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North Carolina Deer Hunting |
Deer Hunting |
NCdeerHunting.com |
NCdeerHunting.com is a great site to find information about North Carolina Whitetail Deer Hunting outfitters, North Carolina deer research, North Carolina hunting leases, North Carolina deer hunting regulations and the NC Whitetail Deer Rut. The North Carolina state record typical Boone and Crockett whitetail deer was killed in Guilford county NC by Terry Daffron and scored 181 7/8 Boone and Crockett points. |
A few other top North Carolina Boone and Crockett whitetail deer counties include, Ashe county NC, Caswell county NC, Granville county NC, Northhampton county NC, Cumberland county NC, Moore county NC, Rockingham county NC, Gates county NC, Guilford county NC and Yancey county NC. |
North Carolina's whitetail deer season is divided into four section's of the state, with each region having different season dates and harvest restrictions. The eastern region of the state has the longest deer season which usually starts around the second week of September, followed by NC's black powder deer season that starts around the second week of October. The NC eastern whitetail deer gun season starts around mid October and runs until the first of January. There are some counties in the eastern part of the state that allow deer hunting with dogs and other counties that do not allow it. The central and western seasons have a longer bow season, with a short black powder and a shorter gun deer season than is allowed in the east. |
The North Carolina state record non-typical Boone and Crockett whitetail deer was killed in Person county NC by Don Rockett and scored 228 4/8 Boone and Crockett points. A few other top North Carolina non-typical Boone and Crockett whitetail buck counties include, Anson county NC, Halifax county NC and Montgomery county NC. In general, the eastern part of the state has more whitetail deer but, their antlers and body size are not as large as the central and mountain sections of the state. Our state is not known for that many North Carolina Boone and Crockett whitetail deer, but we make up for it with great harvest numbers, a long gun season and with better deer management taking place, larger North Carolina whitetail bucks are killed every year. |
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The trend in recent years has been more and more North Carolina whitetail deer outfitters in our state. Some North Carolina whitetail deer hunting guides and outfitters allow clients to kill any size bucks while, there is a growing number of outfitters that are using quality deer management to produce larger North Carolina trophy deer and will limit the number and size of bucks harvested. Most of the private NC whitetail deer hunting land is leased out to individuals, outfitters and hunting clubs on a yearly or multi-year contract. The price per acre can vary from $5/acre to $25/acre/year. NC has lots of North Carolina public whitetail deer hunting land and while this can become crowded at times, there are some really good hunting spots to be found with a little effort. Be sure to check out the regulations page for links to find out where our NC public hunting land is located. Some tracts have limits on the number of hunters allowed and days allowed to hunt. |
...........2007-2008 REPORTED NC WHITETAIL DEER HARVEST............ .........................................................................................................................................................Game........... County Antlered Bucks ButtonBucks Does Total bucks/Sq Mile Gun Mzl-loader Bow LandsOther Alamance 1,017 145 1,242 2,404 4.27 1,881 313 210 0 2,404 Alexander 374 61 440 875 2.34 577 167 131 0 875 Alleghany 1,096 168 1,440 2,704 7.62 1,973 408 323 40 2,664 Anson 1,412 265 2,066 3,743 3.16 2,985 441 317 90 3,653 Ashe 935 153 1,173 2,261 3.32 1,542 472 247 39 2,222 Avery 304 20 185 509 1.40 377 45 87 81 428 Beaufort 1,606 142 1,361 3,109 2.43 2,944 106 59 135 2,974 Bertie 2,128 350 2,460 4,938 3.47 4,583 253 102 223 4,715 Bladen 1,778 187 1,318 3,283 2.44 3,163 72 48 141 3,142 Brunswick 1,053 116 857 2,026 1.52 1,904 65 57 72 1,954 Buncombe 150 5 60 215 0.34 159 13 43 43 172 Burke 676 63 478 1,217 1.92 849 212 156 102 1,115 Cabarrus 584 94 611 1,289 3.28 982 149 158 0 1,289 Caldwell 529 47 321 897 1.42 598 175 124 99 798 Camden 283 63 311 657 1.46 609 24 24 21 636 Carteret 345 20 140 505 1.09 454 30 21 134 371 Caswell 1,322 249 1,549 3,120 4.22 2,491 441 188 221 2,899 Catawba 529 94 517 1,140 2.34 732 237 171 21 1,119 Chatham 1,285 198 1,709 3,192 2.64 2,342 569 281 405 2,787 Cherokee 210 3 39 252 0.55 194 18 40 97 155 Chowan 457 69 384 910 3.46 888 10 12 12 898 Clay 118 4 14 136 0.72 105 13 18 57 7 Cleveland 614 51 585 1,250 2.34 990 134 126 8 1,242 Columbus 1,732 232 1,276 3,240 2.19 3,060 129 51 109 3,131 Craven 1,500 110 1,023 2,633 2.76 2,482 94 57 175 2,458 Cumberland 793 65 563 1,421 2.02 1,322 56 43 12 1,409 Currituck 391 62 383 836 3.14 799 20 17 42 794 Dare 110 7 42 159 0.53 130 15 14 60 99 Davidson 767 91 653 1,511 2.09 1,216 174 121 91 1,420 Davie 596 97 734 1,427 3.84 1,026 248 153 36 1,391 Duplin 1,710 148 1,330 3,188 2.52 3,082 46 60 48 3,140 Durham 363 26 345 734 2.63 502 158 74 220 514 Edgecombe 1,280 192 1,251 2,723 2.89 2,568 115 40 0 2,723 Forsyth 444 66 398 908 2.71 599 128 181 0 908 Franklin 1,475 220 1,345 3,040 4.14 2,891 82 67 54 2,986 Gaston 385 39 289 713 2.23 427 132 154 0 713 Gates 1,013 205 893 2,111 3.52 2,000 66 45 68 2,043 Graham 40 0 2 42 0.15 38 1 3 36 6 Granville 1,150 157 1,201 2,508 3.50 1,928 397 183 139 2,369 Greene 548 43 381 972 2.60 923 16 33 0 972 Guilford 683 82 603 1,368 2.13 996 179 193 0 1,368 Halifax 2,570 495 2,768 5,833 4.57 5,512 205 116 163 5,670 Harnett 844 90 621 1,555 2.00 927 160 468 21 1,534 Haywood 87 2 17 106 0.19 98 1 7 38 68 Henderson 125 7 68 200 0.56 146 16 38 46 154 Hertford 1,143 239 1,111 2,493 3.98 2,363 75 55 113 2,380 Hoke 302 16 108 426 0.94 396 15 15 34 392 Hyde 1,049 239 1,333 2,621 2.17 2,238 287 96 162 2,459 Iredell 903 152 1,155 2,210 3.06 1,580 373 257 0 2,210 Jackson 63 0 6 69 0.16 58 4 7 55 14 Johnston 1,160 106 788 2,054 2.07 1,895 53 106 0 2,054 Jones 1,234 115 879 2,228 2.93 2,149 58 21 112 2,116 Lee 348 37 312 697 1.84 536 64 97 89 608 Lenoir 649 60 384 1,093 2.13 1,048 20 25 0 1,093 Lincoln 517 68 482 1,067 3.40 666 218 183 0 1,067 Macon 225 0 68 293 0.54 207 17 69 133 160 Madison 322 21 149 492 0.87 356 46 90 111 381 Martin 1,158 152 1,005 2,315 2.92 2,232 59 24 126 2,189 McDowell 380 34 254 668 1.02 481 92 95 67 601 Mecklenburg 343 46 334 723 2.35 423 162 138 0 723 Mitchell 417 28 333 778 2.24 549 65 164 66 712 Montgomery 1,178 182 1,531 2,891 2.85 2,189 454 248 331 2,560 Moore 1,007 103 850 1,960 1.80 1,484 236 240 37 1,923 Nash 1,107 129 909 2,145 2.56 2,034 58 53 0 2,145 New Hanover 73 4 45 122 0.87 114 3 5 7 115 Northampton 2,346 445 2,526 5,317 5.39 4,982 208 127 106 5,211 Onslow 1,316 190 900 2,406 2.31 2,291 65 50 95 2,311 Orange 921 115 1,124 2,160 3.42 1,732 239 189 28 2,132 Pamlico 537 36 310 883 2.36 828 38 17 38 845 Pasquotank 392 53 409 854 2.02 817 17 20 0 854 Pender 2,064 223 1,616 3,903 2.88 3,717 102 84 274 3,629 Perquimans 504 86 608 1,198 2.34 1,137 24 37 0 1,198 Person 886 149 980 2,015 3.31 1,613 289 113 67 1,948 Pitt 1,346 129 980 2,455 2.79 2,321 74 60 0 2,455 Polk 364 38 345 747 2.24 517 109 121 78 669 Randolph 1,078 153 1,183 2,414 1.96 1,857 321 236 64 2,350 Richmond 1,024 69 533 1,626 2.65 1,505 73 48 122 1,504 Robeson 800 57 395 1,252 1.06 1,189 36 27 9 1,243 Rockingham 1,105 137 1,290 2,532 2.90 1,937 304 291 0 2,532 Rowan 1,085 170 1,150 2,405 3.96 1,875 333 197 130 2,275 Rutherford 778 68 755 1,601 1.96 1,273 166 162 19 1,582 Sampson 1,604 145 1,338 3,087 1.98 2,989 62 36 42 3,045 Scotland 416 13 206 635 1.61 587 22 26 75 560 Stanly 888 115 994 1,997 3.48 1,620 