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State regulations · NC

Coyote Hunting North Carolina, Laws, Regulations, Season, & License Info

Planning on coyote hunting in North Carolina anytime soon? Make sure you're up on all of the laws and regulations for the great state of North Carolina.

The short answers

Regulations verified: NCWRC source ↗
Season
Year-roundNo closed season, no bag limit
License needed?
YesPlus a free permit in five eastern counties
Night hunting?
YesPrivate land, 95 of 100 counties
Electronic calls?
YesExpressly allowed for coyotes
Lights / thermal?
YesLights, night vision and thermal all legal

Answers on this page are cited to the NCWRC Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest, 2026–2027 edition. Regulations change frequently and vary by locality. Verify current rules with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission before hunting. This page is a guide, not legal advice.

Hunt North Carolina · The official source

Address: 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606

Coyote classification & license in North Carolina

What is the classification of coyotes in North Carolina?

Coyotes are a non-native species in North Carolina, managed outside the game-animal season structure and listed in the Digest alongside groundhog, nutria, skunk, armadillo and feral swine. There is no closed season on private land and no limit of any kind: “No daily, season, or possession limits.”1

That classification does most of the work on this page. Where a Texas answer resolves to yes, on private property, a North Carolina answer resolves to yes — unless you are standing in one of five eastern counties. Which county you are in matters more here than in any other state.

Are coyotes protected in North Carolina?

No. Coyotes hold no protected status anywhere in North Carolina and there is no closed season on private land.1

The animal that is protected is the red wolf, which is federally endangered, state-listed as threatened, and very hard to tell from a large coyote in poor light. That is the entire reason for the five-county rule.

Is a hunting license required to hunt coyotes in North Carolina?

Yes. A valid North Carolina hunting license covers coyotes — the State Hunting license is $32 for residents and $124 for non-residents.2

In Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington counties you need a free coyote permit in addition to that license, and the permit requirement reaches even people who are exempt from needing a license at all.3 See the five-county rule.

The prices above are resident prices. A non-resident pays more, and may need a different license — see what a non-resident needs.

Is hunter education required?

Yes — and North Carolina is stricter about this than most states. There is no birth-date cut-off: “a person, regardless of age, may not purchase a hunting license in this state without producing one of the following: a hunter education certificate of competency.”4

If you learned to hunt in a state that grandfathers anyone born before 1970-something, that does not travel here. Get the certificate before you plan the trip.

Can a non-resident hunt coyotes in North Carolina?

Yes. Two licenses make sense for a coyote trip:

  • Non-resident State Hunting — $124, statewide, including game lands.2
  • Non-resident State Hunting 10-Day — $99, valid for the 10-day period on the license.5

The 10-day is only $25 cheaper than the annual, so unless you are certain this is a one-trip year, buy the annual. Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia residents pay reduced reciprocal rates.2

See also is a hunting license required — the license rules there, and the exemptions and add-ons that go with them, apply to you too.

Coyote season, hours & bag limits in North Carolina

What is the season for coyote hunting in North Carolina?

There is no season. On private land, “There is no closed hunting season on private lands.”6 Game lands are the exception — see public land.

What is the bag limit for coyotes in North Carolina?

There is none — “No daily, season, or possession limits.”1

On private land outside the five counties, there are no restricted hours at all. The general rule is that game birds and animals may be taken “only between 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset,”7 but coyotes are expressly carved out of it: “Coyotes may be taken at night in all counties except Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington.”8

On game lands, and inside the five counties, the sunrise-to-sunset window does apply. See night hunting and the five-county rule.

Can you hunt coyotes on Sunday in North Carolina?

Yes, with two firearm restrictions that catch people out. On Sundays, “Hunting with firearms between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. is prohibited except on controlled hunting preserves,”9 and “Hunting with a firearm within 500 yards of a place of worship or any accessory structure thereof is prohibited.”10

Both are firearm rules, not hunting rules — “Archery equipment may be used to hunt on Sundays without the restrictions applied to hunting with firearms.”11 The 500-yard rule is the one to think about: it is measured from the building, it applies all day, and rural eastern North Carolina has a great many small churches sitting in the middle of good coyote ground.

Can you hunt coyotes during deer or big game season?

Yes, and on private land nothing changes. On game lands it changes a lot — coyotes may only be taken there “during any open season for taking game animals and game birds using weapons that are lawful for the open game animal or game bird seasons.”12 In other words, on public land the deer season is what gives you your coyote season, and it also dictates your weapon.

