Chapter 113

Before any employee of either the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources or the Department of Environmental Quality commissioned as a special peace officer shall exercise any power of arrest under this Article, the employee shall take the oaths required of public officers b…

It is unlawful for any person, while hunting or taking wild animals or wild birds as those terms are defined in G.S. 113-129 and G.S. 113-130, to discharge a firearm: (1) Carelessly and heedlessly in wanton disregard for the safety of others; or (2) Without due caution or circums…

(a) A person who violates the provisions of this Article is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as follows: (1) If property damage only results from the unlawful activity, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and the court shall order the payment of restitution to the property owner; (2) If bod…

Except as specifically permitted in this Subchapter or in rules made under the authority of this Subchapter, no person may take, possess, buy, sell, or transport any wildlife - whether dead or alive, in whole or in part. Nor may any person take, possess, buy, sell, or transport a…

(a) Except as otherwise provided, game may only be taken between a half hour before sunrise and a half hour after sunset and only by one or a combination of the following methods: (1) With a rifle, except that rifles may not be used in taking wild turkeys. (2) With a shotgun not …

(a) There is established the Beaver Damage Control Advisory Board. The Board shall consist of nine members, as follows: (1) The Executive Director of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, or his designee, who shall serve as chair; (2) The Commissioner of Agriculture, …

It is unlawful to intentionally feed alligators outside of captivity. (2007-401, s. 5.)

(a) The General Assembly finds that feral swine are an invasive species and are deemed destructive to property and to be a potential safety or health risk to people, livestock, and other native wildlife. (b) It is unlawful to remove feral swine from a trap while the swine is stil…

No State or local statutes, rules, regulations, or ordinances related to the capture, captivity, treatment, or release of wildlife shall apply to the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) between the dates of December 29 of each year and January 2 of each subsequent year. (2015…

(a) It is unlawful for a person to engage in computer-assisted remote hunting or provide or operate a facility that allows others to engage in computer-assisted remote hunting if the wild animal or wild bird being hunted or shot is located in this State. (b) For purposes of this …

(a) In accordance with the supply of wildlife and other factors it determines to be of public importance, the Wildlife Resources Commission may fix seasons and bag limits upon the wild animals and wild birds authorized to be taken that it deems necessary or desirable in the inter…

(a) Live wildlife and the nests and eggs of wild birds may be taken, possessed, transported, bought, sold, imported, exported, or otherwise acquired or disposed of only as specifically authorized in this Subchapter or its implementing rules. The Wildlife Resources Commission may …

(a) All of the regulatory powers granted the Wildlife Resources Commission generally with respect to game, wild animals, and wildlife apply to foxes unless there are specific overriding restrictions in this section. (b) Except for any closed season under subsection (h), foxes may…

(a) There is an open season for the taking of foxes with firearms in all areas of the State east of Interstate Highway 77 and in Mitchell and Caldwell Counties from the beginning of the season established by the Wildlife Resources Commission for the taking of rabbits and quail th…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, there is an open season for taking foxes with weapons and for foxes and coyotes by trapping during the trapping season set by the Wildlife Resources Commission each year, with no tagging requirements prior to or after sale. (b) No b…

(a) Except as provided in G.S. 113-291.4, in the area described below, the Wildlife Resources Commission may regulate the use of dogs taking wildlife with respect to seasons, times, and places of use. The area covered by this subsection is that part of the State in and west of th…

(a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to recognize that hunting with dogs is a valuable part of the outdoor heritage of the State of North Carolina, and it is further the intent of the General Assembly to encourage cooperative and neighborly agreements between landowners a…

(a) No one may take wild animals by trapping upon the land of another without having in his possession written permission issued and dated within the previous year by the owner of the land or his agent. This subsection does not apply to public lands on which trapping is not speci…

(a) Local acts closing the season on bears are exempted from the provisions of G.S. 113-133.1(b) until July 1, 1981. After that date any local acts setting a year-round closed season on bears which have not by their terms expired are temporarily retained until the Wildlife Resour…

(a) Any person hunting game animals other than foxes, bobcats, raccoons, and opossum, or hunting upland game birds other than wild turkeys, or hunting feral swine, with the use of firearms, must wear a cap or hat on his head made of hunter orange material or an outer garment of h…

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, there is an open season for taking beaver with firearms or bow and arrow during any open season for the taking of wild animals, provided that permission has been obtained from the owner or lessee of the land on which the beaver is being taken. (…

(a) The Wildlife Resources Commission is authorized to authorize, license, regulate, prohibit, prescribe, or restrict all fishing in inland fishing waters, and the taking of inland game fish in coastal fishing waters, with respect to: (1) Time, place, character, or dimensions of …

(a), (b) Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 830, s. 1. (c) It is unlawful for any person in inland fishing waters: (1) To set a net of any description across the main channel of any river or creek; (2) To erect so as to extend more than three fourths of the distance across any riv…

(a) Any person who unlawfully sells, possesses for sale, or buys any wildlife is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00), unless a greater penalty is prescribed for the offense in question. (b) Any person who unla…

(a) There is established in the Office of the State Treasurer the Wildlife Poacher Reward Fund. Monies in the Fund shall be used to pay rewards to persons who provide information to the Wildlife Resources Commission or to law enforcement authorities that results in the arrest and…

