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

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 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. (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. .....................

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.