Small Game & Other Seasons

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Small Game and Other Seasons
Season Dates	Limits
Raccoon and Opossum
Oct. 13 – Feb. 28	Opossum: No daily, season, or possession limits Raccoon daily limit 3: No possession or season limits
General Restrictions Field possession limit while hunting is the same as the daily bag limit. No person shall possess more than one daily bag limit while in the field or while returning from the field to one’s vehicle, hunting camp or residence. Axes and saws may not be carried when raccoon or opossum hunting. It is unlawful to carry firearms or climbing irons when training dogs during closed seasons, except under special field-trial regulations.
Squirrel
Gray and Red (statewide): Oct. 13 – Feb. 28	Daily limit 8; No possession or season limits
Gray (statewide – private lands only): May 11 – 25, 2026	Daily limit 8; No possession or season limits
Fox Squirrel (statewide): Oct. 13 – Jan. 31	Daily limit 1; Possession 2; Season 10
Rabbit
Oct. 13 – Feb. 28 *(hunting and box-trapping)**	Daily limit 5; No possession or season limits
* A trapping license is not required to box-trap rabbits, but a valid hunting license is necessary. The sale of live rabbits is prohibited.
Quail
Nov. 22 – Feb. 28	Daily limit 6; Possession 12; No season limit
Grouse
Oct. 13 – Feb. 28	Daily limit 3; Possession 6; Season 30
Bobcat
Oct. 13 – Feb. 28	No daily, season, or possession limits
GROUNDHOG, NUTRIA, COYOTE, SKUNK (striped), ARMADILLO and FERAL SWINE (HOGS)
There is no closed hunting season on private lands. See “Game Lands” section for game land regulations.	No daily, season, or possession limits
Hunters may use electronic calls for coyotes and feral swine. Feral swine may be hunted at night with lights. Coyotes may be hunted at night with artificial lights except in the counties of Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington. In those five counties, the following apply: Hunting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset in the above listed five counties All coyote hunting in the above listed five counties requires a permit All coyote harvests within the five listed counties are required to be reported. Hunting permits and Coyote Harvest Report Forms are available through the Go Outdoors North Carolina website. See Hunting Regulations for more information about distinguishing the differences between red wolves and coyotes.
Pheasant
Nov. 22 – Feb. 28 (Barrier Islands of Carteret, Dare, and Hyde Counties for male pheasant only)	Daily limit 3; Possession 6; Season 30
Sept. 1 – Feb. 28 (Remainder of state not included above for pheasants of either sex)	No daily, season, or possession limits
Fox
Year Round	Must be taken with dogs only; no limits. Local laws may limit or restrict fox hunting with dogs. For details and current regulations, visit the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s fox season information page.
Nov. 22, 2025 – Jan.1, 2026	Daily limit 2; Season 10
This season applies as follows: In those counties and parts of counties east of I-77 where local laws do not prohibit the taking of foxes or that do not have established fox seasons and Mitchell and Caldwell counties. To find out if your county east of I-77 has a different fox hunting season due to local regulations, visit the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s fox season page. Foxes taken during this hunting season shall not be bought or sold. In Caldwell County, foxes may be taken by firearms only.
Jan. 3 – 24, 2026	Daily limit 2; Season 10
Foxes may be taken in the counties listed below by legal weapons and may be sold after being properly tagged (refer to Other Licenses and Permits for more information on fox tags): Clay, Graham, Henderson, Macon, Tyrrell Hunters must possess fox tags prior to harvesting foxes during this season. There is no open weapons hunting season for foxes in other counties unless allowed by local law. To check if your county has an active fox hunting season, visit the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s fox season page or call 919-707-0050 to request a copy of the regulations.
Beaver
Beaver may be taken year-round with firearms or bow and arrow, provided that permission has been obtained from the owner or lessee of the land on which beaver is being taken.
CONTROLLED HUNTING PRESERVES
Oct. 1 – March 31	No limits
This applies to domestically raised birds (mallard ducks, chukars, Hungarian partridges, and upland game birds) only. No wild turkey may be taken.

Feral Swine Trapping

Feral swine may be trapped year-round with no bag limits under the following conditions:

A hunting or trapping license is required, except for those persons who are license-exempt.
A feral swine trapping permit is required for all individuals, including those who are license-exempt. This free permit can be obtained through the Go Outdoors North Carolina website.
Only box and corral traps can be used and the permit number must be displayed on all traps. Traps must be constructed so that a non-target animal, such as a bear, can easily escape or be released without harm.
All feral swine must be euthanized while in the trap and may not be removed alive from any trap.
Landowner permission is required to trap feral swine. Feral swine trapping is allowed on game lands only with permission from the Commission (919-707-0150).