Hunting Regulations AND INFORMATION
General Restrictions • Any person hunting deer during a deer firearms season shall wear hunter orange visible from all sides. This includes hunt- ing with archery equipment on Sundays. This also includes anyone hunting on Youth Deer Hunting Days, regardless of age of the hunter or weapon used. Landholders, their spouses and children hunting on land held by the landholder do not have to wear hunter orange. • Antlered deer may be taken during any open antlered deer season. Antlerless deer may only be taken during antlerless deer seasons. • Antlered deer are defined as having visible antlers, defined as bony structures that pro- trude through the skin. Knobs or buttons covered by skin or velvet are not considered visible antlers. • It is unlawful to place processed food prod- ucts as bait in any area of the state with an established season for taking black bears. Processed food products are any food sub- stance or flavoring that has been modified by the addition of ingredients or by treat- ment to modify its chemical composition or form or to enhance its aroma or taste. This includes: food products enhanced by sugar, honey, syrups, oils, salts, spices, peanut but- ter, grease, meat, bones, or blood; candies, pastries, gum, and sugar blocks; and extracts of such products. • The placement of commercially available mineral supplements specifically and exclu- sively marketed for attracting or feeding deer is allowed anywhere in the state, except on game lands and CWD Surveillance Areas (see page 68). • Possession and use of some types of natural deer excretions (including urine) is not allowed. See the section on Baiting and Attractants on pages 54 and 55 for more information. Weapons and Dogs Archery • During the archery season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows, and slingbows (all described on page 54). Blackpowder • During the blackpowder season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows, cross- bows, slingbows, and blackpowder firearms (all described on page 54). Gun • During the gun season the following are le- gal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows, and slingbows, blackpowder firearms, shot- guns, rifles, and handguns (all described on page 54). Dogs • Hunters may use dogs to hunt deer dur- ing open deer seasons in counties listed on page 55, and to retrieve a wounded deer. See page 54 for details.
Big Game – Deer DEER HUNTING SEASONS See the map on page 66 for antlered and antlerless season dates and exceptions to the seasons listed in this table. • Weapon seasons for deer on game lands follow the season for the county in which they are located unless otherwise noted. See the “Game Lands” section for additional restric- tions and Gun Antlerless Deer Season dates on game lands.
METHOD OF TAKE
SEASON DATES
YOUTH DEER HUNTING DAYS Statewide
September 27 – 28, 2025
Western Deer Season November 27 – 28, 2025 On these days, youth under the age of 16 may use any legal weapon to hunt antlered or antlerless deer. Hunters age 16 and older may only use the weapon legal for the type of season open in their county on this day. All hunters must wear hunter orange on these days, even if the hunter is using archery equipment. NORTHEASTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN ANTLERED DEER SEASON Archery Sept. 13 – Oct. 3, 2025 Blackpowder Oct. 4 – Oct. 17, 2025 Gun Oct. 18, 2025 – Jan. 1, 2026 CENTRAL ANTLERED DEER SEASON Archery Sept. 13 – Oct. 31, 2025 Blackpowder Nov. 1 – Nov. 14, 2025 Gun Nov. 15, 2025 – Jan. 1, 2026 NORTHWESTERN ANTLERED DEER SEASON Archery Sept. 13 – Nov. 7, 2025 Blackpowder Nov. 8 – Nov. 21, 2025 Gun Nov. 22, 2025 – Jan. 1, 2026 WESTERN ANTLERED DEER SEASON Archery Sept. 13 – Nov. 14, 2025 Blackpowder Nov. 15 – Nov. 28, 2025 Gun Nov. 29, 2025 – Jan. 1, 2026
Big Game Harvest Reports
View reported big game harvest counts for the current hunting season in the Go Outdoors North Carolina App.
62 2025–2026
Please note: Major regulation changes appear in RED
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