Wild Turkey Hunting in North Carolina: Your Guide to Seasons, Regulations, and More

North Carolina Hunting Regulations

• You now have to turn in at least one premolar tooth from the bear by January 31st of the bear hunting season during which the bear was harvested. Once the two upper premolar teeth have been extracted, place one of the teeth in the bear tooth envelope that the Commission mailed you (refer to the advertisement below and the ncwildlife instructions org/bear). Until the Commission notifies you that your tooth has been received, hold onto the other tooth as a backup. • If you lost the original bear tooth envelope, call 919-707-0050 to request a replacement.

It is mandatory for anyone using a firearm to hunt grouse, pheasants, quail, rabbits, squirrels, bears, or feral pigs to wear an outer garment or cap made of hunter orange material that is apparent from all sides. Anyone hunting during the deer firearms season must wear hunter orange that is visible from all angles, regardless of the weapon they are using. This is applicable to hunters who hunt on Sundays during the deer firearms season, as well as those who hunt on Youth Deer Hunting Day. This requirement does not apply to landholders who are hunting on their property with their spouse or children.

When used for hunting in North Carolina, archery equipment is defined as any device having a solid, stationary handle with two limbs that uses non-pneumatic means to propel a single arrow or bolt.

• During an open hunting season, all species may be lawfully hunted with longbows, recurved bows, compound bows, and crossbows.
• When hunting bears, alligators, deer, elk, wild turkey, and feral hogs:
• Longbows and recurved weapons must have a minimum pull of forty pounds.
• Compound bows must have a minimum pull of 35 pounds.
• Crossbows must have a minimum pull of 100 pounds
• Only use bolts and arrows with a fixed minimum broadhead width of seven-eighths of an inch, or arrows with a mechanically opening broadhead that opens to that minimum width.
• Slingbows with a minimum pull of 40 pounds may be used to hunt deer, wild turkey, small game, nongame fish, and nongame animals during legal hunting seasons.
• With blunt-style arrow heads, small game and birds like grouse, quail, and squirrels can be captured.
• It is illegal to hunt any wildlife with explosive, drug-infused, or toxic arrowheads.

Fully automatic rifles are unlawful. All other rifles are legal except:

• Federal law forbids using rifles when hunting migratory game birds.
• Local laws prohibit or restrict rifles in some counties.
• It is prohibited to hunt or catch wild turkeys with a rifle.

Shotguns must be no larger than 10-gauge. • When hunting migratory game birds, shotguns must be plugged in in order to restrict their maximum capacity to three shells.

• During the open hunting season, handguns may be used to legally hunt nongame animals and birds, as well as furbearing animals like raccoons, squirrels, and opossums. There are no restrictions on caliber and barrel length. • During the official gun hunting season, deer and bear may be taken with handguns. There are no restrictions on barrel length or caliber. A hunter or trapper who is lawfully taking wildlife through another method may, with the exception of what is stated below, use a pistol to kill the animal or bird they have taken.
• It is prohibited to hunt or catch wild turkeys with a handgun.
• During established archery season only a . A 22-caliber rimfire handgun can be used to take down deer (see “Retrieval”).

30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset

Daily limit 1; Season limit 1

When used for hunting in North Carolina, archery equipment is defined as any device having a solid, stationary handle with two limbs that uses non-pneumatic means to propel a single arrow or bolt.

• During an open hunting season, all species may be lawfully hunted with longbows, recurved bows, compound bows, and crossbows.
• When hunting bears, alligators, deer, elk, wild turkey, and feral hogs:
• Longbows and recurved weapons must have a minimum pull of forty pounds.
• Compound bows must have a minimum pull of 35 pounds.
• Crossbows must have a minimum pull of 100 pounds
• Only use bolts and arrows with a fixed minimum broadhead width of seven-eighths of an inch, or arrows with a mechanically opening broadhead that opens to that minimum width.
• Slingbows with a minimum pull of 40 pounds may be used to hunt deer, wild turkey, small game, nongame fish, and nongame animals during legal hunting seasons.
• With blunt-style arrow heads, small game and birds like grouse, quail, and squirrels can be captured.
• It is illegal to hunt any wildlife with explosive, drug-infused, or toxic arrowheads.

