North Carolina Hunting Laws
North Carolina sets no minimum caliber — and, unusually, no centerfire requirement at all — for deer rifles or handguns: both the statute and the administrative code allow any rifle or handgun of any type and caliber, so a .22 rimfire is technically as legal as a magnum centerfire. Shotguns are capped at 10 gauge, and only fully automatic firearms are barred from hunting use. Suppressors are explicitly carved out as legal for hunting under state law, as long as they're lawfully registered under the federal NFA. Wild turkeys are the exception to the state's otherwise permissive weapon rules: only shotguns and archery equipment may be used, not rifles or handguns.
Rules checked against North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission regulations, August 30, 2026.
At a Glance
Check a Cartridge in North Carolina
Local Ordinances Apply
Some individual game lands (designated 'Restricted Firearms Zones' in the NCWRC game lands rules table) and a handful of counties add restrictions beyond the statewide rules below — most commonly barring centerfire rifles for deer in favor of shotgun, muzzleloader, or archery equipment only. Check the current NCWRC Regulations Digest game-lands table for the specific game land or county before hunting there.
Sourced Rules
Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it.
Rifle and Handgun
2 rulesNorth Carolina places no minimum caliber, no case-length/energy requirement, and — unusually — no centerfire requirement on deer rifles or handguns: both the statute (G.S. 113-291.1(a)) and the administrative code's manner-of-take rules (15A NCAC 10B .0201, .0203) and handgun rule (15A NCAC 10B .0120, 'handguns of any type ... ammunition of any type') are silent on ignition type, so a rimfire rifle or handgun is not prohibited for deer.
"With a rifle, except that rifles may not be used in taking wild turkeys. [G.S. 113-291.1(a)] ... Unless otherwise prohibited by law, handguns of any type may be used to take game ... during the established open season..."
G.S. 113-291.1(a); 15A NCAC 10B .0120 (Taking of Wildlife with Handguns); 15A NCAC 10B .0201 (Prohibited Taking and Manner of Take) · verified Aug 2026
Rifles and handguns/pistols may not be used to take wild turkey — shotgun or archery equipment only.
"rifles may not be used in taking wild turkeys ... the Wildlife Resources Commission may by rule prescribe the types of handguns and handgun ammunition that may be used in taking big game animals other than wild turkey"
G.S. 113-291.1(a) and (g1) · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
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North Carolina places no minimum caliber, no case-length/energy requirement, and — unusually — no centerfire requirement on deer rifles or handguns: both the statute (G.S. 113-291.1(a)) and the administrative code's manner-of-take rules (15A NCAC 10B .0201, .0203) and handgun rule (15A NCAC 10B .0120, 'handguns of any type ... ammunition of any type') are silent on ignition type, so a rimfire rifle or handgun is not prohibited for deer.
"With a rifle, except that rifles may not be used in taking wild turkeys. [G.S. 113-291.1(a)] ... Unless otherwise prohibited by law, handguns of any type may be used to take game ... during the established open season..." |
G.S. 113-291.1(a); 15A NCAC 10B .0120 (Taking of Wildlife with Handguns); 15A NCAC 10B .0201 (Prohibited Taking and Manner of Take) | Aug 2026 |
|
Wild Turkey
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Rifles and handguns/pistols may not be used to take wild turkey — shotgun or archery equipment only.
"rifles may not be used in taking wild turkeys ... the Wildlife Resources Commission may by rule prescribe the types of handguns and handgun ammunition that may be used in taking big game animals other than wild turkey" |
G.S. 113-291.1(a) and (g1) | Aug 2026 |
Shotgun
3 rulesShotguns used for hunting may be no larger than 10 gauge; the statute sets no shot-size or slug requirement for deer.
"With a shotgun not larger than number 10 gauge"
G.S. 113-291.1(a) · verified Aug 2026
Nontoxic shot is required statewide for hunting waterfowl and coots.
"Non-toxic shot is required for hunting waterfowl and coots."
NCWRC Waterfowl Hunting page · verified Aug 2026
On posted waterfowl impoundments located on game lands, only nontoxic shotgun shells may be possessed while hunting, except lead buckshot is still allowed for deer.
"it is unlawful to hunt with or have in possession any shotgun shell containing lead or toxic shot while hunting, except shotgun shells containing lead buckshot may be used while deer hunting"
NCWRC Waterfowl Hunting page — posted waterfowl impoundments on Game Lands · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Shotguns used for hunting may be no larger than 10 gauge; the statute sets no shot-size or slug requirement for deer.
"With a shotgun not larger than number 10 gauge" |
G.S. 113-291.1(a) | Aug 2026 |
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Waterfowl
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Nontoxic shot is required statewide for hunting waterfowl and coots.
"Non-toxic shot is required for hunting waterfowl and coots." |
NCWRC Waterfowl Hunting page | Aug 2026 |
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All species
|
On posted waterfowl impoundments located on game lands, only nontoxic shotgun shells may be possessed while hunting, except lead buckshot is still allowed for deer.
