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Migratory birds, waterfowl
North Carolina American Woodcock hunting, 2026-27
Every 2026-27 North Carolina row for woodcock, with sources.
Photo: Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0)
Everything a North Carolina woodcock hunter needs for 2026-27 is gathered here: 3 segments from Dec 10, 2026, with links to each source.
The NCWRC line on woodcock
- Bag in short: Daily 3.
- Methods and dates: Dec. 10-Jan. 30.
- Background: HIP required; waterfowl also state privilege and Federal Duck Stamp; no Sunday hunting.
NCWRC source page (as of Jul 13, 2026), checked October 25, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
American Woodcock dates, 2026-27
The woodcock calendar below has 3 lines; links lead to the zone or unit pages where dates vary by county.
| Row | Zone | Methods | Begins | Through | Days | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extended falconry season 1 | Statewide | Falconry | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | 9 | |
| Woodcock | Statewide | Shotgun | Dec 10, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | 52 | |
| Extended falconry season 2 | Statewide | Falconry | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 20, 2027 | 20 |
From NCWRC digest page and the Season Dates at a Glance, checked October 25, 2026.
Public land for woodcock in North Carolina
Use the filter to find woodcock ground near you among 2 public tracts.
| Tract | Type | Days | Acres | Counties | Listed as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alligator River NWR | National Wildlife Refuge | 160,000 | Dare · Hyde | woodcock | |
| Pocosin Lakes NWR | National Wildlife Refuge | 110,106 | Tyrrell · Hyde +1 | woodcock |
Game lists from NCWRC, USFS, USFWS and other managers’ pages in our land data, retrieved 2026-10-25; days from the regional game land tables. All game lands · Game land hunting days.
How many woodcock you may take
Limits first, then costs, for woodcock.
| Category | Limit as printed |
|---|---|
| American woodcock | Daily 3; possession 9. |
| Falconry (migratory game birds) | Daily 3, possession 9, all species singly or in aggregate; applies during gun and extended falconry seasons. |
American Woodcock: licenses and stamps
| License | Who | Term | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Hunting | resident | Annual | $32 |
| Comprehensive Hunting | resident | Annual | $49 |
| State Hunting | nonresident | Annual | $124 |
| State Hunting 10-Day | nonresident | 10-day | $99 |
| HIP Certification | anyone | Annual | Free |
NCWRC digest bag limits and the license and fee table, checked October 25, 2026. North Carolina hunting license guide.
How to hunt woodcock legally
Woodcock hunting hours
The migratory bird day applies to woodcock: half an hour before sunrise to sunset, Monday through Saturday.
American Woodcock on Sundays
The Sunday law closes migratory birds, so woodcock hunters hunt Monday through Saturday only.
Do woodcock hunters wear orange?
G.S. 113-291.8 leaves migratory birds such as woodcock out of the orange requirement.
Baiting woodcock
Baiting woodcock is not allowed; the digest names salt, grain and fruit.
American Woodcock registration
Woodcock are not registered, but HIP certification is free and required for migratory birds; banded birds are reported at reportband.gov.
shooting hours, G.S. 113-291.8 hunter orange, G.S. 103-2 Sunday hunting, digest baiting rules, harvest reporting, checked October 25, 2026. Sunday hunting guide · Legal shooting hours.
Gear rules for woodcock
American Woodcock: how you may take them
- Dog training and field trials: No running or chasing deer in closed season unless under the owner's control; no axes, saws or climbing gear while training dogs in closed season; game lands: no unleashed dogs April 1-Aug. 15 west of I-95 and March 15-June 15 east of I-95; field trial participants need a license (own-state license for Commission-sanctioned trials).
From laws compiled from the NCWRC digest, 15A NCAC 10B and N.C.G.S. Chapter 113, checked October 25, 2026. North Carolina hunting laws.
American Woodcock hunts by drawing
Random drawings place hunters on 2 hunt items in the Quail & Webless Migratory Bird group; the first 2 are below.
| Hunt | Name | Weapon | Deadline | Quota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voice of America Game Land – Quail & Webless Migratory Bird | Quail & Webless Migratory Bird | Shotgun | Oct. 1, 2026 | 2 |
| Voice of America Game Land – Small Game & Webless Migratory Bird | Small Game & Webless Migratory Bird | Any Legal Weapon Type | Oct. 1, 2026 | 2 |
NCWRC Permit Hunting Opportunities, checked October 25, 2026. Every permit hunt.
Answers on woodcock
How many woodcock may one hunter keep?
Daily 3; possession 9. Daily 3, possession 9, all species singly or in aggregate; applies during gun and extended falconry seasons.
What are the 2026-27 woodcock season dates in North Carolina?
From Dec 1, 2026 through Feb 20, 2027, split into 3 rows by zone and weapon.
What time can you start hunting woodcock?
The migratory bird day applies to woodcock: half an hour before sunrise to sunset, Monday through Saturday.
What licenses and privileges apply to woodcock?
NCWRC lists State Hunting (resident) $32; Comprehensive Hunting (resident) $49; State Hunting (nonresident) $124; State Hunting 10-Day (nonresident) $99 for this hunt; youth under 16 are license-exempt.
Must you wear orange while hunting woodcock?
G.S. 113-291.8 leaves migratory birds such as woodcock out of the orange requirement.
Can woodcock hunters go out on Sundays?
The Sunday law closes migratory birds, so woodcock hunters hunt Monday through Saturday only.
What reporting applies to woodcock?
Woodcock are not registered, but HIP certification is free and required for migratory birds; banded birds are reported at reportband.gov.
Is baiting legal for woodcock?
Baiting woodcock is not allowed; the digest names salt, grain and fruit.
Are handguns legal for woodcock?
Migratory game birds: Shotguns 10 gauge or smaller plugged to 3 shells; archery; falconry. Not legal: Rifles, pistols, traps, nets, sinkboxes, live decoys, recorded calls (except light goose/Sept. goose exceptions), lead shot for waterfowl and coots.
Can you hunt woodcock on game lands?
2 public properties list woodcock in our land data; the largest are Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
Other photos on this page: James St. John (CC BY 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); btrentler (CC BY 2.0); Rob Bixby (CC BY 2.0).