Please Stand-Up and Make Your Voices Heard!

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has opened for public comment proposed regulatory changes to the fishing, hunting, and trapping seasons for 2009-2010.  The Commission should be commended for offering what is an unprecedented expansion of hunting opportunities in the Tar Heel State.  It is essential that sportsmen submit public comments in support of the proposed changes in order to ensure that they are enacted for the coming season.  Some of the proposed changes include:

• Removing the daily bag limit for deer;
• Dramatically expanding rifle hunting opportunities for deer;
• Extending the current muzzleloading season from one week to two weeks without detracting from the current archery hunting opportunities;
• Establishing a single, uniform deer season on private lands in order to eliminate much of the confusion and complexity associated with the current district-based system; and,
• Expanding hunting opportunities on game lands.

All of the proposed changes can be found by visiting http://www.ncwildlife.org and selecting “2009 Proposed Regulations & Public Hearing Schedule.” 

NRA encourages its members and the hunting community to submit comments supporting the efforts to expand hunting opportunities proposed by the NCWRC.  Comments may be conveniently submitted online by going to www.ncwildlife.org and selecting the link to “Submit Comments Online,” or by going directly to the comments page at http://www.ncwildlife.org/ProposedRegulations/Main.aspx.  

Comments will be accepted until Sunday, February 1, 2009.  There is also a schedule for public hearings, beginning Monday, January 5, 2009, that can be found when you select “2009 Proposed Regulations & Public Hearing Schedule.”  NRA encourages members and hunters to attend these hearings to show their support for the NCWRC proposals.

The importance of supportive public comments in this process cannot be overestimated.  Remember that the anti-hunting radicals will be submitting comments in opposition to the expanded opportunities!