Why It Matters: Hunters work tirelessly to prepare year-round to pursue their favorite game species. As months turn into weeks and weeks turn into days, hunters dial in their calls, weapons of choice, and perhaps most importantly – the coveted in location as seasons approach. Hunters, especially in the East, often rely on private land for access. With over 80% of North Carolina’s lands being privately owned, private land is essential for hunting and fishing access as well as fish and wildlife conservation efforts.
Highlights:
- On February 27, Senate Bill 220, sponsored by several members of the North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus), was introduced which would strengthen private property protections by requiring that individuals receive permission before accessing public trust waters from land; or before hunting, fishing, or trapping on private land that is not posted in accordance with the provisions of S. 14-159.7.
- On April 8, Senate Bill 220 was amended to remove a section that would have prohibited the launching of motorized or non-motorized boats from a public right-of-way.
- Senate Bill 220 subsequently passed out of committee as amended and passed the Senate on a 40-2 vote and is now awaiting further consideration by the House.
More than 80% of land in North Carolina is privately owned, which underscores the importance of uniform private property protections. While North Carolina offers a wide variety of public lands open to pursuing your favorite game species, many hunters rely on private land to pursue our favorite time-honored traditions.
Access is constantly at the forefront of the minds of sportsmen and women regardless of the game species that they look to pursue. Hunters often count on the generosity of private landowners to either grant permission to hunt their property or allow for a property to be leased for hunting. By strengthening private property protections, and in turn combatting trespassing, both landowners and hunters who depend on private land for hunting access will benefit from the changes proposed in Senate Bill 220.
Furthermore, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) supports the removal of language from Senate Bill 220 that would have prevented a person from launching a motorized or unmotorized boat from a public right-of-way. If done safely, public right-of-ways offer valuable fishing access to public water. Further, anglers are the primary conservation funding source for fisheries management in North Carolina through license sales and matching federal funds through the Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration Act, also known as the Dingell Johnson Act, which places a 10% excise tax on fishing equipment. Through this “user pays – public benefits” structure of the American System of Conservation Funding, critical conservation dollars are provided to manage public trust fisheries resources in North Carolina.
CSF celebrates the win for fisheries access and looks forward to working with the Caucus and our partners to strengthen private property protections and promote equitable access for North Carolina’s sportsmen and women.
