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Up Dates For 2008
Will Be Posted When Dates Are Set For 08.. |
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HUNTING
SEASON 2007 |
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DEER SEASONS
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Locations |
Type of Season |
Dates |
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Eastern Deer Season |
Bow and Arrow:
Muzzle-loading:
Gun: |
Sept. 9 – Oct. 6, 2006
Oct 7 – 13, 2006
Oct. 14, 2005 – Jan. 1, 2007
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Central Deer Season |
Bow and Arrow:
Muzzle-loading:
Gun: |
Sept 9 – Nov. 3, 2006
Nov 4 – 10, 2006
Nov 11, 2005 – Jan. 1, 2007
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Western Deer Season |
Bow and Arrow:
Muzzle-loading:
Gun: |
Sept. 1 – Oct. 7
and Oct. 16 – Nov.18, 2006
Oct. 9 – 14, 2006
Nov. 20 – Dec. 9, 2006
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Northwestern |
Bow and Arrow:
Muzzle-loading:
Gun |
Sept. 19 – Nov.10, 2006
Nov. 11 – 17, 2006
Nov. 18 – Dec. 16, 2006
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Gun: Either-Sex Seasons |
Introductory Season:
Conservative Season:
Moderate Season:
Maximum |
Last open day of
the applicable gun season.
Last six open days of
the applicable gun season.
First six open days and last
six open days of the applicable gun
season.
All open days of the applicable
gun season.
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Species |
Open Dates
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Bear |
Statewide Bag Limits
Daily: 1
Possession: 1
Season: 1
BEAR SEASONS
Season Dates Applicable Area
Oct. 16 - Nov. 18 West of the boundary formed by
I-77 from the
and Dec. 11-
Jan. 1 Virginia state line to I-40 and I-40 west
to N.C.
18 south to the South Carolina state line
Nov. 13 - Jan. 1 In the following counties and
parts of counties:
Bladen
Carteret
Cumberland (south of N.C. 24 and east of the
Cape Fear River)
Duplin
New Hanover
Onslow
Pender
Sampson
Dec. 4 - 23
Brunswick
Columbus
Nov. 13- 18 Beaufort
and Dec. 11 - 23 Craven
Dare
Hyde (except the Long Shoal tract of Gull
Rock Game Lands. See the “Game Lands”
section of this digest.)
Jones
Pamlico (Use of dogs for bear hunting is
prohibited here.)
Tyrrell (except as noted on certain game lands;
see the “Game Lands” section of this digest.)
Washington
Nov. 13-18 Hertford
and Dec. 11-13 Halifax (that part east of U.S.
301)
Martin
Northampton (that part east of U.S. 301)
Nov. 11-18 Bertie
and Dec. 11-23 Camden
Chowan
Currituck
Gates
Pasquotank |
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Boar |
Restrictions
It is unlawful to:
take wild boar with the use or aid of bait,
which includes any salt,
salt lick, grain, fruit, honey, sugar-based
material or substance,
animal parts or animal products.
Nonresidents hunting boar must possess a
bear/wild boar hunting
license. (See page 7 of this digest.)
Season Bag Limits
Oct. 16 - Nov. 18 Daily: 1
and Dec. 11 - Jan. 1 Possession: 1
Season: 2
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Wild Turkey
Spring season
(bearded turkeys only) |
Restrictions
It is unlawful to:
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Use dogs during the spring wild turkey season.
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Use pistols, rifles or muzzleloading rifles to
hunt wild turkey.
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Release or to allow pen-raised wild turkeys to
range free.
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Take wild turkeys from an area in which bait has
been placed.
(An area is considered baited until 10 days
after the bait has
been consumed or otherwise removed.)
Bag Limits
Daily: 1
Possession: 2
Annual: Two birds, only one of which may be
taken during the
winter either-sex wild turkey season
WINTER EITHER-SEX WILD TURKEY SEASON
Season Dates Applicable Area
Jan. 15-20 Alleghany, Ashe, Caswell, Granville,
Person,
Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Watauga and
Wilkes counties except on game lands.
