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North Carolina

Hunting

Hunting

Deer Hunting Seasons

Deer Hunting Seasons

See the map on Deer Zone Maps for antlered and antlerless season dates and exceptions to the seasons listed in this table.

  • Weapons seasons for deer on game lands follow the season for the county in which they are located except for Buffalo Cove Game Land, Nicholson Creek Game Land, Rockfish Creek Game Land, Sandhills Game Land and South Moun­tains Game Land. See the “Game Lands” section for additional restrictions on these Game Lands seasons. Refer to the “Game Lands” section for Gun Antlerless Deer Season dates on game lands.

Method of take

Season Dates

Youth Deer Hunting Day

On this day, youth under the age of 18 may use any legal weapon to hunt antlered or antlerless deer.

September 23, 2023

See General Hunting Regulations for description of legal weapons. Hunters age 18 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 this day, even if the hunter is using archery equipment.

Northeastern and Southeastern Antlered Deer Season

Archery

Sept. 9 – Sept. 29, 2023

Blackpowder

Sept. 30 – Oct. 13, 2023

Gun

Oct. 14, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024

Central Antlered Deer Season

Archery

Sept. 9 – Oct. 27, 2023

Blackpowder

Oct. 28 – Nov. 10, 2023

Gun

Nov. 11, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024

Northwestern Antlered Deer Season

Archery

Sept. 9 – Nov. 3, 2023

Blackpowder

Nov. 4 – Nov. 17, 2023

Gun

Nov. 18, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024

Western Antlered Deer Season

Archery

Sept. 9 – Oct. 1, 2023, Oct. 15 – Nov. 19, 2023, and

Dec. 10, 2023 – Jan. 1, 2024 (antlered only)

Blackpowder

Oct. 2 – Oct. 14, 2023

Gun

Nov. 20 – Dec. 9, 2023

Pre-season Deer Hunting Checklist
Pre-season Deer Hunting Checklist