Thirty minutes before sunrise, you are sitting in the blinds of a hunting spot. Having gotten up early and trekked through the dark with your supplies, you are ready to begin your favorite time of year. You’ve been told this is the perfect location for geese to come through, but you’ve never been here before so you take others' word for it. You sit and wait, but it doesn’t take long to see geese cupping in the distance as they start to descend before you. You hoist up your shotgun and take aim. But wait, are you sure you are allowed to hunt on this property? You didn’t notice any signs as you came onto the land, and you don’t think your friends would break the law. Do you know the consequences if you are caught hunting on private property?
According to North Carolina law, hunting on private property, without permission, can result in a class 2 misdemeanor.
“Any person who willfully goes on the land, waters, ponds, or a legally established waterfowl blind of another that has been posted in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 14-159.7, to hunt, fish or trap without written permission of the landowner, lessee, or his agent shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. Written permission shall be carried on one's person, signed by the landowner, lessee, or agent, and dated within the last 12 months. The written permission shall be displayed upon request of any law enforcement officer of the Wildlife Resources Commission, sheriff or deputy sheriff, or other law enforcement officer with general subject matter jurisdiction.”
Consequences for hunting on private property come with a big scare. If caught hunting on private property without written permission you could be fined up to $1,000, be required to complete one to sixty active days of community service, or even serve up to 60 days jail time. So before you pull the trigger and decide to hunt, do your research and make sure the property you are on is public game land, or you have written permission from a private land owner to use their land.
After your successful day of hunting, I will be ready to celebrate with you. Tim Knight Taxidermy is ready to make your hunt last forever. Contact me at (919) 291-6506 to preserve one of your greatest memories.