North Carolina Administrative Code

15A NCAC 10B .0202 BEAR (a) Open Seasons for hunting bear shall be from the: (1) Saturday on or immediately prior to October 9 through the Saturday before Thanksgiving and the third Saturday after Thanksgiving through January 1 in and west of Surry, Wilkes, Caldwell, Burke, and C…

15A NCAC 10B .0203 WHITE-TAILED DEER (a) Open All Lawful Weapons Seasons for hunting deer: (1) Deer With Visible Antlers. Deer with antlers or spikes protruding through the skin, as distinguished from knobs or buttons covered by skin or velvet, may be taken during the following s…

15A NCAC 10B .0204 WILD BOAR (BOTH SEXES) History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-270.3; 113-276.1; 113-291.2; Eff. February 1, 1976; Amended Eff. May 1, 2009; May 1, 2007; July 1, 1999; July 1, 1995; July 1, 1993; July 1, 1987; July 1, 1986; Repealed Eff. February 1, 2012.

15A NCAC 10B .0205 RACCOON AND OPOSSUM (a) The open season for taking raccoon and opossum is from sunrise Monday on or nearest October 15 through the last day of February. (b) Bag Limits: (1) The daily bag limit for raccoon is three and there are no season and no possession limit…

15A NCAC 10B .0206 SQUIRRELS (a) The open season for gray and red squirrels is the Monday on or closest to October 15 through the last day of February. (b) The open season for fox squirrels is the Monday on or nearest October 15 through January 31. (c) Except on game lands, gray …

15A NCAC 10B .0207 RABBITS (a) Rabbit Open Season: The open season for taking rabbits shall be from the Monday on or nearest October 15 through the last day of February. (b) Rabbit Bag Limits: The daily bag limit for rabbits is five and there are no season and no possession limit…

15A NCAC 10B .0208 QUAIL (a) The open season for quail is the Saturday before Thanksgiving through the last day of February. (b) The daily bag limit is six, the possession limit is 12, and there is no season limit. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.2; Eff. February 1,…

15A NCAC 10B .0209 WILD TURKEY (a) The open season for wild turkey is from the Saturday on or after April 11 through the fourth Saturday thereafter, on bearded or male turkeys only. (b) The daily bag limit is one, the possession limit is two, and the season limit is two. (c) The …

15A NCAC 10B .0210 RUFFED GROUSE (a) The open season for taking ruffed grouse is the Monday on or nearest October 15 through the last day of February. (b) The daily bag limit is three, the possession limit is six, and the season limit is 30. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; …

15A NCAC 10B .0211 Ring-Necked PHEASANT (a) On the barrier islands of Carteret, Dare, and Hyde counties east of Core Sound and Pamlico Sound, the open season for taking ring-necked pheasant is the Saturday before Thanksgiving Day through the last day of February on male pheasant …

15A NCAC 10B .0212 FOXES (GRAY AND RED) (a) Foxes may be taken with weapons or traps the first through fourth Saturday in January in the following counties: (1) Caswell; (2) Clay; (3) Graham; (4) Henderson; (5) Macon; and (6) Tyrell. (b) The season for pursuing or taking foxes wi…

15A NCAC 10B .0213 GROUNDHOG (a) There is no closed season for groundhogs. (b) There is no bag limit. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.2; Eff. February 1, 1976; Readopted Eff. February 1, 2022.

15A NCAC 10B .0214 BOBCAT (a) The open season for hunting bobcat is the Monday on or nearest October 15 through the last day in February. (b) There is no bag limit. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.2; Eff. February 1, 1976; Amended Eff. July 1, 1996; July 1, 1995; Ju…

15A NCAC 10B .0215 CROWS (a) Open seasons for hunting crows are as follows: Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of each week from the first Wednesday in June through the last day of February and on the following holidays: July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Mar…

15A NCAC 10B .0216 FALCONRY (a) The open seasons for the practice of falconry coincide with the regular open seasons for squirrel, rabbit, quail, ruffed grouse and pheasant, and with the open seasons set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations for migratory game birds in this St…

15A NCAC 10B .0217 PISTOL SEASONS History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.1(g); 50 C.F.R. 20.133; Eff. August 1, 1980; Repealed Eff. October 1, 2022.

15A NCAC 10B .0218 LOCAL TURKEY SEASON CLOSED History Note: Temporary Adoption Eff. April 2, 1982; Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.2; 150B-13; Repealed Eff. September 1, 1982.

