N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Offers New Hunting Opportunities This Fall

[NCangler]

RALEIGH, N.C. (Aug. 28) – Looking for a new place to hunt? If so, make sure you check out the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s recent game land additions.

In the past year, over 29,000 acres have been added to pre-existing or new game lands in the Tar, Chowan and Roanoke River basins. Collectively, they will give hunters outstanding opportunities to pursue animals like dove, deer, bear and turkey.

The Commission turned 4,254 acres into a new Warren and Halifax county site, called the Embro Game Land. Another new addition, roughly 3,900 acres in Halifax County, has been designated as Tillery Game Land. What’s more, significant expansions were made to the game lands of Chowan Swamp, Shocco Creek, Roanoke River Wetlands and Bertie County.

With dove season beginning at noon on Saturday, Sept. 1, bird hunters might want to check out Tillery Game Land’s dove field.

“Gravel Pit Road has many of the things you’d look for in a productive dove field,” said Andrew Mynatt, the crew leader of Tillery Wildlife Depot. “It’s approximately 25 acres and, by Sept. 1, the corn and sunflowers we’ve planted will be ready. We’ve also got grain sorghum, though the dry summer weather hasn’t been as kind to that.”

For deer hunting enthusiasts, Mynatt again recommends Tillery Game Land, plus the new Boone, Cypress Swamp and Odom tracts on Roanoke River Wetlands Game Land.

“Combined, they offer an excellent variety of habitats and forage for deer, turkey and small game,” he said. “Walking on any given tract, you might see pine uplands transition into mature bottomland hardwoods with everything else in between. Then, you factor in the swamps, creeks and abundant food sources, and it’s no wonder wildlife is so plentiful.”

In April of 2006, the Commission announced plans to purchase more than 65,000 acres from International Paper. Almost half of that land was officially added in the past twelve months, with the remaining acreage expected to become Commission game lands within the next year.

For more detailed information on these and other public game lands, reference the Commission’s 2007 Game Lands Map Book, available for sale at 1-866-945-3746, online at the N.C. Wild Store and at your local Wildlife Service Agent location. For additional information on the Commission, visit www.ncwildlife.org.