One practical point during any deer firearms season: anyone hunting deer must wear hunter orange visible from all sides,13 and if you are on the same ground with a rifle, wear it whether or not you are the one hunting deer.

Night hunting coyotes in North Carolina: lights, night vision & thermal

Can you hunt coyotes at night in North Carolina?

Yes — on private land, in 95 of the 100 counties. The administrative rule is unambiguous: “Coyotes may be taken on private lands anytime during the day or night.”14 The Digest says the same thing from the other direction: “Coyotes may be taken at night in all counties except Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington.”8

Two limits worth having straight before you go:

  • Public land is different. On game lands, coyotes may be taken without a permit only between half an hour before sunrise and half an hour after sunset;12 after dark, “hunting feral swine and coyotes on game lands is limited to permit hunts administered through the Permit Hunting Opportunities Program.”15
  • The five eastern counties are closed at night, entirely. See the five-county rule.

You will still find pages online — including one of NCWRC’s own legacy FAQs — saying there is no night hunting on public land in North Carolina at all. That was true under the 2012 temporary rules. The current rule allows it by permit.16 When two sources disagree about a state, the administrative rule is the one that decides it.

New to hunting in the dark? Start with how to hunt coyotes at night — the parts that do not change by state.

Can you use artificial lights for coyote hunting in North Carolina?

Yes. North Carolina bans artificial light for taking wildlife and then writes coyotes back in by name: “artificial lights may be used for taking feral swine and coyotes at night where legal.”17 The rule repeats it: “Hunters may use electronic calls and artificial lights to take coyotes.”18

There is one wrinkle unique to this state. Many counties have local shining laws aimed at deer poaching, which make it an offence to sweep a light in search of deer. NCWRC’s position is that a hunter honestly using a light to hunt coyotes is not in violation of those laws — but “honestly” is doing real work in that sentence, and a light sweeping a field at 2 a.m. in a shining county is a conversation you may have to have. Know your county’s local laws before you scan from the truck.

Can you use night vision in North Carolina?

Yes. North Carolina’s prohibited-methods list covers taking wildlife “with the use or aid of any artificial light, net, trap, snare, electronic or recorded animal or bird call, or fire,”19 and the only two items on it that bear on predator hunting — lights and electronic calls — are both expressly restored for coyotes.18 Night vision is not on the list at all, and NCWRC’s night-hunting guidance says so directly: “There are no light restrictions. All artificial lights and night vision equipment is legal.”20

Can you use thermal in North Carolina?

Yes. Thermal is not named anywhere in the 2026–27 Digest and it is not on the statutory list of prohibited methods.19 A thermal scope emits nothing, so it is not an artificial light to begin with — there is no rule for it to fall foul of.

That makes North Carolina one of the better thermal states in the Southeast: no restriction on the device, no restriction on the hours, on private land in 95 counties.

Are there specific weapons restrictions for hunting coyotes at night in North Carolina?

No night-specific weapon restrictions apply on private land. The general firearms rules in firearms and suppressors apply after dark exactly as they do at noon — the only firearm North Carolina bars outright is the fully automatic rifle.21

On game lands the answer is different, because night hunting there is permit-only and the permit sets the terms.15

The five-county red wolf rule in North Carolina

This is what makes North Carolina different from every other state, and it is the thing out-of-state hunters miss most often.

In Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington counties — the federal red wolf recovery area — coyote hunting is restricted on four separate axes:

Rest of North CarolinaThe five counties
PermitLicense onlyLicense plus a free coyote permit22
Private land at nightLegal14Not legal — half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset only23
Public landDaylight without a permit12Special permit hunts only24
ReportingNoneEvery coyote, within 24 hours25

Two more things apply only here. Contests are off the table on public ground: “Contests or competition coyote hunts on public lands are prohibited.”26 And the whole program has a tripwire — if two or more red wolves are shot in a calendar year by permit holders on state game lands in these counties, all special coyote hunts there are suspended for a year.27

The reason for every line in that table is identification. NCWRC’s own guidance is blunt about it: “Due to the high variation in coloration and body size overlap between the species, it can be very difficult to distinguish between coyotes and red wolves in the field.”28 A red wolf runs four to five feet nose to tail; a coyote is no more than three.29 In a thermal scope at 200 yards, that is not a difference you can trust.

