Last Updated on August 11, 2015 6:25 pm
Hunters in North Carolina are now allowed to hunt on Sundays with firearms, after the Governor signed the measure into law, however there are some exceptions.
House Bill 640 was signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory on July 8, 2015. In 2013 the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission adopted a resolution in support of Sunday hunting. “Allowing Sunday hunting on private lands will provide additional hunting days and additional options for youth and adults whose school and employment responsibilities limit their hunting opportunities to weekends,” said Gordon Myers, executive director of the Wildlife Commission, at the time.
Prohibited items for Sunday hunting in House Bill 640 are:
Hunting on Sunday between 9:30 A.M. and 12:30 P.M. except on controlled hunting licensed preserves.
Hunting of migratory birds.
The use of a firearm to take deer that are run or chased by dogs.
Hunting on within 500 yards of a place of worship or any accessory structure thereof, or within 500 yards of a residence not owned by the
landowner.
Hunting on Sunday in a county having a population greater than 700,000 people.
Hunters found in violation of any of the above face a Class 3 misdemeanor.
The law also states that “a county may adopt an ordinance to prohibit Sunday hunting prior to October 1, 2017, but any such ordinance shall not become effective until October 1, 2017. The remainder of this section becomes effective October 1, 2015.”
The use of archery equipment for Sunday hunting is already legal in the state.
No matter the day of the week in Watauga County it is illegal to hunt, take or kill any species of wild animal or wild bird by loaded firearm or lethal weapon from the right-of-way of any state-maintained road or to discharge a firearm or weapon across any such road.
