Orange County Animal Services is promoting awareness of the legal requirements and responsibilities of using dogs and guns to hunt deer.
The season for hunting deer with dogs and guns opened on Saturday, Nov. 10, and ends Jan. 1. At the direction of the Board of Orange County Commissioners, county staff hopes to mitigate health and safety concerns through public outreach.
An Orange County brochure is available that provides general information about using dogs to hunt deer. This is lawful in northern Orange County--specifically, the portion of the county north of Interstate 85. The brochure also describes the process for reporting concerns or issuing complaints about unlawful hunting practices.
It is important to note that hunters, residents and landowners all have rights and responsibilities. Responsible conduct by all parties can minimize conflict and ensure public health and safety, during the upcoming gun hunting season.
One responsibility is that written permission must be obtained to hunt on someone’s private property. In Orange County, written permission is required whether or not private property is posted as “No hunting.” This differs from other counties in North Carolina, which requires written permission only when hunting on posted property.
For more information about deer hunting with dogs in Orange County, please visit http://www.orangecountync.gov/303/Hunting-Deer-with-Dogs
A sample written permission form provided by the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission is available online at http://www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/WheretoHunt/PrivateLands.aspx