Shooting a red wolf is an Endangered Species Act matter, not a state citation. If you are not certain of the animal, do not shoot — that advice is free, and the alternative is not.

Firearms, ammunition & suppressors in North Carolina

Are suppressors allowed for coyote hunting in North Carolina?

Yes. North Carolina removed its hunting suppressor ban in 2013, and the statute now expressly carves out “a suppressor or other device designed to muffle or minimize the report of a firearm or short-barreled rifle that is lawfully possessed by a person in compliance with 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53 §§ 5801-5871.”30

Federal NFA rules still apply — you need the ATF approval and the tax stamp. The state simply no longer adds a charge on top.

What firearms are allowed or restricted for coyote hunting in North Carolina?

Almost anything. “Fully automatic rifles are unlawful. All other rifles are legal”21 — with the caveat that “Local laws prohibit or restrict rifles in some counties.”31 That is a real constraint in eastern North Carolina, where several counties restrict centerfire rifles, so check the Local Laws section for the county you are hunting.

Shotguns are capped at 10-gauge.32 Pistols are legal for nongame animals with “no restrictions on caliber and barrel length.”33

The practical answer is the same as everywhere: a flat-shooting centerfire in .223, .22-250, .204 Ruger or .243. See the best coyote gun for the full comparison.

Are there any ammunition restrictions?

None for coyotes. North Carolina has no lead restriction and no bullet-type restriction on coyotes. The only ammunition rule that could reach you is on posted waterfowl impoundments on game lands, where non-toxic shot is required.34

Can you hunt using a .22 LR or other rimfire cartridge?

Yes — rimfire rifles and pistols are both legal.21 Whether it is enough cartridge is a separate argument. I would not take a .22 LR past 75 yards on a coyote, and in the thick eastern pine you rarely need to.

Is there a magazine capacity limit for hunting coyotes in North Carolina?

No. The only magazine restriction in the Digest applies to migratory game birds, where shotguns “must be plugged so as to limit their maximum capacity to three shells.”35 Nothing limits magazine capacity for coyotes. An AR-15 with a 30-round magazine is legal, subject to the local county rifle restrictions noted above.

Calls, decoys, bait & dogs in North Carolina

Are electronic calls allowed for coyote hunting in North Carolina?

Yes, by name. North Carolina bans electronic and recorded calls generally, then exempts three species: “electronic or recorded calls are legal for crows, coyotes and feral swine hunting.”36

Are decoys allowed for coyote hunting in North Carolina?

Yes, including motion decoys. Nothing in the Digest restricts decoys for coyotes — the decoy rules that do exist apply to migratory birds.

Is baiting allowed for coyote hunting in North Carolina?

On private land, yes. North Carolina’s baiting prohibitions are written species by species — wild birds, wild turkey and black bear37 — and coyotes appear on none of those lists.

On game lands, no: “Placing bait on game lands is prohibited without written authorization except when allowed for trapping.”38

Can you use dogs to hunt coyotes in North Carolina?

Yes, and North Carolina has a deeper fox and coyote hound tradition than almost anywhere. Hunting with dogs is allowed statewide for species other than deer and bear, “subject to the restrictions applied by local laws and game land rules.”39

If you are running a fox or coyote enclosure rather than open ground, that is a Controlled Hunting Preserve, and hunting one needs its own $28 license.40

Private property, vehicles & public land access in North Carolina

Is it legal to shoot coyotes on private property (e.g. in your backyard) in North Carolina?

On rural private land with permission, yes — outside the five counties. But permission in North Carolina is a written matter, not a handshake: the Landowner Protection Act requires written permission to hunt posted property, and some counties require it whether the land is posted or not.41

In a backyard inside town limits, almost certainly not. State wildlife law is not the binding constraint there; the municipal firearm-discharge ordinance is, and nearly every North Carolina town has one. The Digest tells you the coyote is fair game. It does not give you permission to fire a rifle inside Raleigh.

Can you hunt coyotes from a motorized vehicle in North Carolina?

No. This is one of the sharpest differences from Texas. It is unlawful to take wild birds or animals from “a motor vehicle while the passenger area is occupied or while the vehicle engine is running.”42 Boats under power and aircraft are out too, and so are drones.42

Read that literally, because it is enforced literally: the engine must be off and the passenger area empty. Getting out and stepping away from the truck before you shoot is the habit to build.

