Stones Creek Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Stones Creek Game Land is 4,136 acres of public hunting land in Onslow County, a Six Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 64 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 23 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.
Stones Creek Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 4,136 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Onslow County |
| Hunting days | Six Days per Week Area |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (4,136 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 64 (23 antlered bucks, 32 does) |
| Target shooting | Prohibited on all tracts, by NCWRC's tract data |
| Nearest towns | Holly Ridge (2 mi), North Topsail Beach (4 mi) and Surf City (4 mi) |
What are the rules on Stones Creek Game Land?
Six Days per Week Area: Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
- Stones Creek game land is a Six Days per Week Area, in which the following applies:
- (1) Deer of either sex may be taken all the open days of the applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season.
- (2) The use of dogs for hunting deer is prohibited on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- (3) Swimming in all lakes is prohibited.
- (4) Waterfowl may be taken only on the following days:
- (a) the opening and closing days of the applicable waterfowl seasons;
- (b) Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Days; and
- (c) Tuesdays and Saturdays of the applicable waterfowl seasons.
- (5) Target shooting is prohibited.
- (6) Geocaching is restricted to closed days for taking bear, deer, turkey, and waterfowl.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0277, in effect since October 1, 2022. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Stones Creek Game Land?
NCWRC reports 64 deer on Stones Creek Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 51 in 2024-25 and 53 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 64 | 23 | 9 | 32 |
| 2024-25 | 51 | 21 | 5 | 25 |
| 2023-24 | 53 | 21 | 4 | 28 |
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 Stones Creek 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 Stones Creek Game Land (6 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 4,136 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Stones Creek Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onslow County | 4,137 | 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 Stones Creek Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: US 17, NC 210, NC 172 and NC 50. Nearest towns: Holly Ridge (2 miles), North Topsail Beach (4 miles), Surf City (4 miles) and Jacksonville (6 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Holly Shelter Game Land (3.9 miles), Rocky Run Game Land (10.4 miles), Angola Bay Game Land (13.3 miles) and Cape Fear River Wetlands Game Land (17.1 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 Stones Creek Game Land?
Stones Creek Game Land is a Six Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0277). Hunting Monday through Saturday during the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Stones Creek Game Land?
NCWRC reports 64 deer taken on Stones Creek Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 23 antlered bucks, 9 antlerless males and 32 does. The two seasons before: 51 in 2024-25 and 53 in 2023-24.
What county is Stones Creek Game Land in?
All of it is in Onslow County, by NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Stones Creek 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.
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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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