Thurmond Chatham Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Thurmond Chatham Game Land is 6,542 acres of public hunting land in Wilkes and Alleghany counties, a Seven Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 17 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 11 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.
Thurmond Chatham Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 6,542 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkes County, Alleghany County |
| Hunting days | Seven Days per Week Area |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (6,542 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 17 (11 antlered bucks, 6 does) |
| Also on the game land | Bear Management Area: 6,542 acres |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 6,542 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Sparta (5 mi), North Wilkesboro (13 mi) and Jefferson (13 mi) |
What are the rules on Thurmond Chatham Game Land?
Seven Days per Week Area: Hunting every day of the open seasons.
- Thurmond Chatham 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 applicable Deer With Visible Antlers Season through the second Friday thereafter.
- (2) Horseback riding is prohibited except on designated trails May 16 through August 31, and all horseback riding is prohibited from September 1 through May 15. People age 16 or older horseback riding on this game land shall possess a Game Lands license as required by G.S. 270.3(b)(3).
- (3) Camping is allowed on areas posted for camping as specified in Rule .0102 of this Subchapter.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0283, in effect since August 1, 2026. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Thurmond Chatham Game Land?
NCWRC reports 17 deer on Thurmond Chatham Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 24 in 2024-25 and 19 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 17 | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | 24 | 18 | 0 | 6 |
| 2023-24 | 19 | 17 | 0 | 2 |
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 Thurmond Chatham 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 Thurmond Chatham Game Land (6 named tracts):
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 6,542 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Thurmond Chatham Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County | 6,288 | Northwestern CWD Management Area | Nov. 14 | 3,328 |
| Alleghany County | 253 | Northwestern | Nov. 21 | 2,585 |
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 Thurmond Chatham Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: NC 18, NC 88, US 21 and NC 113. Nearest towns: Sparta (5 miles), North Wilkesboro (13 miles), Jefferson (13 miles) and West Jefferson (14 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Little Fork State Forest Game Land (9.3 miles), Mitchell River Game Land (10.7 miles), Kerr Scott Game Land (14.9 miles) and Three Top Mountain Game Land (16.6 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 Thurmond Chatham Game Land?
Thurmond Chatham Game Land is a Seven Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0283). Hunting every day of the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Thurmond Chatham Game Land?
NCWRC reports 17 deer taken on Thurmond Chatham Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 11 antlered bucks, 0 antlerless males and 6 does. The two seasons before: 24 in 2024-25 and 19 in 2023-24.
What county is Thurmond Chatham Game Land in?
Wilkes County (6,288 acres) and Alleghany County (253 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Thurmond Chatham Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Wilkes County (Northwestern CWD Management Area zone) opens gun season Nov. 14 and Alleghany County (Northwestern zone) opens gun season Nov. 21, 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 Wilkes County deer harvest Alleghany County deer harvest