"it is unlawful to hunt with or have in possession any shotgun shell containing lead or toxic shot while hunting, except shotgun shells containing lead buckshot may be used while deer hunting" |
NCWRC Waterfowl Hunting page — posted waterfowl impoundments on Game Lands | Aug 2026 |
Muzzleloader
1 ruleNorth Carolina defines legal muzzleloaders by ignition/loading type — antique or replica matchlock/flintlock/percussion-cap firearms, or any muzzle-loading/cylinder-loading rifle, shotgun, or handgun firing blackpowder or a substitute through the muzzle, cylinder, or breech — rather than by a minimum bore diameter; no separate muzzleloader minimum-caliber requirement exists.
"'blackpowder firearms' means any firearm, including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system, manufactured before 1899, that cannot use fixed ammunition; any replica ..."
15A NCAC 10B .0203(c)(3) — 'blackpowder firearms' definition, Open Blackpowder Firearms Season for deer · verified Aug 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
North Carolina defines legal muzzleloaders by ignition/loading type — antique or replica matchlock/flintlock/percussion-cap firearms, or any muzzle-loading/cylinder-loading rifle, shotgun, or handgun firing blackpowder or a substitute through the muzzle, cylinder, or breech — rather than by a minimum bore diameter; no separate muzzleloader minimum-caliber requirement exists.
"'blackpowder firearms' means any firearm, including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system, manufactured before 1899, that cannot use fixed ammunition; any replica ..." |
15A NCAC 10B .0203(c)(3) — 'blackpowder firearms' definition, Open Blackpowder Firearms Season for deer | Aug 2026 |
All Weapons
3 rulesYou may hunt any species in North Carolina with a suppressor, on public game land or private land, as long as the suppressor is lawfully possessed in compliance with the federal National Firearms Act. The law works as an exception rather than a grant: a suppressor counts as a 'weapon of mass death and destruction' that is a Class 1 misdemeanour to carry while taking wildlife, and only a federally compliant one is carved out — so if your suppressor is not NFA-compliant, carrying it while hunting is its own offence.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"(c) It is a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person taking wildlife to have in his possession any: ... (2) Weapon of mass death and destruction as defined in G.S. 14-288.8, other than a suppressor or other device designed ..."
G.S. 113-291.1(c) and (c)(2) · verified Oct 2026
Semi-automatic firearms and magazine-fed rifles are legal for hunting with no state magazine-capacity cap — only fully automatic firearms are barred.
"No, except fully automatic firearms, which are unlawful to use in hunting at any time."
NCWRC Night Hunting FAQ — 'Are there weapons restrictions Monday through Saturday?' · verified Aug 2026
Anyone hunting deer during a deer firearms season (any weapon, archery included) must wear hunter orange — a hunter orange cap or hat, or an outer garment of hunter orange visible from all sides; the law sets no square-inch minimum. The same applies to most other game hunted with firearms. Landholders and their spouse and children hunting their own land are exempt.
"Any person hunting game animals other than foxes, bobcats, raccoons, and opossum, or hunting upland game birds other than wild turkeys, or hunting feral swine, with the use of firearms, must wear a cap or hat on his h..."
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 113-291.8(a) · verified Oct 2026
| Species | Rule | Citation | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
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All species
|
You may hunt any species in North Carolina with a suppressor, on public game land or private land, as long as the suppressor is lawfully possessed in compliance with the federal National Firearms Act. The law works as an exception rather than a grant: a suppressor counts as a 'weapon of mass death and destruction' that is a Class 1 misdemeanour to carry while taking wildlife, and only a federally compliant one is carved out — so if your suppressor is not NFA-compliant, carrying it while hunting is its own offence.
Suppressor law in 2026: what changed · suppressor prices
"(c) It is a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person taking wildlife to have in his possession any: ... (2) Weapon of mass death and destruction as defined in G.S. 14-288.8, other than a suppressor or other device designed ..." |
G.S. 113-291.1(c) and (c)(2) | Oct 2026 |
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All species
|
Semi-automatic firearms and magazine-fed rifles are legal for hunting with no state magazine-capacity cap — only fully automatic firearms are barred.
"No, except fully automatic firearms, which are unlawful to use in hunting at any time." |
NCWRC Night Hunting FAQ — 'Are there weapons restrictions Monday through Saturday?' | Aug 2026 |
|
White-tailed / Mule Deer
|
Anyone hunting deer during a deer firearms season (any weapon, archery included) must wear hunter orange — a hunter orange cap or hat, or an outer garment of hunter orange visible from all sides; the law sets no square-inch minimum. The same applies to most other game hunted with firearms. Landholders and their spouse and children hunting their own land are exempt.
"Any person hunting game animals other than foxes, bobcats, raccoons, and opossum, or hunting upland game birds other than wild turkeys, or hunting feral swine, with the use of firearms, must wear a cap or hat on his h..." |
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 113-291.8(a) | Oct 2026 |
Federal Rules That Apply in Every State
These federal requirements apply in North Carolina on top of state law.
Sources
How to Use This Page
Each rule links to the regulation we read and the month we checked it. Rules marked needs review come from summaries rather than the regulation text, and never produce a green answer in the checker. The checker's energy figures are typical factory loads, so where a rule sets an energy or bullet-weight floor, check your own load's rating. This page covers equipment only, not seasons, tags or local ordinances, and it isn't legal advice. The current North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission regulations are the final word.