North Carolina hunting seasons 2026-27
19 hunting seasons are open in North Carolina today, including deer, rabbit, bobcat. Dates come from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and were read yesterday.
Dates only. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Read yesterday.
Big game
- Deer Open open now, last season closes Jan 1, 2027
Upland birds
Small game
- Rabbit Open open now, closes Feb 28, 2027
Furbearers
- Bobcat Open open now, closes Feb 28, 2027
19 hunting seasons are open in North Carolina on November 14: deer, rabbit, bobcat and grouse.
Opening in the next six weeks: deer blackpowder, antlerless on Nov 21, 2026 (Western) and quail general season on Nov 21, 2026.
North Carolina sets different dates by zone or unit for deer; the tables list each zone's dates.
Dates come from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's NCWRC 2026-27 Season Dates at a Glance, read yesterday. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries are not reproduced here; the agency's regulations govern.
All North Carolina season dates
Deer Open
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery, antlered | Central | Sep 12, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlerless | Central | Sep 12, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlered | Northwestern Cwd Management Area | Sep 12, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlerless | Northwestern Cwd Management Area | Sep 12, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlered | Southeastern | Sep 12, 2026 to Oct 2, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlerless | Southeastern | Sep 12, 2026 to Oct 2, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlered | Southeastern Cwd Management Area | Sep 12, 2026 to Oct 2, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlerless | Southeastern Cwd Management Area | Sep 12, 2026 to Oct 2, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlered | Western | Sep 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlered segment 2 | Western | Sep 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlered segment 3 | Western | Sep 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlered segment 4 | Western | Sep 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlerless | Western | Sep 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlerless segment 2 | Western | Sep 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlerless segment 3 | Western | Sep 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Archery, antlerless segment 4 | Western | Sep 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlered | Central | Oct 31, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlerless | Central | Oct 31, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlered | Northwestern Cwd Management Area | Oct 31, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlerless | Northwestern Cwd Management Area | Oct 31, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlered | Southeastern | Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlerless | Southeastern | Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlered | Southeastern Cwd Management Area | Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlerless | Southeastern Cwd Management Area | Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Blackpowder, antlered | Western | Nov 14, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026 | Open open, closes in 13 days |
| Blackpowder, antlered segment 2 | Western | Nov 14, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026 | Open open, closes in 13 days |
| Blackpowder, antlered segment 3 | Western | Nov 14, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026 | Open open, closes in 13 days |
| Blackpowder, antlered segment 4 | Western | Nov 14, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026 | Open open, closes in 13 days |
| Blackpowder, antlerless | Western | Nov 21 | Opens soon opens in 7 days |
| Blackpowder, antlerless segment 2 | Western | Nov 21, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026 | Opens soon opens in 7 days |
| Blackpowder, antlerless segment 3 | Western | Nov 14, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026 | Open open, closes in 13 days |
| Blackpowder, antlerless segment 4 | Western | Nov 14, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026 | Open open, closes in 13 days |
| Gun, antlered | Central | Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlerless | Central | Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlered | Northeastern | Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlerless | Northeastern | Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlered | Northwestern | Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Opens soon opens in 7 days |
| Gun, antlerless | Northwestern | Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Opens soon opens in 7 days |
| Gun, antlered | Northwestern Cwd Management Area | Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlerless | Northwestern Cwd Management Area | Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlered | Southeastern | Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlerless | Southeastern | Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlered | Southeastern Cwd Management Area | Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlerless | Southeastern Cwd Management Area | Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Open open, closes in 48 days |
| Gun, antlered | Western | Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Opens soon opens in 14 days |
| Gun, antlered segment 2 | Western | Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Opens soon opens in 14 days |
| Gun, antlered segment 3 | Western | Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Opens soon opens in 14 days |
| Gun, antlered segment 4 | Western | Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Opens soon opens in 14 days |
| Gun, antlerless | Western | Nov 28 | Opens soon opens in 14 days |
| Gun, antlerless segment 2 | Western | Nov 28, 2026 to Dec 5, 2026 | Opens soon opens in 14 days |
| Gun, antlerless segment 3 | Western | Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Opens soon opens in 14 days |
Quail Opens soon
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| General season | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Opens soon opens in 7 days |
Grouse Open
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| General season | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Open open, closes in 106 days |
Rabbit Open
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| General season | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Open open, closes in 106 days |
Bobcat Open
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| General season | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027 | Open open, closes in 106 days |
Questions
Is deer season open in North Carolina right now?
Yes. 16 deer seasons are open in North Carolina on November 14, and the last of them closes Jan 1, 2027.
Is rabbit season open in North Carolina right now?
Yes. 1 rabbit season is open in North Carolina on November 14, and the last of them closes Feb 28, 2027.
When does quail season open in North Carolina?
The first quail season of 2026-27 in North Carolina opens Nov 21, 2026 (General season).
When does the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission publish next year's season dates?
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has posted the coming year's dates between June and August in recent years; it publishes proposed dates first and adopts them later. This page updates the day the agency's page changes.
Source: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, NCWRC 2026-27 Season Dates at a Glance. Read yesterday.