CRC
Old Mossy Horns
If you hunt in Moore County, which season zone do you prefer under the balanced option?
Biologically, Moore County is a better fit in the potential Central Deer Season Zone under the
balanced option. This is largely due to fact that the timing of peak breeding aligns with the
average peak breeding date in the Central Deer Season Zone, and the timing of harvest in the
Central Deer Season Zone is a much better biological fit. The 2016 Survey of Deer Hunters
indicated most hunters in Moore County prefer their current 11-week gun season (current
Eastern Season) over the 8-week gun season in the Central Season Zone under the balanced
option. While biologically aligning with the Central Season Zone, Moore County was placed in
the potential Southeastern Deer Season Zone to maintain or increase hunter satisfaction through
maintaining an 11-week gun season. Most of Moore County was in the Central Deer Season
prior to 2010, and was moved to the Eastern Deer Season, not for biological reasons, but at the
request of a group of hunters that wanted to increase hunting opportunity. Numerous hunters
vocally expressed an interest in moving all of Moore County back to the Central Deer Season
Zone at the D6 forum to uphold pre-2010 hunting traditions, and to do what is biologically ideal
for managing the herd. Of the 30 attendees at the D6 Forum that had an interest in deer
management in Moore County, 83% thought Moore County belonged in the Central Deer Season
Zone under the balanced option.
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/Hunting/Documents/Deer/2017-Deer-Forum-Summary.pdf