While we learned last year that approved rules does not always mean they’ll make the New Regulation Book I think it is pretty safe to assume that most if not all will. There seems to be less opposition this year to the proposaled rules.
Commission Approves Hunting, Fishing Regulations
RALEIGH, N.C. (March 4, 2010) – After a yearlong process of gathering input from stakeholders, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has approved changes to state hunting, fishing and trapping regulations.
Following review of public comments received online and at nine public hearings held across the state in January, the Commission voted on the proposed regulations changes at a March 3 meeting.
Approved was a proposal to open squirrel (red and gray) season on the Monday on or nearest to Oct. 15 and extend the season until the end of February in order to align it with other small game seasons.
The Commission voted not to remove the elk from the state’s list of Special Concern species. Commissioners also voted down a proposal to prohibit the use of dogs for hunting deer on the Brinkleyville and Embro game lands, but approved a proposal to prohibit the use of dogs for hunting deer on Brunswick County game land.
The remaining hunting and fishing proposals were approved by the Commission.
Also approved were fishing proposals, including adding Wildcat Lake and almost two miles of Elk Hollow Branch in Avery County and a two-mile portion of the Yadkin River in Caldwell County as designated Public Mountain Trout Waters. Another approved proposal designed to simplify muskellunge regulations will establish a 42-inch minimum size limit and one-fish-daily creel limit for muskellunge for the entire state. In addition, the Commission approved a reduction in the minimum length of largemouth bass caught in Jordan and Falls of the Neuse reservoirs.
