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.

Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge is managed with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission as part of the Lower Roanoke River Game Lands and offers several permit hunts. 

On scheduled deer and turkey hunt days the refuge is closed to all non-big game hunters for safety reasons.

White-tailed deer, waterfowl, and turkey permits are issued by lottery by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Permit Hunting Opportunities. 

The refuge is also open for hunting small game, including squirrels, opossum, and raccoon. We partner with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to offer a Point of Sale (POS) permit that covers small game hunting on both Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge and the Lower Roanoke River Wetlands Gameland. This permit may be purchased from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.