Van Swamp Game Land: hunting rules, deer harvest and access
Van Swamp Game Land is 5,504 acres of public hunting land in Washington and Beaufort counties, a Seven Days per Week area by NCWRC's rule for it. Hunters reported 113 deer on it in the 2025-26 season, 54 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.
Van Swamp Game LandOther NCWRC game landsLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 5,504 acres (NCWRC) |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County, Beaufort County |
| Hunting days | Seven Days per Week Area |
| Owner | NC Wildlife Resources Commission (5,504 acres) |
| Deer reported, 2025-26 | 113 (54 antlered bucks, 50 does) |
| Target shooting | Not prohibited on 5,504 acres, by NCWRC's tract data; posted rules apply |
| Nearest towns | Plymouth (8 mi), Jamesville (8 mi) and Pantego (10 mi) |
What are the rules on Van Swamp Game Land?
Seven Days per Week Area: Hunting every day of the open seasons.
- Van Swamp game land is a Seven 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) Bear may only be taken the first Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday of the November Bear Season and the second Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday of the December Bear Season.
Source: 15A NCAC 10D .0288, in effect since October 1, 2022. Game land rules apply on top of the county's season dates.
How many deer are taken on Van Swamp Game Land?
NCWRC reports 113 deer on Van Swamp Game Land in the 2025-26 season. That compares with 74 in 2024-25 and 71 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer reported | Antlered bucks | Antlerless males | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 113 | 54 | 9 | 50 |
| 2024-25 | 74 | 25 | 5 | 44 |
| 2023-24 | 71 | 29 | 7 | 35 |
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 Van Swamp 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 Van Swamp Game Land:
| Owner | Acres |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 5,504 |
Source: NCWRC game land tracts.
Which county is Van Swamp Game Land in?
| County | Acres of the game land in it | Deer season zone | Gun season opens, 2026 | County deer, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 3,475 | Southeastern | Oct. 17 | 934 |
| Beaufort County | 2,030 | Southeastern | Oct. 17 | 2,746 |
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 Van Swamp Game Land?
Highways within 5 miles: NC 32 and NC 45. Nearest towns: Plymouth (8 miles), Jamesville (8 miles), Pantego (10 miles) and Roper (12 miles).
The closest other game lands with a page here: Bachelor Bay Game Land (8.1 miles), Lower Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land (8.5 miles), Bertie County Game Land (13.7 miles) and Pungo River Game Land (16.2 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 Van Swamp Game Land?
Van Swamp Game Land is a Seven Days per Week Area (15A NCAC 10D .0288). Hunting every day of the open seasons.
How many deer are killed on Van Swamp Game Land?
NCWRC reports 113 deer taken on Van Swamp Game Land in the 2025-26 season: 54 antlered bucks, 9 antlerless males and 50 does. The two seasons before: 74 in 2024-25 and 71 in 2023-24.
What county is Van Swamp Game Land in?
Washington County (3,475 acres) and Beaufort County (2,030 acres), measured on NCWRC's boundary.
When is deer gun season on Van Swamp Game Land in 2026-27?
The county's zone sets the dates: Washington County (Southeastern zone) opens gun season Oct. 17 and Beaufort 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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