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Holly Ridge base, Onslow County
Holly Ridge, NC hunting guide
How far Holly Ridge sits from public hunting land, which NCWRC deer zone and bear unit cover Onslow County, what local acts add, and where to drop off a deer.
Photo: Nearby stand-in from Onslow County: Mist over the water at Swansboro, Onslow County. pburka (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Holly Ridge is a town in Onslow County, whose seat is Jacksonville. It was chosen as the base town for Holly Shelter Game Land, whose nearest boundary is 2 miles away from the town point. Hunters heading to Stones Creek Game Land often stay in Holly Ridge; the boundary lies 2 miles away. Roughly 5,766 people make their home here (2024 estimate). 2 public properties come within 10 miles, adding up to about 42,281 acres. For the shortest drive, begin with Holly Shelter Game Land, whose closest boundary is 2 miles away.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; 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 Holly Ridge, North Carolina
Holly Ridge: deer zone, antlerless days, CWD
For deer, Holly Ridge and the rest of Onslow County follow the Southeastern schedule. The three weapon seasons open Sep 12, Oct 3 and Oct 17 in turn. There is no short antlerless window here: every open day allows antlerless deer. No CWD area rules reach Onslow County for 2026-27.
| Hunt | Starts | Ends | Antlerless days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Holly Ridge public hunting land by distance
Land reaching the 10-mile circle around Holly Ridge comes first. A base-area tag marks the land this town was picked for.
The largest property touching the circle is Holly Shelter Game Land at 65,139 acres. Game lands a short drive from Holly Ridge: Holly Shelter Game Land and Stones Creek Game Land. Holly Shelter Game Land sets antlerless gun days of its own (Open days during Oct. 17 – Jan. 1.).
| Land | Bearing | Kind | Managed by | Boundary | Middle | Acreage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Shelter Game Land west, 1.8 mi Base area | W | 6-day game land | NCWRC | 1.8 mi | 8.8 mi | 65,139 | Permit hunts |
| Stones Creek Game Land northeast, 2.4 mi Base area | NE | 6-day game land | NCWRC | 2.4 mi | 6.6 mi | 4,136 | Dove fields |
| Angola Bay Game Land northwest, 20 mi | NW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | outside ring | 20 mi | 34,148 | deer, bear |
| Rocky Run Game Land northeast, 22 mi | NE | Permit-only game land | NCWRC | outside ring | 22 mi | 390 | Permit hunts |
| Sutton Lake Game Land southwest, 28 mi | SW | 7-day game land | NCWRC | outside ring | 28 mi | 1,357 | deer, rabbit |
| Cape Fear River Wetlands Game Land west, 31 mi | W | 7-day game land | NCWRC | outside ring | 31 mi | 7,548 | Permit hunts |
| White Oak River Game Land northeast, 31 mi | NE | 3-day game land | NCWRC | outside ring | 31 mi | 2,597 | Permit hunts |
| Sampson Game Land northwest, 37 mi | NW | 4-day game land | NCWRC | outside ring | 37 mi | 197 | deer, turkey |
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 Holly Ridge. Checked October 25, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Beyond deer at Holly Ridge
Onslow County is in the Coastal BMU Zone 5, open for bear Nov 9, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Reported bears from Onslow County ran 60 in 2021 and 105 in 2025. Spring turkey: Apr 17 to May 15, 2027, youth days Apr 10 to Apr 11, 2027. In spring 2026, hunters checked 418 birds in Onslow County. Ducks follow the Coastal zone dates and Canada geese the Resident Population Zone dates.
| Season | Bears taken | Turkeys taken |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60 | 453 |
| 2022 | 72 | 487 |
| 2023 | 62 | 471 |
| 2024 | 98 | 475 |
| 2025 | 105 | 395 |
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.
Reaching NCWRC from Holly Ridge
The closest NCWRC site to Holly Ridge is listed first, then federal offices within 40 miles and the district biologist who covers Onslow County.
NCWRC Holly Shelter Depot, 15 mi away, west
Chris Kent (District 2)
From the NCWRC facilities layer, the NCWRC district biologist sheet and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 25, 2026.
First and last days around Holly Ridge
Holly Ridge rows run from the Sept. 1 Canada goose and dove openers to the spring gobbler season that closes in May.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Coastal BMU Zone 5 | Coastal BMU Zone 5 | Nov 9, 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 (either sex) | 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 | |
| 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 | 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 | |
| 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.
Holly Ridge local hunting laws
Onslow County has its own local hunting acts. Unless a line says otherwise, each describes something you may not do:
- Hunt any wild animal or bird from the right-of-way of any public road without written permission of the owner or lessee of the land that abuts the road.
From the digest local laws by county; checked October 25, 2026.
Holly Ridge: Onslow County deer counts
Deer reported in Onslow County, 2025-26: 2,378 in all, 1,108 with antlers. Only 110 were taken on game lands.
| Year | All deer | Antlered | Gun | Archery | Muzzleloader | On game lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 1,999 | 973 | 1,585 | 269 | 145 | 68 |
| 2023-24 | 2,363 | 1,125 | 1,966 | 281 | 116 | 91 |
| 2024-25 | 2,347 | 1,091 | 1,947 | 277 | 123 | 81 |
| 2025-26 | 2,378 | 1,108 | 1,911 | 346 | 121 | 110 |
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.
