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Coastal region · Hyde County
Public land and seasons near Engelhard, NC
Engelhard in the Coastal Plain: public ground in reach, zone dates for Hyde County, reported deer, bear and gobbler harvest, and businesses near town.
Photo: Nearby stand-in: Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, 1.4 mi from Engelhard. USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0)
The unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) of Engelhard sits in Hyde County; Swan Quarter is the county seat. Hunters heading to Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge often stay in Engelhard; the boundary lies 1 mile away. Measured boundary by boundary, about 49,721 public acres fall within 10 miles of Engelhard. The first public land you reach is Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, whose closest boundary is 1 mile away.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer; public acreage and boundary distances within 10 miles are a GIS measure over the NCWRC game land, USFS, USFWS and NPS boundaries. Checked October 25, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Engelhard, North Carolina
Engelhard deer dates and CWD status
Deer hunters around Engelhard use the Southeastern season dates. Archery opens Sep 12, blackpowder Oct 3 and gun Oct 17, with the gun season closing Jan 1, 2027. Antlerless days cover the full archery, blackpowder and gun seasons. Hyde County is not in a CWD management or surveillance area. Shining lights where deer feed is barred in Hyde County from 11 p.m. until half an hour before sunrise.
| Deer hunt | Begins | Through | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 2, 2026 | All days |
| Blackpowder | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | All days |
| Gun | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | All days |
| Youth days | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | Youth only |
Deer zones and dates from the 2026-2027 Season Dates at a Glance and the digest deer seasons; urban archery from the digest deer regulations; CWD counts from the NCWRC CWD testing chart; light-shining hours from 15A NCAC 10B. Checked October 25, 2026.
North Carolina public land closest to Engelhard
The map and table share 10 properties; bold pins mark a boundary within 10 miles of Engelhard.
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is the giant of the nearby list at 160,000 acres. NCWRC game lands inside 10 miles of Engelhard: Gull Rock Game Land. Its own gun antlerless deer season reads: Oct. 17 – Jan. 1. Federal ground lies close as well: Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge.
| Public land | Way | Kind | Run by | To boundary | To center | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge west, 1.4 mi Key area | W | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | 1.4 mi | 9.9 mi | 50,000 | Drawn hunts |
| Gull Rock Game Land southwest, 3.6 mi | SW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | 3.6 mi | 8.1 mi | 31,336 | Permit hunts |
| Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge north, 6.3 mi | N | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | 6.3 mi | 21 mi | 160,000 | white-tailed deer, duck |
| Buckridge Game Land north, 16 mi | N | 3-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 16 mi | 17,966 | deer, bear |
| Dare Game Land northeast, 16 mi | NE | 7-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 16 mi | 46,055 | Permit hunts |
| New Lake Game Land northwest, 18 mi | NW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 18 mi | 1,417 | bear, waterfowl |
| Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge west, 22 mi | W | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | over 10 mi | 22 mi | 16,000 | tundra swan, goose |
| Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge northwest, 24 mi | NW | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | over 10 mi | 24 mi | 110,106 | Drawn hunts |
| Pungo River Game Land west, 27 mi | W | 6-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 27 mi | 350 | Bear area |
| Lantern Acres Game Land northwest, 27 mi | NW | 6-day game land | NCWRC | over 10 mi | 27 mi | 1,831 | Permit hunts |
Lands, acreage and designations from the NCWRC regulations digest, NCWRC game land GIS and federal hunting pages (lands.json); boundary distances inside 10 miles from places.json; center distances are straight lines from the Census point for Engelhard. Checked October 25, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Bear and gobbler hunting from Engelhard
Bears may be taken Nov 14 to Nov 29, 2026 and Dec 12 to Dec 27, 2026 under the Coastal BMU Zone 1. The county holds bear management areas at Dare Game Land, Gull Rock Game Land (Ficlin / Outfall Canal) and Gull Rock Game Land (Gull Rock Refuge). Hunters reported 301 bears from Hyde County in 2025, against 298 in 2021. Turkey hunting is spring only: Apr 17 to May 15, 2027, with no fall season. Hyde County gave up 102 spring turkeys in 2026. The I-95 line puts Hyde County in the Coastal duck zone; geese use the Northeast Hunt Zone. Hyde County is in the five-county red wolf area, where coyote hunting is daylight only by free permit, with harvest reporting.
| Year | Bears | Gobblers |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 298 | 121 |
| 2022 | 289 | 77 |
| 2023 | 288 | 89 |
| 2024 | 257 | 107 |
| 2025 | 301 | 87 |
Bear units and dates from the digest bear seasons; bear harvest from the NCWRC bear harvest by county; spring turkey from the NCWRC spring 2026 turkey harvest; waterfowl zones from the digest migratory bird seasons. Checked October 25, 2026.
Agency help near Engelhard
Agency contacts for Engelhard hunters: the nearest wildlife commission site, any Forest Service or refuge office in reach, and the District 1 biologist.
NCWRC Columbia Depot, heading northwest 32 mi
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, west about 19 mi
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, east about 31 mi
Dallas Shoemaker, NCWRC
From the NCWRC facilities layer, the NCWRC district biologist sheet and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 25, 2026.