(a) It is unlawful for a person to interfere intentionally with the lawful taking of wildlife resources or to drive, harass, or intentionally disturb any wildlife resources for the purpose of disrupting the lawful taking of wildlife resources. It is unlawful to take or abuse prop…

(a) The Disabled Sportsman Program is established, to be developed and administered by the Wildlife Resources Commission. The Disabled Sportsman Program shall consist of special hunting and fishing activities adapted to the needs of persons with the disabilities described in subs…

(a) Any person whose physical disability makes it impossible for the person to hunt or fish by conventional methods for one year or more may apply to the Wildlife Resources Commission for a hunting or fishing methods exemption allowing that person to hunt or fish in a manner that…

Any person who knowingly uses facilities or participates in activities provided by the Wildlife Resources Commission for disabled sportsmen, when that person does not meet the qualifications for use of those facilities or participation in those activities, is guilty of a Class 3 …

Notwithstanding G.S. 113-291.1(b)(1), employees of the Wildlife Resources Commission and employees of federal agencies whose responsibilities include fisheries and wildlife management, in the performance of such employees' official duties, may cull feral swine from aircraft, with…

(a) It shall be the duty of the Department, by investigation, recommendation and publication, to aid: (1) In the promotion of the conservation and development of the natural resources of the State; (2) In promoting a more profitable use of lands and forests; (3) Repealed by Sessi…

No one may take any wild animal or bird with the use of any poison or pesticide except as provided in this Article. The taking of fish by the use of poison is governed by G.S. 113-261 and G.S. 113-262, and the prohibitions of those sections against the taking of wildlife by poiso…

(a) When there is a factual basis for the declaration, any wild animal or bird may be declared a pest by: (1) The Commissioner of Agriculture under the Structural Pest Control Act of North Carolina of 1955, as amended, in Article 4C of Chapter 106 of the General Statutes, in acco…

(a) Each day in which poisons or pesticides are used unlawfully in taking wild animals or birds constitutes a separate offense. (b) Any taking of a wild animal or bird in willful violation of this Article or in willful violation of any restrictions imposed by the Commissioner of …

This Article may be cited as the "Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact." (2008-120, s. 1.)

The Governor shall execute an Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact on behalf of the State of North Carolina with any state of the United States legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows: Article I. Findings, Declaration of Policy, and Purpose. (a) The party sta…

(a) The Chair of the Wildlife Resources Commission, in consultation with the Chair of the Marine Fisheries Commission and the Fisheries Director, shall appoint the Compact Administrator for North Carolina. The Compact Administrator shall serve at the pleasure of the Chair of the …

It is unlawful for a person whose license, privilege, or right to hunt, fish, trap, possess, or transport wildlife has been suspended or revoked under the provisions of this Article to exercise that right or privilege within this State or to purchase or possess a license granting…

(a) The Wildlife Resources Commission must prepare and distribute to license agents informational materials relating to hunting, fishing, trapping, and boating laws and rules administered by the Wildlife Resources Commission. The materials furnished an agent should be appropriate…

(a) Except as provided below, possession of game or game fish in any hotel, restaurant, cafe, market, or store, or by any produce dealer, constitutes prima facie evidence of possession for the purpose of sale. This subsection does not apply to: (1) Possession of propagated game b…

(a) Protectors are authorized to enter and make a reasonable inspection at an appropriate time of day of any premises in which a person subject to administrative control under G.S. 113-276.2 conducts his operations to determine whether any wildlife on the premises is possessed in…

All arrest fees and other fees that may be charged in any bill of costs for service of process by protectors must be paid to the county in which the trial is held. No witness fee may be taxed in any bill of costs by virtue of the appearance of a protector as a witness in a crimin…

The Wildlife Resources Commission is empowered to make reciprocal agreements with other jurisdictions respecting the matters governed in this Subchapter. Pursuant to such agreements the Wildlife Resources Commission may by rule modify provisions of this Subchapter in order to eff…

The Wildlife Resources Commission is empowered to enter into cooperative agreements with public and private agencies and individuals respecting the matters governed in this Subchapter. Pursuant to such agreements the Wildlife Resources Commission may expend funds, assign employee…

(a) In the overall best interests of the conservation of wildlife resources, the Wildlife Resources Commission may lease or purchase lands, equipment, and other property; accept gifts and grants on behalf of the State; establish wildlife refuges, management areas, and boating and…

To the extent that the Wildlife Resources Commission is granted authority under this Chapter or under any other provision of law, including Chapter 75A of the General Statutes, over subject matter as to which there is concurrent federal jurisdiction, the Wildlife Resources Commis…

(a) The consent of the General Assembly of North Carolina is hereby given to the making by the Congress of the United States, or under its authority, of all such rules and regulations as the federal government shall determine to be needful in respect to game animals, game and non…

The definitions as given in G.S. 113-128 shall apply to this Article, except that the following will additionally apply: (1) Agency: A group or an association which shall make applications and otherwise act for the fishing and seafood industry or a distinguishable part thereof. (…

It is declared to be in the interest of the public welfare of North Carolina that those engaged in "coastal fisheries," as defined in G.S. 113-129, shall be permitted and encouraged to act jointly and cooperatively for the purposes of promoting the common good, welfare, and advan…

No association, meeting or activity undertaken in pursuance of the provisions of this Article and intended to benefit all of the coastal fisheries or distinguishable part thereof hereinunder certified by the Marine Fisheries Commission shall be deemed or considered illegal or in …