CRC
Old Mossy Horns
NCWRC Big Game Committee
Looks like something is going to come out of the deer forums held this year
NCWRC to discuss changes to deer and bear seasons in Raleigh
- Thread starter CRC
- Start date
NCWRC Big Game Committee
Looks like something is going to come out of the deer forums held this year
That is what happened. I went to the meeting.
If the recommendation is accepted:
2 buck limit for entire state.
1 week muzzleloader season for entire state.
Deer season to end first Sunday of January for entire state.
Archery season will start at the current date.
Eastern Zone to be divided to Northeastern & Southeastern.
Western Zone gun season will be 6 weeks (starts Saturday after Thanksgiving)
Northwestern gun season will be 7 weeks (starts Saturday before Thanksgiving)
Central Zone gun season will be 8 weeks (starts 2 Saturdays before Thanksgiving)
Northeastern Zone gun season will be 10 weeks (starts Saturday closet to Oct 29.)
Southeastern Zone gun season will be 11 weeks (starts Saturday closet to Oct 22.)
Big changes to Bear Season both mountain and Eastern.
If the recommendation is accepted:
2 buck limit for entire state.
1 week muzzleloader season for entire state.
Deer season to end first Sunday of January for entire state.
Archery season will start at the current date.
Eastern Zone to be divided to Northeastern & Southeastern.
Western Zone gun season will be 6 weeks (starts Saturday after Thanksgiving)
Northwestern gun season will be 7 weeks (starts Saturday before Thanksgiving)
Central Zone gun season will be 8 weeks (starts 2 Saturdays before Thanksgiving)
Northeastern Zone gun season will be 10 weeks (starts Saturday closet to Oct 29.)
Southeastern Zone gun season will be 11 weeks (starts Saturday closet to Oct 22.)
Big changes to Bear Season both mountain and Eastern.
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Works for me.......going to be some chapped asses in the Northeastern season though
Homebrewale
Old Mossy Horns
Almost no reason to own a muzzleloader now.
Back when it was a one week deal .....it was always my favorite week....all the senior members would be in camp and my Dad would be there and we would stay all week.....play off baseball at night....great meals......and the smell of burning powder on the range......and no in line rifles.....true classic muzzleloaders.....it is what you make it. I guess you were speaking from a weekend hunter situation.....I can see your point there.
So, does the Saturday closest to October 29 mean the beginning of Muzzleloader or rifle?
Gun = Rifle
Homebrewale
Old Mossy Horns
Yes, I'm a weekend hunter for about another 5 years.
Got 3 to go to have 30 years, but will probably work til they run me off!!!
country
Ten Pointer
where do you see what counties are in each zone?
sure there is,,,,
- there is a season
- they are fun
- they are used during any season after archery season,,,
- did I mention they are fun?
- blackpowder smells way better after the shot than smokeless,,,
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
It had been one week for years and no big deal.
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
Thanks Jack's Pa for this info.
Sounds like exactly the same changes talked about at the forums minus getting rid of the bonus tags.
Sounds like exactly the same changes talked about at the forums minus getting rid of the bonus tags.
Downeast
Twelve Pointer
Pretty interesting. Who knows, maybe one day they may even get their seasons to match mine. 
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
4 antlerless limit?
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
Thank you very much.
Another thing I forgot to mention, in areas where does can only be taken certain weeks of gun season, those weeks will be moved to the beginning of gun season as opposed to the end.
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
That will be controversial up here in the mtns given that gun season starts on a Monday currently due to bear hunter opposition and no bear/deer overlap.
CRC
Old Mossy Horns
At the D-9 forum it was hinted that national forest lands (where a lot of people hunt bears using dogs) might not change the same as the private lands to prevent conflicts between the deer and bear hunters.
Again thanks for the info. We will see what happens in October.
Speed1
Eight Pointer
Just the way I remember it. I sure hope they go through with this, I gotta say, I would like it much better.
cheapdate
Eight Pointer
There is no way this will pass as proposed for the simple reason that I like all of it.
dlbaile
Ten Pointer
Sounds similar to what it used to be years ago before the change to what it is now, liked it then would like it now hope it passes.
stilker
Old Mossy Horns
Sounds great to me,but I live in the area with the longest gun season,lol
DRS
Old Mossy Horns
Give me one bit of proof a dropping the 4 buck limit to 2 will make a noticeable difference to the deer herd. Data shows the eastern season has the best harvest ratios of bucks by age than any other region. 1.5 to 3.5+ all in the 30 percentile range, with more in the 4.5 and 5.5 year age classes too. Better than Ohio or KY and right in line with the mid-western state's average. The percentage of buck kill decreased by 9% after the first 5 years the central season went from a limit of 4 to 2 bucks. Some years there is a variance of that much with out a limit change. However, lets say there is a 10% change in most places this would translate into 1 less buck killed by hunters, in most cases, on several thousand acres. Now, factor in other mortality, like disease, predators, cars and farmer depredation. Considering all of this, I very well doubt the average hunter in ENC will see a difference. All the data is in the deer study. I think this is a political move, if only done because of public opinion but when you look at the facts (data) this change is not backed by biological data from the study. I know many here disagree, but the data is there. If the NCWRC was so concerned about buck age structure they need to make some serious changes to the other regions of the state not eastern NC.
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DRS
Old Mossy Horns
Two. Some years I kill 3 some 4. I hunt multiple areas, all in dog counties and don't over harvest any one have access to over 13,000 acres of leased land and several hundred that I hunt solo. I usually take one buck off public land from a permit hunt and peculiar on what I take on the land I hunt by myself and usually take one there. That leaves 13,000 acres that I hunt with clubs that I may or may not kill a buck. The clubs are where I dog hunt of which takes most of my hunting time. There I even hold out for a decent buck, as do the majority of the members. If they pass a 2 buck limit I really fill like I'm wasting my money leasing land, because there would be no reason to hunt, as none of the places I hunt have a over abundance of does and the clubs generally have unwritten request not to harvest many does. We leave them to the new comers and children. A 2 buck limit is really a one buck limit and I don't want to have my hands tied with the amount of land I hunt, especially when there is no real reason. By the way I have finally gotten to the point where I can hunt a lot over, over 50 days of the season.
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