Getting a deer from Holly Ridge processed
Counts cover 15 and 35 mile circles around Holly Ridge; each group shows the closest few businesses. Trapping Bones LLC collects CWD samples as an NCWRC Cervid Health Cooperator.
| Category | Count, 15 mi | Count, 35 mi | First stop | How far | Located in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat processors | 0 | 1 | In Your Sight Taxidermy/Wild Game Processing | 24 mi N | Richlands |
| Taxidermy | 2 | 7 | Trapping Bones LLC | 11 mi SW | Hampstead |
| Guides | 0 | 2 | Blackbird Guide Services | 24 mi SW | Wrightsville Beach |
| Gun and archery stores | 7 | 44 | Surf City Guns | 0.7 mi E | Holly Ridge |
Meat processors
Taxidermy
Guides
Gun and archery stores
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.
Holly Ridge area hunting events
DU banquet, NWTF banquet and hunter education course within about 30 miles: 2 upcoming events and 6 NCWRC classes. Miles are straight-line.
Still to come
| On | Event | Mi | Where held | Sign-up | Found at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | UNCW Banquet ⋅ DU banquet | 27 | American Legion ⋅ Wilmington ⋅ New Hanover Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 15, 2027 | New River Longbeards Banquet ⋅ NWTF banquet | 19 | Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
NCWRC classes
| When | Course | Mi | Hours | Venue | Sign up | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 9, 2026 | Hunter Ed Certification (D2-A5 New Hanover) ⋅ hunter education course | 22 | 6:00 PM–9:30 PM | New Hanover County Law Enforc. Officers Assoc. ⋅ Castle Hayne ⋅ New Hanover Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Hunter Education (D2) ⋅ hunter education course | 19 | 8:00 AM–4:00 PM | Half Moon Volunteer Fire Dept ⋅ Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Dec 7, 2026 | NC Hunter Education (D2, A5, Pender) ⋅ hunter education course | 21 | 6:00 PM–9:30 PM | Pender County NC Cooperative Extension Office ⋅ Burgaw ⋅ Pender Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Feb 14, 2027 | D2 A4 Onslow Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 19 | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Rhodestown Fire Department ⋅ Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Mar 14, 2027 | D2 A4 Onslow Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 19 | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Rhodestown Fire Department ⋅ Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
| Mar 21, 2027 | D2 A4 Onslow Hunter Education ⋅ hunter education course | 19 | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Rhodestown Fire Department ⋅ Jacksonville ⋅ Onslow Co. | Register on GONC | Source |
Holly Ridge shooters: nearest ranges
First on the list for Holly Ridge: Sanctum 1791, 3 miles away.
On offer: handgun, rifle, 5-stand, shotgun
On offer: rifle, handgun, archery, 3D archery
On offer: archery, 3D archery
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 25, 2026.
Holly Ridge legal hunting light
Legal light at Holly Ridge: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset for deer, bear and small game, and sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset for waterfowl and doves.
| Day | Season | Sun up | Sun down | Deer and small game | Migratory birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Dove opener | 6:43 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery deer opener | 6:48 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Eastern gun opener | 7:16 a.m. | 6:33 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:03 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Central gun opener | 6:42 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Western gun opener | 6:55 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Late December | 7:14 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Deer gun close | 7:16 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Apr 17, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:33 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 8:14 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 7:44 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.
Holly Ridge hunters ask
Can you hunt bear near Holly Ridge?
Onslow County falls in the Coastal BMU Zone 5; bear season is Nov 9, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. The 2025 county bear count was 105.
Do Holly Ridge hunters face CWD restrictions?
The CWD areas lie elsewhere in the state.
What duck and goose zones do Holly Ridge hunters use?
Onslow County is Coastal for ducks and Resident Population Zone for geese. Waterfowl hunting is closed every Sunday.
What local acts apply to Holly Ridge hunters?
1 local act is listed. The first: Hunt any wild animal or bird from the right-of-way of any public road without written permission of the owner or lessee of the land that abuts the road.
Which venison processor sits nearest Holly Ridge?
Closest: In Your Sight Taxidermy/Wild Game Processing (Richlands). 1 processors lie within 35 miles.
How do I report a deer taken near Holly Ridge?
Punch the Big Game Harvest Report Card and register the animal by noon the next day: app, phone (800-I-GOT-ONE), online or a wildlife service agent.
How does Sunday hunting work near Holly Ridge?
You can hunt, but not with a gun from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and not for migratory birds.
What public land sits nearest Holly Ridge, NC?
That would be Holly Shelter Game Land, whose closest boundary is 2 miles away. After that comes Stones Creek Game Land.
What does the 10-mile public acreage come to for Holly Ridge?
Mapped public land inside 10 miles adds up to about 42,281 acres on 2 properties.
When do bowhunters start on deer near Holly Ridge?
The Southeastern schedule applies: bows from Sep 12, blackpowder from Oct 3, guns from Oct 17 to Jan 1, 2027. Does may be taken on all open days.
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.
Holly Ridge hunters, one last look
NCWRC can change dates by rule. Re-check Go Outdoors North Carolina and the Onslow County page before the trip.
Other photos on this page: Russ (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); marneejill (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).