Pisgah Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Pisgah Game Land is 517,774 acres of public hunting land in Transylvania, McDowell, Haywood, Madison, Burke, Caldwell, Yancey, Avery, Buncombe, Henderson, Mitchell, Watauga and Jackson counties, a Seven Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 702 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 476 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.
Pisgah Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 517,774 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Transylvania County, McDowell County, Haywood County, Madison County, Burke County, Caldwell County, Yancey County, Avery County, Buncombe County, Henderson County, Mitchell County, Watauga County, Jackson County |
| Hunting days | Seven Days per Week Area |
| Owner | USDA Forest Service (517,513 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 702 (476 antlered bucks, 212 does) |
| Also on the game land | Bear Management Area: 158,598 acres |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 517,513 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Hot Springs (next to it), Rosman (next to it) and Old Fort (next to it) |
What are the rules on Pisgah Game Land?
Seven Days per Week Area: Hunting every day of the open seasons.
- HENDERSON, MADISON, MCDOWELL, MITCHELL, TRANSYLVANIA, WATAUGA, AND YANCEY COUNTIES Pisgah Game Land is a Seven Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Deer of either sex may be taken the first open Saturday of the applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season.
- (2) Horseback riding is prohibited on the Black Bear (McDowell County), Linville River (Burke County), and Little Tablerock Tracts (Avery, McDowell, and Mitchell counties).
- (3) The use of bicycles shall be restricted to designated trails on the Linville River Tract (Burke County). Persons engaged in the act of hunting on the Linville River Tract during any open day of an applicable season for game birds or game animals shall be exempt from this restriction.
- (4) Alcohol and fires are prohibited on the Lutz Tract (Caldwell County).
- (5) Target shooting is prohibited on the Black Bear (McDowell County), Linville River (Burke County), and Little Tablerock Tracts (Avery, McDowell, and Mitchell counties).
- (6) Entry on the Lutz Tract (Caldwell County) for purposes other than hunting, fishing, trapping, and posted use of trails and parking areas is prohibited.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0260, in effect since January 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Pisgah Game Land?
NCWRC reports 702 deer on Pisgah Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 543 in 2024-25 and 631 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 702 | 476 | 14 | 212 |
| 2024-25 | 543 | 377 | 21 | 145 |
| 2023-24 | 631 | 479 | 10 | 142 |
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 Pisgah 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 Pisgah Game Land (14 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| USDA Forest Service | 517,513 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Pisgah Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transylvania County | 88,626 | Western | Nov. 28 | 763 |
| McDowell County | 70,432 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,027 |
| Haywood County | 68,719 | Western | Nov. 28 | 767 |
| Madison County | 54,805 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,963 |
| Burke County | 49,634 | Western | Nov. 28 | 2,161 |
| Caldwell County | 47,597 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,668 |
| Yancey County | 38,284 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,758 |
| Avery County | 30,658 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,325 |
| Buncombe County | 30,070 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,626 |
| Henderson County | 19,088 | Western | Nov. 28 | 944 |
| Mitchell County | 18,962 | Western | Nov. 28 | 1,277 |
| Watauga County | 398 | Northwestern | Nov. 21 | 2,142 |
| Jackson County | 24 | Western | Nov. 28 | 759 |
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 Pisgah Game Land?
Highways through the game land: I-40, NC 215, US 276 and US 70. Nearest towns: Hot Springs (next to it), Rosman (next to it), Old Fort (next to it) and Montreat (next to it).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Cold Mountain Game Land (next to it), Nantahala Game Land (next to it), Toxaway Game Land (next to it) and Buffalo Cove Game Land (next to it).
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 Pisgah Game Land?
Pisgah Game Land is a Seven Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0260). Hunting every day of the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Pisgah Game Land?
NCWRC reports 702 deer taken on Pisgah Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 476 antlered bucks, 14 antlerless males and 212 does. The two seasons before: 543 in 2024-25 and 631 in 2023-24.
What county is Pisgah Game Land in?
Transylvania County (88,626 acres), McDowell County (70,432 acres), Haywood County (68,719 acres), Madison County (54,805 acres), Burke County (49,634 acres), Caldwell County (47,597 acres), Yancey County (38,284 acres), Avery County (30,658 acres), Buncombe County (30,070 acres), Henderson County (19,088 acres), Mitchell County (18,962 acres), Watauga County (398 acres) and Jackson County (24 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Pisgah Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Transylvania County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, McDowell County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Haywood County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Madison County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Burke County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Caldwell County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Yancey County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Avery County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Buncombe County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Henderson County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Mitchell County (Western zone) opens gun season Nov. 28, Watauga County (Northwestern zone) opens gun season Nov. 21 and Jackson 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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