SPRING WILD TURKEY SEASON
(Bearded turkeys only)
Season Dates Applicable Area
April 14 - May 12 Statewide
YOUTH TURKEY HUNT DAY
Season Dates Applicable Area
April 7 Statewide on private lands
Turkey hunting outside of the regular spring
season is allowed for
youth on the day designated as YOUTH TURKEY HUNT
DAY
statewide on private lands. Turkey hunting by
youth is allowed on
selected game lands on this day by permit only.
Each youth hunting
during this season must be accompanied by a
properly licensed
adult at least 21 years of age (“Youth” means a
person less than 16
years of age). The adult may accompany only one
youth during any
particular hunt and only one weapon is allowed
per youth hunter.
Each youth must have a “Big Game Harvest Report
Card for License-
Exempt Hunters” and report harvests
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Raccoon and Opossum |
RACCOON AND OPOSSUM
Season Bag Limits
Oct. 16 (at sunrise) -
Raccoon
Feb. 28 Daily: 3
Possession: 6
Season: 30
Exception: In and west of Stokes, Forsyth,
Davidson, Stanly and Union counties, the
hunting party), the possession limit is
two, and the season limit is 20.
Opossum
No restrictions
Exceptions
These portions of the following counties are
closed to raccoon
and opossum hunting:
Haywood: Harmon Den Bear Sanctuary and Sherwood
Bear Sanctuary
Madison: that part north of the French Broad
River and south of
U.S. 25-70 and west of S.R. 1319.
General Restrictions
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Field possession limit while hunting is the same
as the daily bag
limit. No person shall possess more than one
daily bag limit
while in the field or while returning from the
field to one’s
vehicle, hunting camp or residence.
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Axes and saws may not be carried when raccoon or
opossum hunting.
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It is unlawful to shoot raccoon during the
daytime west of U.S.
1, except in Richmond County.
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It is unlawful to carry firearms or climbing
irons when training dogs
during closed seasons except under special field
trial regulations.
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That part of Cherokee County north of U.S. 64
and N.C. 294,
east of Persimmon Creek and Hiwassee Lake, south
of Hiwassee
Lake and west of the Nottely River, and that
part of Clay County
known as the Fires Creek Bear Sanctuary is
closed to raccoon
and opossum hunting except from sunset Friday
until sunrise
on Saturday and from sunset until midnight on
Saturday during
the established raccoon and opossum season.
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It is unlawful to train raccoon or opossum dogs
or allow raccoon
or opossum dogs to run unleashed in that part of
Cherokee County
north of U.S. 64 and N.C. 294, east of Persimmon
Creek and
Hiwassee Lake, south of Hiwassee Lake and west
of the Nottely
River from March 1 until the Monday on or
nearest Oct. 15.
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It is unlawful to train raccoon or opossum dogs
or allow raccoon
or opossum dogs to run unleashed in that part of
Madison
County that is located north of the French Broad
River and
south of U.S. 25-70 and west of S.R. 1319 from
March 1 until
the Monday on or nearest Oct. 15.