Engelhard hunters’ 2026-27 calendar
Engelhard hunts deer on the Southeastern dates and bear on the Coastal BMU Zone 1 dates. The 52 rows below are the dated hunts the 2026-27 digest puts there.
| Game | Season | Where | Begins | Through | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Southeastern | Sep 12, 2026 | Oct 2, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth Deer Hunting Days | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Blackpowder | Southeastern | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Southeastern | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Part 1 | Coastal BMU Zone 1 | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Part 2 | Coastal BMU Zone 1 | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| 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 (either sex) | Rest of the state | Sep 5, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Barrier islands (male only) | Barrier islands only | Nov 21, 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 | |
| Teal | September teal season | East of U.S. 17 only | Sep 10, 2026 | Sep 19, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Coastal zone | Oct 23, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Coastal zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 28, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 3 | Coastal zone | Dec 17, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | September Canada goose season | Statewide in September | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Northeast Hunt Zone | Northeast Hunt Zone | Dec 28, 2026 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| White-fronted goose | Northeast Hunt Zone | Northeast Hunt Zone | Dec 28, 2026 | Jan 30, 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 | |
| Red fox | Firearms season | East of I-77; local acts vary | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Firearms season | East of I-77; local acts vary | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 1, 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.
Engelhard: county-only hunting laws
Local legislation for Hyde County, as the digest prints it (bare actions are prohibited):
- Hunt game animals with dogs, unless accompanied by a licensed hunting guide or with a permit from the owner of the land.
- Hunt migratory waterfowl from a public road.
- Hunt with a rifle from a public road.
- Hunt with guns or dogs or to hunt with a bow and arrow or crossbow upon the lands of another without permission of the owner or lessee.
From the digest local laws by county; checked October 25, 2026.
Engelhard area deer harvest by season
The 2025-26 reported harvest for Hyde County was 955 deer, 359 of them antlered bucks. 54 of those came off game lands and 901 from other land.
| Season | Harvest | Bucks | Gun | Bow | Primitive | Game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 940 | 401 | 802 | 45 | 93 | 84 |
| 2023-24 | 1,006 | 393 | 859 | 46 | 101 | 67 |
| 2024-25 | 893 | 346 | 799 | 38 | 56 | 44 |
| 2025-26 | 955 | 359 | 821 | 35 | 99 | 54 |
Reported harvest (Big Game Harvest Report Card) from the NCWRC 2025-26 deer harvest by county; earlier seasons from the NCWRC harvest statistics page. Checked October 25, 2026.
Processors and shops in reach of Engelhard
Businesses Engelhard hunters rely on, grouped by trade and sorted by miles.
| Kind | Listings 15 mi | Listings 35 mi | Nearest business | Away | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gear shops | 1 | 3 | Ammo Shack | 2.1 mi SW | Engelhard |
Gear shops
Processors from NC Hunters for the Hungry, the NCWRC Cervid Health Cooperator layer and Yellow Pages; taxidermists from the cooperator layer and Yellow Pages; shops from Yellow Pages, Academy store pages and NCWRC CWD freezer hosts; guides and preserves from Yellow Pages. Checked October 25, 2026; hours were not checked.
Engelhard area hunting events
4 NCWRC classes inside about 30 straight-line miles, soonest first: hunter education course. Read October 25, 2026.
Hunter education dates
| On | Class | Distance | Time | Where held | Register | Found at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 | D1 Hyde County Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 11 | 12:00 PM–6:00 PM | Hyde County Courthouse ⋅ Swanquarter ⋅ Hyde Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 6, 2026 | D1 Hyde County Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 11 | 12:00 PM–6:00 PM | Hyde County Courthouse ⋅ Swanquarter ⋅ Hyde Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Jan 3, 2027 | D1 Hyde County Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 11 | 12:00 PM–6:00 PM | Hyde County Courthouse ⋅ Swanquarter ⋅ Hyde Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Feb 7, 2027 | D1 Hyde County Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 11 | 12:00 PM–6:00 PM | Hyde County Courthouse ⋅ Swanquarter ⋅ Hyde Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Sighting in near Engelhard
Outer Banks Gun Club comes first at 25 miles, with two more after it.
What you can shoot: trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire
What you can shoot: rifle, handgun, shotgun
Odom Shooting Range is the nearest range on the NCWRC list, roughly 100 miles out.
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 25, 2026.
Hunting hours for Engelhard
North Carolina law allows most game from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Doves, ducks and geese stop at sunset.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Big and small game | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:40 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:45 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:13 a.m. | 6:30 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:39 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 6:52 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:11 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:13 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:30 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 8:11 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 7:41 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.
Engelhard hunting questions
Does CWD affect deer hunting near Engelhard?
No CWD area covers Hyde County this season.
Which bear dates apply in Hyde County?
Open Nov 14 to Nov 29, 2026 and Dec 12 to Dec 27, 2026, under the Coastal BMU Zone 1. 2025 saw 301 bears reported in Hyde County.
What does Hyde County add to state hunting law?
Hyde County has 4 entries; one reads: Hunt game animals with dogs, unless accompanied by a licensed hunting guide or with a permit from the owner of the land.
What waterfowl zones cover Hyde County?
Use the Coastal duck season and the Northeast Hunt Zone goose season. Sunday is closed for waterfowl.
What are the Sunday hunting rules around Engelhard?
Firearms pause 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., migratory birds are closed, and three-day game lands are shut on Sundays.
Where do I check in a deer killed in Hyde County?
Use Go Outdoors North Carolina (app or web), call 800-446-8663, or visit a wildlife service agent, by noon the day after the kill.
How big is the public acreage total inside 10 miles of Engelhard?
About 49,721 acres, counting game land, forest, refuge and seashore ground once each.
How close does public hunting land come to Engelhard?
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, whose closest boundary is 1 mile away. Gull Rock Game Land ranks second from Engelhard.
When does deer gun season open near Engelhard?
For Engelhard, deer season is the Southeastern one, with the gun segment running Oct 17, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. All open days allow antlerless deer.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above; reporting from the digest deer regulations; Sunday rules from G.S. 103-2. Checked October 25, 2026.
Before leaving Engelhard
The NCWRC digest and the game land rules are the final word for hunts from Engelhard.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Don Henise (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Monkeystyle3000 (CC BY 2.0); Ryan Hodnett (CC BY-SA 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).