Tar River Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Tar River Game Land is 154 acres of public hunting land in Edgecombe County, listed as permit only in NCWRC's tract data. Hunters reported 5 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.
Tar River Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 154 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Edgecombe County |
| Hunting days | Permit Only |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (154 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 5 (4 antlered bucks, 1 doe) |
| Target shooting | Prohibited on all tracts, by NCWRC's tract data |
| Nearest towns | Princeville (next to it), Tarboro (2 mi) and Conetoe (5 mi) |
What are the rules on Tar River Game Land?
- (a) Tar River game land is hunting by permit only.
- (b) On this game land Target Shooting is prohibited.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0280, in effect since November 1, 2022. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Tar River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 5 deer on Tar River Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 12 in 2024-25 and 15 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| 2023-24 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 |
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 Tar 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 Tar River Game Land:
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 154 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Tar River Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edgecombe County | 154 | Northeastern | Oct. 17 | 2,845 |
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 Tar River Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: US 258, US 64, NC 111 and NC 33. Nearest towns: Princeville (next to it), Tarboro (2 miles), Conetoe (5 miles) and Speed (8 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Lower Fishing Creek Game Land (7.3 miles), Lower Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land (18.8 miles), Upper Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land (20.9 miles) and Tillery Game Land (22.4 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 Tar River Game Land?
Tar River Game Land is a Permit Only (15A NCAC 10D .0280).
How many deer are killed on Tar River Game Land?
NCWRC reports 5 deer taken on Tar River Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 4 antlered bucks, 0 antlerless males and 1 doe. The two seasons before: 12 in 2024-25 and 15 in 2023-24.
What county is Tar River Game Land in?
All of it is in Edgecombe County, by NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Tar River Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Edgecombe 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 Edgecombe County deer harvest