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Season September 5 to February 28

North Carolina Pheasant Season 2026

North Carolina's pheasant season runs September 5, 2026 to February 28, 2027 across most of the state and November 21, 2026 to February 28, 2027 on the barrier islands.

Sep 5
Opening day
Saturday
Feb 28
Last day
Sunday, 2027
No daily limit
Daily limit
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Dates and limits

North Carolina pheasant season dates and bag limit

North Carolina's pheasant season runs September 5, 2026 to February 28, 2027 across most of the state and November 21, 2026 to February 28, 2027 on the barrier islands. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission sets no daily bag limit on pheasants.

  1. Most of the stateSep 5
    Season across most of the state, Sep 5 to Feb 28
  2. Barrier islandsNov 21
    Season on the barrier islands, Nov 21 to Feb 28
General seasonNorth Carolina, Sep 5 to Feb 28
Most of the state
Sep 5 to Feb 28
Barrier islands
Nov 21 to Feb 28
Daily limit
No daily limit
Which birds
Either sex
  • PheasantSep 5 to Feb 28statewide except the barrier islands below, either sex, no limits
  • Controlled Hunting PreservesOct 1 to Mar 31domestically raised birds on licensed preserves, no limits
  • Pheasant (Barrier Islands of Carteret, Dare, and Hyde Counties)Nov 21 to Feb 28barrier islands only, males only
Sept. 5 – Feb. 28 (Remainder of state not included above for pheasants of either sex) No daily, season, or possession limits
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, read October 8, 2026. Read it at the source

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission regulations, read October 8, 2026.

License

What it takes to hunt pheasants in North Carolina

Every North Carolina license, resident and nonresident, with what each costs, is on the North Carolina hunting license page.

North Carolina pheasant questions

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Pheasant season in other states

Pheasant openers in every stateThe whole season on one calendar, with each agency's outlook.North Carolina small game seasonsQuail, grouse, rabbit and squirrel dates in North Carolina.North Carolina hunting licenseWhat a North Carolina license costs and who needs one.North Carolina waterfowl seasonsDuck and goose dates in North Carolina, by zone.North Carolina duck migrationWhere the ducks are in North Carolina this week.North Carolina CWD testingDeer sampling rules in North Carolina.
A rooster ring-necked pheasant with a red face, green head and white neck ring standing on disced soil and broken straw
A rooster feeding in a disced crop field beside LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota. Birds feed in the open early and late and sit in grass and cattails through the middle of the day. “Ring-necked pheasant at LaCreek National Wildlife Refuge (51154749494)”, Tom Koerner, USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain

North Carolina read October 8, 2026 from North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, every source linked above. An agency can move a date or close an area between the printed regulations and opening day, so its page is the one that governs. Every state is on the pheasant season calendar.