During the blackpowder deer season, the only lawful firearms are blackpowder shotguns, rifles and handguns. During the blackpowder season the following are also legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows, and slingbows.

A blackpowder firearm is defined by the Commission as any firearm made before 1898 that is not meant to be used with fixed ammunition, including weapons with ignition systems such as matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar devices; any firearm replica that is not meant to be used with conventional centerfire or rimfire fixed ammunition; and any rifle, shotgun, or handgun that loads propellant through the muzzle, cylinder, or breech and is meant to be used with blackpowder, substituted blackpowder, or any other propellant.

Fully automatic rifles are unlawful. All other rifles are legal except:

• Federal law forbids using rifles when hunting migratory game birds.
• Local laws prohibit or restrict rifles in some counties.
• It is prohibited to hunt or catch wild turkeys with a rifle.

Shotguns must be no larger than 10-gauge. • When hunting migratory game birds, shotguns must be plugged in in order to restrict their maximum capacity to three shells.

• During the open hunting season, handguns may be used to legally hunt nongame animals and birds, as well as furbearing animals like raccoons, squirrels, and opossums. There are no restrictions on caliber and barrel length. • During the official gun hunting season, deer and bear may be taken with handguns. There are no restrictions on barrel length or caliber. A hunter or trapper who is lawfully taking wildlife through another method may, with the exception of what is stated below, use a pistol to kill the animal or bird they have taken.
• It is prohibited to hunt or catch wild turkeys with a handgun.
• During established archery season only a . A 22-caliber rimfire handgun can be used to take down deer (see “Retrieval”).

30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset

There is a six-deer possession bag limit per season; two deer may have antlers, while the other four may not. • There is no daily bag limit.

Daily Limit 15 Gallinules and Moorhens either singly or in the aggregate

15 King or Clapper Rails per day, either singly or collectively; 25 Virginia Rails or Sora per day, either singly or collectively

Daily Limit: 15 Possession Limit: 45

Unless otherwise specified, the shooting window for all migratory game birds, including waterfowl, is thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset. Hunting migratory game birds on Sundays is prohibited.

To hunt game birds that migrate through North Carolina, including moorhens, ducks, rails, gallinules, snipe, woodcock, and waterfowl, licensed hunters need to have proof of their enrollment in the federal Harvest Information Program (HIP). Certification can be obtained free of charge by going online at ncwildlife. org, calling 888- 248-6834, or visiting a wildlife service agent.

Shotguns must be no larger than 10-gauge. • When hunting migratory game birds, shotguns must be plugged in in order to restrict their maximum capacity to three shells.

Daily limit 6; Possession 12; No season limit

Daily limit 3; Possession 6; Season 30

Daily limit 3; Possession 6; Season 30

(Year Round – including Sundays)

• Must be taken with dogs only; no limits.
• Local laws may restrict hunting foxes with dogs. Visit ncwildlife. org/FoxSeasons for restrictions.

Nov. 19 – Jan. 1 Season:

• Daily limit 2; Season 10
• Some counties have seasons that begin on different dates or don’t exist at all. Check regulations prior to hunting Fox.

Beavers may be taken all year long with guns or bows and arrows, provided the landowner or lessee grants permission.

There is no bag limit

There is no closed hunting season on private lands. See Game Lands Section for Game Lands regulations.

• Hunters may use electronic calls for coyotes and feral swine.
• Feral swine may be hunted at night with lights.
• All counties except Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington allow the use of artificial lights for coyote hunting at night. In those five counties, the following apply:
• Hunting is allowed in the five aforementioned counties from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
• Coyote hunting is only allowed with a permit in the five counties listed above.
• Permits can be obtained at ncwildlife.org or by calling 888-248-6834
• It is necessary to report each coyote harvest in the five aforementioned counties.

