This is North Carolina's published 2026-27 season, the whole state at once. A pin reads its county off the map and cuts this to the seasons, arms and limits that apply there.

North Carolina deer seasons

2026-27

2 antlered deer per licence year. Six deer for the season and for possession, of which no more than two may be antlered and no more than four antlerless. There is no daily limit. Antlerless deer taken on a Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Card during the Urban Archery Season, and deer tagged under the Deer Management Assistance Program, fall outside these numbers. Digest, printed p. 64.

Special Early Season
Any lawful weaponPrinted in 1 column — check which covers your county.
Two days in August, in the CWD Management Areas only, for antlered deer.
CWD Management Areas
Aug 22–23Antlered only
Against the six-deer season limit, of which no more than two may be antlered.
- "Deer with antlers or spikes protruding through the skin may be taken on August 22-23, 2026 in CWD Management Areas with any lawful weapon, including on game lands." Digest, printed p. 64.
- The seven CWD Management Area counties are Cumberland, Forsyth, Sampson, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin. Digest, printed p. 67.
- Hunter orange is required: this is a season in which a firearm may be used for deer. Digest, printed p. 56.
Archery Season
Bows and arrows, crossbows and slingbowsPrinted in 4 columns — check which covers your county.
Opens on 12 September everywhere, and closes anywhere from 2 October to 13 November depending on the zone.
Northeastern, Southeastern and the Southeastern CWD area
Sep 12 – Oct 2Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless. No daily limit.
Central and the Northwestern CWD area
Sep 12 – Oct 30Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless. No daily limit.
Northwestern
Sep 12 – Nov 6Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless. No daily limit.
Western
Sep 12 – Nov 13Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless. No daily limit.
- "Antlered and antlerless deer may be taken during archery deer season in all areas (includes game lands)." Digest, printed p. 64 — so archery is the one season where the antlerless restrictions of the western counties do not bite.
- Crossbows and slingbows are archery equipment in North Carolina, in every season. Digest, printed pp. 54 and 64.
- Orange is not required for archery — except on a Sunday inside the deer firearms season, and on a Youth Deer Hunting Day. Digest, printed p. 56.
- Some game lands run their own archery seasons that do not follow the county's. Digest, printed p. 64.
Blackpowder Firearm Season
Blackpowder firearms, bows and arrows, crossbows and slingbowsPrinted in 6 columns — check which covers your county.
A fortnight between the archery and gun seasons in every zone.
Northeastern, Southeastern and the Southeastern CWD area
Oct 3–16Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Central and the Northwestern CWD area
Oct 31 – Nov 13Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Northwestern
Nov 7–20Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Western — Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Madison, Mitchell, Yancey and the Buncombe group
Nov 14–27Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Western — the far southwest
Nov 14–20Antlered only
Nov 21–27Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Western — Graham
Nov 14–20Antlered only
Nov 21Either sex
Nov 22–27Antlered only
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
- "Antlerless deer may only be taken during the blackpowder firearm season dates indicated on pages 62 and 88-93." In four of the ten zone rows those dates are shorter than the season itself. Digest, printed p. 64.
- Archery equipment stays legal throughout — the season names the weapon it adds, not the weapon it requires. Digest, printed p. 54.
- This is a deer firearms season, so hunter orange visible from all sides is required regardless of the weapon carried. Digest, printed p. 56.
Gun Season
Shotguns, rifles, handguns, blackpowder firearms, bows and arrows, crossbows and slingbowsPrinted in 7 columns — check which covers your county.
The long season, closing on New Year's Day in every county — but opening six weeks apart across the state.
Northeastern, Southeastern and the Southeastern CWD area
Oct 17 – Jan 1Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Central and the Northwestern CWD area
Nov 14 – Jan 1Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Northwestern
Nov 21 – Jan 1Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Western — Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Madison, Mitchell and Yancey
Nov 28 – Jan 1Either sex
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Western — Buncombe, Henderson and McDowell
Nov 28 – Dec 5Either sex
Dec 6 – Jan 1Antlered only
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Western — the far southwest
Nov 28Either sex
Nov 29 – Jan 1Antlered only
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
Western — Graham
Nov 28 – Jan 1Antlered only
Six deer for the season, no more than two antlered and no more than four antlerless.
- "Antlerless deer may only be taken during the gun season dates indicated on pages 62 and 88-93." Three of the western rows cut that to a week, a day, or nothing at all. Digest, printed p. 64.
- Hunter orange visible from all sides is required of anyone hunting deer during a deer firearms season, regardless of weapon — a bowhunter sitting a Sunday inside this season wears it. Landholders, their spouses and their children on the landholder's own land do not. Digest, printed p. 56.
- Hunting deer with dogs is legal in the counties listed on printed p. 55; using a firearm on deer run or chased by dogs is prohibited on Sundays. Digest, printed pp. 54-55.
Youth Deer Hunting Days
Any legal weapon for a hunter under 16; the weapon of the county's open season for everyone else
Two days in late September, statewide, when a hunter under sixteen may use any legal weapon.
Statewide
Sep 26–27Either sex
Against the six-deer season limit, no more than two antlered.
- "YOUTH DEER HUNTING DAYS — Statewide September 26-27, 2026." Digest, printed p. 63.
- A hunter under 16 may use any legal weapon to take an antlered or antlerless deer. A hunter of 16 or over may only use the weapon legal for the season open in their county on that day. Digest, printed p. 63.
- "All hunters must wear hunter orange on these days, even if the hunter is using archery equipment." Digest, printed p. 63.
- A license-exempt young hunter should report a harvest on their own Big Game Harvest Report Card for License-Exempt Hunters, not on a parent's. Digest, printed p. 58.
Youth Deer Hunting Days, Western
Any legal weapon for a hunter under 16; the weapon of the county's open season for everyone elsePrinted in 1 column — check which covers your county.
Two more days in the western deer season, on top of the statewide pair.
The western zone
Nov 26–27Either sex
Against the six-deer season limit, no more than two antlered.
- "Western Deer Season November 26-27, 2026" — the two additional days the bag-limit page refers to. Digest, printed pp. 63-64.
- These fall inside the western blackpowder season, so for a hunter of 16 or over the legal weapon that day is a blackpowder firearm or archery equipment. Digest, printed pp. 62-63.
- Hunter orange is required on these days whatever the weapon. Digest, printed p. 63.
Urban Archery Season
Bows and arrows, crossbows and slingbows
Five weeks after New Year, inside the town limits of the cities that asked for it.
Participating municipalities, statewide
Jan 9 – Feb 14Either sex
The ordinary six-deer season limit applies, plus two antlerless per Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Card, which do not count against it.
- "Archery only: Jan. 9 - Feb. 14, 2027." Digest, printed p. 64.
- Legal ONLY inside a participating city, town or village — about ninety of them for 2027, listed on printed p. 65. Each decides for itself whether hunting is allowed on public property and what restrictions apply on private property, so call the municipality and get its map before you go.
- Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Cards allow two extra antlerless deer per card and are valid only for deer taken inside a participating municipality during this season. Cards are unlimited and available from 1 January. Digest, printed p. 64.
- This season does not oblige a private landowner to allow hunting, and written permission is legally required on posted property. Digest, printed p. 64.

