow the open-day designation; on Sundays no migratory birds and no guns 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
What access rules apply on Cedar Island NWR?
Waterfowl hunting only, in the designated marsh hunt area (about 400 acres of marsh per the refuge page).
Which county lines run through Cedar Island NWR?
County overlay: Carteret County.
What species list goes with Cedar Island NWR?
You will find tundra swan, Canada goose, snow goose, brant, ducks and teal on the list.
How much ground is in Cedar Island NWR, by acres?
14,327 acres on file, per FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified (fee-owned GIS acres, whole refuge).
Before loading the truck for Cedar Island NWR
Confirm open days and permit status for Cedar Island NWR before the drive.
Sources: USFWS hunting · USFWS cedar island · eCFR section 32.52 · FWS GIS · FWS GIS; regulations from the 2026-27 NCWRC regulations digest. Checked October 25, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); born1945 (CC BY 2.0); evoo73 (CC BY 2.0); SoilScience.info (CC BY 2.0).