Hunting season for doves opens Saturday, Sept. 5 with shooting hours beginning half-hour before sunrise and ending at sunset for the entire season, including opening day. The Wildlife Commission set the 2015-16 season for mourning and white-winged dove from Sept. 5 to Oct. 10, resuming Nov. 23 to Jan. 15. The daily bag limit is 15 and possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. The season does not include Sundays; hunting of migratory game birds by any method is not allowed on Sundays. More
The Wildlife Commission has set season dates, bag limits and applicable regulations for the 2015-16 waterfowl and extended falconry seasons. Read the 2015-16 bag limits, shooting hours and season dates for waterfowl seasons occurring after Sept. 30 here.
Beginning Sept. 1, sportsmen can obtain applications for permit waterfowl hunts online, by visiting a Wildlife Service Agent or by calling 1 (888) 248-6834, Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The deadline for the majority of permit hunts is Oct. 1. More
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has clarified text related to Sunday hunting prohibitions on page 41 of its 2015-16 Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest. View the updates here.
The Wildlife Commission has confirmed that whirling disease, a disorder affecting trout, was found for the first time in North Carolina in rainbow trout collected from the Watauga River near Foscoe. The disease, caused by the microscopic parasite Myxobolus cerebralis, damages cartilage and skeletal tissue in a fish, causing it to swim in a whirling motion. While often fatal to juvenile fish, the disease does not infect humans or pets, and eating an infected fish is not known to cause any harmful effects. The Wildlife Commission has launched an aggressive plan to test for the presence of the disease in other bodies of water and to educate anglers on how to prevent the spread of whirling disease. More
The Wildlife Commission is asking for anglers’ assistance after reports of gill lice on rainbow trout in three western North Carolina trout streams were confirmed last week. These new reports of gill lice came on the heels of the recent confirmation of whirling disease in rainbow trout. To help prevent the spread of these and other aquatic nuisance species, anglers should: • Remove any visible mud, plants, fish or animals before transporting equipment; • Eliminate water from equipment before transporting; and, • Clean and dry anything that comes into contact with water.
An Angler Gear Care webpage lists other steps anglers can take to help prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species.
The Wildlife Commission is celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day on Sept. 26 at seven family-friendly events throughout the state. The events are free with the exception of two Greenwing fishing events. Activities vary from event to event but include air rifle shooting, archery, fishing, outdoor cooking, identifying insects, lure making, beekeeping, dog retriever demonstrations and much more! Visit our National Hunting and Fishing Day page for more details and to find an event near you.
The Wildlife Commission, along with State Highway Patrol and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, will continue the “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign throughout Labor Day weekend. According to data provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, alcohol was the leading factor in 21 percent of recreational boating deaths in 2014. Additionally, alcohol remains the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents. Boat operators charged with operating while impaired must make a court appearance and could face a maximum $1,000 fine and jail time. More
The always-popular 2016 North Carolina Wildlife Calendar is now available! Among the many features the calendar offers are outstanding wildlife art with profiles of each artist, fishing days and moon phase information and a detailed almanac. Get yours today at the N.C. Wild Store.
Learn more about the work Wildlife Commission staff is conducting on behalf of nongame wildlife and their habitats by reading the latest Wildlife Diversity Program quarterly report. Biologists in the Commission’s Wildlife Diversity Program conserve and promote nongame wildlife and their habitats through a variety of survey and monitoring programs, species management and habitat conservation or restoration projects.
The official Wildlife Commission Tundra Swan T-shirt will go into the vault at the end of September, so this is your last chance to buy this handsome, 100% cotton T-shirt featuring the Wildlife Commission’s official logo and this majestic migratory waterfowl. An enlarged image of the Tundra Swan is emblazoned across the back of the shirt. Purchase shirts in all sizes from Neuse Sport Shop.
Wildlife Commission Approves New Hunting Designation to Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land
Wildlife Commission Offers Two Free Deer Seminars in Raleigh
State Trout Hatcheries to Resume Stocking Fish after Testing Negative for Whirling Disease
Wildlife Commission Has New Location, New Exhibit at Mountain State Fair
Armstrong Hatchery Closes Road and Limits Access Hours during Construction
Practice Tree Stand Safety Before and During Hunting Seasons
Wildlife Officers Graduate from Basic Wildlife Law Enforcement Training
North Carolina Teams Win Championships in International Youth Shooting Sports Competition
Whirling Disease Impacts on Trout Populations in North Carolina
Surveys Reveal Critically Low Numbers of Black Rails in North Carolina
Wildlife Commission’s Brian Cookston Named State’s Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
N.C. Wildlife Update
Upland Gazette
WRC Rulemaking