WILMINGTON — For many, the call of the great outdoors is something to look forward to during the work week. Hunting and fishing are good ways to exercise, and help people enjoy our state’s natural resources.
For hunters though, the weekends have been bittersweet, as Sunday has long been closed to the sport. But, that changed this past week with the passing of the so called “Outdoor Heritage Enhanced” act, or HB 599, enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly.
This new law will allow sportsman to hunt on Sundays, but there will be a few restrictions.
According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission website, this law “will increase opportunities to hunt wild animals and upland game birds on private lands. The law also gives authority to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and other public landowners to implement new options for Sunday hunting on public lands.”
Private land
In essence, on private property, hunters can begin hunting on Sundays immediately. The law allows for sportsman to hunt within 500 yards of a residence, which the commission notes will potentially open “millions of acres of private land,” previously off limits to hunting.
However, hunters may not hunt at any time on Sunday within 500 yards of a place of worship, or hunt deer using dogs, which are loud and can potentially disturb worshipers.
Also, in an effort to preserve the peace, hunters will not be able to hunt using a firearm between the hours of 9:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. This rule will not apply to private land, like hunting preserves, which are properly licensed in accordance to G.S. 113.273(g).
Public land
On public lands, the state is leaving the decision of Sunday hunts up to land managers, as well as state-run organizations like the Wildlife Resources Commission. The rules will be structured similarly to those of private lands, with just a few differences.
According to the Wildlife Resources Commission, if public land managers allow Sunday hunting on lands under their control, hunters remain prohibited from hunting with a firearm between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m, from hunting deer with the use of dogs, and from hunting within 500 yards of a place of religious worship.
While this new law does bring the possibility of opening hundreds of thousands of acres public land in North Carolina to Sunday hunts, it will, for the time being, remain prohibited on lands operated by the Wildlife Resources Commission.
The commission’s website states that, “the Commission will implement a collaborative and inclusive process with constituents to evaluate options and opportunities to open Sunday hunting with firearms on the approximately 500,000 acres of game lands owned by the Commission. The process will include consideration of all user-group perspectives.”
According to the commission, there are over 2 million acres enrolled in its game-land program, with 1.5 million of that owned by corporate and federal partners.
In an effort to evaluate the potential of opening this land for public hunting on Sundays, the commission will work with controlling groups to determine that proper steps are taken going forward.
“The Commission will work collaboratively with governmental, private, and corporate partners to determine interest in allowing opportunities to hunt on Sundays with a firearm on the approximately 1.5 million acres of game lands owned by those partners,” the website states. “If these partners are willing to consider this option, then the Commission will follow the process described for Commission-owned game lands.”
Waterfowl and migratory bird hunting
Federally regulated migratory game birds, like ducks and geese, remain completely off limits to hunt Sundays for the time being.
However, this new legislation gives the commission the ability to “lift the prohibition on migratory bird hunting after March 1, 2018.” That means that, as soon as next season, waterfowl hunters could have the opportunity to gain an extra day of hunting each week.
The Commission will be required to conduct a study that will consider the “biological and resource management impacts, economic impacts, and social impacts associated with hunting migratory birds on Sundays.”
The state will have to take this study seriously, and evaluate all possible avenues going forward. These migratory species are integral to the environment, as well as sportsman from Canada to Mexico.
For more information on this new legislation, visit ncwildlife.org. To view the new rules and regulations, visit the Outdoor Heritage Enhanced Law page.
Get in touch with Reporter Cory Mannion: follow him on Facebook, Twitter, or send an email at [email protected].
