"If you had told me just over 15 years ago that I would be firing rifles, daydreaming of buying a truck and researching venison recipes, I would have never believed you."
Who doesn't love backyard birds? They add beauty to the landscape and serenade us with their sweet songs. We often put out feeders to attract these lovely little critters to our homes. One of the best ways to attract birds and give back to them as they brighten our days is through native plant gardens. With the sprawl of urban areas, good bird habitat is increasingly in short supply. MORE
Striped Bass are anadromous fish, meaning that the adults migrate from the ocean into freshwater rivers and creeks to reproduce. It’s a team effort to manage these species: they are managed by multiple agencies and commissions, depending on where they are in their migration cycle. Read more...
Trout fishing is a big deal in North Carolina! Here are five cool facts about trout fishing in our state:
1. It brings in money and jobs. Trout fishing is a huge economic benefit to our state. In 2014, it brought in an estimated $383 million and supported 3,600 jobs each year.
2. NC has more native populations of Brook Trout than anywhere in the Southeast! The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) carefully manages these populations, and also . . .
A $200 bounty on hellbenders? Say it’s not so.
“That is a rumor and absolutely untrue,” said Lori Williams, a Wildlife Diversity biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “Furthermore, the Eastern hellbender is listed as a species of special concern in North Carolina. Harming, harassing, collecting or killing one is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which can result in a fine and up to 120 days in jail.”
Hellbenders are one of the largest salamanders found in North Carolina, averaging 16-17 inches long but can grow up to 24 inches long.
Also called the “water dog,” “snot otter,” “Alleghany alligator,” among other names, the hellbender is a harmless, giant aquatic salamander found in fast-moving, clean mountain streams in . . .
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