Johns River Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Johns River Game Land is 6,483 acres of public hunting land in Burke County, listed as permit only in NCWRC's tract data. Hunters reported 53 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 31 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.
Johns River Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 6,483 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Burke County |
| Hunting days | Permit Only |
| Days by tract | Permit Only: 6,402 acres; Permit Only: 81 acres |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (6,483 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 53 (31 antlered bucks, 19 does) |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 6,483 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Drexel (2 mi), Morganton (3 mi) and Valdese (4 mi) |
What are the rules on Johns River Game Land?
- Johns River Game Land is hunting by permit only. The following shall apply:
- (1) During permitted deer hunts, antlered or antlerless deer may be taken by permit holders.
- (2) The construction of permanent hunting blinds is prohibited.
- (3) Camping is allowed on areas posted for camping as specified in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter.
- (4) Target shooting is prohibited.
- (5) During the open days of the seasons for game birds and game animals, the use of bicycles is restricted to hunters engaged in the act of hunting.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0239, in effect since August 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Johns River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 53 deer on Johns River Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 38 in 2024-25 and 55 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 53 | 31 | 3 | 19 |
| 2024-25 | 38 | 26 | 3 | 9 |
| 2023-24 | 55 | 28 | 3 | 24 |
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 Johns River 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 Johns River Game Land (9 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 6,483 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Johns River Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County | 6,484 | Western | Nov. 28 | 2,161 |
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 Johns River Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: I-40, NC 18, NC 181 and US 70. Nearest towns: Drexel (2 miles), Morganton (3 miles), Valdese (4 miles) and Gamewell (4 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Pisgah Game Land (1.7 miles), South Mountains Game Land (6.6 miles) and Buffalo Cove Game Land (13.8 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 Johns River Game Land?
Johns River Game Land is a Permit Only (15A NCAC 10D .0239).
How many deer are killed on Johns River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 53 deer taken on Johns River Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 31 antlered bucks, 3 antlerless males and 19 does. The two seasons before: 38 in 2024-25 and 55 in 2023-24.
What county is Johns River Game Land in?
All of it is in Burke County, by NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Johns River Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Burke County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, 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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