Pee Dee River Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Pee Dee River Game Land is 8,938 acres of public hunting land in Richmond, Anson, Montgomery and Stanly counties, a Seven Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 142 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 87 antlered bucks among them (NCWRC). Duke Energy Progress owns 4,863 acres 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.
Pee Dee River Game LandOther NCWRC game landsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 8,938 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond County, Anson County, Montgomery County, Stanly County |
| Hunting days | Seven Days per Week Area |
| Owner | Duke Energy Progress (4,863 acres); NC Wildlife Resources Commission (4,075 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 142 (87 antlered bucks, 47 does) |
| Also on the game land | Safety Zone: 304 acres; Restricted Zone: 252 acres; Archery Zone: 165 acres |
| Target shooting | Prohibited on all tracts, by NCWRC's tract data |
| Nearest towns | Mount Gilead (2 mi), Norwood (2 mi) and Lilesville (4 mi) |
What are the rules on Pee Dee River Game Land?
Seven Days per Week Area: Hunting every day of the open seasons.
- Pee Dee River Game Land is a Seven Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Antlered or antlerless deer may be taken the first open day of the All Lawful Weapons Season for Deer With Visible Antlers through the second Friday thereafter.
- (2) Target shooting is prohibited.
- (3) Horseback riding is allowed seven days per week from May 16 through August 31, and on Sundays only September 1 through May 15 only on roads opened to vehicular traffic and gated roads and trails posted for equestrian use.
- (4) Pursuing or chasing deer or bear with dogs for the purposes of training or hunting shall be prohibited, except on that portion north of US-74 and east of Pee Dee River where hunting shall be by permit only.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0258, in effect since August 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Pee Dee River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 142 deer on Pee Dee River Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 166 in 2024-25 and 159 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 142 | 87 | 8 | 47 |
| 2024-25 | 166 | 89 | 9 | 68 |
| 2023-24 | 159 | 90 | 9 | 60 |
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 Pee Dee 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 Pee Dee River Game Land (7 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| Duke Energy Progress | 4,863 |
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 4,075 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Pee Dee River Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County | 4,602 | Southeastern | Oct. 17 | 2,270 |
| Anson County | 3,001 | Central | Nov. 14 | 4,254 |
| Montgomery County | 1,100 | Central | Nov. 14 | 2,984 |
| Stanly County | 237 | Central | Nov. 14 | 3,371 |
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 Pee Dee River Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: US 74, US 52, US 220 and US 1. Nearest towns: Mount Gilead (2 miles), Norwood (2 miles), Lilesville (4 miles) and Rockingham (4 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Uwharrie Game Land (4.5 miles), Sandhills Game Land (8.1 miles), Yadkin River Game Land (10.7 miles) and Rockfish Creek Game Land (29.6 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 Pee Dee River Game Land?
Pee Dee River Game Land is a Seven Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0258). Hunting every day of the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Pee Dee River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 142 deer taken on Pee Dee River Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 87 antlered bucks, 8 antlerless males and 47 does. The two seasons before: 166 in 2024-25 and 159 in 2023-24.
What county is Pee Dee River Game Land in?
Richmond County (4,602 acres), Anson County (3,001 acres), Montgomery County (1,100 acres) and Stanly County (237 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Pee Dee River Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Richmond County (Southeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17, Anson County (Central zone) opens gun season Nov. 14, Montgomery County (Central zone) opens gun season Nov. 14 and Stanly 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.
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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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