Migratory Game Bird Seasons

Name: eRegulations
Price range: $

Shooting Hours

Unless otherwise specified, shooting hours for all migratory game birds, including waterfowl, are ½ hour before sunrise to sunset. Hunting migratory game birds, including waterfowl, on Sundays is prohibited.

Possession Limits

Possession Limits for all migratory game birds, including waterfowl, are 3 times the daily limit unless otherwise specified.

Nontoxic Shot Requirements

In North Carolina, no person shall take waterfowl while possessing shells loaded with any shot other than steel or other approved nontoxic materials. On posted waterfowl impoundments on game lands, it is unlawful to hunt with or have in possession any shotgun shell containing lead or toxic shot while hunting; except shotgun shells containing lead buckshot may be used while deer hunting. Nontoxic shot is required for the taking of captive-reared mallards on shooting preserves, in field trials and during bona fide dog-training activities.

Migratory Game Bird Seasons
Season Dates	Limits
Dove (includes Mourning Dove and White-winged Dove)
Sept. 2 – Oct. 5, Nov. 9 – Nov. 30 & Dec. 16 – Jan. 31	Daily Limit 15; either singly or in the aggregate for mourning doves and white-winged doves
Rails (includes King, Clapper and Virginia Rails and Sora)
Sept. 2 – Nov. 21	Daily Limit 15 King or Clapper Rails either singly or in the aggregate Daily Limit 25 Virginia Rails or Sora either singly or in the aggregate
Gallinule and moorhen
Sept. 2 – Nov. 21	Daily Limit 15 Gallinules and Moorhens either singly or in the aggregate
Woodcock
Dec. 11 – Jan. 31	Daily Limit 3
Common snipe
Oct. 28 – Feb. 28	Daily Limit 8
SEPTEMBER TEAL SEASON (includes Green-winged teal, Blue-winged teal and Cinnamon teal)
Sept. 12 – Sept. 30	Daily Limit 6 The September Teal Season is open only in that area east of U.S. Highway 17.
Ducks
See Duck Zone Map on Duck Zone Map. Inland Zone Oct. 17 – Oct. 19, Nov. 9 – Nov. 30 & Dec. 19 – Jan. 31 Coastal Zone Oct. 25 – Oct. 26, Nov. 9 – Nov. 30 & Dec. 18 – Jan. 31	Daily Limits are the same in each duck hunting zone. Daily Limit 6 with the following restrictions: 4 total sea ducks including no more than 3 scoters, 3 eiders (only 1 hen eider), or 3 long-tailed ducks, 4 mallards (only 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 black ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, and 1 fulvous whistling duck. Prior to Jan. 9 the scaup bag limit is 1, on Jan. 9 and after the scaup bag limit is 2. The season on harlequin ducks is closed. The season on black and mottled ducks is closed until Nov. 23.
Coots
Season dates same as ducks	Daily Limit 15 coots
Mergansers
Season dates same as ducks	Daily Limit 5 with no more than 2 hooded mergansers
SEA DUCKS
Oct. 25 – Oct. 26, Nov. 9 – Nov. 30 & Dec. 18 – Jan. 31	Daily Limit 4 total sea ducks with no more than 3 scoters, 3 eiders (only 1 hen eider) or 3 long-tailed ducks.
All sea ducks taken, whether inside or outside of the Sea Duck Area, count toward the general daily limit of 6 ducks. In the designated Sea Duck Area (includes the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and those coastal waters south of U.S. 64 that are separated by a distance of at least 800 yards of open water from any shore, island or marsh) wounded waterfowl may be taken from a motorboat while under power (see General Game Lands Regulations).
SEPTEMBER CANADA GOOSE SEASON
Sept. 2 – Sept. 30 (Statewide. Canada Goose Zones do not apply during the month of September.)	Daily Limit 15
In that area west of U.S. Highway 17 only, expanded hunting methods are allowed for Canada geese. These include: shooting hours are extended to ½ hour after sunset, unplugged guns are allowed, electronic calls are permitted. This applies to this area only during the month of September.
CANADA GEESE (ALSO INCLUDES WHITE-FRONTED GEESE)
See Goose Zone Map on Duck Zone Map
Resident Population Zone
Oct. 17 – Oct. 26, Nov. 9 – Nov. 30 & Dec. 18 – Feb. 8	Daily Limit 5 Canada geese or white-fronted geese either singly or in the aggregate.
NORTHEAST HUNT ZONE
Dec. 28 – Jan. 31	Daily limit 1 Canada goose or 1 white-fronted goose.
TUNDRA SWAN (by permit only)
