On behalf of all North Carolina Bear Hunter Association (NCBHA) members, it’s our privilege to say that we are excited about joining the Bear Hunting Magazine family. We consider Bear Hunting Magazine the only true forum dedicated to bear hunting in North America. As you probably already know, the NCBHA will be providing a full subscription to each of our members as part of your standard membership. We believe that Bear Hunting Magazine will provide a much more effective medium for communicating with our member, while simultaneously bringing quality bear hunting articles. We urge all state bear hunting organizations to join with us to make Bear Hunting Magazine the ultimate forum for our sport.
Black bears have thrived throughout all of North Carolina in pre-colonial times. Nevertheless, like mountain lions and wolves, black bears were persecuted by early settlers and populations suffered from detrimental habitat changes. By the early 1900's, black bears were restricted to the most remote mountains and coastal swamps. Unlike cougars and wolves that never recovered in North Carolina, black bear populations and range have expanded over the last 35 years due in great part to combined government and hunters cooperation. The expansion in bear populations and range is due to changing human attitudes about bears, better laws and enforcement of laws, better management by wildlife agencies, the adaptable nature of bears and the ability of bears to peacefully coexist with people in most circumstances. In 1971, about 4,000 bears occupied approximately 2.5 million acres, in contrast thirty years later, in 2001, about 11,000 bears lived on almost 10 million acres.
North Carolina has a strong black bear hunting heritage dating back to colonial times. Early colonists relied on bears for food and hides to feed and clothe their families. As early as the 1800's, North Carolinians developed strains of hounds used to pursue black bears, and these hounds quickly became world-renowned. Beginning in the 1930's, hunters and conservationists pushed for bear hunting regulations and for the creation of a state wildlife resources agency to manage wildlife and enforce wildlife laws. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission was created in the 1940's, and Wildlife Commission personnel began officially monitoring black bears in the 1960's. In the 1970's, the Wildlife Commission, with the help of the NCBHA predecessor bear hunting clubs, began a sanctuary system that has proven to be very important for black bears. Sanctuaries allow populations to grow while providing hunting opportunity on surrounding areas. Currently, we have a system of over 500,000 acres of NCWRC "designated" black bear sanctuary with hundreds of thousands of additional acres of lands set aside as "De Facto" sanctuary because landowners chose to limit or restrict hunting.
North Carolina offers hunters a unique environment for hunting bears, due largely to a long-standing prohibition against killing bears over bait, this has provided bear hunters with an richer opportunity to hunt bears the same way we did in pre-colonial times, with bear hunting parties and hounds. While still hunters take some bears, the vast majority of bear hunters use dogs. Due to abundant agricultural crops and more stable food resources, the average weights of Coastal bears exceed those of Mountain bears each year. For example, during the 2001-2002 black bear season, North Carolina produced 53 bears in excess of 500 pounds on the Coast and 8 bears in the 400-500 pound range in the Mountains. The Coastal region continues to develop a reputation for trophy-quality bears. Similar to white-tailed deer, black bears must reach a certain age level in order to gain the trophy weights sought by many hunters.
Our 2011 bear hunting season has been interesting to say the least. North Carolina experienced a unique mast crop this fall, unique because some locations had the most productive mast crop seen in decades with acorns, grapes and gum berries in abundance, while just a mile down the road you could find little mast to feed on. Apparently, a large part of the reason for this mast production anomaly seems to have been caused by the lack of rain we received throughout the summer and fall. As a result of these mast hot spots, bear hunters found unusual concentrations of bear in these areas. Hunters not familiar with NC regulations might be surprised to learn that bear hunters may not kill a bear in the immediate vicinity of a baited site. Consequently, native mast and natural food become critical when hunting in North Carolina. Fortunately, the hunting season seems to have started off with a lot of good hunting activity, we will be interested in how the season ends up.
Remember to please send your 2011 dues. Submitting dues, applications and member surveys should be sent to: NCBHA Member Services, PO Box 524, Waynesville, NC 28786
|
|
Regrettably, the NCBHA and the Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) found themselves faced with vastly opposing viewpoints on how best to stop an unexplained flood of bear baiting enforcement citations. The issue came close to ruining an effective working relationship that had spanned over 20 years.