Opposum: No bag limits. Raccoon: Daily limit is 3 – No possession or season limits

Gray and Red Squirrels: Daily limit 8; No Possession or Season Limits; Fox Squirrel: Daily limit 1; Possession 2; Season 10

This applies to domestically raised birds (mallard ducks, chukars, Hungarian partridges, and upland game birds) only.

No wild turkey may be taken.

Shotguns must be no larger than 10-gauge.

• During the open hunting season, handguns may be used to legally hunt nongame animals and birds, as well as furbearing animals like raccoons, squirrels, and opossums. There are no restrictions on caliber and barrel length. A hunter or trapper who is lawfully taking wildlife through another method may, with the exception of what is stated below, use a pistol to kill the animal or bird they have taken.

30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset, though you can catch raccoons, feral pigs, and opossums during the night. Coyotes may be taken at night in all counties except Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washing- ton.

Daily limit 5; No possession or season limits

* A trapping license is not required to box-trap rabbits, but a valid hunting license is necessary. The sale of live rabbits is prohibited.

When used for hunting in North Carolina, archery equipment is defined as any device having a solid, stationary handle with two limbs that uses non-pneumatic means to propel a single arrow or bolt.

• During an open hunting season, all species may be lawfully hunted with longbows, recurved bows, compound bows, and crossbows.
• When hunting bears, alligators, deer, elk, wild turkey, and feral hogs:
• Longbows and recurved weapons must have a minimum pull of forty pounds.
• Compound bows must have a minimum pull of 35 pounds.
• Crossbows must have a minimum pull of 100 pounds
• Only use bolts and arrows with a fixed minimum broadhead width of seven-eighths of an inch, or arrows with a mechanically opening broadhead that opens to that minimum width.
• Slingbows with a minimum pull of 40 pounds may be used to hunt deer, wild turkey, small game, nongame fish, and nongame animals during legal hunting seasons.
• With blunt-style arrow heads, small game and birds like grouse, quail, and squirrels can be captured.
• It is illegal to hunt any wildlife with explosive, drug-infused, or toxic arrowheads.

Shotguns must be no larger than 10-gauge. • When hunting migratory game birds, shotguns must be plugged in in order to restrict their maximum capacity to three shells.

Male or Bearded Turkeys Only.

Limits: (1) Daily; (2) Possession and Season; only one of these may be used in the youth season. Note: For information on permit hunts for select Game Lands, refer to the “Game Lands” section.

Daily Limit 15 coots

Daily Limit 5 with no more than 2 hooded mergansers

Four sea ducks maximum per day: three long-tailed ducks, three scoters, or three eiders (with only one hen eider).

• All sea ducks count toward the daily maximum of six ducks, regardless of whether they are taken inside or outside of the Sea Duck Area.

Daily Limits are the same in each duck hunting zone. Four sea ducks in total, no more than three scoters, three eiders (only one hen eider), or three long-tailed ducks, three wood ducks, two mallards (only one hen mallard), two black ducks, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one pintail, one mottled duck, and one fulvous whistling duck are among the restrictions that apply to the Daily Limit of Six. Prior to Jan. 9 the scaup bag limit is 1, on Jan. 9 and after the scaup bag limit is 2. The season on harlequin ducks is closed. The season on black and mottled ducks is closed until Nov. 19.

Daily Limit 6. The September Teal Season is open only in that area east of U.S. Highway 17.

No daily limit; no possession limit

• It is legal to use expanded hunting techniques during the light geese Conservation Order Season. These include the use of unplugged guns and electronic calls. Furthermore, shooting is permitted until half an hour after dusk.

Daily Limit 25; no possession limit

By Permit Only. 1 per season with special permit

In that area west of U. S. Highway 17 only, expanded hunting methods are allowed for Canada geese. These include extending the shooting window to a half-hour after dusk, allowing unplugged firearms, and allowing electronic calls. This applies to this area only during the month of September.

