Deer Regulations

General Restrictions

• Any person hunting deer during a deer firearms 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 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 protrude through the skin. Knobs or buttons covered by skin or velvet are not considered visible antlers.
• It is unlawful to place processed food products as bait in any area of the state with an established season for taking black bears. Processed food products are any food substance or flavoring 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 products 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.
• The placement of commercially available mineral supplements specifically and exclusively marketed for attracting or feeding deer is allowed anywhere in the state, except on game lands and CWD Surveillance Areas.
• Possession and use of some types of natural deer excretions (including urine) is not allowed. See the section on Baiting and Attractants on the Hunting Regulations page.

Weapons and Dogs

Archery

• During the archery season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows, and slingbows (all described on the Hunting Regulations page).

Blackpowder

• During the blackpowder season the following are legal weapons: bows and arrows, crossbows, slingbows, and blackpowder firearms (one the Hunting Regulations page).

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 the Hunting Regulations page).

Dogs

• Hunters may use dogs to hunt deer during open deer seasons in counties listed on the Hunting Regulations page, and to retrieve a wounded deer.

Bag Limits

• The season and possession bag limit is six deer, two of which may be antlered, and four of which may be antlerless.
• There is no daily bag limit.
• 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 municipalities during the Urban Archery Season (described on the Hunting Regulations page). Unlimited Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Cards are available to each hunter.
• Bonus Antlerless Harvest Report Cards are available beginning January 1 at most wildlife service agent locations or online through the Go Outdoors North Carolina website.
• Antlerless deer harvested under the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) and tagged with harvest tags provided with the program are not included in normal statewide bag limits.

Antlerless Deer Seasons

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 game lands).

Archery Deer Season

• Antlered and antlerless deer may be taken during archery deer season in all areas (includes game lands).
• Some game lands have special deer seasons that do not follow the county archery deer season. See “Game Lands” section for seasons 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 the Deer Seasons page.
• 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 the Deer Seasons page.

Urban Archery Season

Archery only: Jan. 10 – Feb. 15, 2026

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 participating municipalities.
• Each city, town and village will decide if hunting is allowed on public property and restrictions, if any, for hunting on private property within the city, town and village limits.
• Hunters wishing to hunt in an area participating 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 information 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 harvested in participating areas during the Urban Archery Season.

The 2026 participating cities, towns and villages are:

Albemarle (Stanly) - 704-984-9565

Ansonville (Anson) - 704-826-8404

Archer Lodge (Johnston) - 919-359-9727

Boiling Springs (Cleveland) - 704-434-9691

Carthage (Moore) - 910-947-2331

Catawba (Catawba) - 828-241-2215

Chapel Hill (Durham and Orange) - 919-968-2923

China Grove (Rowan) - 704-857-2466

Clayton (Johnston) - 919-553-5002 ext. 5402

Cleveland (Rowan) - 704-278-4777

Concord (Cabarrus) - 704-920-5000

Denton (Davidson) - 336-859-4231

East Bend (Yadkin) - 336-699-8560

Eden (Rockingham) - 336-623-9755 or 336-623-2110

Elkin (Surry and Wilkes) - 336-258-8900

Fairview (Union) - 704-753-1981

Franklinville (Randolph) - 336-824-2604

Glen Alpine (Burke) - 828-584-2622

Granite Quarry (Rowan) - 704-279-5596

Harrisburg (Cabarrus) - 704-455-0708

Huntersville (Mecklenburg) - 704-875-6541

Indian Trail (Union) - 704-821-5401

Jamestown (Guilford) - 336-454-1138

Jefferson (Ashe) - 336-846-9368

Jonesville (Yadkin) - 336-835-3426

King (Stokes) - 336-983-8265

Landis (Rowan) - 704-857-4114

Lattimore (Cleveland) - 704-434-2620

Lenoir (Caldwell) - 828-757-2100

Lewisville (Forsyth) - 336-945-5558

Locust (Cabarrus/Stanly) - 704-888-5260 ext. 101

Midland (Cabarrus) - 704-888-2232

Mineral Springs (Union) - 704-243-0505

Mooresboro (Cleveland) - N/A

Morganton (Burke) - 828-438-2345

Mount Gilead (Montgomery) - 910-439-5111

Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills (Dare) - 252-441-2525

New London (Stanly) - 704-463-5423

North Wilkesboro (Wilkes) - 336-667-7129

Norwood (Stanly) - 704-474-3416

Oakboro (Stanly) - 704-485-3351

Oak Ridge (Guilford) - 336-644-7009

Pleasant Garden (Guilford) - 336-674-3002

Randleman (Randolph) - 336-495-7500

Red Cross (Stanly) - 704-485-2002

Reidsville (Rockingham) - 336-349-1030

Richfield (Stanly) - 704-463-1308

Ronda (Wilkes) - 336-835-2061

Sanford (Lee) - 919-777-1104

Sawmills (Caldwell) - 828-396-7903

Shelby (Cleveland) - 704-484-6801

Stallings (Union) - 704-821-8557

Stanfield (Stanly) - 704-888-2386

Stokesdale (Guilford) - 336-643-4011

Summerfield (Guilford) - 336-643-8655

Trent Woods (Craven) - 252-637-3030

Troutman (Iredell) - 704-528-7600

Unionville (Union) - 704-226-1989

Valdese (Burke) - 828-879-2120

Wake Forest (Franklin and Wake) - 919-435-9623

Waxhaw (Union) - 704-843-2195 ext. 278

Weddington (Union) - 704-846-2709

Wentworth (Rockingham) - 336-342-6288

Yadkinville (Yadkin) - 336-679-8732

Information for cities, towns and villages

The Urban Archery Season is available for cities, towns and villages that submit to the Wildlife Resources Commission by April 1 of each year a letter of intent to partici­pate in the season. A map (no larger than 11” X 17”) clearly defining the area included in the season should also accompany the letter of intent. Interested municipalities should call the Wildlife Management Division at 919-707-0050 and request to be contacted by a district wildlife biologist.