Nantahala Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Nantahala Game Land is 527,696 acres of public hunting land in Macon, Graham, Cherokee, Jackson, Clay, Swain and Transylvania counties, a Seven Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 933 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 676 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). USDA Forest Service 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.
Nantahala Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 527,696 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County, Graham County, Cherokee County, Jackson County, Clay County, Swain County, Transylvania County |
| Hunting days | Seven Days per Week Area |
| Owner | USDA Forest Service (527,649 acres); NC Wildlife Resources Commission (308 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 933 (676 antlered bucks, 238 does) |
| Also on the game land | Bear Management Area: 59,886 acres |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 527,957 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Fontana Dam (next to it), Lake Santeetlah (next to it) and Murphy (next to it) |
What are the rules on Nantahala Game Land?
Seven Days per Week Area: Hunting every day of the open seasons.
- SWAIN, AND TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES
- (a) Nantahala game land is a Seven Days per Week Area.
- (b) In this game land Deer of either sex may be taken the first open Saturday of the applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season in that portion located in Transylvania County.
- (c) Dogs may be used to hunt feral swine during the open bear season established in 15A NCAC 10B .0202 and from January 1 through January 31.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0251, in effect since August 1, 2024. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Nantahala Game Land?
NCWRC reports 933 deer on Nantahala Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 825 in 2024-25 and 769 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 933 | 676 | 19 | 238 |
| 2024-25 | 825 | 635 | 16 | 174 |
| 2023-24 | 769 | 648 | 8 | 113 |
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 Nantahala 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 Nantahala Game Land (8 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| USDA Forest Service | 527,649 |
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 308 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Nantahala Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County | 153,151 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,232 |
| Graham County | 113,913 | Western | Nov. 28 | 168 |
| Cherokee County | 93,244 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,339 |
| Jackson County | 77,339 | Western | Nov. 28 | 759 |
| Clay County | 66,612 | Western | Nov. 28 | 711 |
| Swain County | 23,144 | Western | Nov. 28 | 386 |
| Transylvania County | 31 | Western | Nov. 28 | 763 |
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 Nantahala Game Land?
Highways through the game land: NC 143, US 64, NC 28 and US 129. Nearest towns: Fontana Dam (next to it), Lake Santeetlah (next to it), Murphy (next to it) and Robbinsville (next to it).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Needmore Game Land (next to it), Pisgah Game Land (next to it), Toxaway Game Land (1.2 miles) and Cold Mountain Game Land (2.9 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 Nantahala Game Land?
Nantahala Game Land is a Seven Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0251). Hunting every day of the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Nantahala Game Land?
NCWRC reports 933 deer taken on Nantahala Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 676 antlered bucks, 19 antlerless males and 238 does. The two seasons before: 825 in 2024-25 and 769 in 2023-24.
What county is Nantahala Game Land in?
Macon County (153,151 acres), Graham County (113,913 acres), Cherokee County (93,244 acres), Jackson County (77,339 acres), Clay County (66,612 acres), Swain County (23,144 acres) and Transylvania County (31 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Nantahala Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Macon County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Graham County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Cherokee County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Jackson County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Clay County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Swain County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28 and Transylvania 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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