At issue was a sudden and mysterious increase in bear baiting enforcement citations. Hunters were charged without particular evidence or conditions that would normally cause an enforcement officer to write a citation. There was remarkable evidence that suggested poor enforcement practice and possible violations by law enforcement personnel in District 2. Hunters on several occasions met with WRC executive staff trying to find out what was behind the incidents. In the face of incredible evidence, the WRC did not demand that the rash of enforcement abuse stop. If anything, arrogance and intimidation, in addition to poor law enforcement was the response. Hunters loudly voiced concerns and the NCBHA leaned hard against the WRC.
|
 |
| Since 1986 the NCBHA had advocated against the use of bait. As it was widely agreed that if bears could be killed while eating or visiting bait, it would quickly reduce our bear population to unacceptable levels. Resulting in dramatically reduced hunting season and the commencement of segregated bear hunting season for bows and primitive weapons. |
|
For whatever reason, the WRC was unable or refused to stop the abuse of District 2 hunters. Finally, the NCBHA requested that the WRC produce a firm guideline that would once and for all explain what constituted bear hunting with the aid of bait.
Background
This document is going to discuss two (2) separate issues simultaneously; feeding bears (feed stations) during the closed hunting seasons and baiting bears (bear baits) during the hunting season.
In North Carolina, the public can feed bears at anytime. Moreover, hunters frequently feed bears during the spring and summer months to provide bears with nutrition during those seasonal periods when traditional native food sources are limited. Additionally, there’s strong evidence that providing summer feed stations helps hold the immediate bear population locally and significantly aids in diverting bears away from commercial agriculture and residential areas.
|
|
There’s a variety of different foodstuff’s routinely fed to bear at feed stations. These foodstuffs are characterized simply as; Natural Foods and Processed Foods. The distinction between these two classes of food is important, because they are treated differently in terms of our enforcement policy, in part, because the agency is concerned that Processed Foods have a much greater tendency to form a pattern of habit, whereas they continue to return to the feed station for several days after the Processed Foods were removed.
In many states, bear hunters can legally use bait (bait in - piles, barrels, troughs, trailers, etc.), to lure a bear within range of a hunter (suitable for archery or firearms), who would be positioned nearby to kill the bear while eating the bait or in close proximity of the bait. However, in North Carolina our laws prohibits bear hunters from using bait during the established bear hunting season. The "no bait" law has been in effect for more than three decades.
|
Recently, there have been instances where the current statute resulted in uncertainty for both hunters and enforcement personnel. The principle issue has evolved from incidents where individuals; feed bears during the spring and summer (when the bear hunting season is closed), removes the feed stations or allows the feed to be consumed prior to hunting season, and then hunts on the property where the former feed stations were used. Additionally, deer hunters in the eastern regions of North Carolina can use bait for taking deer. As a result, enforcement actions were taken against individual who thought they were compliant with the laws and regulations.
NCBHA Requests Clarification
In response to what could be considered a outbreak of WRC enforcement citations for taking bear with the aid of bait, the NCBHA asked Richard Hamilton (WRC Executive Director) in April 2005, for a simple common language “clarification” of the bear baiting regulations.
|
The intended purpose for the “clarification” was to provide hunters and enforcement personnel with a commonsense definition and simple guideline that could reduce the confusion and uncertainties about bear baiting and feeding, thus allowing all parties to better comply with and enforce the law.
In October 2006, the WRC brought forth their plan to remedy the situation. Instead of clarifying the existing regulation as requested, the WRC felt it more appropriate to rewrite the regulations rather than try to explain what the former regulations meant. The WRC proposed regulations were developed entirely without NCBHA involvement or input.
In late October 2006, the NCBHA and WRC debated and argued over several key points in the proposed regulations, and while some issues were modified it was the opinion of the NCBHA that the overall proposal became even more difficult and confusing. The NCBHA felt that the proposed regulation was far too cumbersome and still failed to resolve many of the issues causing the problems.
Unfortunately, productive negotiations collapsed and the WRC decided to take the proposal to the January public hearings despite the concerns and opposition of the NCBHA.
|
WRC and NCBHA Try Again
The NCBHA Board felt that the matter was too important to not make one more effort to find common ground that we could use to somehow improve the situation. Accordingly, Jim Noles (NCBHA President) contacted David Hoyle Jr. (Chairman of the WRC Big Game Committee) and both parties readily agreed to meet prior to the March WRC Commissioners meeting. The meeting was held on March 6 at WRC headquarters in Raleigh. The participant’s met for about 2 hours and produced an agreement that addressed most concerns.
The Agreement
The WRC felt strongly that their primary goal was to prohibit the placement of any processed foods in the environment that could be consumed by bears. The WRC had expressed concern for possible adverse health impacts and the potential for these processed foods to be potent attractants for bears. The NCBHA understood these concerns and despite a lack of studies or other scientific data, our experience with bait and bears convinced us to agree with the WRC’s position to prohibit processed foods.
|
Additionally, both the WRC and NCBHA agreed to exclude natural (non-processed food) from the processed foods, thus allowing these natural foods to be placed in the environment for the purpose of feeding deer and bear.
