General Info
County history coming soon!
CITIES
Cities In County
Not including unincorporated communities
Communities
Marion (County Seat)
Old Fort
RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
County Residential Services
A little bit of contact information for all purpose residential needs.
Coming Soon
County Website
*For more information visit: http://www.mcdowellgov.com/
HUNTING
Hunting Seasons
For more information visit:
| Locations | Type of Season | Open Dates |
| Eastern Deer Season | Archery | Sept. 9-29, 2017 |
| Black Powder | Sept. 30-Oct. 13, 2017 | |
| Gun | Oct. 14, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018 | |
| Central Deer Season | Archery | Sept. 9-Oct. 27, 2017 |
| Black Powder | Oct. 28-Nov. 10, 2017 | |
| Gun | Nov. 11, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018 | |
| Northwestern Deer Season | Archery | Sept. 9-Nov. 3, 2017 |
| Black Powder | Nov. 4-Nov. 17, 2017 | |
| Gun | Nov. 18, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018 | |
| Western Deer Season | Archery | Sept. 9-Oct. 1, 2017; Oct. 15-Nov. 19, 2017; Dec. 10, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018 |
| Black Powder | Oct. 2-14, 2017 | |
| Gun | Nov. 20-Dec. 9, 2017 | |
| Gun Either-Sex Deer Seasons | Introductory Season | Last open day of applicable gun season. |
| Conservative Season | Last six open days of the applicable gun season. | |
| Moderate Season | First six open days and last six open days of the applicable gun season. | |
| Maximum Season | All open days of the applicable gun season. | |
| Urban Archery Deer Season | Archery Only | Jan. 13-Feb. 17, 2018 |
| Youth Deer Hunting Day | Any Legal Weapon | Sept. 23, 2017 |
| Western Bear Season | Oct. 16-Nov. 18, 2017 and Dec. 11, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018 | |
| Central Bear Seasons | Nov. 11, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018:
Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Granville, Guilford, Lee, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, and Union counties. Oct. 14, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018: Franklin, Harnett, Johnston, Hoke, Moore, Richmond, Scotland, Vance, Wake and Warren counties. Nov. 10, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018: Alexander, Catawba, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Stokes, and Yadkin counties. |
|
| Eastern Bear Seasons | Nov. 13-Nov. 18, 2017 and Dec. 23, 2017:
Beaufort, Camden, Chowan, Craven, Dare, Edgecombe, Greene, Halifax, Hyde, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Pitt, Tyrrell, Washington, Wayne, and Wilson counties. Nov. 11-18, 2017 and Dec. 23, 2017: Bertie, Currituck, Gates, Hertford and Perquimans counties. Nov. 13, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018: Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender and Sampson counties. Dec. 4-23, 2017 Robeson county. |
|
| Wild Turkey Spring Season | Apr. 14-May 12, 2018 | |
| Wild Turkey Youth-only Season | Apr. 7-13, 2018 | |
FISHING
Fishing Seasons
For more information visit:
| State Coastal Waters (Internal and 0-3 Miles) |
Exclusive Economic Zone EEZ (3-200 miles) |
|||
|
Finfish Species
(note symbols, pg.2) |
Minimum Length | Bag Limits (Per Person) |
Minimum Length | Bag Limits (Per Person) |
|
Alewife and
blueback herring |
UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | ||
|
Amberjack, greater
|
28″ FL | 1/Day | 28″ FL | 1/Day |
