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North Carolina

Hunting

Hunting

Small Game & Other Seasons

Season Dates

Limits

Raccoon and Opossum

Oct. 16 – Feb. 29

Opossum: No bag 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. 16 – Feb. 29

Daily limit 8; No possession or season limits

Gray (statewide – private lands only):

May 13 - May 27, 2024

Daily limit 8; No possession or season limits

Fox Squirrel (statewide):

Oct. 16 – Jan. 31

Daily limit 1; Possession 2; Season 10

Rabbit

Oct. 16 – Feb. 29

(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. 18 – Feb. 29

Daily limit 6; Possession 12; No season limit

Grouse

Oct. 16 – Feb. 29

Daily limit 3; Possession 6; Season 30

Bobcat

Oct. 16 – Feb. 29

No 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 Lands regulations.

There is no bag limit

  • 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
    • Permits can be obtained at gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com
    • All coyote harvests in the above listed five counties must be reported

See General Hunting Regulations for more information about the Canid Cooperator Program and distinguishing the differences between red wolves and coyotes.

Pheasant

Nov. 18 – Feb. 1 (male pheasant only)

Daily limit 3; Possession 6; Season 30

Fox

Year Round (including Sundays)

  • Must be taken with dogs only; no limits.
  • Local laws may restrict hunting foxes with dogs. Visit ncwildlife.org/FoxSeasons for restrictions.

Nov. 18 – Jan. 1

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 see if your county east of I-77 has a different fox hunting season than the one listed above due to local law, visit ncwildlife.org/foxseasons
  • Foxes taken during this hunting season shall not be bought or sold.
  • In Caldwell County, foxes may be taken by firearms only.

Jan. 6 – Jan. 27

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 & Permits for more information on fox tags):

Clay, Henderson, Tyrrell, Graham, Macon

  • Hunters must possess fox tags prior to harvesting foxes during this season.

There is no open weapons hunting season in any other county except where provided by local laws. To see if your county has a hunting season on foxes, visit ncwildlife.org/FoxSeasons, or call 919-707-0050 to request a copy.

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 (see License Information).
  • A feral swine trapping permit is also required, even for those who are license-exempt. This free permit is available at gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com.
  • 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).