The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing changes to wildlife management, inland fisheries and game lands that would take effect for the 2024-2025 season. The proposed regulations are open for public comment through January 30th.
The commission is suggesting a total of 36 changes to regulations. Some of the most notable include adjustments to the bear and deer season, as well as a reclassification of what it means to be hunting under the influence.
The bear population in the mountains is growing by 7% each year, having fully recovered from the dismal state it was in when the Bear Sanctuaries were originally established. Bear populations are doing so well that it’s causing some problems, with a major source of bear mortality coming from motor vehicles which is a problem, for human safety and property damage.
To allow for a higher legal take of bears, the wildlife commission wants to extend bear hunting season in October by nine days. Starting hunting season earlier, according to the wildlife commission, would stabilize and “slow down bear population growth, and help meet the population objective, while providing additional bear hunting opportunities.
Changes to deer season
The wildlife commission is also proposing changes to when deer season in the mountain region begins, which is traditionally the Monday before Thanksgiving.
To align hunting start dates more closely with peak breeding, the commission is suggesting gun season begin the Saturday after Thanksgiving and run through January 1st. Black powder season would begin two Saturdays before Thanksgiving and run until gun season.
The shift will reduce the vulnerability of yearling bucks, reduce the harvest of bucks before breeding and provide more hunting opportunities during the rut, according to the commission.
The wildlife commission is also suggesting antlerless gun season increase from one day to one week on private lands and antlerless black powder season increase from one week to two weeks in Buncombe and Henderson counties.
Hunting under the influence
A language change is proposed for hunting under the influence, replacing “under the influence of alcohol or any narcotic drug” with “under the influence of an impairing substance” to encompass substances beyond alcohol or narcotic drugs.
To provide feedback on these proposed changes:
- Submit comments online or via email to regulations@ncwildlife.org, including your name, county, and state of residence.
- Mail comments to Rulemaking Coordinator, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission at 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1700.
Additionally, the public can attend one of the three scheduled public hearings, or the virtual hearing on January 18, 2024 (pre-registration required).
For more details and to review the proposed regulation changes, visit ncwildlife.org/proposed-regulations.
The deadline for submitting comments is January 30, 2024. This involvement provides the public with an opportunity to contribute to the decision-making process and voice their opinions on the proposed wildlife regulations.
Photo courtesy of North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