New This Season

What changed since last year, and is therefore easiest to get wrong.

Cleveland, Polk and Rutherford counties move into the Northwestern deer zone.
The CWD Management Areas grow to seven counties — Cumberland, Forsyth, Sampson, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin — each with a Special Early Season on 22-23 August.
The restrictions on transporting deer carcasses out of CWD areas have been removed, and replaced by a statewide rule on where a carcass may finally be disposed of.

Legal Arms

2026-2027 North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting & Trapping Regulations Digest weapon specifications, as the digest prints them.

Archery

Digest, printed pp. 54 and 64

Bows and arrows
Crossbows
Slingbows

Blackpowder

Digest, printed pp. 54 and 64

Blackpowder firearms
Bows and arrows
Crossbows
Slingbows

Gun

Digest, printed pp. 54 and 64

Shotguns
Rifles
Handguns
Blackpowder firearms
Bows and arrows
Crossbows
Slingbows

Any firearm on a Sunday between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Any firearm on a Sunday within 500 yards of a place of worship
Any firearm on a Sunday against deer run or chased by dogs

Hunting Hours and Orange

What the state defines as legal light, and what has to be worn in it.

Legal Shooting Hours

Digest, printed p. 54

"Game birds and animals may be taken only between 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset." Raccoon, opossum, feral swine and — outside five coastal counties — coyote may be taken at night; deer may not. On a Sunday a firearm may not be used between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., which this window does not draw.

Fluorescent Orange

Digest, printed pp. 56 and 64

Hunter orange visible from all sides — a cap or hat of hunter orange material, or an outer garment of hunter orange. The rule is keyed to the season, not to the weapon: anyone hunting deer during a deer firearms season wears it regardless of what they are carrying, and that includes an archery hunter on a Sunday inside gun season and everyone hunting on a Youth Deer Hunting Day. It does not apply to a landholder, their spouse or their children hunting on land the landholder holds. Separately, anyone hunting bear, feral swine, rabbit, squirrel, grouse, pheasant or quail with a firearm must wear it.

Sundays

Digest, printed p. 54

Sunday hunting is legal, with four exceptions the digest prints together: no hunting with a firearm between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; no hunting with a firearm within 500 yards of a place of worship or any accessory structure of one; no using a firearm on deer that are run or chased by dogs; and no hunting migratory birds at all. Archery equipment carries none of these restrictions. Note also that a bowhunter sitting a Sunday inside a deer firearms season must still wear hunter orange.

Standing Rules

The parts of the digest that are true every day of the season.

Bag limits

Digest, printed p. 64

Six deer for the season and for possession, of which no more than two may be antlered and no more than four antlerless.
There is no daily bag limit.
Antlerless deer taken on a Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Card, in a participating municipality during the Urban Archery Season, do not count against either number.
Deer tagged under the Deer Management Assistance Program are outside the statewide limits.
An antlered deer is one with visible antlers — bony structures protruding through the skin. A knob or button covered by skin or velvet is not a visible antler.

