North Carolina’s varied terrain is a paradise for those after a range of game. From towering mountain regions out west to the wide-reaching coastal flats to the east, the state offers countless chances for an exciting, fruitful hunting season. If you’re an experienced outdoors person or a beginner setting out on your first hunt, it’s vital to grasp the hunting times and rules. This guide gives detailed information for the 2024 North Carolina hunt schedule, preparing you for your upcoming adventure.
North Carolina Hunting Calendar
Deer
The NC deer season 2024 2025 start date is 7th September and for complete schedule find below:
Northeastern & Southeastern:
- Archery: Sept 7 – Sept 27
- Blackpowder: Sept 28 – Oct 11
- Gun: Oct 12 – Jan 1, 2025
Central:
- Archery: Sept 7 – Nov 1
- Blackpowder: Nov 2 – Nov 15
- Gun: Nov 16 – Jan 1, 2025
Northwestern:
- Archery: Sept 7 – Nov 8
- Blackpowder: Nov 9 – Nov 22
- Gun: Nov 23 – Jan 1, 2025
Western:
- Archery: Sept 7 – Nov 15
- Blackpowder: Nov 16 – Nov 29
- Gun: Nov 30 – Jan 1, 2025
Blackpowder Antlerless Season:
- Begins Nov 23, 2024 (second Saturday)
Either-Sex Seasons (Guns & Blackpowder)
Gun Seasons:
- Shortest: First Saturday of the season (Introductory)
- Moderate: Opens on opening day and closes on the second Saturday (Conservative) or fourth Saturday (Moderate) after it begins.
- Longest: All days of the gun season (Maximum)
Blackpowder Seasons:
- No Either-Sex: Hunting allowed only for bucks during the second Saturday and beyond of the blackpowder season.
- Short Either-Sex: Second Saturday through the first Friday of the blackpowder season.
- Full Either-Sex: All days of the blackpowder season.
Important Note:
- Urban Deer hunting with archery only is offered in specific participating cities from January 11th to February 16th, 2025.
Bear
Mountain Region:
- Season 1: Oct 5 – Nov 23 (in western counties)
- Season 2: Dec 14 – Jan 1 (in western counties)
Piedmont Region:
- Nov. 16 – Jan. 1: Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, and more (check regulations for full list)
- Oct. 12 – Jan. 1: Franklin, Harnett, Hoke, and more (check regulations for full list)
- Nov. 23 – Jan. 1: Alexander, Catawba, Davie, and more (check regulations for full list)
Coastal Region:
- Zones 1 & 4: Nov 9-17 & Dec 14-29 (Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, Beaufort, Bertie, Craven, & more)
- Zones 2 & 3: Nov 8-17 & Dec 14-29 (Camden, Chowan, Pasquotank, Gates, Currituck, Perquimans)
- Zone 5: Nov 16 – Dec 15 (Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, and more)
- Pamlico County: Bear hunting with dogs prohibited.
Turkey
Youth Season (April 6-12): This season allows young hunters to harvest one bearded turkey a day, with a maximum of one for the entire season.
Statewide Spring Season (April 13-May 11): Hunters can take one bearded turkey per day, up to two for the entire season.
Furbearer
Coyote, Groundhog, Nutria, Skunk, Armadillo, Feral Swine (Hogs):
Open all year on private lands with no bag limits.
Bobcat, Raccoon, Opossum, Rabbit:
Season runs from October 14, 2024 to February 28, 2025.
Squirrel:
- Gray & Red Squirrels: Open season from October 14, 2024 to February 28, 2025.
- Gray Squirrel (Spring Season – Private Lands Only): May 12th through May 26th, 2025.
- Fox Squirrels: Season runs October 14, 2024 to February 28, 2025.
Beaver:
Requires permission from the landowner and can be hunted year-round with firearms or bow and arrow.
Upland Games
Quail:
November 18th through February 29th.
Grouse:
October 16th through February 29th.
Pheasant:
- Mainland: September 2nd, 2024 to February 28th, 2025.
- Outer Banks: November 23rd, 2024 to February 28th, 2024.
- Trapping (all areas): October 1st, 2024 to February 28th, 2025.
Migratory
- Crow: Hunt crows on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during specific weeks, along with holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving (unless they fall on Sundays). Two separate hunting periods exist:
- Aug 2, 2024 – Feb 28, 2025
- June 4, 2025 – July 30, 2025
- Doves (Mourning & White-Winged): Enjoy three hunting periods for doves:
- Sept 2 – Oct 5
- Nov 9 – Nov 30
- Dec 16 – Jan 31 (daily bag limit 15, all species combined)
- Rails (King/Clapper & Virginia/Sora): Hunt rails during a single season:
- Sept 2 – Nov 21 (daily bag limit: 15 King/Clapper or 25 Virginia/Sora, all species combined)
- Gallinule and Moorhen: Similar to rails, hunt these birds during:
- Sept 2 – Nov 21 (daily bag limit 15, all species combined)
- Woodcock: Enjoy a dedicated season for woodcock:
- Dec 11 – Jan 31 (daily bag limit 3)
- Snipe: Hunt snipe throughout the winter:
- Oct 28 – Feb 28 (daily bag limit 8)
Waterfowls
Special Youth and Veteran Days:
- Youth Waterfowl Days: February 1st and 8th (follows regular season regulations)
Swan and Goose Hunting:
- Tundra Swan (permit only): November 9th – January 31st
- Canada Goose:
- Statewide Early Season: September 2nd – 30th
- Resident Population Hunt Zone: Various segments from October 17th – February 8th
- Northeast Hunt Zone: December 28th – January 31st
- Light Geese (Snow & Ross’s Geese): October 8th – February 8th with a Conservation Order Season (electronic calls & unplugged guns allowed) from February 10th – March 31st (permit required)
Duck, Coot, and Merganser Hunting:
- Inland Zone: October 17th-19th, November 9th-30th, December 19th-January 31st (Black and mottled duck closed until Nov 23rd)
- Coastal Zone: October 25th-26th, November 9th-30th, December 18th-January 31st (Black and mottled duck closed until Nov 23rd)
- Sea Ducks: Same as Coastal Duck Zone
- September Teal (East of US 17 only): September 12th – 30th (daily bag limit 6)
Brant:
December 28th – January 31st
Ducks Bag Limits
Ducks: Overall daily limit of 6, with further restrictions on specific types:
- Sea ducks: 4 total, with additional limits on certain species.
