SYLVA, N.C. (April 5, 2013) – Three Jackson County towns — Sylva, Webster and Dillsboro — recently joined the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Mountain Heritage Trout Waters Program.

Nearly 9 miles of trout streams in Sylva, Webster and Dillsboro are now classified as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, where anglers can fish with a $5 Mountain Heritage Trout Waters license. This special license is valid for three consecutive days and only for the portions of streams designated as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, which are clearly marked with green and black signs.

Anglers who currently hold a valid resident or non-resident North Carolina fishing license can fish Mountain Heritage Trout Waters without purchasing the special license.

In Sylva, the 3.25-mile section of Scott Creek from Hospi­tal Rd. (S.R. 1437) to Hometown Place Rd. (S.R. 1381) is classified as a Mountain Heritage Trout Water and is a Hatchery-Supported Trout Water.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (April 5, 2013) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is offering eight fishing-related events, clinics and workshops in April and May at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center in Fayetteville. 

All events, clinics and workshops are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. For fishing events and clinics, loaner rods and reels are available free of charge on a first-come,first-serve basis and bait is provided. April 10 – Wounded Warriors Fly-Fishing Clinic from 1-5 p.m. This clinic is open to all soldiers, both active and retired, and their families. April 10 – N.C. Wildlife Federation meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. This is the first meeting of the Wildlife Federation’s newest chapter, Fayetteville Increasing Sustainable Habitat, or  F.I.S.H. April 13 – Kayak Fish and Float Workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Pre-registration is required. Contact Thomas Carpenter at 910

RALEIGH, N.C. (April 4, 2013) — Tax Day is less than two weeks away and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission would like taxpayers to remember North Carolina wildlife this year when completing their state income tax form by making a donation on line 31.

Whether you love to hunt, fish, photograph wildlife, or watch birds in your backyard, you can help conserve the state’s wildlife and their habitats.

More than 1,000 nongame species — from sea turtles to songbirds — call the Tar Heel state home. Many species, such as gray treefrogs and eastern towhees, are common and can be found and heard in your backyard. Others, such as sea turtles, Carolina northern flying squirrels and red-cockaded woodpeckers, are endangered and need conservation to prevent them from disappearing entirely from our state’s landscape.

North Carolina’s income tax donations have helped fund success stories, such as once-endangered species, like per

BURGAW, N.C. (April 3, 2013) —The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has renovated the Shelter Creek Boating Access Area in Pender County, and it is now open to the public.

The renovation included the replacement of the boat ramp, installation of a floating dock and improvements to the parking area. The site was also made accessible for the disabled.

“This site is located on Shelter Creek and offers access to anglers, boaters and wildlife watchers,” said Tommy Hughes, coastal area eco-region supervisor.  “Shelter Creek, which empties into the Northeast Cape Fear River, is a great place to boat and fish for largemouth bass, panfish and catfish while wildlife watchers can search for alligators, beavers, waterfowl, songbirds, turkeys and white-tailed deer.”

Construction of the site was funded with motorboat registration fees and Sport Fish Restoration funds.

For more information on boating in North Carolina, including a

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (April 3, 2013) — A few openings remain for the 2ndAnnual Kayak Fish and Float Workshop, which will be held April 13 from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center in Fayetteville.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is hosting the free, family-friendly workshop, along with Heroes on the Water and the Great Outdoor Provision Company, which is providing kayaks for participants to use, including smaller, 12-foot fishing kayaks ideal for teens and young adults.

Heroes on the Water, an organization that provides basic kayak fishing instruction, angling clinics and paddling classes for injured, wounded or disabled military personnel, will be selling hot dogs, chips and drinks, with all proceeds supporting kayak fishing outings for wounded service members and veterans.  

The workshop will include fishing how-to seminars and demonstrations of popular fishing kayaks. Mark Patterson,of the N.C. Kayak Fishing Association,

BOARDMAN, N.C. (April 2, 2013) —The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is partnering with the N.C. Department of Transportation to manage a boating access area on U.S. 74 in Robeson County just outside Boardman, giving the public free, 24-hour access to the Lumber River.

Anglers fishing this section of the Lumber can catch largemouth bass, bluegill, red ear sunfish, channel catfish and redbreast sunfish. Along the river, there are opportunities for hunting deer, squirrel and other game, and it is not uncommon to see raccoon, beaver, mink, turkey and ducks.

The Boardman access area consists of a boat ramp and gravel lot. The Commission plans to renovate it in the future.

The Commission also operates three additional boating access areas along the Lumber: Wagram, McNeils Bridge and High Hill.

