Wildlife Commission Adopts 44 Proposed Rules for 2020-21 Seasons

RALEIGH, NC (February 28, 2020) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission voted at its business meeting on Thursday to adopt rules related to wildlife management, fisheries, game lands and law enforcement for the 2020-21 seasons. The Commission adopted all 44 proposals presented at public hearings in January, though several were modified before adoption. The effective date for these regulations is Aug. 1, 2020.

During the open comment period, the Commission received input from constituents regarding the proposed changes. Commissioners carefully weighed those comments and amended the following proposed rules prior to voting in favor of them:

* Big Game Harvest Reporting: Big game harvested in remote areas must be registered by 12:00 p.m., the day after leaving the remote area. Big game harvested in remote areas may be placed in the possession of another person, provided that the person in possession of the big game has the successful hunter’s name and harvest date on their person. If the carcass cannot be transported intact, the harvested big game must be skinned and dismembered before registration.

* Cervid Excretions: No person may possess or use any substance or material that contains or claims to contain any excretion collected from a cervid, including feces, urine, blood, gland oil, or other bodily fluid for the purposes of taking or attempting to take, attracting, or scouting wildlife. This prohibition does not apply to natural substances collected by an individual from non-farmed cervids legally taken in North Carolina or synthetic products.

* Pee Dee River Game Land: Pursuing or chasing deer or bear with dogs for the purposes of training or hunting is prohibited on the portion of the game land south of US-74.

* Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days: On designated veterans/military waterfowl days, veterans and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty other than for training, with valid credentials may hunt on game lands and impoundments not designated as permit-only areas from a half hour before sunrise to sunset.

To view the full text of all proposed regulations, view the exhibits within the February 27, 2020 Commission meeting agenda package.