- Mallards: 4 (only 2 females).
- Wood ducks: 3
- Black ducks: 2
- Redheads: 2
- Canvasbacks: 2
- Pintail: 1
- Mottled duck (season closed until Nov 18th): 1 per day after season opens
- Fulvous whistling duck: 1
- Scaup limit changes to 2 per day starting January 9th.
- Harlequin ducks and black and mottled ducks (until Nov 18th) are completely off-limits.
Coots: Daily bag limit of 15.
Mergansers: Daily bag limit of 5, with no more than 2 hooded mergansers allowed.
Falconry
Doves (Mourning & White-Winged)
October 7th – 19th (3 birds per day)
Rails (King, Clapper, Virginia, Sora), Gallinule, and Moorhen
December 7th – January 11th (3 birds per day)
Woodcock
Two separate hunting periods:
- December 2nd – 10th
- February 1st – 22nd (3 birds per day each period)
Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots
Two separate hunting periods:
- October 1st – 12th
- February 1st – 8th (3 birds per day each period)
Permits and Licenses Cost
| License Type | Resident Cost | Non-Resident Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Hunting License | $265 | Not Available |
| State Trapping License | $50 | $100 |
| Annual Sportsman License | $90 | $150 |
| One-Day Hunting License | $25 | $50 |
| Wild Boar Hunting License | $20 | $50 |
| Bear Management E-Stamp | $16 | $16 |
Cost-Saving Options:
- Combination Licenses: The NCWRC offers combination licenses that can save money for hunters who plan to pursue multiple species.
- Youth Licenses: Discounted hunting licenses are available for young hunters.
Important Note: You can find loads of useful info about hunting licenses, seasons, and conditions on the NCWRC’s official website: https://www.ncwildlife.org/Licensing/Other-Licenses-and-Permits
Obtaining Hunting Regulations
The NCWRC publishes comprehensive hunting regulations in a user-friendly format. These regulations are available in several ways:
- Online: The official NCWRC website provides downloadable PDFs of the hunting regulations: https://www.ncwildlife.org/licensing/regulations
- Printed Copies: Printed copies of the regulations are available at NCWRC offices and license agents statewide.
Top North Carolina Hunting Locations by Place Name and Species
North Carolina is home to different landscapes. These landscapes are home to many gaming species. Planning your next hunting trip? Think about the specific animal you want to hunt. Now, let’s discover some great North Carolina hunting spots, sorted by species:
White-tailed Deer:
- Western North Carolina Mountains: The Appalachian Mountains offer prime habitat for white-tailed deer, with public lands like the Nantahala National Forest and Pisgah National Forest attracting many hunters.
- Croatan Game Land (Coastal Plain): This extensive game land provides opportunities for both deer hunting and waterfowl hunting in the eastern part of the state.
Wild Boar:
- Uwharrie National Forest (Piedmont): The Uwharrie National Forest is known for its healthy wild boar population, making it a popular destination for hunters seeking this challenging game.
- Game Lands in the Coastal Plain: Several game lands located in the coastal plain, such as Holly Shelter Game Land and Jones Tract Game Land, offer opportunities for wild boar hunting.
Turkey:
- Mountain Regions: The mountainous counties in western North Carolina, like Transylvania and Henderson, are renowned for their spring turkey hunting opportunities.
- Piedmont and Coastal Regions: These regions also offer good turkey hunting, with public lands like Sandhills Game Land (Piedmont) and Croatan National Forest (Coastal) attracting hunters.
Waterfowl:
- Albemarle Peninsula (Coast): The coast of North Carolina, particularly the Albemarle Peninsula, is a major wintering ground for waterfowl species like ducks and geese. Public hunting grounds like Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge provide excellent opportunities.
- Inner Coastal Plain: Several lakes and rivers located in the inner coastal plain, such as Lake Mattamuskeet and the Roanoke River, offer good waterfowl hunting possibilities.
Bear:
- Western North Carolina Mountains: The dense forests of the western mountains provide prime habitat for black bears. Hunters should be familiar with specific bear hunting regulations for each mountain county.
- Game Lands in the Piedmont: Certain game lands in the piedmont region, such as Uwharrie National Forest and Eno River State Park, have limited bear hunting opportunities.
Finding the Perfect Spot:
For detailed information on specific hunting locations, including maps and public hunting land boundaries, refer to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission website: https://www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/Where-To-Hunt-Shoot/Public-Places.
By researching these factors and consulting the official resources, you can increase your chances of a successful and enjoyable hunting adventure in North Carolina.
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