238 139 22 1,975 Stokes 879 159 1,171 2,209 2.70 1,424 415 370 0 2,209 Surry 913 127 856 1,896 2.56 1,392 261 243 48 1,848 Swain 74 1 17 92 0.16 64 9 19 46 46 Transylvania 141 5 36 182 0.43 128 18 36 78 104 Tyrrell 517 71 456 1,044 1.49 930 92 22 109 935 Union 826 125 955 1,906 2.11 1,529 213 164 0 1,906 Vance 979 99 638 1,716 6.19 1,584 50 82 68 1,648 Wake 1,530 105 949 2,584 4.70 2,299 100 185 387 2,197 Warren 1,328 333 1,261 2,922 3.59 2,768 93 61 84 2,838 Washington 758 146 751 1,655 2.95 1,448 151 56 141 1,514 Watauga 627 44 492 1,163 2.78 792 212 159 15 1,148 Wayne 843 71 623 1,537 1.97 1,458 27 52 0 1,537 Wilkes 2,031 272 2,277 4,580 3.57 3,384 710 486 87 4,493 Wilson 598 53 506 1,157 1.98 1,098 24 35 0 1,157 Yadkin 626 104 840 1,570 3.03 1,184 244 142 0 1,570 Yancey 552 47 482 1,081 2.26 687 106 288 61 1,020 State 83,665 10,887 77,434 171,986 2.37 145,948 14,609 11,429 7,135 164,851 |
Best All Time North Carolina Whitetail Deer AWARD NAME COUNTY SCORE EIGHTHS Number 1 Gun Terry E. Daffron Guilford county NC 181 7 Number 1 Bow Jerry Chilton Rockingham county NC 165 4 Number 1 Bow in Velvet David Jernigan Granville county NC 168 4 Number 2 Gun William Price Ashe county NC 180 5 Number 1 Bow (Non-Typical) Bill Groelich -- 166 1 Number 1 Muzzle Loader Lindsey Watkins Rockingham 170 5 Number 2 (Non-Typical) Neal Stanfield -- 164 6 Number 1 Muzzle Loader (Non-Typical) Keith Reese Anson county NC 204 7 Number 2 Bow R.J. Hickman Orange county NC 161 0 Number 2 Gun (Non-Typical): Stuart Gentry Person county NC 209 2 Number 8 Gun Dudley Barnes Granville county NC 172 1 Number 1 Gun (Non-Typical) Don Rockett Person Person county NC 228 4 From http://www.dixiedeerclassic.org/alltimebest.htm |
North Carolina non-typical and typical boone and crockett whitetail deer DDC First Name Last Name Year Weapon County Score North Carolina Non-typical boone and crockett whitetail bucks 1999 Don Rockett 1998 g Person county NC 228 4/8 1997 Stuart Gentry 1996 g Person county NC 209 2/8 1994 Keith Reese m Anson county NC 204 7/8 1974 Norvall Bolton n Warren county NC 197 2/8 2002 Roger Hunt 2001 g Montgomery county NC 196 1/8 North Carolina Typical boone and crockett whitetail bucks 1988 TERRY DAFFRON 1987 g GUILFORD county NC 181 7/8 2000 William Price 1999 g Ashe county NC 180 5/8 1989 DAVID WORLEY 1988 N Caswell county NC 178 2003 Buddie Adkins 2002 g Stokes county NC 173 6/8 1995 JAMES WILKERSON 1980 g GRANVILLE county NC 172 7/8 2000 Tommy Baird 1999 n Northampton county NC 172 6/8 1994 RODNEY SUMMERS 1993 g GUILFORD county NC 172 4/8 1986 DUDLEY BARNES 1985 g GRANVILLE county NC 172 1/8 2002 Lucas Hinerman 2001 g Cumberland 171 4/8 1988 KEITH FARRIS 1986 g BURKE county NC 170 7/8 2001 Jason Cole 2000 g Moore county NC 170 6/8 1993 LINDSEY WATKINS 1987 m ROCKINGHAM county NC 170 5/8 2004 Keith Wright 2003 g Moore county NC 170 2/8 1999 WALTER PARKER 1997 G GATES county NC 170 1991 RANDY HINSHAW n GUILFORD county NC 170 |
...................North Carolina Whitetail Deer Rut...................... It's mid-October, which around these parts means it's time for deer hunters to really start paying attention to the sign they come across in the woods, namely, the trails that deer are using between their bedding and feeding areas and buck sign that includes rubbed trees and scrapes. If you live within an hour's drive of Winston-Salem, the peak of the whitetail breeding season is at least a month away, and interpreting the trails and rubs and scrapes you find could go a long way toward determining the kind of success you have when mid-November rolls around and the blackpowder and gun seasons open. But if you live or hunt within 100 miles of the coast, you're probably too late to start looking for sign. And if you live or hunt between 100 and 200 miles from the coast, you'd better get in the woods or it will be too late. Why? Because the breeding season that hunters normally refer to as the "rut" shows up in quite