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What a hunter should know about Needmore Game Land
Days, special rules, drawings and season zones for a game land in Macon County and 1 more.
Photo: aafromaa (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Needmore Game Land
How big Needmore Game Land is and whose land it is
Needmore Game Land is a NCWRC game land in Swain and Macon counties. The Commission counts it in District 9. Rules on the ground come from the NCWRC. Acreage: 5,237, from NCWRC Game Lands – general GIS SUM_ACRES. Only 43 of our 95 game lands are bigger.
Who owns the ground at Needmore Game Land
| Owned by | Acres (GIS) |
|---|---|
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 5,093 |
| Mainspring Conservation Trust | 144 |
The detail GIS splits Needmore Game Land into 17 named tracts: Allen, Baliles Wetland, Bartram, Beach, Coweeta Creek, Cunnigham, Duvall, Duvall 1, Duvall 2, Kelly Cove, Klatt Wetland, Lakey Creek, Lost Bridge, Queen Branch 1, Queen Branch 2, Raby, Raby Farm.
From NC digest regulations for specific game lands; acreage NCWRC Game Lands – general GIS SUM_ACRES; checked October 25, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Needmore Game Land
Needmore Game Land hunting rules for 2026-27
Hunting on Needmore Game Land runs Monday through Sunday whenever a season is in.
Extra rules on Needmore Game Land
- There is no Gun Antlerless Deer season.
- Horseback riding is prohibited except on designated trails May 16 – Aug. 31. All horseback riding is prohibited from Sept. 1 – May 15. This rule applies to all equine species.
- On posted dove fields, dove hunting on the opening day of dove season is by permit only.
The general rules at Needmore Game Land
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Bait | Not allowed |
| Camping | Posted areas only |
| Tree stands | No nails or screws |
| Residence buffer | 150 yards |
| Vehicles | Open roads only |
| ATVs | Disabled permit holders |
| Loose dogs, west of I-95 | Not Apr. 1-Aug. 15 |
| Loose dogs, east of I-95 | Not Mar. 15-June 15 |
You do not need a Game Land License to hunt Needmore Game Land if you hold a hunting license; that $20 license is for campers, riders and dog trainers without one.
From NC digest regulations for specific game lands, general game land rules, regional game land tables; checked October 25, 2026.
Game to target at Needmore Game Land
Expect white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and red and gray fox on Needmore Game Land.
White-tailed deer
Western C zone
Black bear
Mountain BMU
Wild turkey
Season dates
Red and gray fox
Season dates
Rabbit
Season dates
Raccoon
Season dates
Squirrel
Season dates
Bobwhite quail
Season dates
Ruffed grouse
Season dates
Mourning dove
Season dates
Ducks and geese
Inland duck zone
Species from NC digest regulations for specific game lands; checked October 25, 2026.
2026-27 zone dates for Needmore Game Land hunters
Deer seasons on Needmore Game Land follow its 1 zone group, unless a game land rule above changes them.
| Deer zone | Counties | Archery | Blackpowder | Gun | Gun antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western C | Swain, Macon | Sep 12–Nov 13 | Nov 14–Nov 27 | Nov 28–Jan 1 | Nov. 28, 2026 only |
Needmore Game Land bear unit and season
| Unit | Counties | Bear season |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain BMU | Swain, Macon | Oct 3–Nov 21, Dec 12–Jan 1 |
Zones from deer seasons, bear seasons and duck and goose zone map in the 2026-27 digest; checked October 25, 2026.
Needmore Game Land: bear areas, pools and posted zones
Official maps: Needmore
From NC digest regulations for specific game lands and the NCWRC game land GIS; checked October 25, 2026.
