Waterfowl SEASON DATES
DAILY BAG LIMIT
Canada Goose September 2 – September 30 (statewide) Allow the following west of U.S. 17 only: 1. extend shooting hours to ½ hour after sunset 2. use of unplugged guns 3. use of electronic calls

15 September Teal September 12 – September 30 (East of U.S 17 only)
6 Ducks, Mergansers and Coots

Inland Duck Zone: October 17 – October 19, November 9 – November 30, and December 19 – January 31 [black and mottled duck season closed until Nov. 23]

Coastal Duck Zone: October 25 – October 26, November 9 – November 30, and December 18 – January 31 [black and mottled duck season closed until Nov. 23]

[Bag limits are the same in each duck zone]
6 ducks with no more than 4 total sea ducks including no more than 3 scoters, 3 eiders (1 hen eider), or 3 long-tailed ducks, 4 mallards with no more than 2 hen mallards, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 1 pintail, 1 mottled duck, and 1 fulvous whistling duck (season on black and mottled ducks is closed until November 23). Prior to January 9 the scaup daily bag limit is 1, on January 9 and after it is 2. The season on harlequin ducks is closed. 5 mergansers (2 hooded mergansers) 15 coots
Sea Ducks October 25 – October 26, November 9 – November 30, and December 18 – January 31 Includes scoters, eiders, and long-tailed ducks. 4 total sea ducks with no more than 3 scoters, 3 eiders (1 hen eider), or 3 long-tailed ducks. Sea duck daily bag limits count toward the general duck daily bag limit of 6 ducks.
Canada Geese (also includes white-fronted geese)
Resident Population Hunt Zone: October 17 – October 26, November 9 – November 30, and December 18 – February 8
Northeast Hunt Zone: December 28 – January 31 5 in the Resident Population Hunt Zone (includes Canada geese and white-fronted geese either singly or in the aggregate) 1 Canada goose or whitefronted goose in the Northeast Hunt Zone Light Geese (Includes snow geese and Ross’s geese) October 8 – February 8
Conservation Order Season: February 10 – March 31 (by permit only) • From February 10 – March 31 only, electronic calls and unplugged guns are allowed; • There are no bag or possession limits; and shooting hours are extended to ½ hour after sunset 25, no possession limit Brant December 28 – January 31
Tundra Swan November 9 - January 31 (by permit only) 1 per season (4,721 permits will be issued) Youth Waterfowl Days (Includes ducks, geese, brant, tundra swans, mergansers and coots.) The youth must have a valid permit to harvest a tundra swan. February 1 and February 8 (statewide) Youth are age 17 or younger and must adhere to the following: • Youth under the age of 16 that have obtained North Carolina Hunter Education Certification must be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older; and • Youth under the age of 16 that have not successfully completed North Carolina Hunter Education Certification must be accompanied by a properly licensed adult age 18 or older; and • Youth aged 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. The adult must not duck hunt but may participate in other seasons that are open on the special youth day. Same as listed above Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days February 1 and February 8 (statewide) Same as listed above (Includes ducks, geese, brant, tundra swans, mergansers and coots.) Participants must have a valid permit to harvest a tundra swan. Veterans and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than training) must adhere to the following: • Must be properly licensed and have valid credentials; and • Must have HIP certification; and • Must have a federal duck stamp. NOTES: 1) Shooting hours for all migratory game birds are from ½ hour before sunrise until sunset, except as noted in the above table. 2) There shall be no hunting of migratory game birds by any method on Sundays. 3) Possession limit is three times the daily bag for all species, except as noted in the above table. 4) Falconers may hunt during the Webless Migratory and Waterfowl Seasons, but the daily bag limit for falconry is three and the possession limit is nine, singly or in aggregate. The falconry bag limit is not in addition to the gun bag limit. Extended Falconry Seasons for Migratory Game Birds SPECIES SEASON DATES BAG LIMITS Mourning Dove & Whitewinged dove October 7 – October 19 3, see NOTES Rails, Gallinule and Moorhens December 7 – January 11 3, see NOTES Woodcock December 2 – December 10, and February 1 – February 22 3, see NOTES Ducks, mergansers and coots October 1 – October 12, and February 1 – February 8 3, see NOTES NOTES: 1) The falconry daily bag limit is three migratory game birds singly or in the aggregate. The taking of harlequin ducks is prohibited. Falconers may also hunt during the applicable gun seasons. Daily bag and possession limits of three and nine, respectively, apply while hunting during the gun season and extended falconry seasons. 2) Possession limits are three times the daily bag for all species singly or in aggregate. 3) Hunting hours for all migratory game birds are from ½ hour before sunrise until sunset. 4) There shall be no hunting of migratory game birds by any method on Sundays.