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Game land · 2026-27
Toxaway Game Land on the 2026-27 hunting calendar
Game land of 5,633 acres in Transylvania County, open 7 days, for white-tailed deer, black bear and wild turkey.
Photo: w_lemay (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Toxaway Game Land
Parking, trailheads and gates near Toxaway Game Land
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Gorges State Park Visitor Center Handicap ParkingParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Visitor Center ParkingParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
The size and owners of Toxaway Game Land
Hunters reach Toxaway Game Land, a NCWRC game land, in Transylvania County. Biologists for District 9 cover it. Oversight of the hunting belongs to the NCWRC. The size used here is 5,633 acres, taken from NCWRC Game Lands – general GIS SUM_ACRES. Among 95 game lands with a figure, it places 41st.
Owners enrolled in Toxaway Game Land
| Owner of record | GIS acres |
|---|---|
| Duke Energy Progress | 3,054 |
| NC Wildlife Resources Commission | 2,580 |
Look for these 1 tract names on the map: Waterfall.
From NC digest regulations for specific game lands; acreage NCWRC Game Lands – general GIS SUM_ACRES; checked October 25, 2026.
Know the rules before Toxaway Game Land
Every day of an open season is a hunting day on Toxaway Game Land.
The game land sets gun antlerless deer as: Nov. 28.
What the digest adds for Toxaway Game Land
- Horseback riding is prohibited, except on designated trails May 16 – Aug. 31, and all horseback riding is prohibited from Sept. 1 – May 15. This rule includes all equine species.
Game land basics on Toxaway Game Land
| Rule | Game land standard |
|---|---|
| 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 |
No add-on is needed to hunt Toxaway Game Land beyond your license and privileges; the $20 Game Land License serves non-hunters.
From NC digest regulations for specific game lands, general game land rules, regional game land tables; checked October 25, 2026.
Applying for a Toxaway Game Land permit hunt
Toxaway Game Land draws hunters through 2 permit hunts; quotas below add up to 2 for the areas named.
| Drawing | Quarry | Weapon | Apply by | Fee | Age | Areas and quotas | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coyote & Feral Hog January Hunts | Coyote & Feral Hog | Any Legal | Dec. 1, 2026 | $8.00 | – | Game Land (1) | 1 partie |
| Coyote & Feral Hog February Hunts | Coyote & Feral Hog | Any Legal | Jan. 1, 2027 | $8.00 | – | Game Land (1) | 1 partie |
Each $8 application enters a random drawing; youth and adult hunts need both hunters in the same party.
NCWRC Permit Hunt Book 2026-27 and the Permit Hunting Opportunities page; checked October 25, 2026.
Species found on Toxaway Game Land
Hunters come to Toxaway Game Land for white-tailed deer, black bear and wild turkey above all.
White-tailed deer
Western C zone
Black bear
Mountain BMU
Wild turkey
Season dates
Red and gray fox
Season dates
Raccoon
Season dates
Squirrel
Season dates
Ruffed grouse
Season dates
Special hunts noted on the map: Coyote, Feral Hog.
Species from NC digest regulations for specific game lands; checked October 25, 2026.
Deer zone groups and bear units over Toxaway Game Land
Match the county you stand in to its zone group for deer dates on Toxaway Game Land.
| Season zone | Counties | Archery | Blackpowder | Gun | Antlerless gun days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western C | Transylvania | Sep 12–Nov 13 | Nov 14–Nov 27 | Nov 28–Jan 1 | Nov. 28, 2026 only |
Bear season for Toxaway Game Land
| Bear unit | Counties | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain BMU | Transylvania | 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.
Special areas inside Toxaway Game Land
Map PDFs: Toxaway
From NC digest regulations for specific game lands and the NCWRC game land GIS; checked October 25, 2026.
Toxaway Game Land pinned with nearby tracts
Pins show Toxaway Game Land plus 9 nearby public places. The listed tracts add 980,629 acres.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Open days | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headwaters State Forest | Game land | 6,208 | 6 days | 12 mi | east |
| Pisgah | Ranger district | 163,168 | – | 19 mi | northeast |
| DuPont State Forest | Game land | 11,949 | Permit only | 22 mi | northeast |
| Cold Mountain | Game land | 3,630 | 7 days | 24 mi | north |
| Nantahala | Ranger district | 245,487 | – | 33 mi | west |
| William H. Silver | Game land | 2,030 | 7 days | 35 mi | north |
| Needmore | Game land | 5,237 | 7 days | 37 mi | northwest |
| Nantahala | Game land | 527,696 | 7 days | 38 mi | west |
| Green River | Game land | 15,224 | 6 days | 41 mi | northeast |
Points: NCWRC Game Land Centroids layer (GL_points Lat/Long). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Toxaway Game Land season calendar from Transylvania County rows
For Toxaway Game Land, 53 segments cover deer, bear, small game, waterfowl and furbearers this license year.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Toxaway Game Land: the county harvest record
In 2025-26 the Transylvania County deer count was 763, against 482 in 2019-20.