a few different places on the calendar, depending where you're hunting in the Tarheel State. Even though the amount of daylight in a specific 24-hour time span - the photoperiod - is supposed to be the driving factor in when the deer rut kicks into high gear, there are enough outside factors influencing the rut that it runs from east to west in North Carolina. "There is a definite east-west progression in North Carolina, and I don't have any explanation for it," said Scott Osborne, the biologist who runs the big-game program for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. "You take the photoperiod as the driving factor, but there are other factors involved: the sex ratio in the herd, the population of the herd, conditions of the deer. All of those can and do play a role in when most deer breed. "Our state is mostly along the same latitude from one end to the other, but there are apparently some longitudinal differences from east to west that affect it." Several weeks Osborne is careful to explain that deer breed over a period of several weeks, even a month or more, within a certain area. The "peak" of the rut is merely that period of between several days and a week when the majority of does in an area enter their estrus period and are bred by bucks. Osborne said that in any given area, a graph of breeding activity would look like a bell curve - starting low, rising to a peak in the middle, then dropping off at the end. Only the "ends" of the graph could be three weeks apart. Bucks, which are notorious for being extremely secretive, nocturnal, wary, (insert your own adjective) let their guard down as the peak of the rut approaches and their thoughts turn away from nourishment and safety to 24/7 sex. Hunters know they need to get in the woods as much as possible during the time period when bucks' behavior is the most affected. Commission biologists have established what they believe to be "peak" dates for the rut across North Carolina. Along the lower coastal plane (the first 100 miles from the coast), which include Beaufort county NC, Bertie county NC, Bladen county NC, Brunswick county NC, Camden county NC, Carteret county NC, Chowan county NC, Columbus county NC, Craven county NC, Cumberland county NC, Currituck county NC, Dare county NC, Duplin county NC, Edgecombe county NC, Gates county NC, Greene county NC, Hertford county NC, Hyde county NC, Jones county NC, Lenoir county NC, Martin county NC, New Hanover county NC, Onslow county NC, Pamlico county NC, Pasquotank county NC, Pender county NC, Perquimans county NC, Pitt county NC, Robeson county NC, Sampson county NC, Tyrrell county NC, Washington county NC and Wayne county NC, it's around Oct. 1. For the upper coastal plane (the second 100 miles from the coast), which include, Chatham county NC, Franklin county NC, Granville county NC, Halifax county NC, Hoke county NC, Johnston county NC, Lee county NC, Moore county NC, Nash county NC, Northampton county NC, Orange county NC, Person county NC, Richmond county NC, Scotland county NC, Vance county NC, Wake county NC, Warren county NC and Wilson county NC, it's around Nov. 1. For the Piedmont and Foothills, which include Alamance county NC, Alexander county NC, Alleghany county NC, Anson county NC, Ashe county NC, Cabarrus county NC, Caswell county NC, Davidson county NC, Davie county NC, Forsyth county NC, Guilford county NC, Iredell county NC, Mecklenburg county NC, Montgomery county NC, Randolph county NC, Rockingham county NC, Rowan county NC, Stanly county NC, Stokes county NC, Surry county NC, Union county NC, Wilkes county NC and Yadkin county NC, it's around the second and third weeks of November. For the western mountains, which include Avery county NC, Buncombe county NC, Burke county NC, Caldwell county NC, Catawba county NC, Cherokee county NC, Clay county NC, Cleveland county NC, Gaston county NC, Graham county NC, Haywood county NC, Henderson county NC, Jackson county