Can you hunt coyotes on public land in North Carolina?

Yes, on roughly two million acres of game lands — but under three restrictions that do not apply on private ground.12 Coyotes may be taken there:

  1. Only “from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset” without a permit;
  2. Only “during any open season for taking game animals and game birds”;
  3. Only “using weapons that are lawful for the open game animal or game bird seasons.”

After dark, game lands are permit-only through the Permit Hunting Opportunities Program.15 In the five red wolf counties, game land coyote hunting is permit hunts only, full stop.24

Individual game lands add their own rules on top. Read the specific game land listing before you go.

Trapping, yes — coyote is on the list of species that may be trapped during the regulated season,43 which runs “Oct. 1 – Feb. 28” statewide.44 Coyotes may additionally be trapped wherever and whenever fox trapping is allowed by statute.45 Outside those windows, trapping requires a free Depredation Permit issued for actual property damage.46

Snares, no. “Snares can be used to trap only beaver, except where allowed by local law.”47

A trapping license is $40 for residents, $164 for non-residents,48 and every trap must carry a weather-resistant tag with your name and address or your Trapper Identification Number.49

Not as a private individual. Taking wildlife with poison is governed by a separate body of law — “The taking of wild animals and wild birds with poisons, drugs, explosives, and electricity is governed by G.S. 113-261, G.S. 113-262, and Article 22A of this Subchapter”50 — and the products involved are restricted-use pesticides. If you have a depredation problem that traps and rifles are not solving, call NCWRC or USDA Wildlife Services.

Are there protected areas or additional local restrictions in North Carolina?

Yes, and more than in most states. Three kinds matter:

  • Local laws by county. North Carolina delegates a great deal to county-level law — rifle restrictions, written-permission requirements, road-hunting rules and deer-shining laws all vary by county, and the Digest carries an abstract of them.51
  • Municipal discharge ordinances, inside any town limit.
  • Game land zones — safety, restricted, archery and restricted-firearms zones each change what you may carry and where.52

After the shot: pelts, bounties & contests in North Carolina

Are there regulations for possessing or transporting dead coyotes or pelts across state lines?

Dead coyotes and pelts move freely — coyotes are not on North Carolina’s tagging list, which covers fox, bobcat and otter only.53

Live coyotes are a different animal entirely. It is unlawful to “sell, keep or transfer ownership of any live animals, except foxes or coyotes, which can be sold live by licensed trappers to licensed fox preserves during the applicable trapping season.”54 That narrow channel is the only lawful movement of a live coyote in this state, it requires a transportation permit obtained before you take the animal out of the trap, and the animal may not be held more than 30 days.55

Can you sell coyote pelts, and do you need a fur handler’s license?

Yes, with a license. The Digest’s default is restrictive — “In general, whole animals or their parts may not be bought or sold in North Carolina. There are some exceptions.”56 Fur is one of those exceptions, and the license that unlocks it is the Fur Dealer License, which “authorizes buying and selling furs anywhere in North Carolina.”57

Coyote pelts need no tag, unlike fox, bobcat and otter.53 Confirm the current fee and license class with NCWRC before your first sale — the categories change more often than the rules they govern.

Is there a coyote bounty program in North Carolina?

No. There is no statewide bounty, and NCWRC does not pay for coyotes.

The one payment in North Carolina that people mistake for a bounty runs the other way: the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Trapper Reimbursement Program pays for a live red wolf turned over unharmed. That is the opposite of a coyote bounty, and it is worth understanding before you assume otherwise.

What NCWRC does want is data. It asks hunters to submit hair samples from harvested coyotes for its canid genetic study — roughly 20 hairs pulled with the follicles attached, which takes about fifteen seconds.58

Contests are legal on private land. North Carolina has not banned predator hunting contests the way California and Oregon have.

The one express prohibition is geographic: “Contests or competition coyote hunts on public lands are prohibited”26 in Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington counties.

Coyotes in North Carolina

Are there coyotes in North Carolina? How many, and where?

Yes, and they are “common throughout state.”59 Coyotes are not native here — NCWRC dates their arrival to within living memory: “Coyotes are an adaptive animal that first appeared in NC in 1980s.”60 In forty years they went from absent to established in every part of the state, mountains to coast, including inside Charlotte and the Triangle.

