North River Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
North River Game Land is 26,654 acres of public hunting land in Camden and Currituck counties, a Seven Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 19 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 9 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.
North River Game LandOther NCWRC game landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 26,654 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Camden County, Currituck County |
| Hunting days | Seven Days per Week Area |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (26,595 acres); Currituck County (59 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 19 (9 antlered bucks, 8 does) |
| Also on the game land | Bear Management Area: 26,254 acres; Waterfowl Impoundment: 50 acres |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 26,654 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Elizabeth City (4 mi), Duck (9 mi) and Southern Shores (13 mi) |
What are the rules on North River Game Land?
Seven Days per Week Area: Hunting every day of the open seasons.
- North River game land is a Seven Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Antlered or antlerless deer may be taken all the open days of the applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season.
- (2) The boundary of the Game Land shall extend five yards from the edge of the marsh or shoreline.
- (3) Hunting on the posted waterfowl impoundment is by permit.
- (4) All activities on the North River Game Land Waterfowl Impoundments except waterfowl hunting and trapping during the trapping season are restricted to the posted Scouting-only Zone from November 1 through March 15.
- (5) Bear shall not be harvested on Sunday.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0256, in effect since August 1, 2024. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on North River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 19 deer on North River Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 16 in 2024-25 and 27 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 19 | 9 | 2 | 8 |
| 2024-25 | 16 | 7 | 0 | 9 |
| 2023-24 | 27 | 16 | 2 | 9 |
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 North 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 North River Game Land (16 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 26,595 |
| Currituck County | 59 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is North River Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camden County | 13,881 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 345 |
| Currituck County | 12,694 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 391 |
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 North River Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: US 158, US 17, NC 168 and NC 34. Nearest towns: Elizabeth City (4 miles), Duck (9 miles), Southern Shores (13 miles) and Kitty Hawk (16 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Currituck Banks Game Land (3 miles), Alligator River Game Land (15.1 miles) and Texas Plantation Game Land (17.9 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 North River Game Land?
North River Game Land is a Seven Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0256). Hunting every day of the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on North River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 19 deer taken on North River Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 9 antlered bucks, 2 antlerless males and 8 does. The two seasons before: 16 in 2024-25 and 27 in 2023-24.
What county is North River Game Land in?
Camden County (13,881 acres) and Currituck County (12,694 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on North River Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Camden County (Northeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17 and Currituck County (Northeastern 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.
North Carolina hunting All North Carolina game lands Camden County deer harvest Currituck County deer harvest