| Year | Deer | Bucks | Game lands | Guns | Bows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 482 | 382 | 144 | 324 | 148 |
| 2020-21 | 478 | 381 | 163 | 313 | 146 |
| 2021-22 | 462 | 361 | 118 | 294 | 158 |
| 2022-23 | 551 | 394 | 139 | 312 | 206 |
| 2023-24 | 480 | 343 | 167 | 305 | 155 |
| 2024-25 | 553 | 423 | 174 | 293 | 166 |
| 2025-26 | 763 | 529 | 195 | 393 | 260 |
Recent bear harvest, Transylvania County
| Year | Reported bears |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 53 |
| 2021 | 45 |
| 2022 | 59 |
| 2023 | 53 |
| 2024 | 63 |
| 2025 | 65 |
Spring turkey harvest near Toxaway Game Land
| Spring | Gobblers | Jakes | Game lands | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 56 | 12 | 25 | 68 |
| 2024 | 75 | 12 | 40 | 87 |
| 2025 | 50 | 18 | 31 | 68 |
| 2026 | 72 | 8 | 33 | 80 |
County figures from NCWRC harvest statistics, bear harvest report, spring turkey report and CWD testing; checked October 25, 2026.
Transylvania County local laws near Toxaway Game Land
Local laws passed for Transylvania County apply here too. In the county it is unlawful to:
- Hunt, take or kill any wild animal or bird from, on or across the right-of-way of a public road, street, highway or other vehicular area.
- Hunt on the land of another without having written permission from the landowner or lessee dated within the previous 12 months.
Local laws by county, 2026-27 digest; checked October 25, 2026. All county local laws.
Toxaway Game Land: nearby towns and services
Towns first, measured straight-line, then shops and agency offices.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | Jackson | 8.9 mi | – | 65,197 |
| Rosman | Transylvania | 9.7 mi | 751 | 61,862 |
| Highlands | Macon | 14 mi | 1,119 | 62,671 |
| Brevard | Transylvania | 18 mi | 7,973 | 97,059 |
For county seasons around Toxaway Game Land, see Transylvania County.
Shops that serve Toxaway Game Land hunters
NCWRC and federal offices near Toxaway Game Land
Justin McVey is the Transylvania County district biologist, (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.
Sighting in before a hunt on Toxaway Game Land
Wayne E. Smith Cold Mountain Shooting Range, 22 miles off, is the NCWRC range nearest Toxaway Game Land. Private and club ranges within 30 miles come after it.
What you can shoot: rifle, handgun
What you can shoot: trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
From the NCWRC shooting range pages and directory listings, checked October 25, 2026.
Toxaway Game Land shooting hours by key date
On Sundays firearm hunting stops from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and migratory birds are closed all day; the hours below are for the other days.
| Day | Season | Sun up | Sun down | Deer and small game | Migratory birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 7:05 a.m. | 7:54 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 8:24 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 7:10 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:38 a.m. | 6:55 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 6:55 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 7:04 a.m. | 5:27 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:57 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 7:17 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:36 a.m. | 5:27 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:57 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:38 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:55 a.m. | 8:06 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 8:36 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 8:06 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.
Toxaway Game Land in pictures
Answers on Toxaway Game Land days, permits and seasons
Which game species does the source list for Toxaway Game Land?
White-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, red and gray fox, raccoon and squirrel top the list.
Is Toxaway Game Land big enough for a full season of scouting?
Acreage used here: 5,633, per NCWRC Game Lands – general GIS SUM_ACRES.
What deer zone group applies to Toxaway Game Land?
Gun season in the Western C zone runs Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
Does Toxaway Game Land have drawings?
2 in the 2026-27 book. Apply through Go Outdoors North Carolina for $8 per application.
What does the regional table say about camping on Toxaway Game Land?
Regional table entry: designated areas only.
When does bear season open around Toxaway Game Land?
Yes, in season: Oct 3 to Nov 21, 2026, Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 (Mountain BMU).
What is the closest town to Toxaway Game Land?
Cashiers, 8.9 mi straight-line.
Do I need anything extra for Toxaway Game Land beyond a license?
Most hunting licenses include game land use; add the privileges your game needs.
Which office oversees Toxaway Game Land for hunters?
The NCWRC holds that role.
Are guns allowed on Toxaway Game Land on Sunday?
No firearms 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., no migratory birds, and game land day rules still apply.
Does Toxaway Game Land follow a 7-, 6-, 4- or 3-day schedule?
Every day of an open season is a hunting day on Toxaway Game Land.
What county is Toxaway Game Land in, and does it cross county lines?
Transylvania County, in the mountains.
Toxaway Game Land: what to double-check
Seasons and closures on Toxaway Game Land can change mid-season; the NCWRC notices and posted signs have the final word.
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: MarkDoliner (CC BY-SA 2.0); PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0); pedrik (CC BY 2.0); msprague (CC BY-SA 2.0).