Chris Baranski, a biologist who works in the northern Piedmont, believes the Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land, with portions in northern Durham, southwestern Granville and northwestern Wake County, is North Carolina’s top game land for whitetail deer. It covers 40,662 acres.
“Falls includes the southern part of Granville, which has always had a lot of deer, and the northern part of Durham County, which has a residential archery zone,” he said.
The Jordan Lake Game Land is Baranski’s second choice. It covers 40,350 acres in Wake, Chatham, Durham and Orange counties. Next, he likes the Uwharrie National Forest’s 51,849 acres split between Davidson, Montgomery and Randolph counties because of its quality habitat.
“Caswell Game Land is another top game land for deer,” Baranski said.
The Croatan National Forest, which covers 162,217 acres in Carteret, Craven and Jones counties, as an excellent public-hunting area in the eastern part of the state, as is the Bertie County Game Land, whose 3,790 acres gave up 131 deer last season. Another great public-hunting area in the southeastern part of the state is Holly Shelter Game Land north of Wilmington in Pender County. It covers 63,494 acres.
David Turner, a Commission biologist, said the Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land offers some excellent opportunities for archers.
“I think the Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land is the state’s best quality permit hunt for archery,” Turner said.
Permits cost $5 at point of sale from wildlife cooperator agents. Hunters may pick hunt dates from the Special Hunt Opportunities on-line list at www.ncwildlife.org, and will be notified if they apply and are chosen. Deadline for applications is Sept. 1.
“Archery deer permits (at Roanoke River) usually are granted, but there’s more demand for gun hunts,” Turner said.
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