NC, Lincoln county NC, Macon county NC, Madison county NC, Mcdowell county NC, Mitchell county NC, Polk county NC, Rutherford county NC, Swain county NC, Transylvania county NC, Watauga county NC and Yancey county NC, it's the first week of December. "We've used the dates we have from year to year, and most sportsmen would agree that they're pretty close," Osborne said. Those dates - which are on the calendar that the commission publishes every year - are the result of biologists doing samples on deer at check stations and hunt clubs. What happens is, when a doe deer is killed, it is examined to see if fetuses are present. If they are, they are measured, and biologists can use the size of the fetus to backdate and determine within a day or two the date of conception. You look at a couple dozen deer from a certain area every year, and the peak days of breeding become easy to detect. Second rut The dates can vary a little from year to year, Osborne said, in part by how healthy the deer in a herd are. Osborne said that does in poor condition tend to breed later in the year; healthy does breed earlier. The higher the ratio of does to bucks in an area will spread the rut out over a longer period of time and sometimes will result in a "second rut" for does who are not bred during their first estrus period. "I've seen somethings around here," said Osborne, who lives in the Sanford area. "I saw a fawn a couple of weeks ago that was hit by a car, and it was maybe three or four weeks old. And in my backyard, I had a fawn a month ago that had already lost is spots, so it was about four months old. Individual deer in an area can be very different. But over time, if you look at it, the rut progresses from the lower coastal plane in mid-September through the mountains in mid-December." Bucks exhibit activity that brands them as ready to breed almost as soon as they rub the velvet from their antlers in early September. They start marking their territories with rubbed trees and scrapes, and the activity increases as the peak of the rut approaches. The most sign is likely to be in the woods just before the peak of the rut; when the peak hits, bucks spend less time putting down sign and a lot of time hunting for does. What does it mean for hunters? The commission tries to set its season dates so the most hunters are in the woods at the peak of the rut. In Northwestern North Carolina, that starts with the onset of blackpowder season and lasts through the first week or so of gun season. Down east, hunters who opened gun season this past Saturday found a lot of bucks getting geared up for the rut. "You need to be in the woods the week before the rut, the week of the peak of the rut and the week after the peak," Osborne said. |
2010-2011 NC deer season EASTERN DEER SEASON Bow-and-arrow: Sept. 11 – Oct. 1 Muzzleloader: Oct. 2 – Oct. 15 Gun: Oct. 16 to Jan. 1 CENTRAL DEER SEASON Bow-and-arrow: Sept. 11 – Oct. 29 Muzzleloader: Oct. 30 – Nov. 12 Gun: Nov. 13 to Jan. 1 NORTHWESTERN DEER SEASON Bow-and-arrow: Sept. 11 – Nov. 5 Muzzleloader: Nov. 6 – Nov. 19 Gun: Nov. 20 – Jan. 1 WESTERN DEER SEASON Bow-and-arrow: Sept. 13 – Oct. 2 and Oct. 18 – Nov. 20 Muzzleloader: Oct. 4 – Oct. 16 Gun: Nov. 22 to Dec. 11 |
2008-2009 nc deer regulations MANNER OF TAKING Definition of Take To take is defined as all operations during, immediately preparatory and immediately subsequent to an attempt, whether successful or not, to capture, kill, pursue, hunt or otherwise harm or reduce to possession any fisheries resource or wildlife resource. Season Dates For most species, hunting seasons are set to open on the same day of the week every year and at the same general time. For example, every year the season for red and gray squirrels opens on the Monday on or nearest to Oct. 15 and continues through Jan. 31 every year. For some species, changes in a season appear in red ink. However, most seasonal dates that are different from last year are