RALEIGH, N.C. (May 23, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will open approximately 63.5 miles of trout streams and one lake classified as delayed-harvest trout waters under hatchery-supported regulations on Saturday, June 4.

But there’s a catch . . . only anglers 15 years old and younger can fish these waters from 6 a.m. until 11:59 a.m. At noon, these waters open to all anglers.

The youth-only fishing time frame is designed to promote trout fishing among young anglers and to provide special opportunities for young anglers to catch — and keep — fish.

Under hatchery-supported regulations, in effect through Sept. 30, anglers can keep a maximum of seven trout per day, with no bait restrictions or minimum size limits.

Anglers age 16 and older need an inland fishing license and a special trout fishing privilege, which is included in the comprehensive and sportsman licenses, to fish in all designated public mountain trout waters

ROXBORO, N.C. (May 17, 2011) – Fishing on Mayo Lake has become more accessible, thanks in part to a cooperative effort between the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and Person County Recreation Arts and Parks, who are providing free loaner adaptive fishing gear to physically challenged anglers.

The adaptive fishing gear, which can be borrowed from the Mayo Park office, is available free of charge through the Wildlife Commission’s Tackle Loaner Program.  Park staff has electric reels, pole harnesses, easy-cast fishing poles and easy-grip gloves available to loan to anglers who have limited hand, arm and upper body movement.

“This adaptive fishing gear gives fishermen the ability to cast and reel in fish with minimum effort,” said Jeremy Royster, Mayo Park Ranger. “Anglers can register at the park office to join the program and receive a tackle loaner card that lets them borrow free loaner tackle at Mayo Park, as well as

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 16, 2011) – Gov. Bev Perdue has issued a proclamation that May 21-27 be recognized as Safe Boating Week in North Carolina.

With the start of the recreational boating season and National Safe Boating Week that week, the goal of Safe Boating Week in North Carolina is to emphasize the efforts to promote safe boating and encourage the wearing of personal flotation devices.

Wildlife officers of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are charged with enforcing the boating laws and regulations on North Carolina waters, and can stop any vessel for safety checks or violations. In the course of their duties, these law enforcement officers patrol over 5,000 square miles of inland streams, rivers, lakes and coastal waterways, as well as 220 public boating access areas.

“The best advice I can give anyone is to wear an appropriate life vest, no matter when or where they are boating,” said Maj. Chris Huebner, the state boating safety coordin

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 9, 2011) – Kids can fish for free and register to win prizes, including two lifetime licenses, at one of 43 kids’ fishing events conducted across the state in late May and early June.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, in cooperation with Neuse Sport Shop, Trout Unlimited, Bass Pro Shops and the U.S. Forest Service, is supporting these fishing events as part of National Fishing and Boating Week 2011. 

The grand prize is a lifetime sportsman license, which includes freshwater and saltwater fishing privileges, as well as hunting privileges, donated by Neuse Sport Shop, located in Kinston. The first prize is a lifetime freshwater fishing license, donated by the N.C. State Council of Trout Unlimited. Bass Pro Shops is donating 50 fishing-related prizes, such as tackle boxes, rod-and-reel combos and fishing line, while the Wildlife Commission is donating another 100 prizes – any of which would be a perfect addition to a

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 9, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is reminding coastal residents and visitors to avoid feeding alligators.  

As the weather warms, Wildlife officials receive more reports of people seeing—and feeding—alligators. The American Alligator is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and, under North Carolina law, it is illegal to feed them in the wild.

Most alligators seen in the coastal region of North Carolina are in their natural habitat, and are best left alone and viewed from a distance.

Feeding alligators is also dangerous, as it can cause them to lose their fear of humans—making them more likely to approach and demonstrate aggressive behavior toward people and pets. This can also endanger the alligator, as wildlife that approaches or threatens humans may have to be euthanized.

For more information on protected and endangered wildlife in North Carolina, download a list of

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 5, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Big Game Committee meeting, originally scheduled for May 11, has been postponed, as this date proved to be a difficult time for many landowners and farmers to be away from their primary livelihood activities.

The meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday, July 6, to discuss black bear management, including issues related to hunting and historical white-tailed deer harvests.

The committee will meet at the Wildlife Resources Commission Headquarters at 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh.

