RICHMOND COUNTY, NC - North Carolina sportsmen will have to keep a hunter’s watchful eye on the new 2018-2019 hunting regulations.
These proposed changes would mainly effect those who participate in deer and bear seasons. Throughout the proposal process the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission conducted biological evaluations and listened to the voices of Carolina hunters by conducting multiple surveys.
According to NCwildlife.org, “The biological evaluation of statewide deer herd suggested that the deer herd can be improved by reducing young buck harvest, shifting the time of harvest later in the year, and adjusting doe harvest rates.” The survey taken of 33,750 hunters also revealed that ”81 percent of hunters were willing to accept changes in deer hunting seasons to improve buck age structure and the quantity of the herd.” In addition, staff also proposed changes in the amount of antlered and antler-less deer bag limits.
One of the major changes in regulations involved implementing deer hunting seasons for each of the five seasons zones as shown in the chart below. This also includes changes to time frames and season lengths.
Along with this change, the commission also proposed to lower the season limit on antlered deer from four to two in the three eastern zones to equal regulations in the western half of the state that have been present for more than 15 years prior to this regulation change in the eastern zones. Antler-less deer would therefore be four per season, with the exception of bonus tags allowed only during urban archery seasons.
With the biological component and public opinion in mind, wildlife personnel proposed these new changes in order to improve the deer herd by reducing young buck harvest, shift the timing of the harvest relative for peak conception dates, and adjusting proposed season zones.
Deer hunters are not the only ones to give notice to new regulations, as bear season will also be under the proposal of regulation change. The Coastal Bear Management Unit is being reviewed to be separated into five hunting zones to align hunting seasons in these zones based upon biological data and bear hunter feedback.
Finally, for those ambitious hunters of the South searching for a change of game, alligator season has officially been proposed with a limited applied for permit. The bag limit will only reach one per permit, with a season limit of one alligator per permittee. However, any alligator taken by a lawful method would have to be dispatched immediately.
It is important to note that the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission is proposing changes based upon biological favor, as well as hunter success and opinion. It is not always easy to please each of these stakeholders when it comes to implementing regulations. If you participate in any of these seasons, take heed of these changes and stay informed for a successful hunt this year and for the years ahead.
Editor's note: This article was contributed by Callie Smith, a new addition to the team of writers at the Richmond Observer.