15A NCAC 10B .0219 COYOTE (a) When taking coyotes, the following shall apply: (1) There is no closed season for taking coyotes. (2) There is no bag limit. (2) Coyotes may be taken on private lands anytime during the day or night. (3) Coyotes may be taken on public lands without a…

15A NCAC 10B .0220 NUTRIA (a) There is no closed season for taking nutria by hunting. (b) There is no bag limit. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.2; 113-291.1(a); Eff. July 1, 1996; Readopted Eff. February 1, 2022.

15A NCAC 10B .0221 STRIPED SKUNK (a) There is no closed season for taking striped skunk by hunting. (b) There is no bag limit. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.1; 113-291.2; Eff. May 1, 2006; Readopted Eff. February 1, 2022.

15A NCAC 10B .0222 armadillo (a) There is no closed season for taking armadillo by hunting. (b) There is no bag limit. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.1; 113-291.2; Eff. August 1, 2010; Readopted Eff. February 1, 2022.

15A NCAC 10B .0223 FERAL SWINE (a) There is no closed season for taking feral swine on private lands anytime during the day or night. (b) Feral swine may be taken on game lands from the hours of one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset during an open season f…

15A NCAC 10B .0224 AMERICAN ALLIGATOR (a) The season for taking American alligators shall be September 1 to October 1. (b) Take shall be by permit only. (c) The bag limit shall be one per permit and the season limit is one. (d) American alligators shall only be restrained using o…

15A NCAC 10B .0225 ELK (a) The season for taking elk is October 1 through November 1. (b) Hunting shall be by permit only. (c) The bag limit is one per permit. (d) Elk may be taken by any legal weapon as specified in G.S. 113-291.1. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291; …

15A NCAC 10B .0226 BULLFROGS (a) The open seasons for taking of bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, shall be as follows: (1) Except as provided in Subparagraph (a)(2) of this Rule, there shall be no closed season for taking bullfrogs. (2) On Wildlife Resources Commission Property, as def…

15A NCAC 10B .0227 WILD QUAIL MANAGEMENT AREAS (a) A "Wild Quail Management Area" shall be land maintained to enhance enjoyment of sportsmen and support wild bobwhite quail conservation under signed agreement between the landowners and the Wildlife Resources Commission. (b) The f…

SECTION .0300 - TRAPPING 15A NCAC 10B .0301 definitions As used in this Section, the following definitions apply: (1) "Box trap", "corral trap", and "cage trap" are devices designed so that the animal enters the trap through a door that closes and is meant to prevent the animal f…

15A NCAC 10B .0302 PROHIBITED TAKING No person shall trap, take, or possess any armadillo, beaver, coyote, groundhog, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, otter, raccoon, skunk, weasel or bobcat, except: (1) during the open trapping seasons for that species and in accordance with the …

15A NCAC 10B .0303 OPEN SEASONS (a) The open season for the taking by trapping of fur-bearing animals as those animals are defined in G.S. 113-129(7a), as well as the taking by trapping of coyotes, armadillos, and groundhogs, shall be October 1 through the last day of February, s…

15A NCAC 10B .0304 BAG LIMITS There are no bag limits on fur-bearing animals as defined in G.S. 113-129(7a), armadillos, coyotes, groundhogs, and feral swine, except where local laws govern trapping, or conflict with this Rule. History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-291.2; Eff…

15A NCAC 10B .0305 TRAPS (a) A foothold, steel-jaw, or leghold trap set on dry land with a solid anchor shall not have a chain longer than eight inches unless the chain is fitted with a shock-absorbing device with at least 40 pounds and no more than 75 pounds of pressure to stret…

15A NCAC 10B .0306 ATTENDANCE AND TAGGING OF TRAPS (a) Traps shall be visited daily and animals caught shall be removed, except for completely submerged Conibear®-type, Conibear®, bodygrip traps, and submersion trapping systems, as defined in 15A NCAC 10B .0301, which shall be vi…

SECTION .0400 - TAGGING FURS 15A NCAC 10B .0401 DEFINITIONS As used in this Section, the following definitions shall apply: (1) "Affix", when used in reference to attachment of a fur tag to the carcass or pelt of an animal, means permanent attachment of the tag through some porti…