Daily Limit 1 Canada goose or white-fronted goose

Daily Limit 5 Canada geese or whitefronted geese either singly or in the

To hunt game birds that migrate through North Carolina, including moorhens, ducks, rails, gallinules, snipe, woodcock, and waterfowl, licensed hunters need to have proof of their enrollment in the federal Harvest Information Program (HIP). Certification can be obtained free of charge by going online at ncwildlife. org, calling 888- 248-6834, or visiting a wildlife service agent.

Unless otherwise specified, the shooting window for all migratory game birds, including waterfowl, is thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty minutes after sunset. Hunting migratory game birds on Sundays is prohibited.

Shotguns must be no larger than 10-gauge. • When hunting migratory game birds, shotguns must be plugged in in order to restrict their maximum capacity to three shells.

In North Carolina, shooting waterfowl with shells loaded with anything other than steel or other approved nontoxic materials is prohibited. On game lands with posted impoundments, it is illegal to hunt with or possess any shotgun shell containing lead or toxic shot; however, shotgun shells containing lead buckshot may be used for deer hunting. Nontoxic shot is required when bringing captive-reared mallards to shooting preserves, field trials, or appropriate dog training activities.

*Season dates and regulation data provided by

North Carolina Hunting Seasons

No limit on Private Land. For a list of permissible weapons, see the Regulations Digest. W 1 Western Season Deer Deer – Archery NW Northwestern Season Deer Deer – Archery Central Central Season Deer Deer – Archery NE Youth ages 16 and 17 must be properly licensed to hunt deer. Blackpowder, Nebraska: Deer Deer Antlered Deer Only Dove Dove – Part 1 Daily bag limit 15. Dove Dove – Part 2 Daily bag limit 15. Dove Dove – Part 3 Daily bag limit 15. Duck Duck – September Teal Daily bag limit 6. Duck Duck: Daily Limit 6 in Coastal Zone 1, subject to the following regulations: 4 scoters, 4 eiders, 4 long-tailed ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 mallards (but only 1 hen mallard), 2 black ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, and 1 fulvous whistling duck. Ducks: Four scoters, four eiders, four long-tailed ducks, three wood ducks, two mallards (but only one hen mallard), two black ducks, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one pintail, one mottled duck, and one fulvous whistling duck are the daily limits in Coastal Zone 2. Duck Duck: The allowed species in Inland Zone 2 Daily Limit 6 are 4 scoters, 4 eiders, 4 long-tailed ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 mallards (only 1 hen mallard), 2 black ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, and 1 fulvous whistling duck. Duck Duck: The allowed species in Coastal Zone 3 Daily Limit 6 are 4 scoters, 4 eiders, 4 long-tailed ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 mallards (only 1 hen mallard), 2 black ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, and 1 fulvous whistling duck. Duck Duck: The allowed species in Inland Zone 3 Daily Limit 6 are 4 scoters, 4 eiders, 4 long-tailed ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 mallards (only 1 hen mallard), 2 black ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, and 1 fulvous whistling duck. Red Fox Fox Goose Goose – Light Goose Regular Season Daily bag limit 25. Goose Goose – Canada & White-fronted 1 Resident Population Zone. Daily bag limit 5. Goose Goose – Canada & White-fronted 2 Resident Population Zone. Daily bag limit 5. Canada Goose Tundra Swan Goose Goose Bag limit: 1 per season with a valid permit 5 bags per day Goose Goose – Canada and White-fronted 4 Northeast Hunt Zone. Daily bag limit 1 with valid permit. Goose Goose – Brant Daily Bag Limit No Possession Limit Grouse Grouse Daily Bag Limit 3 Goose Goose – Light Goose Conservation Order Season No Daily Bag Limit Hog Feral Swine No limit. Pheasant Pheasant Daily limit 3 (male pheasant only). Quail Game Type Quail Daily bag limit 6. Rabbit Rabbit and Hare Daily limit 5; No possession or season limits. Turkey Game Type Turkey – Youth Spring Male or bearded Turkey only. Turkey Game Type Turkey – Spring Statewide (Bearded turkey only).

NORTH CAROLINA Opening Day DOUBLE! (Turkey Hunting)

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