NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1981 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 681

HOUSE BILL 1030

 

 

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE CONTROLLED HARVEST OF ANTLERLESS DEER IN AREAS OF OVERPOPULATION.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1. G.S. 113-291.2 is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof a new subsection (e) to read as follows:

"(e)       Upon application of any landholder or agent of a landholder accompanied by a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00), the Executive Director may require a survey of the deer population on the land of such landholder. If as a result of the survey it is determined that there is an overpopulation of deer in relation to the carrying capacity of the land, that the herd is substantially dependent on such land for its food and cover, and that the imbalance in the deer population is not readily correctable by an either-sex deer season of reasonable length, the Executive Director may issue to such landholder or agent a number of special antlerless deer tags that in the judgment of the Executive Director is sufficient to correct or alleviate the population imbalance. Subject to applicable hunting license requirements and bag, possession and season limits, the special deer tags may be used by any person or persons selected by the landholder or his agent as authority to take antlerless deer, including male deer with 'buttons' or spikes not readily visible, on the tract of land concerned during such period of time as shall be prescribed by the Executive Director beginning after November 1 and ending no later than the close of the male deer season in the locality. Each antlerless deer killed shall be affixed immediately with a special antlerless deer tag in addition to the required big game tag, and shall be reported immediately in the wildlife cooperator tagging book supplied with the special antlerless deer tags. This tagging book and any unused tags shall be returned to the Commission within 15 days of the close of the season. Each such deer shall count as part of the daily bag, possession, and season limits of the person taking the deer."

Sec. 2. This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 25th day of June, 1981.