For more information on boating in North Carolina, including an interactive map of more than 200 free, publicly accessible boating access areas, visit www.ncwildlife.or

HOOKERTON, N.C. (April 1) —Boaters and anglers in Greene County wishing to enter Contentnea Creek now have a new access area. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has just opened a new boating access area and fishing pier in the town of Hookerton.

A ribbon cutting will be held at 11 a.m., April 5,at 107 N. William Hooker Drive in Hookerton.

The Hookerton Boating Access Area has a new ADA-accessible concrete boat ramp with gravel parking. The 15-by-120-foot boat ramp has an 8-by-60 floating dock to assist with launching and retrieving vessels. The location also has a new ADA-accessible 10-by-30-foot fishing platform on the T-shaped, fixed fishing pier for anglers without boats..

The gravel parking area offers 18 marked spaces for vehicles with trailers and five spaces for single vehicles as well as handicapped-accessible spaces for each.

“We are very excited about the partnership withthe N.C. Wildlife Commission to build a Boating Access Area here in Hook

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 28, 2013) — The N.C. House of Representatives adopted a resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Wildlife Restoration Act, which has provided more than $14 billion in funds for state fish and wildlife research and conservation programs nationwide.

“I was happy to sponsor this resolution and bring awareness to the $3.3 billion annual impact hunters and anglers have on North Carolina’s economy and the multiple successes of our wildlife conservation programs,” said Rep. Tim D. Moffitt, who sponsored the resolution.

The Wildlife Restoration Act, also known as the Pittman-Robertson Act, authorized a federal excise tax on sporting arms, ammunition, archery equipment, and handguns. The Department of Treasury collects the excise taxes,and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dispenses money among state fish and wildlife agencies to fund projects that conserve wildlife populations and improve hunter access and hunting

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 28, 2013) — The N.C. House of Representatives adopted a resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Wildlife Restoration Act, which has provided more than $14 billion in funds for state fish and wildlife research and conservation programs nationwide.

“I was happy to sponsor this resolution and bring awareness to the $3.3 billion annual impact hunters and anglers have on North Carolina’s economy and the multiple successes of our wildlife conservation programs,” said Rep. Tim D. Moffitt, who sponsored the resolution.

The Wildlife Restoration Act, also known as the Pittman-Robertson Act, authorized a federal excise tax on sporting arms, ammunition, archery equipment, and handguns. The Department of Treasury collects the excise taxes,and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dispenses money among state fish and wildlife agencies to fund projects that conserve wildlife populations and improve hunter access and hunting

RALEIGH,N.C. (March 26, 2013) — The N.C.Wildlife Resources Commission is seeking nominees for its annual Diedrick Small Game Award.

Nominations for this year’s award are due May 1, 2013.

The award is given to an individual and anorganization whose actions significantly and positively impact North Carolina’s small game populations, including Northern bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse, squirrel and rabbit. These actions also benefit other species, including big game.

Winners receive a plaque and formal recognition at a Commission meeting in appreciation for their efforts on behalf of North Carolina small game wildlife species.  

In the individual category, past award winners were landowners who improved and integrated small game habitat into their forestry or farming operations. In the organization category, past award winners included corporations, government agencies, and non-government organizations whose actions improved small game habi

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 25, 2013) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has selected Chester “Chet” Clark to be the Hunter Education Specialist for Hertford, Gates, Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Bertie, Martin, Washington, Tyrrell, Dare and Hyde counties.

A resident of Jarvisburg in Currituck County, Clark will be responsible for providing instruction in hunter ethics and responsibility, wildlife management and conservation, firearms, wildlife identification, survival and first aid, specialty hunting and tree stand safety.

Clark replaces David Denton, who retired after 29 years of service. Clark was previously a wildlife educator at the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education in Corolla.

“Hunting education is so much more than firearms safety, although that is a key aspect that I will stress,” said Clark. “But these classes and workshops also build support and enthusiasm for conservation. My go

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 22, 2013) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources has available new fisheries reports from four major coastal rivers — the Roanoke, Tar, Neuse and Cape Fear.

The Coastal Rivers Fisheries Reports will replace the Roanoke River Fishing Report, which has been a popular feature on the agency’s website each spring for the last 10 years.

The new fisheries reports will comprise information gleaned from Commission fisheries biologists who conduct electrofishing sampling for striped bass, American shad and hickory shad each spring. The reports will share the results of biologists’ fish-sampling work and creel clerks’ surveys to let anglers know what Wildlife Commission staff is seeing on the water and hearing at the boat ramps.

The reports, which will be posted frequently starting today through mid-May, will provide information on some of the catch, effort and harvest data that the Commission uses to manage these important