Dover Bay Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Dover Bay Game Land is 2,898 acres of public hunting land in Craven County, a Six Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 7 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 2 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). Global TransPark 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.
Dover Bay Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,898 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Hunting days | Six Days per Week Area |
| Owner | Global TransPark (2,898 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 7 (2 antlered bucks, 2 does) |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 2,898 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Cove City (next to it), Dover (3 mi) and Grifton (10 mi) |
What are the rules on Dover Bay Game Land?
Six Days per Week Area: Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
- (a) Dover Bay game land is a Six Days per Week Area.
- (b) On this game land antlered or antlerless deer may be taken on the days of the applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season.
- (c) Target shooting is prohibited.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0225, in effect since August 1, 2024. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Dover Bay Game Land?
NCWRC reports 7 deer on Dover Bay Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 9 in 2024-25 and 6 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 2023-24 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
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 Dover Bay 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 Dover Bay Game Land:
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| Global TransPark | 2,898 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Dover Bay Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craven County | 2,899 | Southeastern | Oct. 17 | 3,034 |
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 Dover Bay Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: US 70 and NC 55. Nearest towns: Cove City (next to it), Dover (3 miles), Grifton (10 miles) and Trenton (10 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Neuse River Game Land (4.9 miles), Croatan Game Land (15.7 miles), White Oak River Game Land (26.6 miles) and Light Ground Pocosin Game Land (31.2 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 Dover Bay Game Land?
Dover Bay Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0225). Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Dover Bay Game Land?
NCWRC reports 7 deer taken on Dover Bay Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 2 antlered bucks, 3 antlerless males and 2 does. The two seasons before: 9 in 2024-25 and 6 in 2023-24.
What county is Dover Bay Game Land in?
All of it is in Craven County, by NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Dover Bay Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Craven 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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