Mitchell River Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Mitchell River Game Land is 2,432 acres of public hunting land in Surry and Alleghany counties, a Four Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 21 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 15 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.
Mitchell River Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,432 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Surry County, Alleghany County |
| Hunting days | Four Days per Week Area |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (2,432 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 21 (15 antlered bucks, 5 does) |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 2,432 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Dobson (8 mi), Sparta (10 mi) and Elkin (10 mi) |
What are the rules on Mitchell River Game Land?
Four Days per Week Area: Hunting on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus Labor Day, Veterans Day, Christmas, New Year's Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Mitchell River game land is a Four Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Deer of either sex may be taken the first open day of the applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season through the second Tuesday thereafter.
- (2) Horseback riding is prohibited except on designated trails May 16 through August 31, and all horseback riding is prohibited from September 1 through May 15.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0250, in effect since October 1, 2022. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Mitchell River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 21 deer on Mitchell River Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 20 in 2024-25 and 22 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 21 | 15 | 1 | 5 |
| 2024-25 | 20 | 14 | 0 | 6 |
| 2023-24 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 5 |
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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell River Game Land (6 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 2,432 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Mitchell River Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surry County | 1,819 | Northwestern CWD Management Area | Nov. 14 | 3,094 |
| Alleghany County | 613 | Northwestern | Nov. 21 | 2,585 |
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 Mitchell River Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: US 21, NC 18, I-77 and NC 89. Nearest towns: Dobson (8 miles), Sparta (10 miles), Elkin (10 miles) and Jonesville (12 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Thurmond Chatham Game Land (10.7 miles), Little Fork State Forest Game Land (25.8 miles), Kerr Scott Game Land (25.9 miles) and Hill Farm Game Land (27.3 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 Mitchell River Game Land?
Mitchell River Game Land is a Four Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0250). Hunting on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus Labor Day, Veterans Day, Christmas, New Year's Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
How many deer are killed on Mitchell River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 21 deer taken on Mitchell River Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 15 antlered bucks, 1 antlerless male and 5 does. The two seasons before: 20 in 2024-25 and 22 in 2023-24.
What county is Mitchell River Game Land in?
Surry County (1,819 acres) and Alleghany County (613 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Mitchell River Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Surry County (Northwestern CWD Management Area zone) opens gun season Nov. 14 and Alleghany County (Northwestern zone) opens gun season Nov. 21, 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 Surry County deer harvest Alleghany County deer harvest