Hunting Regulations AND INFORMATION
General Restrictions • Carcass Disposal Restrictions: The final dis- posal (either directly by a hunter or indirectly when hunters use a processor, taxidermist, or trash service) of non-edible portions of cervid carcasses and carcass parts originating from inside North Carolina shall be in one of the following methods: » in a lined landfill » buried 3 feet below ground and 300 feet from a waterbody; or » lawfully left on the ground within the county of origin. • Any person hunting deer during a deer fire- arms season shall wear hunter orange visible from all sides. This includes hunting with archery equipment on Sundays. This also includes anyone hunting on Youth Deer Hunt- ing Days, regardless of age of the hunter or weapon used. Landholders, their spouses and children hunting on land held by the land- holder 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 ant- lers, defined as bony structures that protrude 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. See pages 60 and 61 for bear seasons. Processed food products are any food substance or fla- voring that has been modified by the addition of ingredients or by treatment to modify its chemical composition or form or to enhance its aroma or taste. This includes: food prod- ucts enhanced by sugar, honey, syrups, oils, salts, spices, peanut butter, grease, meat, bones, or blood; candies, pastries, gum, and sugar blocks; and extracts of such products.
Archery Deer Season • Antlered and antlerless deer may be taken during archery deer season in all areas (in- cludes game lands). • Some game lands have special deer seasons that do not follow the county archery deer season. See “Game Lands” section for sea- sons and rules specific to the game land you will be hunting. Blackpowder Firearm Deer Season • Antlerless deer may only be taken during the blackpowder firearm season dates indicated on pages 62 and 88-93. • Some game lands have special deer seasons that do not follow the county blackpowder deer season. See “Game Lands” section for seasons and rules specific to the game land you will be hunting. Gun Deer Season • Antlerless deer may only be taken during the gun season dates indicated on pages 62 and 88–93. Special Early Season 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. See pages 62, 63, and 67 for CWD Management Areas. Urban Archery Season Archery only: Jan. 9 – Feb. 14, 2027 Information for Hunters • The intention of the Urban Archery Season is to enable cities, towns and villages to reduce urban deer populations through increased hunter opportunity. Hunting during the Urban Archery Season is allowed ONLY in participat- ing municipalities. • Each city, town and village will decide if hunt- ing is allowed on public property and restric- tions, if any, for hunting on private property within the city, town and village limits. • Hunters wishing to hunt in an area partici- pating in the Urban Archery Season should call the participating city, town or village or visit its website to obtain a map showing lawful areas to hunt and additional informa- tion on specific restrictions that may apply to each area. • The Urban Archery Season does not obligate private landowners to allow hunting on their property, nor does it eliminate the ethical requirement for obtaining permission from the landowner before hunting. Hunters are legally required to obtain written permission to hunt on posted property. • The season bag and possession limits described above for anterless deer, antlered deer, and for Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Cards also apply during the Urban Archery Season. • Antlered and antlerless deer may be harvest- ed in participating areas during the Urban Archery Season.
• 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 Management and Sur- veillance Areas (see page 67). • 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 legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows, and slingbows, blackpowder firearms, shotguns, rifles, and handguns (all described on page 54). Dogs • Hunters may use dogs to hunt deer during open deer seasons in counties listed on page 55, and to retrieve a wounded deer. See page 54 for details. Bag Limits • The season and possession bag limit is six deer, two of which may be antlered, and four • Antlerless deer harvested and reported on Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Cards do not count towards the season or possession limit. • Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Cards allow for the harvest of two additional antlerless deer per card. These are ONLY valid for use for deer taken within participating munici- palities during the Urban Archery Season (described on pages 64–65). Unlimited Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Cards are available to each hunter. Bonus Antlerless Harvest Re- port Cards can be obtained on or after Jan. 1 at most wildlife service agents, or online at gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com . • Antlerless deer harvested under the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) and tagged with harvest tags provided with the program are not included in normal state- wide bag limits. Antlered and Antlerless Harvests Youth Deer Hunting Days • Antlered and antlerless deer may be taken by hunters under the age of 16 on these days statewide and on two additional days in the western deer season (includes applicable game lands). of which may be antlerless. • There is no daily bag limit.
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Please note: Major regulation changes appear in RED
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