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Big game
North Carolina Elk status, 2026-27
No 2026-27 season for elk: what the rules say.
Photo: jasonferrell (CC BY 2.0)
There is no elk season in the 2026-27 digest. Here is what the law and NCWRC say about elk instead.
How the digest sums up elk
- What you may keep: None – no season.
- Dates in brief: No season.
- Worth knowing: Reintroduced 2001-02 (GSMNP); herd in Haywood, Jackson, Swain; rule framework exists (10B .0225) but no season until numbers support harvest.
NCWRC source page (as of Oct 25, 2026), checked October 25, 2026.
Elk: no open season
- Classified nongame. 15A NCAC 10B .0225 (2016) creates a permit-only framework (Oct. 1-Nov. 1, one per permit, any legal weapon) and G.S. 113-270.3(b) creates elk licenses, but the Commission resolved a season will be implemented only when elk numbers can support harvest. No elk season or permits for 2026-27.
- No season; unlawful taking, possession or transport is a Class 1 misdemeanor with a $2,500 minimum fine (G.S. 113-294(c3)).
Statute: Elk: Class 1 misdemeanor, $2,500 minimum; cougar: Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2),(c3)).
NCWRC source, checked October 25, 2026.
Elk season dates for 2026-27
Filter the elk rows by zone, county group or method.
| Season | Zone or area | Methods | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No season (framework only) | Statewide (herd in Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties) | – | No dates |
Elk season notes
- Classified nongame. 15A NCAC 10B .0225 (2016) creates a permit-only framework (Oct. 1-Nov. 1, one per permit, any legal weapon) and G.S. 113-270.3(b) creates elk licenses, but the Commission resolved a season will be implemented only when elk numbers can support harvest. No elk season or permits for 2026-27.
From NCWRC page and the Season Dates at a Glance, checked October 25, 2026.
Elk by zone, unit and county
Find your county's elk area here.
NCWRC elk page, checked October 25, 2026.
Weapons and methods for elk
Penalty rules for elk
- 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.
Elk among protected animals
| 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.
Legal species groups, with elk in mind
| 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.
What you can hunt instead of elk
| Species | Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Special Early Season (CWD Management Area) | Northwest CWD Management Area | Aug 22–Aug 23 |
| White-tailed Deer | Special Early Season (CWD Management Area) | Southeast CWD Management Area | Aug 22–Aug 23 |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Central | Sep 12–Oct 30 |
| White-tailed Deer | National Wildlife Refuge deer seasons (rule) | Dismal Swamp NWR (Camden, Gates, Pasquot | Sep 12–Jan 1 |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Northeastern | Sep 12–Oct 2 |
| White-tailed Deer | Archery | Northwestern CWD Management Area | Sep 12–Oct 30 |
| Black Bear | Mountain BMU (segment 1) | Mountain BMU | Oct 3–Nov 21 |
| Black Bear | Piedmont BMU group 1 | Piedmont BMU | Oct 17–Jan 1 |
| Black Bear | Coastal BMU Zone 5 | Coastal BMU Zone 5 | Nov 9–Jan 1 |
| Black Bear | Coastal BMU Zone 2 (local-law counties) (segment 1) | Coastal BMU Zone 2 | Nov 13–Nov 22 |
| Black Bear | Coastal BMU Zone 1 (segment 1) | Coastal BMU Zone 1 | Nov 14–Nov 29 |
| Black Bear | Coastal BMU Zone 2 (segment 1) | Coastal BMU Zone 2 | Nov 14–Nov 22 |
NCWRC digest, checked October 25, 2026.
Questions about elk
What does the 2026-27 digest say about elk?
No season (framework only) (Statewide (herd in Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties)).
Where is the elk range?
The elk range: Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties.
Are elk open on refuges or game lands?
No. With no season, elk cannot be taken on game lands or anywhere else.
What open seasons are close to elk?
White-tailed Deer and Black Bear; each has its own page with dates and limits.
How current is this elk page?
From NCWRC pages, the 2026-27 digest and N.C. statutes listed on this page, checked October 25, 2026.
Does the Permit Hunt Book include elk?
No. 15A NCAC 10B .0225 sets a permit framework, but no elk season has been opened and no elk hunt is in the Permit Hunt Book.
Can you hunt elk in North Carolina?
Not in 2026-27. Classified nongame. 15A NCAC 10B .0225 (2016) creates a permit-only framework (Oct. 1-Nov. 1, one per permit, any legal weapon) and G.S. 113-270.3(b) creates elk licenses, but the Commission resolved a season will be implemented only when elk numbers can support harvest. No elk season or permits for 2026-27. No season; unlawful taking, possession or transport is a Class 1 misdemeanor with a $2,500 minimum fine (G.S. 113-294(c3)).
What is the legal status of elk?
No season; unlawful taking, possession or transport is a Class 1 misdemeanor with a $2,500 minimum fine (G.S. 113-294(c3)).
What fine applies to taking elk?
Elk: Class 1 misdemeanor, $2,500 minimum; cougar: Class 1 misdemeanor (G.S. 113-294(c2),(c3)).
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); kdwood2 (CC BY-SA 2.0); Monkeystyle3000 (CC BY 2.0); Monkeystyle3000 (CC BY 2.0).