Needmore Game Land and the public land around it
The bold marker is Needmore Game Land, with 8 neighbors around it. Acres across the list: 1,228,907.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Schedule | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantahala | Ranger district | 245,487 | – | 12 mi | south |
| Nantahala | Game land | 527,696 | 7 days | 15 mi | southwest |
| Tusquittee | Ranger district | 159,278 | – | 23 mi | southwest |
| Cheoah | Ranger district | 121,985 | – | 25 mi | west |
| William H. Silver | Game land | 2,030 | 7 days | 26 mi | northeast |
| Cold Mountain | Game land | 3,630 | 7 days | 34 mi | east |
| Toxaway | Game land | 5,633 | 7 days | 37 mi | southeast |
| Pisgah | Ranger district | 163,168 | – | 41 mi | east |
Points: NCWRC Game Lands – general GIS (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Season dates that apply around Needmore Game Land
Dove, squirrel, rabbit and quail run statewide, while the deer zone, bear unit, I-95 duck line and goose zone set the rest for Needmore Game Land.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Western C | Sep 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Western C | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Western youth days | Western zone | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Western C | Nov 28, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Part 1 | Mountain BMU | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Part 2 | Mountain BMU | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Season (spring) | Statewide | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Statewide Spring Season | Statewide | Apr 17, 2027 | May 15, 2027 | |
| Feral swine | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 10, 2026 | |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Dove | Dove (split) | Statewide | Dec 16, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Remainder of state | Rest of the state | Sep 5, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Fall/winter | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray squirrel | Spring season | Statewide | May 17, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Fox squirrel | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Red squirrel | Fall/winter | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Inland zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Inland zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 3 | Inland zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | September Canada goose season | Statewide in September | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 1 | Resident Population Zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 2 | Resident Population Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Split 3 | Resident Population Zone | Dec 17, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 1 | Resident Population Zone | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 2 | Resident Population Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| White-fronted goose | Split 3 | Resident Population Zone | Dec 17, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Regular season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Mar 10, 2027 | |
| Brant | Brant | Statewide | Dec 28, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Tundra swan | Tundra swan (permit only) | Permit holders only | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Waterfowl | Veterans day | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Waterfowl | Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 5, 2026 | |
| Waterfowl | Veterans day | Statewide | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Waterfowl | Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| King and clapper rail | Rails | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Virginia rail and sora | Rails | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Gallinule and moorhen | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Oct 27, 2026 | Feb 27, 2027 | |
| Crow | Season 1 (Wed/Fri/Sat) | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Feb 27, 2027 | |
| Crow | Season 2 (Wed/Fri/Sat) | Statewide | Jun 2, 2027 | Jul 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Groundhog | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Nutria | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Skunk | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Armadillo | Year-round | Private land, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Beaver | Year-round | Statewide, year-round | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 2026-27 regulations digest and the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance, checked October 25, 2026.
Macon County deer, bear and turkey numbers
Macon County, home county of Needmore Game Land, logged 1,232 deer in 2025-26.
| Season | All deer | Bucks | Game land deer | Firearm | Bow/crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 903 | 666 | 200 | 516 | 359 |
| 2020-21 | 941 | 676 | 201 | 511 | 377 |
| 2021-22 | 819 | 613 | 173 | 451 | 318 |
| 2022-23 | 920 | 667 | 187 | 462 | 412 |
| 2023-24 | 913 | 700 | 242 | 552 | 328 |
| 2024-25 | 1,252 | 870 | 246 | 661 | 353 |
| 2025-26 | 1,232 | 889 | 273 | 735 | 314 |
Macon County bear numbers by year
| Year | Bear harvest |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 77 |
| 2021 | 66 |
| 2022 | 95 |
| 2023 | 91 |
| 2024 | 106 |
| 2025 | 82 |
Spring gobblers reported in Macon County
| Season | Gobblers | Jakes | Game lands | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 117 | 17 | 44 | 134 |
| 2024 | 133 | 15 | 54 | 148 |
| 2025 | 107 | 25 | 53 | 132 |
| 2026 | 142 | 18 | 67 | 160 |
County figures from NCWRC harvest statistics, bear harvest report, spring turkey report and CWD testing; checked October 25, 2026.
Local rules that reach Needmore Game Land
Macon County local acts (from the digest) make it unlawful to:
- Hunt, take or kill white-tailed deer from, on or across the right-of-way of any public road, street or highway.