| (A) | (A) | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | ||
| None | 15/Day Only 5 greater than 24″ TL |
None | 15/Day | |
| Cobia (M) | 33” FL | 2/Day | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | |
| None | 10/Day | None | 10/Day | |
|
Drum, black
|
14″-25″ TL (C) | 10/Day | 14″-25″ TL (C) | 10/Day |
| 18-27″ TL (C) | 1/Day | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | ||
|
Eel, American (Q)
|
9″ TL | 25/Day | 9″ TL | 25/Day |
| 15″ TL | 4/Day | 15″ TL | 4/Day | |
| UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS SHALLOW WATER GROUPER JAN. 1 THROUGH APRIL 30 (SEE NOTE J) |
UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS SHALLOW WATER GROUPER JAN. 1 THROUGH APRIL 30 (SEE NOTE J) |
|||
|
Grouper
Red, scamp, yellowfin, yellowmouth grouper and tilefish (no size limit on tilefish) |
20″ TL |
3/Day (all grouper combined; includes 1 golden tilefish and no more than 1 black or gag grouper, individual or combined) |
20″ TL |
3/Day (all grouper combined; includes 1 golden tilefish and no more than 1 black or gag grouper, individual or combined) |
|
Grouper
black and gag |
24″ TL | 1/Day (See above) | 24″ TL | 1/Day (See above) |
|
Grouper, snowy (K)
|
1/vessel/day (included in 3 grouper aggregate) Harvest allowed May 1 through Aug. 31 |
1/vessel/day (included in 3 grouper aggregate) Harvest allowed May 1 through Aug. 31 |
||
|
Hogfish
(Hog snapper) (I) |
12″ FL | 5/Day | 12″ FL | 5/Day |
| 24″ FL | 3/Day | 24″ FL | 3/Day | |
| 12″ FL | 15/Day | 12″ FL | 15/Day | |
| 99″ LJFL | 1/vessel/trip either Blue or White Marlin | 99″ LJFL | State rules apply when landing | |
| 66″ LJFL | 1/vessel/trip either Blue or White Marlin | 66″ LJFL | State rules apply when landing | |
|
Mullet
(Striped and white) |
None | 200/Day (species combined) |
None | |
|
Porgy, red
(Silver snapper, pinky) |
14″ TL | 3/Day | 14″ TL | 3/Day |
| 63″ LJFL | 1/Day | 63″ LJFL | ||
|
Scup
(North of Cape Hatteras only) |
8” TL | 50/Day | 9” TL | 50/Day |
|
Seatrout, spotted (speckled)
 |
14” TL | 4/Day | 14” TL | 4/Day |
| UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | |||
|
Sea bass, black
(South of Cape Hatteras) |
13″ TL | 7/Day | 13″ TL | 7/Day |
|
Shad, American (O)
|
None | (O) | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | |
|
Shad, hickory (O)
|
None | (O) | None | 10/Day |
| (E, I, L) | 1/Vessel/Day | (E, I, L) | 1/Vessel/Day | |
|
Sharks, Atlantic sharpnose, smooth dogfish and bonnethead (E)
|
None | (E) | None | (E) |
|
Sheepshead
|
10” FL | 10/Day | State rules apply when landing | State rules apply when landing |
|
Snapper-Grouper Complex SpeciesIncludes spadefish,gray triggerfish, white grunt, knobbed porgy and more (see notes Hand I)
|
N/A | 20/Day | N/A | 20/Day |
|
Snappers:
Gray, cubera, queen, yellowtail, silk and blackfin |
12″ TL | 10/Day (Species combined) |
12″ TL | 10/Day (Species combined) |
|
Snapper, mutton
|
16″ TL | See Above | 16″ TL | See Above |
|
Snapper, lane
|
8″ TL | See Above | 8″ TL | See Above |
|
Snapper, red
|
UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | UNLAWFUL TO POSSESS | ||
|
Snapper, vermilion
|
12″ TL | 5/Day | 12″ TL | 5/Day |
|
Tarpon
|
None | 1/Day | None | 1/Day |
| Yellowfin 27″ CFL Bigeye 27″ CFL |
Bigeye and Yellowfin 3 per day | Bigeye and Yellowfin tuna 27″ CFL |
Yellowfin Tuna 3 per day |
|
| None | 2/Day | None | 2/Day | |
| 12″ TL |
1/Day |
12″ TL | State rules apply when landing | |
|
Wreckfish (P)
|
None | 1/Vessel/Day | None |
1/Vessel/Day |