Carcass disposal

Digest, printed p. 64

Non-edible portions of a cervid carcass originating from inside North Carolina — whether the hunter disposes of them or a processor, taxidermist or trash service does — must go to a lined landfill, be buried three feet below ground and 300 feet from a waterbody, or be left lawfully on the ground within the county of origin. This is new for 2026-27 and replaces the old restriction on moving a carcass out of a CWD area.

Baiting and attractants

Digest, printed pp. 54-55, 64 and 67

Commercially available mineral supplements marketed for deer are legal anywhere in the state except on game lands and in CWD Management and Surveillance Areas.
Possession or use of natural deer excretions, including urine, is not allowed.
Processed food products may not be placed as bait anywhere with an established black bear season.
In CWD Management and Surveillance Areas, minerals and salt may never be placed to congregate wildlife, and bait or food may not be placed at all between 2 January and 31 August.

Written permission

Digest, printed p. 56 — the Landowner Protection Act

To hunt, fish or trap on land posted with signs no more than 200 yards apart, or with purple paint 100 yards apart, you must carry written permission signed by the landowner or lessee and dated within the past twelve months. On leased land a hunting club membership and the landowner's permission both have to be on you.

Tagging and Reporting

The clock that starts the moment the deer is down.

Digest, printed p. 58

Every deer must be reported before the deer is skinned or moved on, and by noon the next day at the latest.

Validate the paper card before moving the deer from the site of kill, by cutting or punching out the day and month — or validate in the Go Outdoors North Carolina app, which works without signal
Register the harvest before the animal is skinned or dismembered, before it is left unattended, before it passes to another person, and before 12 noon the following day
Register in the app, by calling 800-I-GOT-ONE, online at gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com, or at a participating wildlife service agent
Field dressing before registering is fine; mutilating the carcass so the species, age or sex is obscured is not

Chronic Wasting Disease

Background, and the rules that apply if you carry a carcass out of a management area.

Digest, printed p. 67

North Carolina draws two kinds of CWD area, and neither requires testing. What they change is when the season opens and what may be put on the ground.

CWD Management Areas — Cumberland, Forsyth, Sampson, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin: a Special Early Season on 22-23 August, and earlier blackpowder and gun openers in some of them.
CWD Surveillance Areas — Edgecombe, Halifax, Martin and Pitt: the same feeding, baiting, attractant and fawn rehabilitation restrictions, but no season changes.
In both: no minerals or salt placed to congregate wildlife at any time, and no bait, food or food products placed between 2 January and 31 August. Bird feeders and urban archery hunting in participating municipalities are excepted.
In both: no possession or use of natural substances collected by a hunter from a legally harvested cervid, and no fawn rehabilitation.
Testing is voluntary everywhere and free. Cooperating taxidermists and processors may submit your deer without your asking; NCWRC will tell you the result.

Where This App Is Coarser Than the Digest

Said plainly, because an absence is easy to read as a permission.

The Sunday firearms blackout is not drawn on the day's legal-light bar. Between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on a Sunday no firearm may be used, and no firearm at all within 500 yards of a place of worship — the app shows the whole light window, so read the Sunday note before planning a Sunday morning with a rifle.
Hunter orange during a deer firearms season binds archery hunters too. If the app shows an archery season and a gun season open on the same day in your county, wear it.
These are the county seasons. Game lands run their own deer and antlerless seasons over eleven pages of the digest, and none of them are carried here.
Buncombe and Henderson each have a described pocket — bounded by N.C. 191, the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, U.S. 25 and N.C. 280 — where the antlerless season runs the full length of the antlered season instead of ending on 5 December. The app applies the county-wide rule; if you hunt that corner, the digest's footnote on printed p. 62 is more generous than what you see here.
The Urban Archery Season is legal only inside a participating city, town or village, and the app has no municipal boundaries. Check the list on printed p. 65 and get the municipality's own map before hunting it.
North Carolina's rut spans eleven weeks and runs east to west, not north to south. The rut meter uses the Commission's own estimated peak conception date for your county, off its 2025 county map — from Oct-4 in Hyde to Dec-19 in Macon — rather than one date for the state or an average for your season zone. The estimates are not all equally solid: they come from 1,776 reproductive samples that are very unevenly spread, 311 of them in Hyde alone against five or six in a dozen counties, and the Commission says in as many words that it has less confidence where it has fewer samples. Graham County is unlabelled on the map, on a single sample, and carries the Western zone's printed average instead.
North Carolina publishes no open statewide parcel service, so there are no property lines on the map here.

Useful Numbers

The agency, when the app cannot answer it.

NCWRC: 919-707-0010
Report a harvest: 800-446-8663 (800-I-GOT-ONE)
Licences and tags: gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com
Urban Archery enquiries: 919-707-0050

Transcribed from the published 2026-27 North Carolina digest. Where this app and the digest disagree, the digest is the law. Read the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission digest.