the result of the annual shift of days in each year’s calendar. General Restrictions Lawful seasons and bag limits for each species apply beginning with the first day of the listed season and continue through the last day of the listed season, with all dates being included except Sundays. Hunting seasons are closed on Sundays, except on some military installations under the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government. Game birds and animals, other than raccoon and opossum, and other animals for which a season has been set, may be taken only between 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset with rifle, pistol, shotgun, bow and arrow, dogs or by means of falconry. Call (800) 675-0263 for shooting hours formigratory birds. It is unlawful to use any of the following in taking wild birds or animals: -artificial lights (including laser sights), -electronic or recorded calls (except electronic calls are permitted for crow and coyote hunting), -fire, -firearms equipped with a silencer or any device designed to minimize the report of the firearm, -motor vehicles (at no time may any wild animals or birds be taken with the aid of a motor vehicle while the passenger area is occupied or while the vehicle engine is running), -vessels: from any vessel under sail, under power, or with the engine running, or while still in the motion from such propulsion, or -airplanes It is unlawful to use bait in taking wild birds or to take wild boar or bear with the use or aid of bait, which includes any salt, salt lick, grain, fruit, honey, sugar-based material or substance, animal parts or animal products. No wild turkey may be taken from an area in which bait has been placed until the expiration of 10 days after the bait has been consumed or otherwise removed. It is unlawful to take deer that are swimming or in water above the knees of the deer. Migratory game birds may be taken only during the hours and in the manner permitted by federal regulations. It is unlawful to shoot at or into a squirrel’s nest. Individuals engaged in box trapping rabbits must have an appropriate hunting license to transport live rabbits. It is unlawful to accept the gift of wildlife lawfully taken unless you possess in writing the donor’s name, address and hunting license number. Bow and Arrow Bow-and-arrow hunting is limited to longbows and recurved bows having a minimum pull of 40 pounds and compound bows with a minimum pull of 35 pounds. Only arrows with a fixed minimum broadhead width of 7/8 inch or a mechanically opening broadhead with a minimum width of 7/8 inch in the open position may be used for taking bear, deer, wild boar or wild turkey. Blunt-type arrowheads may be used in taking small animals and birds, including, but not limited to, rabbits, squirrels, quail, grouse and pheasants. Poisonous, drugged, barbed or explosive arrowheads may not be used for taking any game. It is unlawful to hunt with a crossbow, except for disabled hunters with a crossbow permit. Crossbows Crossbows are legal hunting weapons only for disabled persons with a permit from theWildlife Resources Commission. Refer to the “Disabled Sportsman” section on page 11 for qualification and application information. Crossbows used under this permit must have a minimum draw weight of 150 pounds. Bolts must use heads as described for arrows in the preceding section. Shotguns Shotguns must be no larger than 10-gauge. When hunting migratory game birds, shotguns must be plugged so as to limit their maximum capacity to three shells. Pistols During the open hunting season for rabbits, squirrels, opossums, raccoons, furbearing animals and legal nongame animals and birds, these species may be taken with a pistol of .22-caliber with a barrel not less than 5.5 inches in length. A hunter or trapper lawfully taking wildlife by another method may use a pistol to dispatch the animal or bird taken, except as noted below. Pistols may not be carried