Are North Carolina coyotes dangerous to people or pets?

To people, very rarely. To pets, routinely — and NCWRC splits it by size: “Coyotes are rarely interested in humans, but pets can draw their attention. Large dogs can be viewed as a threat or competition, while smaller dogs and cats may be viewed as a potential food source.”61

That distinction is the useful part. A big dog is a rival to be driven off; a small dog is prey. Both end badly, for different reasons.

When is coyote mating season in North Carolina, and when do pups arrive?

“Coyotes mate around February-March and give birth between April-May.”62

Late winter is the best calling of the year for exactly this reason — males cover far more ground and answer far more aggressively through the breeding window.

When are coyotes most active in North Carolina?

First and last light, year-round, with more night movement through the humid summer months. For the full breakdown of season, weather windows, time of day and moon phase, see when to hunt coyotes.

Are there black coyotes in North Carolina?

Yes. Black coyotes are genuinely more common in the Southeast than elsewhere in the country, and NCWRC records the range: coyote color “is typically dark gray but can range from blonde, red, and even black.”63

A black coyote is still a coyote and still legal to take. It is not a wolf — but in the five eastern counties, an unusual-looking canid is exactly the animal to leave alone until you are certain.

Anything else worth noting about coyote hunting in North Carolina

North Carolina is two states as far as coyotes are concerned. In 95 counties it is one of the most permissive in the country: no season, no limit, night hunting on private land with lights, night vision or thermal, e-calls legal by name, and suppressors legal since 2013. In five counties on the coastal plain it is one of the most restricted, and the penalty for getting it wrong is federal rather than state.

The line between those two North Carolinas runs along five county borders. Know which county you are standing in — and check the local laws for it, because the county is also where the rifle restrictions, the written-permission requirements and the shining laws live.

No. The only lawful transfer of a live coyote in North Carolina is a licensed trapper selling to a licensed fox preserve during the trapping season, with a transportation permit and a 30-day limit on holding the animal.54 There is no route by which a private individual may keep one.

Know something we missed? Contact me and I’ll get it fixed.

Footnotes

  1. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Small Game & Other Seasons — Groundhog, Nutria, Coyote, Skunk, Armadillo and Feral Swine Printed page 69 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Hunting & Trapping Licenses — Annual Licenses, State Hunting Printed page 15 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. NCWRC — Coyote Hunting and Depredation Permits, license-exempt hunters Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

  4. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — License Information — hunter education requirement Printed page 10 ↩

  5. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Hunting & Trapping Licenses — Short-Term Licenses, State Hunting 10-Day Printed page 15 ↩

  6. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Small Game & Other Seasons — season dates Printed page 69 ↩

  7. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Manner of Taking, Shooting hours, general rule Printed page 54 ↩

  8. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Manner of Taking, Shooting hours, coyote exception Printed page 54 ↩ ↩2

  9. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — General Restrictions, Sundays Printed page 54 ↩

  10. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — General Restrictions, Sunday firearm setback Printed page 54 ↩

  11. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — General Restrictions, Sunday archery Printed page 54 ↩

  12. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Game Lands Regulations — Other Restrictions, coyote hunting on game lands Printed page 80 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  13. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Hunter or Blaze Orange Printed page 56 ↩

  14. 15A NCAC 10B .0219 Coyote — paragraph (a)(2) Administrative rule, readopted 1 February 2022 ↩ ↩2

  15. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Game Lands Regulations — Other Restrictions, night hunting on game lands Printed page 81 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  16. 15A NCAC 10B .0219 Coyote — paragraphs (a)(3) and (a)(4) Administrative rule, readopted 1 February 2022 ↩

  17. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Artificial Lights and Electronic Calls Printed page 56 ↩

  18. 15A NCAC 10B .0219 Coyote — paragraph (a)(5) Administrative rule, readopted 1 February 2022 ↩ ↩2

  19. N.C.G.S. § 113-291.1(a)(2) — Manner of taking wild animals and wild birds General Statute — no printed digest page ↩ ↩2

  20. NCWRC — Night Hunting Frequently Asked Questions, equipment Web edition — legacy page, out of date on public-land night hunting ↩

  21. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Manner of Taking, Rifles Printed page 54 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  22. NCWRC — Coyote Hunting and Depredation Permits, five-county permit requirement Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

