Outdoor Journal

Line item: If the Founding Fathers hadn’t been so busy throwing off the yoke of British imperialism, they might have found more time to toss a line in their favorite fishing holes. You can celebrate freedom on July 4 by enjoying a free day of fishing. That’s right—no license needed for the 24 hours that fall between July 3 and July 5. (Some restrictions do apply, dear skinflint, namely creel limits and bait and tackle restrictions.)

N.C. Wildlife Commission fisheries program manager Kent Nelson calls it “a great way to spend quality time with your kids outdoors and develop an interest in nature and conservation.” We call it a great deal.

Once Independence Day is past, anglers can get a one-year comprehensive freshwater license for $20. To purchase one, visit www.ncwildlife.org , call 1-888-248-6834 or visit one of the nearly 1,000 licensing agents located across the state. 

Shooters’ school: Ah fall—the smell of coffee and sweet rolls in the pre-dawn hour, the crunch of frosted leaves underfoot, the sight of a monster buck foraging lazily in the near distance. Blammo! Hunting season may be months away, but summer is an ideal time to enroll in a Hunter Education Course. The N.C. Wildlife Commission offers them throughout the state, and the lessons don’t stop at how to load and aim a gun. They include information about hunter ethics and responsibility, conservation and game management, wildlife identification, survival and first aid. 

What’s more, state law requires all first-time hunting-license buyers to have successfully completed a hunter-education course. For more information, call (919) 707-0031.

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