during the bow-and-arrow and muzzleloader deer hunting seasons. Deer, bear and wild boar may be taken with a handgun during the established gun hunting season provided that the handgun is not less than .24-caliber.Muzzleloading pistols are not legal for hunting. It is unlawful to hunt or take wild turkeys with pistols. Rifles Rifles are prohibited by federal law in huntingmigratory game birds. Local laws prohibit or restrict rifles in some counties. It is unlawful to hunt or take wild turkeys with rifles. Field Trials and Dogs Dogs may not be used as follows: To run or chase deer during closed season, except when under the control of the owner. To hunt deer during primitive weapons seasons. To hunt, run or chase deer at any time in that portion ofWake County south of N.C. 98 or south of I-85 in Orange County; in Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Lee andWayne counties; or in and west of the counties of Rockingham, Guilford, Randolph, Montgomery and Anson (west of N.C. 742). In violation of county laws. See “Local Laws” section. Except as allowed by regulations pertaining to authorized field trials, it is unlawful to possess firearms, axes, saws or tree-climbing equipment while training or running dogs during closed season. Individuals engaged in training dogs and individuals who are active participants in field trialsmust have an appropriate hunting license. Commission-sanctioned field trials may allow hunters to conduct field trials with dogs in areas and at times authorized with the use of approved weapons and ammunition and may authorize the use of certain domestically raised birds. Commission-sanctioned field trials allow license reciprocity for participants, dog owners, handlers and judges. Applications for authorization of a Commission-sanctioned field trial must be submitted in writing to a wildlife enforcement officer at least 30 days prior to the scheduled event. Applications for authorization of a Commission-sanctioned field trial may be obtained online at www.ncwildlife.org. > Licenses/ Permits/Registration/Titling > Other Licenses/Permits > Permit Guide/Other Permits > Field Trial Permit When training dogs during the closed season, hunters may use domestically-raised waterfowl or game birds provided that they use shot shells with shot of number 4 size or smaller and the shot is nontoxic when training with waterfowl. All birds must be banded on one leg with the propagator’s license number. Boats Deer may not be hunted from boats or other floating devices in some counties. Also see restrictions for vessels on page 32. Hunter or Blaze Orange Any person hunting bear, wild boar, rabbit, squirrel, grouse, pheasant and quail with the use of firearms must wear a cap or hat made of hunter-orange material or an outer garment of hunter orange visible from all sides. Anyone hunting deer during a deer firearms season, regardless of weapon, must wear hunter orange. Artificial Lights In addition to the prohibition of taking wildlife with the use of artificial light, many counties have local regulations that prohibit shining lights on deer or searching for deer with lights 30 minutes after sunset or after 11 p.m. A color-coded map showing county shining laws is presented on page 49. The flashing or display of any artificial light between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise in any area that is frequented or inhabited by wild deer by any person who has accessible to him or her a firearm, crossbow or other bow and arrow constitutes prima-facie evidence of taking deer with the aid of an artificial light. Raccoon and opossum may be taken at night, with dogs during open seasons, with the use of artificial lights commonly used to aid in taking raccoon and opossum. Road Hunting Local laws prohibit or restrict hunting or shooting from public roads or possession of a loaded firearm on road right-of-ways in some counties. More North Carolina Deer Hunting Regulations Below |