RALEIGH, N.C. (February 11, 2010) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission voted Wednesday to move its annual public hearings from January to September as a part of overall adjustments to its rulemaking cycle.

 “Adoption of rules on an annual basis is critical to meeting our conservation objectives,” said Gordon Myers, executive director of the Wildlife Resources Commission.  “Prior to making these changes, the Commission’s rulemaking cycle was severely impacted by delayed implementation of rules.  These impacts were felt by our sportsmen and created a great deal of confusion.  By adjusting our annual rulemaking cycle, we are able to better ensure timely adoption of rules while providing better service to North Carolina’s sportsmen.”

Each year, the Commission adjusts hunting, fishing and trapping seasons in response to wildlife population changes, wildlife conservation object

RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 16, 2010) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has set the schedule for the annual Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournaments for 2010.

Nine district-level competitions will be held across the state in coming weeks, with hundreds of middle school and high school students taking part. Winning teams will advance to a state championship tournament in April.

The 2010 District Tournament schedule is: District 1 (north coastal) – Saturday, March 27 at Eastern 4-H Center, Columbia District 2 (mid-coastal) – Saturday, March 13 at Camp Boddie, near Chocowinity District 3 (eastern Piedmont) – Saturday, March 27 at Old Hickory Gun Club, Rocky Mount District 4 (south coastal) – Wednesday, March 3 at Coharie Shooting Range near Clinton District 5 (central Piedmont) – Saturday, March 27 at Alamance Wildlife Club, Graham District 6 (western Piedmont) – Saturday, March 20 at Camp Barnhardt near Bad

RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 17, 2010) – Trout Lake in Ashe County remains closed to fishing due to required repairs to the lake’s dam and water-control structure.

The popular angling site, which is owned by the Ashe County Wildlife Club and managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission under Delayed Harvest trout regulations, has been closed since February 2009.

Repairs to the dam and the water-control structure could not be performed until the necessary permits were received. These permits were granted in December 2009, but the lake’s surface has been frozen since then, and repair work can not begin until the lake thaws. 

“As soon as the repairs are completed, we will resume the trout stocking program and notify the public that the lake is once again open for fishing,” said Kin Hodges, a fisheries biologist with the Commission.

In the meantime, anglers interested in fishing Delayed Harvest waters can visit t

RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 18, 2010) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will open the entire Roanoke River Management Area to striped bass harvest from March 1 through April 30.  The Roanoke River Management Area includes the Roanoke River and tributaries from Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam downstream to Albemarle Sound, including the Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers.     

The daily creel limit within the Roanoke River Management Area is two striped bass per person. The minimum length limit is 18 inches, and no striped bass between 22 and 27 inches may be possessed at any time. Only one striped bass larger than 27 inches can be included in the daily creel limit.

Anglers are required to use a single barbless hook or a lure with a single barbless hook when fishing in the upper Roanoke River from April 1 through June 30. The upper Roanoke River is defined as the main river channel and all tributaries, upstream from the U.S.

RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 1, 2011) – National Hunting and Fishing Day in North Carolina is Sept. 24 and everyone is invited to learn more about outdoor recreation and conservation by attending one of  seven fun, family-oriented events across the state supported by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

National Hunting and Fishing Day, formalized by Congress in 1971, was created by the National Shooting Sports Foundation to celebrate conservation successes of hunters and anglers. Hunting, fishing and related activities directly support upwards of 29,000 jobs and $818 million in income in North Carolina.

“National Hunting and Fishing Day in North Carolina is our chance to thank sportsmen for their contributions to conservation, and an opportunity to invite others, especially youth, to join with us,” said Travis Casper, the state’s assistant hunter education coordinator. “The future of fish and wildlife depends upon tomorrow&a

RALEIGH, N.C. (September 23, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has set a public hearing for comments on rules pertaining to falconry. The hearing is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 in the Centennial Campus Auditorium at NCWRC Headquarters, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh.

To fully regulate falconry in North Carolina in accordance with a directive from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Commission proposes to amend 12 current rules pertaining to falconry, repeal one rule and adopt two additional rules.

As of Jan. 1, 2014, U.S. Fish and Wildlife will no longer issue permits to falconers to practice falconry. States must license and regulate their falconers using the federal standards for guidance, or falconry will not be allowed in that state.

For more information, download the complete text of the proposed rules.

