Deer hunting with gun season has started in WNC: What to know to be safe in the woods
ASHEVILLE – As fall hits its second gear, families who take to the woods need to take extra precautions to stay safe as deer hunting season has begun in the mountains. Deer hunting with guns season officially began Nov. 20. Here is what hunters and non-hunters should know about staying safe in the woods.
Deer hunting in Western North Carolina lasts until Dec. 9 according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission. Archery hunting for antlered deer will begin Dec. 10 and end the first day of 2024.
The Citizen Times previously reported that experts say that hunters bear responsibility for discharging their weapon safely. Hunters should use binoculars or a spotting scope rather than the rifle scope to ensure they are taking a safe shot.
Using precaution is especially important as firefighters battle wildfires in WNC, including the Black Bear Fire burning more than 1,700 acres along I-40 in the Pisgah National Forest. The U.S. Forest Service has issued a hunting safety announcement:
Before pulling the trigger, know what is behind your target. Fire crews may be working in the area.
Even if the fires are not actively burning, there are still hot spots and potential for reburn that could be dangerous to anyone within the interior of a burned area.
New firelines may be popular ways to walk into hunting spots, but also heavy equipment may be working along these firelines. Avoid approaching heavy equipment while it is working because the operator may not see you.
Trees have been weakened by the fire and could fall, so be cautious around snags and damaged trees.
More: Update: Bear hunter lost in Pisgah National Forest for over 12 hours airlifted to Mission
According to data provided by N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission spokesperson Anna Gurney, there were 33 hunting incidents across the state in 2020. That number fell to 25 incidents in 2021 and 17 incidents in 2022. There have been eight incidents through the end of October 2023.
Hunting incidents qualify as an injury too severe for first aid and during hunting activities.
Eight things to know about hunting in NC
Know when and where people are allowed to hunt before venturing into the woods.
Most areas of Pisgah and Nantahala national forests are open to hunting.
Hunting is prohibited in national parks, including Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains, and in state parks, including Chimney Rock, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain, Lake James and Mount Mitchell.
Deer hunters must wear hunter orange visible from all sides.
Hikers and their dogs out in the woods during hunting season are encouraged to wear blaze orange.
There are additional restrictions for gun hunters who choose to decamp to the woods on Sundays:
Hunting with guns between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. is prohibited except on controlled hunting preserves.
Hunting migratory birds is prohibited.
Using guns to shoot deer that are chased by dogs is prohibited.
Hunting with a gun 500 yards of a place of worship or any related structure is prohibited.
People can only hunt game birds 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset with rifles, pistols, shotguns, archery equipment, dogs or using falconry. This does not apply to raccoons, feral swine and opossums.
The Landowner Protection Act allows landowners to allow hunters, trappers or anglers with written permission to legally enter their property.
The most common hunting fatalities are caused by tree stand falls and firearms.
More: Chronic wasting disease detected in NC deer: what hunters need to know
More: Word from the Smokies: Ensuring sustainable wild turkey populations in the future
Rules for tree stand safety
Buckle your harness securely and connect to the tree tether before your feet leave the ground.
Maintain three points of contact when climbing the ladder; two hands and a foot or two feet and a hand. Most falls occur when climbing up or down.
Use a lineman’s belt and/or lifeline when climbing or descending.
Raise and lower equipment using a haul line – never carry anything as you climb.
Rules for firearm safety
Always point a firearm in a safe direction.
Treat every firearm as if it were loaded. Never assume a firearm is unloaded.
Use binoculars, rather than a rifle scope, to identify the target.
Keep your finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger until ready to shoot.
Be sure of your target, as well as what’s in front of and behind it.
Mitchell Black covers Buncombe County and health care for the Citizen Times. Email him at mblack@citizentimes.com or follow him on Twitter @MitchABlack. Please help support local journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Deer hunting rifle season opens in Western North Carolina mountains
