RALEIGH — The holidays are here, and so are North Carolina’s most popular hunting days. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are traditionally very active hunting days, and with people continuing to recreate outdoors due to COVID-19, wildlife law enforcement officers at the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission expect this year will be no exception.
“Before you head out the door to hunt or fish, it’s important to make sure you have everything you need for an enjoyable and successful outing,” said Capt. Branden Jones of the agency’s Law Enforcement Division. “It’s easy to become complacent about safety when hunting and fishing with friends and family, but it’s imperative to keep safety as your number one priority. We want you to continue to make memories and enjoy the outdoors for many years to come.”
Jones offers these basic safety tips to hunters and anglers:
- Let someone know your whereabouts and an approximate return time.
- Always practice firearm safety and point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- Be aware of your surroundings, especially when preparing to shoot. Ensure that there aren’t any houses, vehicles or people in front of or behind your target.
- Wear an article of clothing featuring blaze orange. When boating, always wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved personal flotation device.
- Do not consume alcoholic beverages before or during hunting or boating.
A more in-depth review of safety precautions regarding hunting on land or in a vessel can be found on the agency’s Home From The Hunt webpage at ncwildlife.org/hfth. For regulations and restrictions on hunting on land and water, refer to the 2021-2022 Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest.
