What a hunter should know about Croatan National Forest

Croatan National Forest hunting rules for 2026-27

National forest land in North Carolina is managed for hunting as an NCWRC game land (seven-days-per-week): NCWRC game land rules, seasons and licenses apply (game land use is included with most hunting licenses). USFS: hunting license must be on your person; 36 CFR 261.10(d) bans discharging a firearm within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area, across or on a forest road or body of water, or into a cave; permanent structures (permanent stands/blinds) are prohibited on federal land; camping only where allowed (NCWRC: designated areas on Nantahala/Pisgah, unrestricted on Uwharrie and Croatan per the regulations digest tables). Croatan forest order: discharging a firearm is prohibited unless lawfully taking wildlife.

The general rules at Croatan National Forest

National forest land in North Carolina is managed for hunting as an NCWRC game land (seven-days-per-week): NCWRC game land rules, seasons and licenses apply (game land use is included with most hunting licenses). USFS: hunting license must be on your person; 36 CFR 261.10(d) bans discharging a firearm within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area, across or on a forest road or body of water, or into a cave; permanent structures (permanent stands/blinds) are prohibited on federal land; camping only where allowed (NCWRC: designated areas on Nantahala/Pisgah, unrestricted on Uwharrie and Croatan per the regulations digest tables). Croatan forest order: discharging a firearm is prohibited unless lawfully taking wildlife.

You do not need a Game Land License to hunt Croatan National Forest if you hold a hunting license; that $20 license is for campers, riders and dog trainers without one.

From USFS hunting shooting; checked October 25, 2026.

Croatan National Forest and the public land around it

The bold marker is Croatan National Forest, with 10 neighbors around it. Acres across the list: 48,775.

Points: USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics (Forest Service ownership polygons) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.

Local rules that reach Croatan National Forest

Craven County local acts (from the digest) make it unlawful to:

• Unless a person owns or possesses a leasehold, it is unlawful to hunt, take, kill or to shoot from, on, or across a road right-of-way on S.R. 1611, S.R. 1613, S.R. 1614, S.R. 1615, S.R. 1617, S.R. 1619 or on S.R. 1401 from Washington Post Road to N.C. 55.
• Hunt on or from a public road within an area posted against such by the Wildlife Resources Commission.
• Hunt on land within 100 yards of Trent River between the U.S. 70 bridge and a straight line from Haywards Creek to Ready Branch.
• Hunt on land within 100 yards of Brices Creek between Trent River and the S.R. 1004 bridge.
• Hunt from or shoot across S.R. 1600 (Broad Creek Road) east of N.C. 55 to its terminus near Broad Creek.
• Hunt on or from N.C. 306, S.R. 1004, U.S. 70 from S.R. 1225 to .6 mile east, or S.R. 1225 from S.R. 1226 to .6 mile south.
• Take any animal or bird on or from the right-of-way of S.R. 1144.
• Hunt, take or kill any animal or bird on or from the right-of-way of S.R. 1101 from S.R. 1004 to the U.S. Forestry Service boundary.

Local laws by county, 2026-27 digest; checked October 25, 2026. All county local laws.

Croatan National Forest on the North Carolina events calendar

Hunter education course: 1 NCWRC class on site or a few miles away.

Free NCWRC courses

Chapter event coming up around here? Get it listed.