Buxton Woods Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Buxton Woods Game Land is 975 acres of public hunting land in Dare County, a Six Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 2 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 2 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). NC Division of Coastal Management 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.
Buxton Woods Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 975 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Dare County |
| Hunting days | Six Days per Week Area |
| Owner | NC Division of Coastal Management (975 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 2 (2 antlered bucks, 0 does) |
| Target shooting | Prohibited on all tracts, by NCWRC's tract data |
What are the rules on Buxton Woods Game Land?
Six Days per Week Area: Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
- Buxton Woods Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Deer of either sex may be taken the first open day of the applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season through the first Friday thereafter.
- (2) Target shooting is prohibited.
- (3) Horseback riding is prohibited except on designated trails.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0212, in effect since August 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Buxton Woods Game Land?
NCWRC reports 2 deer on Buxton Woods Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 4 in 2024-25 and 6 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
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 Buxton Woods 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 Buxton Woods Game Land:
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Division of Coastal Management | 975 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Buxton Woods Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dare County | 976 | Southeastern | Oct. 17 | 103 |
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 Buxton Woods Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: NC 12.
The closest other game lands with a page here: Gull Rock Game Land (26.8 miles), Dare Game Land (30 miles), Buckridge Game Land (38.3 miles) and New Lake Game Land (42.7 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 Buxton Woods Game Land?
Buxton Woods Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0212). Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Buxton Woods Game Land?
NCWRC reports 2 deer taken on Buxton Woods Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 2 antlered bucks, 0 antlerless males and 0 does. The two seasons before: 4 in 2024-25 and 6 in 2023-24.
What county is Buxton Woods Game Land in?
All of it is in Dare County, by NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Buxton Woods Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Dare County (Southeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17, 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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