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It is unlawful to train raccoon and opossum dogs
at night from
April 1 through Aug. 15 in Caldwell and
Rutherford counties. |
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Squirrel |
SQUIRREL
Species Season Dates Applicable Area Bag Limits
Gray and
Oct. 16 - Jan. 31 Statewide Daily: 8
Red Squirrels
Possession: 16
Season: 75
Fox Squirrels
Oct. 16 - Dec. 31
Limits may include a maximum of one fox squirrel
per day with two
in possession and a season limit of 10 in
counties that have an open
season for fox squirrels (listed below):
Anson
Alleghany
Ashe
Bladen
Brunswick
Cumberland |
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Rabbit |
RABBIT
Season Bag Limits
Nov. 18 - Feb. 28 Daily: 5
Box-Trapping Season: Possession: 10
Nov. 18 - Feb. 28 Season: 75
EXTENDED SEASON FOR TAKE BY FALCONRY
Season Bag Limits
Oct. 16 – Feb. 28
Outside of Regular Season Dates:
Applies only to red Squirrels: Daily limit 4;
Possession limit 8
and gray squirrels Rabbits: Daily limit 3;
Possession limit 6
and rabbits Regular species bag limits apply
during
regular seasons. |
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Quail |
QUAIL
Season Bag Limits
Nov. 18 - Feb. 28 Daily: 6
Possession: 12
No season limit. |
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Grouse |
GROUSE
Season Bag Limits
Oct. 16 - Feb. 28 Daily: 3
Possession: 6
Season: 30 |
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Bobcat |
BOBCAT
Season Bag Limits
Oct. 16 - Feb. 28 No restriction
Exceptions
The bobcat season is closed in Haywood County on
the Harmon
Den Bear Sanctuary and Sherwood Bear Sanctuary |
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Fox |
FOX
Season Restrictions Bag Limits
Nov. 18 - Jan. 1 This season applies as follows:
Daily: 2
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In those counties and parts of Season: 10
counties east of I-77 where local
laws do not prohibit the taking of
foxes or that do not have established
fox seasons (see page 59); and
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In Caldwell and Mitchell counties.
Foxes may be taken by firearms or bow
and arrow only. Foxes taken during this
hunting season shall not be bought or sold.
Jan. 6 - 27 Foxes may be taken in the counties
Daily: 2
listed below by legal weapons and may Season: 10
be sold after being properly tagged (refer
to page 8 for information on fox tags):
Caswell
Clay
Graham
Macon
Stokes
Jones
Lenoir
Moore
New Hanover
Onslow
Pender
Duplin
Edgecombe
Greene
Harnett
Hoke
Johnston
Pitt
Richmond
Sampson
Scotland
Wayne
Tyrrell
Hunters must possess fox tags prior to
harvesting foxes during this season. There
is no open weapons hunting season in
any other county except where provided
by local laws. (see page 59)
Year round Must be taken with dogs only Limit
None |
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Crow |
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of each week
between June 1, 2005, and Feb. 28, 2006 plus
Labor Day and Christmas Day
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Pheasant |
PHEASANT
(Non-native)
Season Bag Limits
Nov. 18 - Feb. 1 Daily: 3
Male pheasant only Possession: 6
Season: 30 |
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Other Species |
BEAVER
There is an open season for taking beaver with
firearms during any
open season for the taking of wild animals,
provided that permission
has been obtained from the owner or lessee of
the land on which
the beaver is being taken.
GROUNDHOG
There is no closed season or bag limit.
COYOTE
There is no closed season or bag limit.
Electronic calls are allowed.
NUTRIA
There is no closed season or bag limit.
Exception: In Currituck
County, nutria may not be shot during the open
seasons for
migratory waterfowl.
SKUNK (striped)
There is no closed season or
bag limit. |
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NC
REGULATIONS |
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Hunting, trapping and fishing are North
Carolina's oldest and most cherished traditions.
The future of these great traditions depends on
the safe, ethical and wise use of our wildlife
resources. We all must share in this
responsibility.
The regulations that follow are intended
to promote these principles to ensure that
present and future outdoor enthusiasts may
continue to enjoy the abundant natural resources
of North Carolina. In short, observance of these
regulations will help ensure that:
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There is a fair and equitable
distribution of game taken
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There is a promotion of the concept
of "fair chase"
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Traditional hunting, fishing and
trapping opportunities are preserved
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Wildlife populations remain healthy
and diverse
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Hunting, fishing and trapping remain
safe and enjoyable experience
To view the Regulations Digest online,
choose
"Hunting/Trapping" or
"Fishing" in the subtopic menu above.
The North Carolina Inland Fishing,
Hunting, & Trapping Regulations Digest
printed booklet is free to the public and may be
obtained at a
license agent location or by writing to the
following address:
Wildlife Resources Commission has
relocated its headquarters. See
map and directions (pdf).
