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Hunters speak out against proposed change to deer season
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Published: January 16, 2009
Hunters packed the auditorium of Starmount High School last night to speak out against a single, uniform deer season across North Carolina.
Some people who spoke at the public hearing held by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said that extending the gun season on private properties by an estimated nine weeks would put more pressure on deer to move farther back in the woods.
Others said it would ruin the buck population.
"Why not empower our biologists to make decisions instead of our commissioners," asked Curtis Church of Wilkes County. "If you want young kids to hunt … you need to entertain ideas to help young bucks reach a mature age."
The hunting change would extend gun season from mid-October to Jan. 1.
About 300 to 350 people sat and stood inside the auditorium. The crowd spilled out into the hallways.
Gordon Myers, the executive director of the wildlife commission, said he didn't anticipate so many people.
Many who spoke were archers and muzzleloaders. They traditionally have early deer season to themselves and worry that if guns start going off in October deer will change their pattern of movement.
But others said they worried about hunters getting in the woods early and taking young bucks.
"If you give the average guy an extra four to five weeks to hunt, you're going to ruin the buck population," said Mike Hodges of Surry County.
With North Carolina's population of white-tailed deer estimated at 1.1 million and the number of deer collisions reported last year at 18,000, there is a need to control the deer population, hunters say.
But most who spoke last night said that extending the season isn't the answer.
At least two people spoke in favor of extending the season, though.
Gary Adams of Forsyth County said he wasn't so much concerned with the start of the deer season as when it ends.
"There's a bunch of us that have been coming to the commission asking to hunt until Jan. 1 so we can hunt with our kids," Adams said.
The wildlife commission has scheduled 10 public hearings during January in each of the wildlife resources districts and in Raleigh.
Last night's public hearing was for residents in District 7, which includes Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Davie, Forsyth, Iredell, Surry, Stokes, Watauga, Wilkes and Yadkin counties.
In addition to proposed changes to hunting and trapping regulations, the wildlife commission is also considering changes to fishing regulations. The public comment period will end Feb. 1.
Wildlife commissioners will meet again Feb. 11 in Raleigh but aren't expected to vote on the proposals until their meeting March 4.
■ For a list of proposals and public hearings, go to
www.ncwildlife
.org
.
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