Rocky Run Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Rocky Run Game Land is 390 acres of public hunting land in Onslow County, listed as permit only in NCWRC's tract data. Hunters reported 6 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 4 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.
Rocky Run Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 390 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Onslow County |
| Hunting days | Permit Only |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (390 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 6 (4 antlered bucks, 1 doe) |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 390 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Jacksonville (5 mi), Swansboro (9 mi) and Cedar Point (12 mi) |
What are the rules on Rocky Run Game Land?
- (a) Rocky Run game land is hunting by permit only.
- (b) Target shooting is prohibited.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0269, in effect since August 1, 2023. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Rocky Run Game Land?
NCWRC reports 6 deer on Rocky Run Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 6 in 2024-25 and 7 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 2023-24 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
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 Rocky Run 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 Rocky Run Game Land:
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 390 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Rocky Run Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onslow County | 390 | Southeastern | Oct. 17 | 2,378 |
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 Rocky Run Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: NC 24 and NC 172. Nearest towns: Jacksonville (5 miles), Swansboro (9 miles), Cedar Point (12 miles) and Peletier (12 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: White Oak River Game Land (6.3 miles), Croatan Game Land (7.3 miles), Stones Creek Game Land (10.4 miles) and Holly Shelter Game Land (21.8 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 Rocky Run Game Land?
Rocky Run Game Land is a Permit Only (15A NCAC 10D .0269).
How many deer are killed on Rocky Run Game Land?
NCWRC reports 6 deer taken on Rocky Run Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 4 antlered bucks, 1 antlerless male and 1 doe. The two seasons before: 6 in 2024-25 and 7 in 2023-24.
What county is Rocky Run Game Land in?
All of it is in Onslow County, by NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Rocky Run Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Onslow County (Southeastern 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.
Get a North Carolina hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for North Carolina are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, North Carolina included.
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 Onslow County deer harvest