Jordan Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Jordan Game Land is 40,462 acres of public hunting land in Chatham, Durham, Wake and Orange counties, a Six Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 283 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 134 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). US Army Corps of Engineers 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.
Jordan Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 40,462 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County, Durham County, Wake County, Orange County |
| Hunting days | Six Days per Week Area |
| Owner | US Army Corps of Engineers (40,115 acres); NC Wildlife Resources Commission (347 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 283 (134 antlered bucks, 131 does) |
| Also on the game land | Waterfowl Impoundment: 1,528 acres; Archery Zone: 549 acres; Safety Zone: 289 acres |
| Target shooting | Prohibited on all tracts, by NCWRC's tract data |
| Nearest towns | Apex (2 mi), Chapel Hill (2 mi) and Pittsboro (3 mi) |
What are the rules on Jordan Game Land?
Six Days per Week Area: Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
- Jordan Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Antlered or antlerless deer may be taken on open days of the All Lawful Weapons Season for Deer With Visible Antlers.
- (2) Waterfowl may be taken only on:
- (a) Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays of the applicable waterfowl seasons;
- (b) Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Days; and
- (c) the opening and closing days of the applicable waterfowl seasons.
- (3) Horseback riding, including all equine species, is allowed only on those areas posted as American Tobacco Trail and other areas posted for equestrian use. Unless otherwise posted, horseback riding is permitted on posted portions of the American Tobacco Trail anytime the trail is open for use. On other trails posted for equestrian use, horseback riding is allowed seven days per week from May 16 through August 31, and on Sundays only from September 1 through May 15. People age 16 or older shall obtain a game land license prior to engaging in horseback riding on an area other than the American Tobacco Trail.
- (4) Target shooting is prohibited.
- (5) Wild turkey hunting is by permit only, except on those areas posted as an Archery Zone.
- (6) The use of bicycles is restricted to designated areas, except that this restriction does not apply to hunters engaged in the act of hunting during the open days of the applicable seasons for game birds and game animals.
- (7) Camping is allowed on areas posted for camping as specified in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0240, in effect since August 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Jordan Game Land?
NCWRC reports 283 deer on Jordan Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 299 in 2024-25 and 315 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 283 | 134 | 18 | 131 |
| 2024-25 | 299 | 151 | 12 | 136 |
| 2023-24 | 315 | 165 | 10 | 140 |
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 Jordan 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 Jordan Game Land (10 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| US Army Corps of Engineers | 40,115 |
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 347 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Jordan Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham County | 33,503 | Central | Nov. 14 | 2,481 |
| Durham County | 5,183 | Central | Nov. 14 | 927 |
| Wake County | 1,693 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 1,900 |
| Orange County | 89 | Central | Nov. 14 | 1,886 |
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 Jordan Game Land?
Highways through the game land: NC 751, I-40 and NC 54. Nearest towns: Apex (2 miles), Chapel Hill (2 miles), Pittsboro (3 miles) and Morrisville (4 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Harris Game Land (next to it), Chatham Game Land (3 miles), Lee Game Land (4.9 miles) and Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land (9.3 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 Jordan Game Land?
Jordan Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0240). Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Jordan Game Land?
NCWRC reports 283 deer taken on Jordan Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 134 antlered bucks, 18 antlerless males and 131 does. The two seasons before: 299 in 2024-25 and 315 in 2023-24.
What county is Jordan Game Land in?
Chatham County (33,503 acres), Durham County (5,183 acres), Wake County (1,693 acres) and Orange County (89 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Jordan Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Chatham County (Central zone) opens gun season Nov. 14, Durham County (Central zone) opens gun season Nov. 14, Wake County (Northeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17 and Orange County (Central zone) opens gun season Nov. 14, and it runs to January 1, 2027 (NCWRC 2026-27 season dates). The game land's hunting days still apply.
Get a North Carolina hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for North Carolina are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, North Carolina included.
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 Chatham County deer harvest Durham County deer harvest Wake County deer harvest