Holly Shelter Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Holly Shelter Game Land is 65,139 acres of public hunting land in Pender County, a Six Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 204 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 103 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). NC Wildlife Resources Commission 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.
Holly Shelter Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 65,139 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Pender County |
| Hunting days | Six Days per Week Area |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (65,139 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 204 (103 antlered bucks, 84 does) |
| Also on the game land | Special Regulations: 8,750 acres; Waterfowl Impoundment: 367 acres |
| Target shooting | Prohibited on all tracts, by NCWRC's tract data |
| Nearest towns | Holly Ridge (2 mi), Topsail Beach (3 mi) and Surf City (4 mi) |
What are the rules on Holly Shelter Game Land?
Six Days per Week Area: Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
- Holly Shelter 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) Waterfowl may be taken only on the following days:
- (a) the opening and closing days of the applicable waterfowl seasons;
- (b) Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Days; and
- (c) Tuesdays and Saturdays of the applicable waterfowl seasons.
- (3) Camping is allowed on areas posted for camping as specified in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter.
- (4) On that portion north of the Bear Garden Road, west of Shaw Road to Baby Branch, east of the Northeast Cape Fear River, south of NC 53 and west of NC 50, deer hunting and bear hunting are permit only.
- (5) The use of dogs for hunting deer and bear is prohibited:
- (a) all open days on that portion of the game land that is south of Baby Branch extending west to Stag Park Road, west of Shaw Road, north of Meeks Road extending west to Stag Park Road and east of Stag Park Road; and
- (b) on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's days, and except for the area north of Bear Garden Road, west of Shaw Road to Baby Branch, east of the Northeast Cape Fear River, south of NC 53 and west of NC 50, where the use of dogs for deer and bear hunting is by permit only.
- (6) Hunting and vehicular access on the Pender 4 Tract is restricted from September 1 to the last day of February and April 1 to May 15 to individuals that possess valid hunting opportunity permits, unless otherwise authorized by the Wildlife Resources Commission.
- (7) Hunters who possess a Disabled Access Permit may operate an All Terrain Vehicle on and within 100 yards of trails designated for Disabled Sportsman Access.
- (8) Target shooting is prohibited, except on the Holly Shelter Shooting Range.
- (9) Geocaching is restricted to closed days for taking bear, deer, turkey, and waterfowl.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0236, in effect since August 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Holly Shelter Game Land?
NCWRC reports 204 deer on Holly Shelter Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 142 in 2024-25 and 144 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 204 | 103 | 17 | 84 |
| 2024-25 | 142 | 72 | 6 | 64 |
| 2023-24 | 144 | 71 | 13 | 60 |
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 Holly Shelter 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 Holly Shelter Game Land (9 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 65,139 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Holly Shelter Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pender County | 65,145 | Southeastern | Oct. 17 | 3,271 |
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 Holly Shelter Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: NC 210, NC 50, NC 53 and US 17. Nearest towns: Holly Ridge (2 miles), Topsail Beach (3 miles), Surf City (4 miles) and Burgaw (5 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Angola Bay Game Land (next to it), Cape Fear River Wetlands Game Land (1.2 miles), Stones Creek Game Land (3.9 miles) and Sutton Lake Game Land (15.1 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 Holly Shelter Game Land?
Holly Shelter Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0236). Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Holly Shelter Game Land?
NCWRC reports 204 deer taken on Holly Shelter Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 103 antlered bucks, 17 antlerless males and 84 does. The two seasons before: 142 in 2024-25 and 144 in 2023-24.
What county is Holly Shelter Game Land in?
All of it is in Pender County, by NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Holly Shelter Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Pender 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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