This term refers to wildlife causing property damage. Depredating wildlife may be taken both with and without a permit under certain conditions. How one should dispose of the wildlife taken as a result of depredation depends on the species taken and whether or not a Depredation Permit was issued.
| Wildlife
Taken Without a Depredation Permit |
Wildlife
Taken with a Depredation Permit |
Beaver Depredation |
Wildlife Taken Without a Depredation Permit: North Carolina Statute allows landholders to take wildlife at any time with firearms without a permit or license while it is in the act of destroying their property. Exceptions to this include certain state or federally protected wildlife species such as endangered, threatened, or species of special concern or most species of birds except Upland Game Birds (see Definition of Terms), pigeons, starlings, English sparrows, blackbirds, crows and grackles.
Wildlife taken without a permit must be disposed of in a "safe and sanitary manner" on the property where they were taken. The animals may only be taken on the property of the landholder. If the carcasses are transported off the property, or there is a need to utilize the meat for food purposes, or a manner of take other than firearms is required (see exception below), a Depredation Permit will be required.
If you are trapping an animal inside your residential structure (house, apartment, etc.) and plan to release it or dispose of it on the property where taken, no permit is required.
The killing and method of disposition of wildlife taken for depredation without a permit, shall be reported to the Wildlife Resources Commission within 24 hours following the time of such killing.
Wildlife Taken with a Depredation Permit: A state Depredation Permit is required for taking wildlife causing damage except under the conditions mentioned above. The only exception is that pigeons, starlings, and English sparrows do not require a state permit. To obtain a depredation permit, contact the Division of Wildlife Management Office (919) 707-0050, your local Wildlife Biologist, Enforcement Officer, or any one of the over 160 licensed commercial Wildlife Damage Control Agents in the state. Contact your local Cooperative Extension Office, Division of Wildlife Management, or click on the following link for a current list of Wildlife Damage Control Agents.
Depredation Permits are free of charge. (Wildlife Damage Control Agents are not officials of the Wildlife Commission and may charge for their time associated with a wildlife damage investigation or animal removal) Each permit must be issued to the landholders but a second party may be listed to actually take the wildlife causing damage. Permits will list species, county, specific location, property damaged, number to taken, expiration date, method used, and other restrictions. You should ask the issuing party about proper disposal of the animals taken under a Depredation Permit if not shown under other restrictions on the permit itself. Depredation Permits for Big Game species, endangered, threatened, or special concern will only be issued by an official of the Wildlife Resources Commission. Wildlife Damage Control Agents are not allowed to issue permits for these species. Big Game taken under a Depredation Permit must be reported on the form provided.
Beaver Depredation: The General Assembly has passed special depredation laws relating to beaver. Any landholder experiencing property damage may trap or shoot beaver on their property at anytime without any special permit. They may also employ the assistance of other individuals in controlling the beaver. These individuals also are not required to have a permit or license to take beaver as long as they are on the property of the landholder experiencing damage. If these animals are to be sold however, trapping seasons and license or depredation permit requirements do apply.