Wildlife Commission Schedules Public Hearing on Temporary Rule Authorizing Still Hunting Zones on Game Lands

on Apr 16, 2014 05:30 PM • Views 274




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Media Contact: Isaac Harrold
919-707-0053
isaac.harrold@ncwildlife.org


RALEIGH (April 16, 2014) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will hold a public hearing on April 22 at its headquarters in Raleigh to accept public comments on a proposed temporary rule change authorizing the Commission to establish still hunting zones on game lands.

Under the proposed rule, the use of dogs for taking deer and bear will be prohibited on portions of game land posted as “Still Hunting Zone.” This new game land designation will provide an additional mechanism for addressing trespass and safety concerns of adjacent private landowners.

Text of the proposed temporary rule may be viewed on the Office of Administrative Hearings website at http://www.ncoah.com/rules/.

Before the Commission can post a Still Hunting Zone, the proposed rule requires the agency to conduct a public meeting in the area where the game land is located and requires presentation of public comments at an official Commission meeting for final determination.

If approved, the proposed temporary rule change will take effect July 1, 2014, enabling the Commission to schedule public meetings about establishing potential Still Hunting Zones in respective game lands. The temporary rule will remain effective for up to 270 days, during which time the Commission will pursue an identical permanent rule.

The public hearing will begin at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium Room 118 located on the 1st floor of the Wildlife Resources Commission headquarters at 1751 Varsity Drive on the Centennial Campus of N.C. State University in Raleigh.

Comments also may be submitted between April 16 and May 9, 2014, to regulations@ncwildlife.org or Kate Pipkin, 1722 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1722.

Read this and I am unclear if they are asking for the power to be able to do this or are they trying to designate certain areas as still hunting only. Looks like the want to get a temp. rule passed so they can hold dog hunting up this year until it can pass the General Assembly. I propose the question that we make areas dog hunting only!

If I am reading it right, this is about the same thing we went through a few years back on game land in Halifax and Warren counties. They have found another way to word the same thing. My personal feeling is the land owners are just trying to find away to get the ncwrc to run the game land in a way that just suits them and them only.

The link below is a summary of the temporary proposal: Last year a proposal was considered for no dog hunting on 5500 acres of Bladen Lakes State Forest Game Lands. It was tabled and never presented at the public hearings so now the have reduced the acreage to 1600 acres and need a temporary ruling to allow for "still hunting zones" so they can make this effective for the 2014-2015 season.

http://www.ncoah.com/rules/

So after a proposal is tabled (not presented at the regular proposal public hearings) , it is reintroduce( in short notice) in a different form that could effect more game lands than in the original proposal. Nothing in this temporary proposal would limit this ruling to the Bladen Lakes State Forest Game Lands for the 2014-2015 seasons.

I agree it does seem like a back door approach to the exact situation with the Enbro and Brinkleyville Game Lands in Halifax and Warren counties a couple years ago. This was also on the heels of the Upper Tar River Game Lands management meeting last week, where still hunters expressed concern over safety and days and/or areas set aside for still hunting. Don't know if this had a bearing or not though.

You can go on line to the NCWRC web site and make comments on game land management and this proposal for this temporary ruling.

Game Lands Management link (through May 15)
https://ncpaws.org/PAWS/WRC/PublicComments/PublicEntry/PublicComments.aspx

Proposal for Temporary regulation to allow "Still Hunting Zones" comments also may be submitted between April 16 and May 9, 2014, to regulations@ncwildlife.org or Kate Pipkin, 1722 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1722

When I Googled the link http://www.ncoah.com/rules/ it brings up the home page for Administration Hearings, then find Wildlife Resources Commission and click on it.

I Googled the game lands link and could go to that link.

If they get their way it will be give them the ammo to pick some gameland in the middle of the dog clubs so the Wardens can harass you. Please make an effort to come out-big dog hunter turn outs can't hurt!