North Carolina › Species › Cougar
No open season
North Carolina Cougar status, 2026-27
North Carolina has no cougar season; the facts are below.
Photo: MarkDoliner (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Cougars are off the North Carolina hunting calendar this year, for the reasons the agency and the statutes give.
Cougar in the species summary
- Take: None – protected.
- Methods: No season.
- Keep in mind: Class 1 misdemeanor.
NCWRC source page (as of Oct 25, 2026), checked October 25, 2026.
Why there is no cougar season
- Unlawful taking is a Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2)).
- Unlawful taking/possession/sale is a Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2)).
Penalty: Elk: Class 1 misdemeanor, $2,500 minimum; cougar: Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2),(c3)).
digest or statute, checked October 25, 2026.
Every cougar season row
1 row for cougars, as the digest and the Season Dates at a Glance list them; the last column checks each against today.
| Season | Area | How | From | To | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No season | Statewide | – | No season |
Cougar row details
- Unlawful taking is a Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2)).
From NCWRC page and the Season Dates at a Glance, checked October 25, 2026.
Cougar weapons, methods and law
Cougar violations
- Elk and cougar: Elk: Class 1 misdemeanor, $2,500 minimum; cougar: Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2),(c3)).
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.
Protected species alongside cougars
| Species | Rule |
|---|---|
| Bear cubs (under 75 lb) and female bears with cubs | Unlawful to take (15A NCAC 10B .0202; G.S. 113-291.7(b)). |
| Red wolf | Federally endangered, state threatened; no season; report any red wolf shot within 24 hours to USFWS (855-496-5837) and NCWRC (800-662-7137). |
| Cougar (Felis concolor) | Unlawful taking/possession/sale is a Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2)). |
| Bald and golden eagles | Class 1 misdemeanor to take, possess, sell or buy any eagle, part, nest or egg (G.S. 113-294(l)); also federally protected. |
| American alligator | State threatened and federally threatened (similarity of appearance); take only by permit in municipality-requested population reduction hunts. |
| Elk | No season; unlawful taking, possession or transport is a Class 1 misdemeanor with a $2,500 minimum fine (G.S. 113-294(c3)). |
| Nongame migratory birds (songbirds, woodpeckers, raptors) and waterbirds | Federally protected; posted Waterbird Nesting Areas closed March 1-Sept. 15 except by permit. |
| Endangered, threatened and special concern species | Listed in 15A NCAC 10I; permits required for collection. |
| Harlequin duck | Season closed. |
| Black and mottled ducks | Closed until Nov. 21, 2026. |
From laws compiled from the NCWRC digest and N.C.G.S. 113-294, checked October 25, 2026.
Species classes that apply to cougars
| Group | Species | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Game animals (G.S. 113-129(7c)) | bear, elk, fox, rabbit, squirrel, white-tailed deer, bobcat (except when trapped), opossum (except when trapped), raccoon (except when trapped) | Elk is a game animal by statute but has no open season (NCWRC species page classifies the herd as nongame). |
| Upland game birds (G.S. 113-129) | grouse, pheasant, quail, wild turkey | |
| Migratory game birds | ducks, geese, brant and swans (Anatidae), doves, rails, gallinules, moorhens, coots, woodcock, snipe | Those for which the U.S. Department of the Interior prescribes open seasons; federal seasons are adopted as state rules (G.S. 113-291.2(a)). |
| Fur-bearing animals (G.S. 113-129(7a)) | beaver, mink, muskrat, nutria, otter, skunk, weasel, bobcat, opossum and raccoon when trapped | |
| Nongame with seasons set by rule | coyote, groundhog, nutria (hunting), striped skunk (hunting), armadillo, feral swine, crow, bullfrog, snapping turtle, American alligator (permit only) | Feral swine = any free-ranging Sus scrofa (G.S. 113-129(5c)); classified nongame since 2011. |
| Birds not protected by federal migratory bird law | house (English) sparrow, feral pigeon (rock dove), European starling, mute swan, Eurasian collared-dove | Listed as exceptions to federal protection in the digest; mute swan release is regulated (15A NCAC 10B .0125). |
From laws compiled from N.C.G.S. 113-129 and the NCWRC digest, checked October 25, 2026.
Cougar: open seasons nearby on the list
| Species | Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bobcat | Trapping (statewide) | Statewide | Oct 1–Feb 28 |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12–Feb 28 |
| Coyote | Trapping (statewide) | Statewide | Oct 1–Feb 28 |
NCWRC digest, checked October 25, 2026.
Cougar FAQ
What is the penalty for killing cougar in North Carolina?
Elk: Class 1 misdemeanor, $2,500 minimum; cougar: Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2),(c3)).
What row does NCWRC print for cougars?
No season (Statewide).
What can you hunt instead of cougars?
Bobcat and Coyote; each has its own page with dates and limits.
Do game lands allow cougar hunting?
No. Public and private land alike are closed to cougar hunting.
Can you apply to hunt cougars?
No. None of the 286 hunt items in the 2026-27 Permit Hunt Book covers cougars.
When was the cougar information checked?
From NCWRC pages, the 2026-27 digest and N.C. statutes listed on this page, checked October 25, 2026.
Are cougars protected in North Carolina?
Unlawful taking/possession/sale is a Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2)).
Is cougar hunting allowed in North Carolina?
No. The 2026-27 digest has no cougar season. Unlawful taking is a Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2)). Unlawful taking/possession/sale is a Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2)).
Other photos on this page: tbausti (CC BY 2.0); Mike's Birds (CC BY-SA 2.0); jasonferrell (CC BY 2.0); ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0).