Commissioners to look at duck hunting law

May 05–The Craven County Board of Commissioners Monday will hear whether county residents think the county’s current duck hunting laws adequately protect hunter access and property rights.

Concerns presented by one property owner this spring prompted the board to draft proposed legislation on safe distances for hunting migratory wild waterfowl with the idea of asking that it be introduced as local legislation in this year’s General Assembly session.

The proposed local law, on which commissioners have not yet acted, would make it unlawful to take migratory wild waterfowl within 500 years of another person’s permanently established hunting location except in certain circumstances.

Those exceptions include hunting on a person’s own land or where a person has the landholder’s permission to hunt, within the riparian water area of those locations, or if a hunter who has legally shot a migratory bird comes within 500 yards “while in active pursuit of a visible, crippled bird.”

If commissioners decide to pursue local legislation for the regulation after hearing public comment, they can adopt a resolution for the local legislative delegation asking that a local bill be introduced.

The tentative bill puts punishment for any violation of regulation at a $10 to $250 fine and/or imprisonment not exceeding five months, or both, for a first offense. A second offense would be a misdemeanor punishable by mandatory revocation of the violator’s hunting licenses and cancellation of hunting privileges for a year as well as fine and/or imprisonment as determined by the court.

The regulation would apply only in Craven County and is drafted based on local acts in force in the neighboring counties of Pamlico and Carteret.

Following the public hearing, commissioners are scheduled to hear budget presentations from Craven County Schools Superintendent Lane Mills and Craven Community College President Catherine Chew.

Commissioners meet in open session at 7 p.m. Monday in the upstairs meeting room of Craven County Administrative Building at the corner of Craven and Broad Streets in New Bern.