Press release from NC Wildlife:
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will conduct a public hearing in Clyde on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. to take comments on proposed changes to 39 agency regulations related to wildlife management, fisheries and game lands for the 2017-18 seasons. The public hearing will be held at the Haywood Community College auditorium located at 185 Freelander Dr. in Clyde.
Three proposed regulations would redefine youth as anyone under 18 years old and allow them to participate during the youth either-sex deer hunts (H2), Youth Deer Hunting Day (H2), Spring Youth-only Wild Turkey Season (H2), Youth-only Delayed Harvest Trout Water Season (F9), and any youth hunts on game lands (G2). Under these proposals, licensing requirements would not change.
One proposed hunting regulation seeks to create a third archery season segment in the Western deer season. The season would open the Sunday immediately following the last day of gun season and close on Jan. 1 for antlered bucks only (H1). This proposal would add three weeks of additional archery hunting opportunity in the Western deer season. A biological evaluation shows negligible impacts of this proposed change to the deer population in the Western deer season.
A fishing-related proposed regulation would allow bank angling on Lake Calderwood in Graham County under the reciprocal fishing license agreement between North Carolina and Tennessee (F16). The proposed change was requested by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Lake Calderwood is bisected by the North Carolina/Tennessee State Line and is jointly managed by the Commission and TWRA for put-and-take trout fishing. Both the Commission and TWRA stock trout into the reservoir. The lake is designated as Public Mountain Trout Waters and classified as Hatchery Supported Trout Waters. Angler access to the lake is limited to a boat ramp and a half-mile of shoreline, all of which are located in North Carolina. An existing reciprocal fishing license agreement between the two states allows licensed anglers of either state to fish the entire reservoir from a boat, but does not allow Tennessee-licensed anglers to fish from shore in North Carolina.
A new game land regulation would establish the William H. Silver Game Land in Haywood County as a six-day-per-week game land with an introductory either-sex deer season (G14). The Conservation Fund conveyed the 561-acre Sheepback Mountain property in the Maggie Valley area of Haywood County to the state as a bargain sale in March 2016. Another 409-acre tract was donated in August. The Conservation Fund has also committed to convey three additional tracts in the near future in a combination of donations and bargain sale transactions. These properties will be managed as a new game land complex totaling 1,925 acres.
More information on all of the proposed regulations to the agency’s wildlife management, game lands, fishing and other agency regulations for the 2017-18 seasons can be found online.
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