Office Location >> NCSU Centennial Campus, 1751
Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606 |
Mailing Addresses
919-707-0010 | Report wildlife
violations 1-800-662-7137
(Raleigh Area 919-707-0040) |
other contacts |
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A Few General Deer Hunting Regulations
Always review the current Official
"North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission"
regulations or contact the North Carolina
Wildlife Resources Commission for the complete
and the most current North Carolina deer hunting
rules and regulations. The information contained
on this page is for quick reference purposes
only and is subject to change at any time.
General:
Lawful seasons and bag limits for each
species apply beginning with the first day of
the listed season and continue through the last
day of the listed season, with all dates being
included except Sundays. Hunting seasons are
closed on Sundays, except on some military
installations under the exclusive jurisdiction
of the Federal government.
It is unlawful to take deer that are
swimming or in water above the knees of the
deer.
Rifles:
No restrictions as to caliber or type. Local
laws prohibit or restrict rifles in some
counties.
Pistols:
Deer may be taken with a handguns must have a
barrel length at least 5 ˝ inches in length.
Centerfire cartridges used must be no less than
.357 caliber and bottleneck ammunition must be
no less that 24 caliber and no less that 2" in
length. Muzzleloading pistols are not legal for
hunting.
Archery
Minimun pull of 45 pounds, arrows with a fixed
broadhead with a minimun with of 7/8".
Crossbows
Crossbows are legal only for disabled persons
with a permit from the NC Wildlife Resourcs
Commission.
Shotguns
Shotguns must be no larger that 10 gauge.
Fluorescent Orange
Requirements:
Any person hunting deer with the use of
firearms, must wear a cap or hat made of hunter
orange material or an outer garment Of hunter
orange visible from all sides.
Dog May Not Be Used:
To run or chase deer during closed season,
except when under the control of the owner.
To hunt deer during primitive weapons
seasons
To hunt, run or chase deer at any time in
that portion of Wake County south of NC 98 or
south of I-85. in Orange County. In Alamance,
Chatham , Johnson, Lee and Wayne counties or in
and west of the counties of Rockingham,
Guilford, Randolph, Montgomery, and Anson (west
of NC 742.
Except as allowed by regulations pertaining
to authorized field trials, it is unlawful to
possess firearms, axes, saws or tree climbing
equipment while training or running dogs during
closed season.
Boats:
Deer may not be hunted from boats or other
floating devices in some counties.
Mandatory Hunter Education:
Mandatory Hunter Education became effective July
1, 1991. The law states that on or after July 1,
1991, a person regardless of age, may not
procure a hunting license or hunt in this State
without producing a certificate of competency (a
hunter education certificate card) or a hunting
license issued prior to July 1, 1991, or
indicate by statement on the hunting license
provided by the N.C. Wildlife Resources
Commission that he or she had such a license
prior to July 1, 1991. You must be at least age
12 to receive the certification.
Big Game Tagging & Reporting:
Note: The
rules on Big Game tagging have been changed.
Hunters should review this section carefully
concerning use of the new Big Game Harvest
Report Card. Even if you have been exempt from
tagging requirements in the past, this section
may apply to you.
Upon killing a bear, deer, wild boar, or wild
turkey and before moving the animal from the
site of kill, the successful hunter must
validate the Big Game Harvest Report Card
furnished with the big game hunting license by
cutting or punching out the validation box that
correctly identifies the big game animal
harvested.
Before any harvested bear, deer, wild boar,
or wild turkey is skinned, dressed, or
dismembered for consumption and within 24 hours
of the kill, the animal must be transported to a
Wildlife Cooperator Agent within the immediate
area of open season to be registered or reported
through the toll free Big Game Reporting System.
The hunter may field dress the animal before
registering it at a Wildlife Cooperator Agent or
by telephone by bleeding and removing the
digestive, respiratory and circulatory organs;
but, the hunter may not mutilate the carcass in
a manner that obscures its species identity,
age, or sex. When the kill occurs in a remote
area, which prevents the animal from being
transported as an entire carcass, the animal may
be skinned and quartered before being reported
by telephone or transported to a Wildlife
Cooperator Agent to be registered. When a hunter
harvests a big game animal in a remote area and
plans to remain in the remote area for longer
than a day, the 24-hour time limit to register
the kill is extended until the hunter leaves the
area. Upon leaving the remote area, the hunter
shall proceed directly to a telephone or to a
Wildlife Cooperator Agent to register the kill.