The NCBHA then had their opportunity to address their principal concern, which was the increased citing of bear hunters for taking bear with the aid of bait, simply because deer corn or other natural foods were present in the general area. Both parties understood the benefit of resolving this problem and agreed that bear hunters could check natural food bait sites with their hunting dog and could release dogs at the baited sites for the purpose of pursuing the bear or the bears scent. As always a bear hunter may not kill a bear upon or in the immediate vicinity of a baited site.
Both parties agreed to lobby and support the measure throughout the legislative process. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jenkins where it passed without opposition. It was moved to the House under the care of Representative Arthur Williams where it passed and was sent to the Governor. On June 20th, 2007, Governor Mike Easley signed SB-1246 into law.
|
| Common Questions and Simple Answers about SB-1246 |
Question: Can an individual feed a bear?
Answer: Unless posted or disallowed by the landowner, North Carolina allows individuals to feed wildlife, including bears. However, the state has taken measures to disallow foodstuffs that could be harmful to bears. Additionally,
Question: Can I feed bear on US government land?
Answer: No. Government public lands (federal, state and municipal), including games lands expressly prohibit baiting bears with any type of bait at any time.
Question: Where can I operate a bear feed station?
Answer: Individuals can operate a bear feed station, provided they own the property or lease the property and or have permission from the landowner.
Question: When can an individual operate a feed station for bear?
Answer: Individuals can operate a bear feed station year-round. However, the spring and summer months are when bears would benefit most from a feed station.
Question: What’s foods are allowed at feed stations?
Answer: The bill allows “Natural Foods” to be used at feed stations, which are not, processed food products. Natural foods would be healthy digestible foodstuffs such as natural grains, fruits, and vegetables.
|
Question: What foods are prohibited?
Answer: This bill will prohibit anyone in North Carolina from placing any processed food products in any part of the state where the WRC has set an open season for bear hunting. Processed foods are defined as ANY food substance or flavoring that has been modified from its raw components by the addition of ingredients or by treatment to modify its chemical composition or form or to enhance its aroma or taste. This includes, but is not limited to, substance modified with sugar, honey, syrups, oils, salts, spices, peanut butter, grease, meat, bones and blood, as well as extracts of such substances, and food products that have been cooked, partially cooked, blended or treated to enhance sweetness, flavor or aroma. Additionally, all sugary products, candies, pastries, gums, cakes, sugar blocks, as well as extracts of such substances are prohibited.
Question: Can I feed bears processed food if I clean it up before hunting season?
Answer: No, this bill will prohibit anyone in North Carolina from placing any processed food products in any part of the state where the WRC has set an open season for bear hunting.
Question: Can an individual harvest a bear at a feed station?
Answer: No. Other words, avoid anything that looks like hunting in immediate proximity of the feed station.
|
Question: Can an individual release a dog at a feed station?
Answer: Yes, a dog can be released at a baited site.
Question: What happens if I turned my dogs loose far-off on a bear and he runs through or trees near a baited area ?
Answer: Under this Bill it would not be unlawful to harvest this bear, provided that bear was inadvertently pursued by dogs into the exclusion zone from an adjacent area.
Question: What happens if I turned my dogs loose at the bait site and they immediately treed the bear in close proximity to the bait?
Answer: Under this Bill it would be unlawful to harvest this bear, because it is at the baited site. Catch the dogs and try again later.
Question: Can you give me examples of Natural Foods and Processed Foods?
Answer: Yes, the tables below provide examples of foods that are typical of the types of foods included in each group. Obviously this is not the complete list, but it does provide a clearer picture of foodstuffs in each group.
|
EXAMPLES OF NATURAL FOODS
|
Oats
|
Peanuts
|
Melons
|
Sweet Potatoes
|
Wheat
|
Millet
|
Apples
|
Carrots
|
Sorghum
|
Soybean
|
Grapes
|
Greens
|
Flax
|
Corn
|
Blueberries
|
Beets
|
EXAMPLES OF PROCESSED FOODS
|
Peanut butter
|
Meat products
|
Spices
|
Honey Flavor
|
Peanut paste
|
Bones
|
Extracts
|
Syrups
|
Sweetened grains
|
Oils
|
Trail-mix
|
Breads
|
Animal parts
|
Grease
|
Salts
|
Commercial Feed
|
Sugar
|
Sucrose Syrups
|
Honey buns
|
Sweet Cakes & Pie
|
Candy
|
Fructose Syrups
|
Donuts
|
Sweet Pastries
|
Gums
|
Confectionaries
|
Cookies
|
Sweet Flavorings
|
|
|
