November Calendar of Wildlife & Habitat Happenings

North Carolina's quail hunting season opens Nov. 20.
North Carolina's quail hunting season opens Nov. 20.

Opportunities to experience natural North Carolina are as diverse as our state’s spectacular landscape. And there’s no shortage of things to do, see and hear this month – from quail hunting to emerging buck moths to spectacular leaf-peeping. Take a look at the November calendar below and explore NCWF’s upcoming events.

Nov. 1: Most female marbled salamanders are guarding nests by now. Several aster species are still in bloom.

Nov. 3: White-tailed deer rut peaks in the Coastal Plain. Good fishing for spotted seatrout on the coast.

Nov. 4: Fall hardwood foliage colors are peaking in parts of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. The Uwharries are a good place to view Piedmont fall colors after most trees in the Mountains have dropped their leaves.

Nov. 6: Dove season begins. Duck and Canada goose seasons reopen.

Nov. 9: Wood duck migration is peaking.

Nov. 11: Pintail, widgeon and green-winged teal migration is peaking. 

Nov. 13: See a rich variety of waterfowl and other birds at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Nov. 15: Tundra swans are arriving at Lake Mattamuskeet and other parts Down East.

Nov. 16: Groundhogs, chipmunks and jumping mice begin hibernating. Most bats, depending on species, have either hibernated or migrated.

Nov. 18: Turkey oak leaves are turning bright red on the sand ridges of the Coastal Plain. Peak rut for white-tailed deer in the Piedmont.

Nov. 20: Quail season opens. 

Nov. 22: Most reptiles have entered their winter refugia.

Nov. 25: Be especially thankful today for wild things, wild places and the beauty and wonder to be found in all seasons.

Nov. 26: Buck moths emerge and fly on sunny autumn days. Unlike most of their nocturnal, summer-flying relatives, these showy silk moths are diurnal.

Nov. 27: Dove and duck season ends. 

Nov. 30: Watch for hummingbirds. Many seen in North Carolina during this time of year are likely to be vagrant rufous hummingbirds or other species besides the usual ruby-throats.

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