Spread out along the river whose name it bears, Roanoke River NWR consists of many separate tracts that protect the river's bottomland hardwood forest. Several of these tracts are open to hunts for a variety of game. With its mix of upland ridges and the bottomland forest, the refuge is especially good for turkey hunting. Turkeys are plentiful throughout the refuge, and the spring hunt can be highly successful. The hunt is managed to limit hunting pressure, so hunters have an excellent chance of working gobblers and having a quality hunt.
White-tailed deer, waterfowl, and turkey permits are issued by lottery by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Permit Hunting Opportunities. Permitted hunts span for six weeks, Thursday-Saturday each week.
The refuge is also open for hunting small game, including rabbits, squirrels, and raccoon. Small game requires a refuge-issued permit; contact the refuge for additional details.