  23. 15A NCAC 10B .0219 Coyote — paragraph (b)(6) Administrative rule, readopted 1 February 2022 ↩

  24. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Game Lands Regulations — Other Restrictions, five-county permit hunts Printed page 80 ↩ ↩2

  25. NCWRC — Coyote Hunting and Depredation Permits, 24-hour reporting Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

  26. 15A NCAC 10B .0219 Coyote — paragraph (b)(3) Administrative rule, readopted 1 February 2022 ↩ ↩2

  27. 15A NCAC 10B .0219 Coyote — paragraph (b)(4) Administrative rule, readopted 1 February 2022 ↩

  28. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Differences Between Wolves and Coyotes Printed page 77 ↩

  29. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Differences Between Wolves and Coyotes, size comparison Printed page 77 ↩

  30. N.C.G.S. § 113-291.1(c)(2) — suppressor exception General Statute — no printed digest page ↩

  31. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Manner of Taking, Rifles and local laws Printed page 54 ↩

  32. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Manner of Taking, Shotguns Printed page 54 ↩

  33. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Manner of Taking, Pistols Printed page 54 ↩

  34. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Game Lands Regulations — Game Lands Restrictions, non-toxic shot on waterfowl impoundments Printed page 78 ↩

  35. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Manner of Taking, Shotgun capacity for migratory birds Printed page 54 ↩

  36. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Artificial Lights and Electronic Calls, exceptions Printed page 56 ↩

  37. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Baiting and Attractants Printed page 54 ↩

  38. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Game Lands Regulations — Other Restrictions, bait on game lands Printed page 80 ↩

  39. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Hunting with Dogs Printed page 55 ↩

  40. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Hunting & Trapping Licenses — Controlled Hunting Preserve Hunting Printed page 15 ↩

  41. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Other Restrictions, Trespass Printed page 56 ↩

  42. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Motor Vehicles, Boats and Vessels Printed page 56 ↩ ↩2

  43. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Trapping Regulations — General Information, species that may be trapped Printed page 52 ↩

  44. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Trapping Regulations — Trapping Seasons, statewide Printed page 52 ↩

  45. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Trapping Regulations — Trapping Seasons, coyotes during fox seasons Printed page 52 ↩

  46. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Trapping Regulations — Depredation Permit Printed page 52 ↩

  47. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Trapping Regulations — Legal Trap Types, Snares Printed page 52 ↩

  48. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Hunting & Trapping Licenses — Trapping Licenses Printed page 15 ↩

  49. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Trapping Regulations — Statewide Trap Regulations, trap tagging Printed page 52 ↩

  50. N.C.G.S. § 113-291.1(a)(2) — poisons, drugs, explosives and electricity General Statute — no printed digest page ↩

  51. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Other Restrictions, Local Laws Printed page 56 ↩

  52. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Game Lands Regulations — Posted Zones on Game Lands Printed page 80 ↩

  53. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Privilege Licenses, Stamps & Certifications — Bobcat/Otter Tags and Fox Tags Printed page 18 ↩ ↩2

  54. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Trapping Regulations — Statewide Trapping Restrictions, live animals Printed page 52 ↩ ↩2

  55. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Trapping Regulations — Statewide Trapping Restrictions, holding and transporting live foxes and coyotes Printed page 52 ↩

  56. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — General Hunting Regulations — Sale of Wildlife Printed page 57 ↩

  57. NCWRC Regulations Digest 2026–27 — Privilege Licenses, Stamps & Certifications — Fur Dealer License Printed page 18 ↩

  58. NCWRC — Coyote Hunting and Depredation Permits, canid genetic study Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

  59. NCWRC — Coyote species profile, range Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

  60. NCWRC — Coyote species profile, arrival in North Carolina Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

  61. NCWRC — Coyote species profile, coyotes and pets Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

  62. NCWRC — Coyote species profile, breeding Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

  63. NCWRC — Coyote species profile, coloration Web edition — accessed 6 August 2026 ↩

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From the field

Questions and answers from hunters over the years. Comments are closed; contact me if you spot something out of date.

· 2020-01-26

Laws and approved firearms

· 2022-12-28

“Coming Soon….” UGH

This information is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. This website has no affiliation with any department of the above-mentioned state. Coyote hunting laws can change frequently and vary by locality — always verify the most current regulations directly with your state's wildlife agency or local authorities before hunting. Last updated: August 2026.

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