15A NCAC 10B .0115. SHINING LIGHTS IN DEER AREAS

(a)  It having been found upon sufficient evidence that certain areas frequented by deer are subject to substantial unlawful night deer hunting, or that residents in such areas have been greatly inconvenienced by persons shining lights on deer, or both, the shining of lights on deer in such areas is limited by Paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Rule, subject to the exceptions contained in Paragraph (d) of this Rule.

(b)  No person shall, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and one‑half hour before sunrise, intentionally shine a light upon a deer or intentionally sweep a light in search of deer in the indicated portions of the following counties:

(1)           Beaufort ‑‑ entire county;

(2)           Bladen ‑‑ entire county;

(3)           Brunswick ‑‑ entire county;

(4)           Camden ‑‑ entire county;

(5)           Chowan ‑‑ entire county;

(6)           Currituck ‑‑ entire county;

(7)           Duplin ‑‑ entire county;

(8)           Franklin ‑‑ entire county;

(9)           Gates ‑‑ entire county;

(10)         Greene ‑‑ entire county;

(11)         Hertford ‑‑ entire county;

(12)         Hyde ‑‑ entire county;

(13)         Jones ‑‑ entire county;

(14)         Lenoir ‑‑ entire county;

(15)         Martin ‑‑ entire county;

(16)         Nash ‑‑ entire county;

(17)         Pamlico ‑‑ entire county;

(18)         Pasquotank ‑‑ entire county;

(19)         Pender ‑‑ entire county;

(20)         Perquimans ‑‑ entire county;

(21)         Pitt ‑‑ entire county;

(22)         Sampson ‑‑ entire county;

(23)         Tyrrell ‑‑ entire county;

(24)         Vance ‑‑ entire county;

(25)         Wake ‑‑ entire county;

(26)         Warren ‑‑ entire county;

(27)         Washington ‑‑ entire county;

(28)         Wayne ‑‑ entire county.

(c)  No person shall, between the hours of one‑half hour after sunset and one‑half hour before sunrise, intentionally shine a light upon a deer or intentionally sweep a light in search of deer in the indicated portions of the following counties:

(1)           Alamance ‑‑ entire county;

(2)           Alexander ‑‑ entire county;

(3)           Alleghany ‑‑ entire county;

(4)           Anson ‑‑ entire county;

(5)           Ashe ‑‑ entire county;

(6)           Avery ‑‑ that portion south and east of Highway 221;

(7)           Buncombe County -- entire county;

(8)           Burke ‑‑ entire county;

(9)           Cabarrus ‑‑ entire county;

(10)         Caswell ‑‑ entire county;

(11)         Catawba ‑‑ entire county;

(12)         Chatham ‑‑ entire county;

(13)         Cherokee ‑‑ entire county

(14)         Clay ‑‑ entire county;

(15)         Cleveland ‑‑ entire county;

(16)         Cumberland ‑‑ entire county;

(17)         Davidson ‑‑ entire county;

(18)         Davie ‑‑ entire county;

(19)         Durham ‑‑ entire county;

(20)         Edgecombe ‑‑ entire county;

(21)         Forsyth County ‑‑ entire county;

(22)         Gaston ‑‑ entire county;

(23)         Granville ‑‑ entire county;

(24)         Guilford ‑‑ entire county;

(25)         Halifax ‑‑ entire county;

(26)         Harnett ‑‑ entire county;

(27)         Henderson ‑‑ entire county;

(28)         Hoke -- entire county;

(29)         Iredell ‑‑ entire county;

(30)         Johnston ‑‑ entire county;

(31)         Lee ‑‑ entire county;

(32)         Lincoln ‑‑ entire county;

(33)         Macon -- entire county;

(34)         McDowell ‑‑ entire county;

(35)         Mecklenburg ‑‑ entire county;

(36)         Mitchell ‑‑ entire county;

(37)         Montgomery ‑‑ entire county;

(38)         Northampton ‑‑ entire county;

(39)         Orange County ‑‑ entire county;

(40)         Person ‑‑ entire county;

(41)         Polk ‑‑ entire county;

(42)         Randolph ‑‑ entire county;

(43)         Robeson County ‑‑ entire county;

(44)         Rockingham ‑‑ entire county;

(45)         Rowan ‑‑ entire county;

(46)         Rutherford ‑‑ entire county;

(47)         Stanly ‑‑ entire county;

(48)         Stokes ‑‑ entire county;

(49)         Surry ‑‑ entire county;

(50)         Swain -- entire county;

(51)         Transylvania ‑‑ entire county;

(52)         Union ‑‑ entire county;

(53)         Watauga ‑‑ entire county;

(54)         Yancey ‑‑ entire county.

(d)  Paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Rule shall not be construed to prevent:

(1)           the lawful hunting of raccoon or opossum during open season with artificial lights designed or commonly used in taking raccoon and opossum at night;

(2)           the necessary shining of lights by landholders on their own lands;

(3)           the shining of lights necessary to normal travel by motor vehicles on roads or highways; or

(4)           the use of lights by campers and others who are legitimately in such areas for other reasons and who are not attempting to attract or to immobilize deer by the use of lights.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 113‑134; 113‑291.1; S.L. 1981, c. 410; S.L. 1981 (Second Session 1982), c. 1180;

Eff. November 11, 1979;

Amended Eff. July 18, 2002; April 1, 1997; July 1, 1996; November 1, 1995; March 1, 1995; July 1, 1994.