- Shine a light intentionally upon any wild animal, including, but not limited to, deer, coyotes, or feral swine, from the right-of-way of any public road, street, or highway between the hours of one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise.
Local laws by county, 2026-27 digest; checked October 25, 2026. All county local laws.
Services within reach of Needmore Game Land
Services are in this county or the next one over.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryson City | Swain | 7.9 mi | 1,522 | 26,907 |
| Franklin | Macon | 13 mi | 4,362 | 64,857 |
| Robbinsville | Graham | 17 mi | 578 | 106,003 |
| Sylva | Jackson | 17 mi | 2,694 | 33,573 |
Go county by county from Needmore Game Land: Swain County, Macon County.
Where Needmore Game Land hunters buy shells and drop off deer
Needmore Game Land: the nearest agency desks
The NCWRC district biologist for Macon County is Justin McVey, (828) 273-7980.
Towns and populations from Census 2024 estimates; businesses from store locators and listings; offices from NCWRC, USFS and USFWS; district biologists from NCWRC. Checked October 25, 2026.
Needmore Game Land on the North Carolina events calendar
Hunter education course: 1 NCWRC class on site or a few miles away.
Free NCWRC courses
| When | Course | Miles away | Hours | Venue | Sign up | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2, 2026 | Hunter Education Certification Course (D9) ⋅ hunter education course | 8 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | SCC Lauada ⋅ Bryson City ⋅ Swain Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Range time before Needmore Game Land
For hunters on Needmore Game Land, the nearest Commission range is Wayne E. Smith Cold Mountain Shooting Range in Haywood County (33 miles). Two nearer club ranges follow.
On offer: rifle, handgun
On offer: rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire
From the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
When shooting starts and stops on Needmore Game Land
The digest prints one sunrise and sunset table for Charlotte and a minute offset for each county. For Needmore Game Land the offset is +10 minutes.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Big and small game | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 7:07 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 8:26 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 7:12 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 8:16 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:40 a.m. | 6:57 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 6:57 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 7:06 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:19 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:38 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:40 a.m. | 5:33 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:57 a.m. | 8:08 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 8:38 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 8:08 p.m. |
Sunrise and sunset from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission digest table for Charlotte with county offsets; hours rule G.S. 113-291.1; checked October 25, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
The look of Needmore Game Land country
Needmore Game Land hunter questions, answered from the record
Does Needmore Game Land have posted camping areas?
Per the digest table, none.
Is a special pass needed to hunt Needmore Game Land?
A hunting license with the needed privileges; game land use is included.
What town should I base out of for Needmore Game Land?
Try Bryson City, 7.9 mi off.
How do Sunday rules work on Needmore Game Land?
Yes on open days, without migratory birds and without guns from 9:30 to 12:30.
Who manages hunting on Needmore Game Land day to day?
Managing agency: the NCWRC.
In which county or counties will I find Needmore Game Land?
Macon County and 1 more, per the overlay.
Is Needmore Game Land open to hunting on Sundays?
Hunting on Needmore Game Land runs Monday through Sunday whenever a season is in.
What acreage is on file for Needmore Game Land?
The record lists 5,237 acres (NCWRC Game Lands – general GIS SUM_ACRES).
Is Needmore Game Land known for deer, birds or waterfowl?
Listed species: white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, red and gray fox, rabbit and raccoon.
Which deer season zone covers Needmore Game Land?
Western C: Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 for guns, unless game land rules differ.
Can I hunt black bears on Needmore Game Land?
Mountain BMU: Oct 3 to Nov 21, 2026, Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
One more look before driving to Needmore Game Land
Boundaries on the ground beat any web page; watch for posted zones on Needmore Game Land.
Sources: NC digest regulations for specific game lands · NC digest regional game land tables · NC digest index to game land map · NC digest general game lands regulations · NCWRC GIS · NCWRC GIS · NCWRC GIS · NCWRC map; regulations from the 2026-27 NCWRC regulations digest. Checked October 25, 2026.
Other photos on this page: James St. John (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); sarahstierch (CC BY 2.0); -Meach- (CC BY 2.0).