Waterfowl Impoundment Condition Alerts

Every effort has been made to accurately report existing and/or anticipated conditions that may negatively impact the waterfowl hunting experience, but please note that conditions are subject to change for a variety of reasons and in some cases may vary from the information presented in this report.

NOTE: For all areas, refer to the current North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest to determine applicable hunt days for waterfowl and special regulations which may apply.

On managed (posted) waterfowl impoundments, hunters shall not enter the posted impoundment areas earlier than 4:00 a.m. on the permitted hunting dates, and hunting is prohibited after 1:00 p.m. on such hunting dates; decoys shall not be set out prior to 4:00 a.m. and must be removed by 3:00 p.m. each day. No person shall operate any vessel or vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine on a managed waterfowl impoundment. On waterfowl impoundments that have a posted "Scouting-only Zone," trapping during the trapping season and waterfowl hunting on designated waterfowl hunting days are the only activities allowed on the portion of the impoundment outside of the posted "Scouting-only Zone."

For impoundments not otherwise noted in this report, conditions are believed to be adequate to support waterfowl hunting.

COASTAL REGION

Croatan Game Land - Catfish Lake Impoundment

Pumping operations are ongoing but slower than normal due to extremely low water supply. Water levels in impoundments #1, 2, 3, and 6 are anticipated to be huntable for October season. Pumping operations will continue until all impoundments are at prescribed levels.

Goose Creek Game Land Impoundments

Water levels are currently above prescribed levels. Water levels will recede to prescribed levels as winds turn to a westerly direction.

Gull Rock Game Land

E. Merle Edwards/Loop Road Impoundment - The impoundment has water throughout and no issues are expected. The impoundment is managed for submerged aquatics on the deeper portions of the impoundment and moist soil vegetation on the drier portions on the northwest corner. 

Willow Point Waterfowl Impoundment – This impoundment is hunted by permit only. No issues to report. Permitted hunters will find a non-combustion powered boat, canoe, or kayak helpful.

Holly Shelter Game Land-Green Tree and Lodge Road Impoundments

Hunters using the Holly Shelter Green Tree Impoundment may experience below optimal water levels until significant rainfall occurs. Lodge Road Impoundment will be at approaching prescribed levels by October season.

White Oak River Game Land

Water levels at the White Oak Impoundment are above prescribed levels and will return to prescribed levels as river levels stabilize. Bridges have been repaired. However, hunters should still be prepared to cross ditches using drag boats as needed.

J. Morgan Futch Game Land 

No issues to report. Blind 21 – Disabled Sportsman Blind – Impoundment is dry. Not huntable. We pulled water from the other timber unit, but it was not enough to flood around the blind.

Lantern Acres Game Land

The westernmost impoundment is mostly dry. The easternmost impoundment is nearing desired levels with most of the water in the northern and eastern reaches of the impoundment and through the middle.

North River

Impoundments are flooded. Permitted hunters for the North River impoundment hunts can hunt anywhere within the unit for which they are drawn. Two earthen mounds have been built in each impoundment, but the brush has not had time to establish. Blinds are available.

Lower Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land

All the managed waterfowl impoundments are dry. There is a little water in the northwestern portion of the Minges impoundment where the canal is wide, but that water does not extend into the flats of the impoundment. Minges will not be flooded unless the river floods. Waterfowl permit holders can hunt anywhere within the tract for which they are drawn. If the impoundments are not flooded for a hunt, hunters should consider hunting the adjacent swamps.

Suggs Mill Pond Game Land

Due to abnormally dry conditions, Impoundments 1, 4, and 5 currently have no water available for waterfowl or waterfowl hunting. Approximately half of Impoundment 3 is flooded but still offers good waterfowl hunting opportunities. Water levels in Horseshoe Lake, Little Singletary Lake, and Jessups Mill Pond are well below normal but still offer good waterfowl hunting opportunities.

Texas Plantation Game Land

Zone 1 impoundment was managed as a moist soil unit with some water present though the summer. Ducks are using it now. The east impoundments are flooded. The western impoundments have had some water with pumping continuing. All are expected to be flooded by the November opening.

PIEDMONT REGION

Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land

Water levels will not be at or near the desired pool for the December-January season in all of the Butner-Falls waterfowl impoundments.

Butner Depot, Beaver Dam, and Patterson Road will be at full pool given adequate rainfall and sustained creek/river levels. Bluff and Flat River will not have much huntable water because the river level is too low for adequate/consistent pumping operations. (The back of Flat River ‘B’ and ‘A-1’ have partial water, but middle ‘B’ and ‘A’ are mostly dry. Bluff only has very limited water in the ditches and lowest spots with the interior sub-impoundments being completely dry.)

Knapp of Reeds only has huntable water in the low end but not out into the fields. Upper Brickhouse Road has very limited water only near the water control structures and in the lowest areas and channels. These conditions are unlikely to change soon without significant/substantial rainfall, as these impoundments are flooded by runoff alone.
Highway 98, Little River, and Lower Brickhouse Road Impoundments are not included in the 2025-2026 flooding schedule (even though there is a small area of water in Little River near the water control structures because of beaver activity).

R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell Game Land

In Brumley and Caswell Impoundments water levels will be at or near full pool for the December-January season as long as drought conditions don’t continue to worsen.

Jordan Game Land

Water levels will be at full pool for the December-January season given adequate rainfall and sustained creek/river levels. Impoundments #1 Upper Little Creek, #4 Stagecoach, and #6 Beaver Creek are included in the 2025-2026 flooding schedule.

Second Creek Game Land

The posted waterfowl impoundment on Second Creek Game Land does not include control structures to facilitate artificial manipulation of water levels. This area is completely dependent on rainfall and collection of surface water; therefore, conditions may vary throughout the season.