Buckhorn Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Buckhorn Game Land is 491 acres of public hunting land in Orange County, listed as permit only in NCWRC's tract data. Hunters reported 8 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 5 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). Orange Water & Sewer Authority (OWASA) owns nearly all of it.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: 15A NCAC 10D as NCWRC adopted it. Harvest: NCWRC's game land reports, 2023-24 to 2025-26. Seasons: NCWRC's 2026-27 dates.
Buckhorn Game LandOther NCWRC game landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 491 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Hunting days | Permit Only |
| Owner | Orange Water & Sewer Authority (OWASA) (491 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 8 (5 antlered bucks, 2 does) |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 491 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Mebane (5 mi), Swepsonville (7 mi) and Hillsborough (7 mi) |
What are the rules on Buckhorn Game Land?
- (a) Buckhorn game land is hunting by permit only.
- (b) On this game land horseback riding is prohibited.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0207, in effect since November 1, 2022. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Buckhorn Game Land?
NCWRC reports 8 deer on Buckhorn Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 8 in 2024-25 and 4 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Source: NCWRC reported deer harvest by game land, 2023-24 to 2025-26; NCWRC 2024-25 deer harvest by game land; NCWRC 2023-24 deer harvest by game land. NCWRC's 2023-24 report calls antlerless males button bucks.
Who owns Buckhorn Game Land?
Game lands are owned by NCWRC or by partners who open their land to public hunting under NCWRC's rules. NCWRC's tract data for Buckhorn Game Land:
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| Orange Water & Sewer Authority (OWASA) | 491 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Buckhorn Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 491 | Central | Nov. 14 | 1,886 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on NCWRC game land boundaries and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. Zones and dates: NCWRC hunting and trapping season dates, 2026-27. County harvest: NCWRC 2025-26 reported deer harvest by county.
How do you get to Buckhorn Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: I-40, I-85, NC 54 and US 70. Nearest towns: Mebane (5 miles), Swepsonville (7 miles), Hillsborough (7 miles) and Haw River (8 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Jordan Game Land (13.6 miles), Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land (19.2 miles), R. Wayne Bailey - Caswell Game Land (19.7 miles) and Harris Game Land (28.2 miles).
On Sundays on game lands, firearm hunting is not allowed between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., deer may not be taken with a firearm while being chased by dogs, and migratory game birds may not be hunted (15A NCAC 10D .0103).
Questions hunters ask
What days can you hunt Buckhorn Game Land?
Buckhorn Game Land is a Permit Only (15A NCAC 10D .0207).
How many deer are killed on Buckhorn Game Land?
NCWRC reports 8 deer taken on Buckhorn Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 5 antlered bucks, 1 antlerless male and 2 does. The two seasons before: 8 in 2024-25 and 4 in 2023-24.
What county is Buckhorn Game Land in?
All of it is in Orange County, by NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Buckhorn Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Orange County (Central zone) opens gun season Nov. 14, and it runs to January 1, 2027 (NCWRC 2026-27 season dates). The game land's hunting days still apply.
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Where these numbers come from
- Game land rules: NCWRC game land rules, 15A NCAC 10D. Designations, owners and tracts: NCWRC game land tracts.
- Deer harvest on the game land: NCWRC reported deer harvest by game land, 2023-24 to 2025-26. County harvest: NCWRC 2025-26 reported deer harvest by county.
- Boundary: NCWRC game land boundaries. Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. National forest and refuges: U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. Numbers are copied from NCWRC or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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