The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has approved changes to the state’s wildlife management, game land and fishing regulations for the 2014-15 season.

These new regulations will take effect Aug. 1, 2014.

Following a process of reviewing public comments on the proposed changes, the Commission voted to adopt the regulation changes at its Feb. 27 business meeting in Raleigh.

The proposals were approved as presented at the public hearings with several exceptions. Text to five proposals was amended, one proposal was disapproved, and three proposals were removed from consideration.

The amended proposals were:

• A hunting proposal (H13) that will allow deer and bears to be taken with any type of handgun and ammunition, replacing the words “except body armor-piercing projectiles will be prohibited” with “unless otherwise prohibited by law.”
• A game land proposal (G2) that will add bear to the approved regulation that makes the Lick Creek tract of Alcoa Game Land in Davidson County an archery-only area for deer hunting.
• A game land proposal (G6) that will allow hunting deer with dogs on Stones Creek Game Land in Onslow County on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, not Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

A proposed game land regulation (G4) to designate Holly Shelter Game Land as a six-day-per-week game land and allow dog hunting for deer and bear on certain days of the week was disapproved.

To view full text of the original 42 proposed regulations, visit the Commission’s website, www.ncwildlife.org and download the public hearings booklet.