Contact: John Culclasure, Southeastern States Assistant Director
On December 1, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) opened the public comment period for proposed rule changes for the 2021-2022 seasons, including three rule proposals that would open Sunday hunting on 51 Game Lands.
Since the passage of the Outdoor Heritage Enhanced Act of 2017, which transferred regulatory authority for public lands Sunday hunting from the legislature to the WRC, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has worked to encourage the WRC to move forward with rulemaking to allow Sunday hunting on Game Lands
No Game Lands are currently open for Sunday hunting, and hunters are the only user-group excluded from Game Lands on Sundays.
In October, CSF and a coalition of in-state and national partners submitted a letter to the WRC expressing support for opening Sunday hunting. Expanding Sunday hunting opportunities is critical to hunter recruitment, retention and reactivation efforts. Additionally, opening Sunday hunting on Game Lands would support conservation funding for the WRC and benefit North Carolina’s economy.
CSF encourages sportsmen and women that hunt in North Carolina to comment in support of the following proposed rules:
Furthermore, rule proposal G20 proposes to prohibit bear hunting on Sunday in 19 Game Lands in the Coastal Bear Management Unit.
Comments may be submitted online through February 1. Feedback can also be provided at the public meetings, three in-person and one virtual, in January.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
