Why It Matters: Governed in-part by the notion that wildlife management decisions and regulations be decided using the best available science, the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is regarded as the most successful model of wildlife management in the world. Careful and strategic game management decisions coupled with funds generated as part of the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding have uniquely positioned North Carolina to explore a new big game hunting opportunity.
Highlights:
- On March 12, House Bill 382, sponsored by several members of the North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus), was filed, which would allow the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) to establish an elk season and issue two permits by raffle and auction for the 2026 hunting season.
- On March 6 at a Caucus breakfast in Raleigh, North Carolina, in coordination with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and NCWRC were able to discuss ongoing efforts to establish an elk hunt in North Carolina with legislators and partners.
- Ahead of its hearing in the House Wildlife Resources Committee, CSF submitted written testimony in support of House Bill 382.
- On March 25, House Bill 382 was reported favorably by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Committee and is now headed to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
The story of elk herds returning to the eastern United States is one of the most celebrated wildlife conservation success stories in North America. The decades long effort to restore a huntable population of elk to the mountains of North Carolina can be attributed to the relentless work of the NCWRC, RMEF, and the many other partner organizations and passionate sportsmen and women that have been involved in the process.
Now, an opportunity exists to make the dream of establishing an elk hunt a reality. House Bill 382 would allow the NCWRC to issue one resident elk permit by raffle and one by auction for the 2026 hunting season. This tag allocation approach would allow the NCWRC to maximize conservation funding through the auction permit while simultaneously offering equal opportunity for all of North Carolina’s sportsmen and women, which conforms to 7th pillar of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.
This unique opportunity exists thanks to critical conservation funding dollars generated through the “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). Decades of dedicated stewardship from the NCWRC, that has been primarily supported through the ASCF, has fostered a strong elk herd in North Carolina where a hunt, like proposed in House Bill 382, is now a possibility.
CSF looks forward to working with the Caucus, NCWRC, RMEF, and our other partners to support elk hunting opportunities for residents of the Old North State.
