Deer season 2026–27 · last checked Sep 26, 2026
North Carolina deer season dates 2026–27
Official dates from North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, by season and zone, plus the public land in North Carolina from our directory. Archery opens Sept. 12, 2026. Firearms: Oct. 17 – Nov. 28, 2026 (by zone) (Gun, antlered).
Last checked Sep 26, 2026 against the official North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission page. Dates vary by zone, unit and county, and agencies can change them. Confirm with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission before you hunt.
Quick answers
- When does archery deer season start in North Carolina?
- Sept. 12, 2026, per North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. See the table for zone differences and closing dates.
- When does gun (firearms) deer season start in North Carolina?
- Oct. 17 – Nov. 28, 2026 (by zone) (Gun, antlered).
- Where are the official rules?
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: hunting information. Bag limits, licenses, tags and weapon rules are not repeated here.
North Carolina deer season dates, 2026–27
Deer: antlered season dates by zone (archery · blackpowder · gun)
| Zone | Counties | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Northeastern zone | Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Greene, Halifax, Hertford, Johnston, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pitt, Vance, Wake, Warren, Wayne, Wilson | Archery Sept. 12 – Oct. 2 · Blackpowder Oct. 3–16 · Gun Oct. 17, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Southeastern zone | Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Dare, Duplin, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Moore, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Richmond, Robeson, Scotland, Tyrrell, Washington | Archery Sept. 12 – Oct. 2 · Blackpowder Oct. 3–16 · Gun Oct. 17, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Southeastern CWD Management Area | Cumberland, Sampson | Special early season Aug. 22–23 · Archery Sept. 12 – Oct. 2 · Blackpowder Oct. 3–16 · Gun Oct. 17, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Central zone | Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Granville, Guilford, Lee, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, Union | Archery Sept. 12 – Oct. 30 · Blackpowder Oct. 31 – Nov. 13 · Gun Nov. 14, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Northwestern zone | Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Polk, Rutherford, Watauga | Archery Sept. 12 – Nov. 6 · Blackpowder Nov. 7–20 · Gun Nov. 21, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Northwestern CWD Management Area | Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin | Special early season Aug. 22–23 · Archery Sept. 12 – Oct. 30 · Blackpowder Oct. 31 – Nov. 13 · Gun Nov. 14, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Western zone | Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Yancey | Archery Sept. 12 – Nov. 13 · Blackpowder Nov. 14–27 · Gun Nov. 28, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027 |
- Antlerless dates match the antlered dates in most zones, but they’re shorter in parts of the Western zone. See the NCWRC table.
- Game Lands can have their own rules and restricted days. Check the Game Land’s listing in the NCWRC regulations digest.
Official sources (checked Sep 26, 2026)
Public land in North Carolina that may allow deer hunting
Our directory lists 100 named public land units in North Carolina (about 2.3M ac, from USGS PAD-US 4.1): 76 state wildlife & game areas, 11 forests & grasslands, 11 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 2 other public land units. PAD-US shows who manages the land. It doesn’t cover hunting rules. Before you go, check the area’s own rules with the managing agency. WMAs, refuges and forests often have special dates, permits or closed zones.
State wildlife areas & game lands in North Carolina
All 76 →- State wildlife / game area
Sandhills Game Land
65,735 acres
Not recorded · Richmond County, Scotland County + 1 more
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - State wildlife / game area
Holly Shelter Game Land
64,334 acres
Not recorded · Pender County
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - State wildlife / game area
Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land
40,666 acres
Not recorded · Granville County, Durham County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Angola Bay Game Land
34,529 acres
Not recorded · Pender County, Duplin County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
North River Game Land
25,944 acres
Not recorded · Camden County, Currituck County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Chowan Swamp Game Land
23,717 acres
Not recorded · Gates County, Hertford County + 1 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
South Mountains Game Land
22,561 acres
Not recorded · Rutherford County, Burke County + 2 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land
21,081 acres
Not recorded · Martin County, Northampton County + 2 more
Mixed (open and restricted parcels)
National & state forests and grasslands in North Carolina
All 11 →- National Forest land
Nantahala National Forest
532,527 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Macon County, Graham County + 5 more
Open access - National Forest land
Pisgah National Forest
511,152 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Transylvania County, McDowell County + 9 more
Open access - National Forest land
Croatan National Forest
161,890 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Craven County, Carteret County + 1 more
Open access - National Forest land
Uwharrie National Forest
51,868 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Montgomery County, Randolph County + 1 more
Open access - State forest
Dupont State Forest
11,794 acres
Not recorded · Transylvania County, Henderson County
Open access
National wildlife refuges & WPAs in North Carolina
All 11 →- National Wildlife Refuge
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
152,880 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Dare County, Hyde County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
115,092 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Tyrrell County, Hyde County + 1 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
50,103 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Hyde County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
27,630 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Gates County, Camden County + 1 more
Restricted access
Counties with the most listed public land
- Hyde County (6)
- Halifax County (6)
- Carteret County (5)
- Transylvania County (5)
- Currituck County (5)
- Richmond County (5)
- Tyrrell County (5)
- Bertie County (5)
- Avery County (4)
- Burke County (4)
- Caldwell County (4)
- Pender County (4)
Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.
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