Chowan Swamp Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Chowan Swamp Game Land is 33,769 acres of public hunting land in Gates, Hertford, Bertie and Chowan counties, a Six Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 103 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 57 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). NC Wildlife Resources Commission owns 23,966 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.
Chowan Swamp Game LandOther NCWRC game landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 33,769 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Gates County, Hertford County, Bertie County, Chowan County |
| Hunting days | Six Days per Week Area |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (23,966 acres); NC Division of Parks & Recreation (6,132 acres); NC State Natural Resources Foundation (3,704 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 103 (57 antlered bucks, 37 does) |
| Target shooting | Prohibited on all tracts, by NCWRC's tract data |
| Nearest towns | Colerain (next to it), Winton (next to it) and Gatesville (next to it) |
What are the rules on Chowan Swamp Game Land?
Six Days per Week Area: Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
- Chowan Swamp Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Deer of either sex may be taken on all the open days of the applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season.
- (2) Bear hunting is restricted to the first Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday of the November bear season and the second Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday of the December bear season except in that portion of Chowan Swamp Game Land in Gates County that is east of Highway 158/13, south of Highway 158, west of Highway 32, and north of Catherine Creek and the Chowan River where the bear season is the same as the season dates for the Gates County bear season.
- (3) Camping is allowed on areas posted for camping as specified in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter.
- (4) Horseback riding is prohibited except during May 16 through August 31 and on Sundays only September 1 through May 15 on those roads that are open to vehicular traffic and on those gated roads and trails posted for equestrian use.
- (5) Target shooting is prohibited.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0218, in effect since August 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Chowan Swamp Game Land?
NCWRC reports 103 deer on Chowan Swamp Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 127 in 2024-25 and 112 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 103 | 57 | 9 | 37 |
| 2024-25 | 127 | 48 | 17 | 62 |
| 2023-24 | 112 | 55 | 15 | 42 |
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 Chowan Swamp 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 Chowan Swamp Game Land (18 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 23,966 |
| NC Division of Parks & Recreation | 6,132 |
| NC State Natural Resources Foundation | 3,704 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Chowan Swamp Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates County | 23,225 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 1,325 |
| Hertford County | 9,541 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 1,597 |
| Bertie County | 996 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 3,085 |
| Chowan County | 36 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 588 |
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 Chowan Swamp Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: US 158, NC 45, US 17 and NC 32. Nearest towns: Colerain (next to it), Winton (next to it), Gatesville (next to it) and Harrellsville (2 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Lower Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land (9.3 miles), Bachelor Bay Game Land (9.4 miles), Bertie County Game Land (12.9 miles) and Upper Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land (20.3 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 Chowan Swamp Game Land?
Chowan Swamp Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0218). Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Chowan Swamp Game Land?
NCWRC reports 103 deer taken on Chowan Swamp Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 57 antlered bucks, 9 antlerless males and 37 does. The two seasons before: 127 in 2024-25 and 112 in 2023-24.
What county is Chowan Swamp Game Land in?
Gates County (23,225 acres), Hertford County (9,541 acres), Bertie County (996 acres) and Chowan County (36 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Chowan Swamp Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Gates County (Northeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17, Hertford County (Northeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17, Bertie County (Northeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17 and Chowan County (Northeastern 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.
North Carolina hunting All North Carolina game lands Gates County deer harvest Hertford County deer harvest Bertie County deer harvest