Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land is 37,480 acres of public hunting land in Wake, Durham and Granville counties, a Six Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 450 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 260 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). US Army Corps of Engineers owns 31,844 acres 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.
Butner-Falls of Neuse Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 37,480 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County, Durham County, Granville County |
| Hunting days | Six Days per Week Area |
| Owner | US Army Corps of Engineers (31,844 acres); NC Department of Agriculture (3,260 acres); Town of Butner (746 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 450 (260 antlered bucks, 177 does) |
| Also on the game land | Archery Zone: 4,880 acres; Safety Zone: 1,316 acres; Waterfowl Impoundment: 948 acres; Restricted Firearms Zone: 18 acres |
| Target shooting | Prohibited on all tracts, by NCWRC's tract data |
| Nearest towns | Butner (next to it), Creedmoor (next to it) and Stem (2 mi) |
What are the rules on Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land?
Six Days per Week Area: Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
- Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Antlered or antlerless deer may be taken the first open day of the All Lawful Weapons Season for Deer With Visible Antlers through the second Friday thereafter.
- (2) Waterfowl shall be taken only on:
- (a) the opening and closing days of the waterfowl seasons;
- (b) Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Days; and
- (c) Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays of the applicable waterfowl seasons. On the posted waterfowl impoundments a special permit is required for all waterfowl hunting after November 1.
- (3) Horseback riding is prohibited.
- (4) Target shooting is prohibited.
- (5) Wild turkey hunting is by permit only, except on those areas posted as an archery zone.
- (6) The use of dogs for hunting deer is prohibited on that portion west of NC 50 and south of Falls Lake.
- (7) The use of bicycles is restricted to designated areas, except that this restriction does not apply to hunters engaged in the act of hunting during the open days of the seasons for game birds and game animals. On designated bicycle riding areas, the use of bicycles is allowed from May 16 through August 31, and on Sundays only from September 1 through May 15.
- (8) Camping is allowed on areas posted for camping as specified in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter.
- (9) Camping is allowed year-round in the designated Mountains-to-Sea Trail Camping Area and shall not exceed a maximum stay of two consecutive nights. Campfires are prohibited in this camping area.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0211, in effect since August 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land?
NCWRC reports 450 deer on Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 401 in 2024-25 and 484 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 450 | 260 | 13 | 177 |
| 2024-25 | 401 | 229 | 22 | 150 |
| 2023-24 | 484 | 273 | 28 | 183 |
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 Butner-Falls of Neuse 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 Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land (19 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| US Army Corps of Engineers | 31,844 |
| NC Department of Agriculture | 3,260 |
| Town of Butner | 746 |
| NC Department of Health and Human Serv. | 348 |
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 73 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 13,313 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 1,900 |
| Durham County | 12,978 | Central | Nov. 14 | 927 |
| Granville County | 9,178 | Central | Nov. 14 | 3,125 |
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 Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land?
Highways through the game land: I-85, US 15 and NC 98. Nearest towns: Butner (next to it), Creedmoor (next to it), Stem (2 miles) and Wake Forest (3 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Jordan Game Land (9.3 miles), Mayo Game Land (17 miles), Buckhorn Game Land (19.2 miles) and Harris Game Land (21.4 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 Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land?
Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0211). Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land?
NCWRC reports 450 deer taken on Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 260 antlered bucks, 13 antlerless males and 177 does. The two seasons before: 401 in 2024-25 and 484 in 2023-24.
What county is Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land in?
Wake County (13,313 acres), Durham County (12,978 acres) and Granville County (9,178 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Wake County (Northeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17, Durham County (Central zone) opens gun season Nov. 14 and Granville 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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