RALEIGH, N.C. (September 20, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has repaired some damages from Hurricane Irene to coastal game lands, and is working to repair others in time for hunting seasons.

Crews have removed fallen trees and debris blocking roads leading into most game lands, so hunters should have access. However, drivers should take caution because some roads may remain excessively wet.

The rainfall provided much-needed moisture to drought-affected waterfowl impoundments, including Catfish Lake, Lantern Acres, Lodge Road and Roanoke River, according Tommy Hughes, a biologist with the Wildlife Commission.

“There were some positives to this storm,” he said. “We suffered some damage, but we’ve also gotten some much needed rainfall on some very dry land, and that will save money by reducing pumping costs, while providing improved habitat conditions on our waterfowl management areas.”

The most signifi

RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 20, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will implement delayed-harvest regulations on 26 trout waters in 15 western North Carolina counties on Oct. 1. Before Oct. 1, hatchery-supported regulations apply to these waters.

Under delayed-harvest regulations, no trout can be harvested or possessed from these waters between Oct. 1, 2011, and one half-hour after sunset on June 1, 2012. No natural bait is allowed, and anglers can fish only with single-hook, artificial lures. An artificial lure is defined as a fishing lure that neither contains nor has been treated with any substance that attracts fish by the sense of taste or smell.

Four new waters were classified as delayed harvest effective August 1: Spring Creek in Madison County, Ararat River in Surry County, Coffee Lake in Watauga County, and Elk Creek in Wilkes County.  Spring Creek in Madison County is also designated as a Mountain Heritage Trout Water.

Both resident and

RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 23, 2010) – The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will offer a special introduction to fly-fishing in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains this spring.

 “The Fly-Fishing Weekend” is scheduled for April 9-11 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education and Davidson River Campground in Transylvania County.

Registration is open on a first come, first serve basis for women 18 and older. A one-time fee of $125 covers instruction, equipment, most meals and camping accommodations.

Participants will learn the basics of fly-fishing from experienced anglers, including equipment needs, knots, fly-tying, casting and aquatic entomology. Then, those skills will be put to use fishing the blue ribbon trout waters of the Davidson River in a private session for participants.

Contact BB Gillen at (919) 218-3638 or bb.gillen@ncwildlife.org for more information or to register.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (April 7, 2010) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New Hope Audubon Society to open a wildlife observation platform – where viewers can spot eagles, ducks and other wildlife – at Jordan Lake.

The Commission and its partners will celebrate the opening with a ceremony starting at 1:30 p.m. April 18 at the site, off Martha’s Chapel Road in Chatham County. After that, it will be open to the public for wildlife viewing.

The event will feature a nature hike to the platform, which overlooks the lake. A wetland area – prime habitat for salamanders and frogs – is nearby.

Spotting scopes will be set up to view eagles and other birds, and participants can see songbirds, salamanders and native plants during the brief hike from the parking lot to the viewing platform. Representatives from the Commission, New Hope Audubon Society and Army Corps of Engi

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 8, 2010) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is offering a few simple steps to avoid most conflicts with black bears, as sightings and conflicts tend to increase in the spring, when bears emerge from hibernation, looking for food.

The Commission is warning people not to feed, either purposely or inadvertently, animals that wander into backyards, city streets and other residential areas. Feeding a bear rewards it for coming close to people and their homes and makes it more likely to approach again.

While black bears are rarely aggressive toward people, they can become bold when they become accustomed to feeding on human-provided foods, such as garbage and bird seed. Oftentimes, they lose their fear of people.

Contrary to popular belief, wildlife employees will not trap and relocate bears, because this would simply relocate the problem, rather than solve it. The solution is to modify habits, such as how you feed your pet(s) or where you stor

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 8, 2010) – The 32nd annual Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournament, presented by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, will be held April 24 to determine team and individual championships in this popular marksmanship and outdoor skills competition.

The tournament begins at 8 a.m. at Millstone 4-H Center near Ellerbe, with events in rifle, shotgun and archery, along with an orienteering challenge and a conservation test. The tournament typically draws several hundred spectators and supporters. Last year’s event had an overall attendance of nearly 3,000. Admission for spectators is free.

“The degree of the skills exhibited by these young people at the state championships is incredible,” said Travis Casper, the assistant hunter education programs coordinator for North Carolina. “The competition is keen, but so is the camaraderie between competitors.”

Teams are organized within public and private s