15A NCAC 10B .0402 TAGGING FURS (a) Except as provided in Rule .0404 and .0405 of this Section, buying, selling, bartering, trading, or otherwise transferring possession or ownership of the carcass or pelt of any bobcat, otter, or fox without having affixed to such carcass or pel…

15a ncac 10b .0403 APPLICATION FOR TAGS (a) Fur tags shall be issued free of charge, excluding postage if applicable, by applying in person at 1751 Varsity Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606, over the phone, or by completing and submitting a request form to the Commission online at www.ncwil…

15A NCAC 10B .0404 TAGGING (a) Every fox taken in an area of open season as provided by G.S. 113-291.4 shall be tagged at the scene of taking. (b) Every person taking any bobcat or otter in this State, or any foxes under a depredation permit, general statute, rule, or local law t…

15A NCAC 10B .0405 FUR DEALERS (a) Any individual wanting to engage in the business of buying or selling fur-bearing animals or other wild animals that may lawfully be sold, as specified in G.S. 113-273(f), shall first obtain a fur dealer license from the Commission. (b) Applicat…

15A NCAC 10B .0406 MISUSE OF TAGS (a) Fur tags shall only be affixed to the carcass or pelt of the species of animal for which their use is authorized. (b) It is unlawful to buy or sell any bobcat, otter, or fox carcass or pelt that has an unauthorized tag affixed. (c) Unused fox…

15A NCAC 10B .0407 REVOCATION AND NONRENEWAL OF LICENSES History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-276.2; 113-276.3; 113-277; Eff. October 1, 1980; Repealed Eff. July 1, 1988.

15A NCAC 10B .0408 FOX DEALER PERMIT History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-274; 113-291.3; 113-291.4; Eff. November 1, 1982; Repealed Eff. July 1, 1988.

15A NCAC 10B .0409 SALE OF LIVE FOXES AND COYOTES TO CONTROLLED FOX HUNTING PRESERVES (a) In counties with a trapping season for foxes and coyotes that do not prohibit live sale, licensed trappers may, subject to the restrictions on taking foxes in G.S.113- 291.4, live-trap foxes…

SECTION .0500 – CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE MANAGEMENT 15A NCAC 10B .0501 DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (a) The rules in this Section apply to an area of the State where Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected, as determined by the Commission. (b) The following definit…

15A NCAC 10B .0502 CWD SURVEILLANCE AREAS DEFINED History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-306; Temporary Adoption Eff. July 1, 2022; Temporary Adoption Eff. July 1, 2023; Temporary Adoption Expired Eff. April 12, 2024.

15A NCAC 10B .0503 SURVEILLANCE AREA (a) Inside a surveillance area, placement of minerals or salt licks to purposefully congregate wildlife shall be prohibited. Placement of bait, food, or food product to purposefully congregate wildlife shall be prohibited from January 2 throug…

15A NCAC 10B .0504 PRIMARY SURVEILLANCE AREA History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-306; Temporary Adoption Eff. July 1, 2022; Temporary Adoption Eff. July 1, 2023; Temporary Adoption Expired Eff. April 12, 2024.

15A NCAC 10B .0505 SECONDARY SURVEILLANCE AREA History Note: Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-306; Temporary Adoption Eff. July 1, 2022; Temporary Adoption Eff. July 1, 2023; Temporary Adoption Expired Eff. April 12, 2024.

SUBCHAPTER 10C - INLAND FISHING REGULATIONS SECTION .0100 - JURISDICTION OF AGENCIES: CLASSIFICATION OF WATERS 15A NCAC 10C .0101 SCOPE AND PURPOSE The following rules pertain to the classification of the waters of North Carolina as coastal fishing waters, inland fishing waters, …

15A NCAC 10C .0102 INLAND FISHING WATERS Inland fishing waters are all inland waters except private ponds and all waters connecting with or tributary to coastal sounds or the ocean extending inland from the dividing line between coastal fishing waters and inland fishing waters ag…

15A NCAC 10C .0103 COASTAL FISHING WATERS Coastal fishing waters are the Atlantic Ocean, the various coastal sounds, and estuarine waters up to the dividing line between coastal fishing waters and inland fishing waters agreed upon by the Marine Fisheries Commission and the Wildli…

15A NCAC 10C .0104 JOINT FISHING WATERS Joint fishing waters are those coastal fishing waters, denominated by agreement of the Marine Fisheries Commission and the Wildlife Resources Commission pursuant to G.S. 113-132(e) as joint fishing waters. All waters that are tributary to j…