Nov. 9 – Jan. 31	1 per season with special permit
A limited number of permits will be issued to hunt tundra swans. Permits will be issued by a random drawing authorizing each permit holder to harvest one tundra swan. Refer to ncwildlife.org for application information and requirements.
LIGHT GEESE (INCLUDES SNOW GEESE AND ROSS’S GEESE)
Regular Season
Oct. 8 – Feb. 8	Daily Limit 25; no possession limit
Conservation Order Season (by permit only)
Feb. 10 – Mar. 31	No daily limit; no possession limit
During the Conservation Order Season for light geese, expanded hunting methods are allowed. These include the use of unplugged guns and electronic calls. In addition, shooting hours are extended until ½ hour past sunset. To learn more or to apply for a permit after July 1, go to ncwildlife.org and gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com.
Brant
Dec. 28 – Jan. 31	Daily Limit 1
YOUTH WATERFOWL DAY(S)
Feb. 1 & Feb. 8 (Statewide)	Same daily limits as during the regular waterfowl season(s)
Waterfowl hunting outside the regular season is allowed on the day(s) officially designated as “Youth Waterfowl Day.” Legal species include ducks, geese, brant, tundra swans, mergansers and coots. The youth must have a valid permit to hunt tundra swans. Refer to General Game Lands Regulations for guidelines on hunting game lands, including permit-only areas. Youth under the age of 18 may participate in accordance with the guidelines listed below: Youth under the age of 16 who have obtained a Hunter Education Certification must be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older.
YOUTH WATERFOWL DAY(S) (Cont.)
Youth under the age of 16 who have not successfully completed a Hunter Education Course must be accompanied by a properly licensed adult age 18 or older. Youth age 16 & 17 must be properly licensed, must have HIP certification and a federal duck stamp and must be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older. Accompanying adults that are properly licensed may not duck hunt, but may participate in other open seasons on youth waterfowl days.
Veterans/Military Waterfowl Day(s)
Feb. 1 & Feb. 8 (Statewide)	Same daily limits as during the regular waterfowl season(s)
Waterfowl hunting outside the regular season is allowed on the day(s) officially designated as “Veterans/Military Waterfowl Day.” Legal species include ducks, geese, brant, tundra swans, mergansers and coots. Veterans and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training), may participate in accordance with the guidelines below: Must be properly licensed with valid credentials, must have HIP certification and a federal duck stamp. Must have a valid permit to hunt tundra swans. Refer to General Game Lands Regulations for guidelines on hunting game lands, including permit-only areas.
EXTENDED FALCONRY SEASONS
DOVE (INCLUDES MOURNING DOVE AND WHITE-WINGED DOVE) (EXTENDED FALCONRY SEASON)
Oct. 7 – Oct. 19	Daily Limit 3
KING, CLAPPER AND VIRGINIA RAIL, SORA, GALLINULE AND MOORHEN (extended falconry season)
Dec. 7 – Jan. 11	Daily Limit 3
WOODCOCK (extended falconry season)
Dec. 2 – Dec. 10 & Feb. 1 – Feb. 22	Daily Limit 3
DUCKS, MERGANSERS AND COOTS (extended falconry seasons)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 12 & Feb. 1 – Feb. 8	Daily Limit 3
Falconers may also hunt during the applicable gun seasons for migratory game birds. The daily bag and possession limits of 3 and 9 respectively, also apply while hunting during the gun seasons. Falconry hours for all species are ½ hour before sunrise until sunset. Falconry for migratory game birds is not allowed on Sunday. Daily bag and possession limits are for all species singly or in the aggregate. For example, if the applicable seasons are open a daily limit may consist of 3 doves or 1 dove, 1 duck and 1 woodcock for a total of 3 migratory game birds.

Crow Seasons
Season Dates	Limits
Aug. 2, 2024 – Feb. 22, 2025 Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of each week.	No restrictions
June 4, 2025 – July 30, 2025 Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of each week.
Crows may also be hunted on Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Independence Day; except when these days fall on a Sunday