For upcoming Commission and committee meeting dates, times and locations, visit www.ncwildlife.org and look under “Commission Meetings/Actions.”

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 31, 2011) –  The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is clarifying that the section of Linville River below the Lake James powerhouse from the upstream bridge on S.R. 1223 to Muddy Creek is the only section that will not be stocked this year. This area is known locally as “powerhouse” or “Bridgewater.”

The sections of the Linville River in Avery County and the Blue Ridge Parkway will receive stockings this season as planned.

The hatchery-supported section of the river is not being stocked because of continuing work by Duke Energy to repair the dams on Lake James, which has resulted in water levels too low to sustain stockings. Commission biologists will resume stocking the hatchery-supported section starting March 2012. Until then, anglers can visit other hatchery-supported trout waters nearby. These include Henry River in Burke County, Wilson Creek and Yadkin River in Happy Valley in Caldwell County,

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 29, 2011) – It’s all in the numbers, when the Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education presents “1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish – What Dr. Seuss Did Not Teach About Counting Fish (or Wildlife)” at 4 p.m. on April 13.

The free program is part of the Fisheries and Wildlife Seminar series, a partnership between faculty and students in the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program at N.C. State University and the biologists, managers and educators with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Dr. Beth Gardner, an assistant professor in the NCSU Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program, will present a set of case studies demonstrating the difficulty in assessing population demographics and habitat relationships. New advances in capture-recapture and occupancy modeling will be the focus of this presentation, with examples ranging from plant species to carnivores.

The seminar is p

RALEIGH, N.C. (March 28, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will not stock Balsam Lake in Jackson County with trout this season. The lake was drained by the U.S. Forest Service earlier this year to repair the dam. 

Commission biologists will resume stocking the lake starting March 2012.

Until stockings resume in Balsam Lake, anglers can visit other hatchery-supported trout waters in Jackson County, including Tanasee Lake and Wolf Lake.

Anglers who want to fish other hatchery-supported waters in all 26 western North Carolina counties can download and print color-coded trout maps from the Commission’s website. The North Carolina Trout Fishing Maps book can be purchased from the N.C. Wild Store for $12.

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 7, 2009):  This year, during National Safe Boating Week (May 16 – 22) and throughout the boating season, remember to practice safe and responsible boating by always wearing your life vest and remaining alert and aware while on the water.

In some circumstances, it is not just smart, it is the law.  

North Carolina requires anyone younger than 13 to wear an appropriate life vest when on a recreational vessel that is underway. Anyone riding a personal watercraft or being towed by one must also wear an appropriate life vest.

Both state and federal regulations require that a Type I, II or III personal flotation device in good condition and of appropriate size be accessible for each person onboard a recreational vessel, including canoes, kayaks, rowboats and other non-motorized craft. (Sailboards, racing shells, rowing sculls, racing canoes and racing kayaks are exempt from this requirement.)

“Accidents can happen quickly an

RALEIGH, N.C. (June 6, 2011) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is reminding lifetime license holders that it is time to request a copy of the 2011-2012 North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest for the upcoming season, which begins Aug. 1.

Lifetime license holders who have a license that entitles them to hunt big game and migratory game birds also can request their big game harvest report cards and HIP certification at the same time. Make requests by:
Going to www.ncwildlife.org and clicking on the lifetime license holder seasonal information button;
Calling the Wildlife Resources Commission at 888-248-6834. Hours of operation are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday;
Visiting a Wildlife Service Agent. Most agents are located in bait-and-tackle shops, hunting and sporting goods stores and larger chain stores across the state.

The 2011-2012 North Carolina Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest will be available at agent

RALEIGH, N.C. (June 7, 2011) – Law enforcement officers from local, state and federal agencies will be out in force June 24-26 for Operation Dry Water, an annual campaign focused on the detection and enforcement of boating while impaired. A secondary objective is to raise awareness among all boaters that it is unsafe, as well as illegal, to operate a boat under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

This year in North Carolina, Operation Dry Water is incorporated into the state’s “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign.

“Impaired boat operators pose the same risk for injuries and fatalities as does impaired drivers,” said Maj. Chris Huebner of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the state boating safety coordinator. “No matter what you drive, be responsible. Penalties for boating while impaired can include fines up to $1,000 and jail, but the greater peril is having an accid