North Carolina duck season 2026-27: dates and free maps
Season dates
Inland zone, first split: Thursday, October 15 to Saturday, October 17, 2026
Black ducks and mottled ducks closed until Nov. 21.
Coastal zone, first split: Friday, October 23 to Saturday, October 24, 2026
Black ducks and mottled ducks closed until Nov. 21.
Coastal zone, second split: Saturday, November 7 to Saturday, November 28, 2026
Inland zone, second split: Saturday, November 7 to Saturday, November 28, 2026
Youth and veterans/military waterfowl day (first): Saturday, December 5, 2026
Coastal zone, third split: Thursday, December 17, 2026 to Saturday, January 30, 2027
Inland zone, third split: Friday, December 18, 2026 to Saturday, January 30, 2027
Youth and veterans/military waterfowl day (second): Saturday, February 6, 2027
Checked on the agency's site November 6, 2026. Licenses, units, bag limits and shooting hours differ, and dates can vary by unit: the regulations are what count, so read them before you go.
Federal migratory bird rules apply on top of state rules: check what your state requires for the federal duck stamp and HIP registration, and your state's shooting hours and bag limits.
Marshes, river bottoms and refuge boundaries are hard to read in the dark, and public and closed areas sit side by side. Download the maps for your marsh ahead of time and Cartahaven shows your GPS position on them offline, so you can find your spot before shooting light and stay out of closed zones.
Free public land maps in North Carolina
Before you go
Cartahaven is not affiliated with or endorsed by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Season dates come from the agency pages linked above.