When a successful hunter presents a big game
kill at a Wildlife Cooperator Agent for
registration, the Wildlife Cooperator Agent
shall issue an authorization number (which
includes the date of kill) to the successful big
game hunter. The hunter shall record the
authorization number given by the Wildlife
Cooperator Agent or obtained by telephone in the
space provided immediately adjacent to the
validation box that has been cut or punched out
on the Big Game Harvest Report Card. The record
entered on the Big Game Harvest Report Card
shall thereafter constitute authorization for
continued possession of the carcass. Possession
of a harvested bear, deer, wild boar, or wild
turkey without a validated Big Game Harvest
Report Card including the authorization number
obtained from a Wildlife Cooperator Agent or
through the toll free Big Game Reporting System
shall be unlawful.
Persons killing a big game animal and leaving
it unattended must identify the carcass with
their name, their hunting license number, and
the date of kill. Once an unattended animal is
registered, the animal need only be identified
with the authorization number received at the
Wildlife Cooperator Agent or by telephone.
It shall be unlawful for a person to possess
a Big Game Harvest Report Card on which the
species validation box has been cut or punched
out, but on which the authorization number from
a Wildlife Cooperator Agent has not been
recorded, unless the animal is in the person’s
possession and being transported to a Wildlife
Cooperator Agent or identified as described in
this paragraph.
Persons who are by law exempt from the big
game hunting license shall obtain a Big Game
Harvest Report Card for License Exempt Hunters
from a Wildlife Service Agent at no cost.
Upon harvesting a deer, the exempt person
shall validate the Big Game Harvest Record Card
and report the big game kill at a Wildlife
Cooperator Agent or by telephone.
Persons killing antlerless deer under the
Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) shall
follow the tagging and reporting requirements
described in the instructions they have received
as a participant in the DMAP program and are not
obligated to take any action under the rules
described here.
To report by telephone, call 1-800-I GOT ONE
(1-800-446-8663). THOSE NOT HAVING A TOUCH TONE
PHONE OR, FOR ANY REASON, HAVE TROUBLE USING THE
TELEPHONE REPORTING SYSTEM, MUST REPORT THEIR
KILLS THROUGH A COOPERATOR AGENT.
This service is available 24-hours per day,
seven days per week. Hunters should report their
kill only once. If you report by telephone,
there is no need to register the kill with a
Cooperator Agent. A touch-tone phone is
required. Have pencil, Big Game Harvest Report
Card, and hunting license number from your big
game report card handy when you call.
Public Hunting Areas:
North Carolina offers almost 2,000,000 acres of
public hunting lands called Game Lands . Just
click "HERE"
for Public Hunting Land Info from the NCWRC.
Deer:
Visible antlers are defined as a bony
structure that protrudes through the skin. Knobs
or buttons covered by skin or velvet are not
considered as visible antlers.
It is unlawful to carry any type of firearm
while bow and arrow hunting during the bow and
arrow seasons.
Dogs may not be used for hunting deer during
the bow and arrow or the muzzleloading firearm
deer seasons.
Pistols may not be carried while hunting
deer during the muzzle-loading firearm seasons.
During the muzzleloading firearm season only
muzzleloading rifles or muzzleloading shotguns
may be used. Bow and arrows are not permitted to
be used during the muzzleloading firearm
seasons, except on areas designated and posted
as Archery Zones on Game Lands.
During the gun deer season, bow and arrows,
pistols (as defined under manner of taking) and
muzzleloading firearms are legal weapons.
Seasons for deer with visible antlers and
primitive weapons seasons on Game Lands follow
the seasons for the county in which they are
located except for Sandhills Game Land.
Other Local Laws:
There are many local laws affecting deer hunting
in North Carolina. Be sure you check them before
you hunt!
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