Chris Maroldy
Remember Steve Martin in “The Jerk?”
“The new phone book’s here! The new phone book’s here!”
Well, that’s not exactly how excited I get when the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission announces their proposed regulation changes for the next year’s hunting, fishing and trapping seasons, but it’s a reference point that got you reading this far.
You can view the proposals and submit comments at the Commission’s website. Go to ncwildlife.gov/hunting/regulations/proposed-regulations and look for the on-line, email and snail mail links and instructions by Sep. 2, 2025 if you want your thoughts considered.
Here’s a run-down—and my take—on some of the more important hunting rules proposals that might come to pass for the 2026-2027 season.
A solid handful have to do with the state’s attempt to contain the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in the whitetail deer population. Unfortunately, this means archery season could take it on the chin (once again!) at least in what would be designated “CWD Management Area” counties.
A proposal for Cumberland, Forsyth, Stokes, Surrey, Wilkes and Yadkin counties would take the last week of bow season and open it to muzzleloaders, the same way the WRC has done in the past even in non-CWD times, whenever it has wanted to kill more deer with a more efficient weapon and a greater horde of hunters.
But who can blame them? North Carolina’s deer herd over much of the state is out of whack. Whether you look at age structure, sex ratio or overall health conditions, there is much room for improvement for both bucks and does.
To a certain extent, letting more hunters loose in the woods for longer periods of time can help with that, but it’s not a focused approach.
I applaud it in CWD areas. But I’ve been around a long time, and I’m afraid the NCWRC’s attitude has been more “Endeavor to persevere” for manageable mediocrity than “Let’s build a quality deer herd and a quality hunting experience.”
Anyone who has hunted the last day of bow season and then showed up for the first day of blackpowder knows what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.
On the other hand, if the WRC has its way with the current proposals, the doe harvest opportunities in the western part of the state will increase in Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Madison, Michell, Yancey, Cleveland, Polk and Rutherford counties.
But wait! There’s more!
In a very interesting creative twist, someone whispering in the Commission’s ear has suggested a two-day Velvet Season for the CWD counties, again in the name of killing more deer to tamp down the spread of the disease. So there is a proposal for a two-day antlered-bucks-only season on private and public land in the CWD management area counties for the weekend of the fourth Saturday in August.
This is a much earlier Opening Day than any part of North Carolina has ever had since hunting regulations became a thing, as far as I know. A buck in velvet, before it sheds and the beast becomes “hard-horned,” is considered a unique trophy.
I have run into some Western hunters who turn up their noses. But that’s why we don’t let them settle in Dixie, right?
Morons.
I think the proposed Velvet Season is a sign that the WRC isn’t completely hide- bound. It took years of pleading to expand the range of weapons that could be used to hunt rabbits, but all of a sudden in 2025 here we are with a good shot at a South Carolina-style August deer opener next year, albeit extremely limited.
I wonder if this might open the door to an earlier archery season in other parts of the state. It wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but in many ways it would be more attractive than extending any deer seasons into the late winter, if the goal is to expand hunting opportunities, take more deer, and/or identify antlered deer to either take them or protect them.
One more thing to keep an eye on that is somewhat CWD related: deer carcass transportation rule changes. The proposal is extremely vague, with language proposing only “transportation rules to emphasize disposal”—with requirements that non-edible portions be disposed of in a lined landfill, buried under specific conditions or left on the ground in the county of origin. This proposal is for state-wide adoption.
I’m not sure what the point of it is. In an effort to simplify current rules and enhance compliance, it does seem to preclude throwing remains in a creek, or into the woods behind the house to draw coyotes when you get home, though.
So it has that going for it, which is nice.
More good news:
We’re probably headed toward allowing bow hunting on Game Lands within 150 yards of a residence. Currently all hunting weapons are verboten in that wide swath, and increasing development near public hunting land borders is removing large areas of usable ground from hunters’ inventory.
There’s no reason archery equipment should have been included in the no-go zone regulation in the first place.
As my grandmother used to say, “Good riddance to bad rubbish.”
For another possible win for public land hunters, spring squirrel season may be expanded to public land. This is very welcome. Tar Heels just got a spring bushytail hunt a few seasons back, after years of lobbying. Adding the opportunity to hunt public land does all sorts of good without hurting the resource.
It’s proposed that the season be adjusted so that does not overlap turkey season, which is a smart move. Will Memorial Day skwirl hunts give Labor Day dove shoots a run for their money on the social calendar? I can smell the eats right now… Mmmmm…
Speaking of smart moves, camping season on Game Lands is up for extension, to match adjustments in the turkey season. I doubt anybody will oppose this, but you never know. I’ve been at many public hearings featuring Karen, the arrow-adverse Game Lands neighbor, and she held sway ‘til now, despite all common sense.
So you should put in your vote “fer” to counter her “ag’in’.”
Because to quote my dad: “There are more nuts than squirrels.”
So be ready. Comment, or suck up your tears.
And that’s all I have to say about that.