The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) advises residents to take preventative steps to secure attractants as black bears’ eating behavior intensifies in the late summer and fall due to hyperphagia. Hyperphagia is a critical biological phase when bears significantly increase their food consumption to prepare for the colder months when natural food becomes scarce.
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The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) welcomes Commissioner Zachary (Zack) Benfield to its governing board. Benfield was appointed to fill an unexpired term of Commissioner John Stone by Speaker of the House Destin Hall and will serve until June 30, 2027. Benfield was sworn in today during the NCWRC Commission meeting at the agency’s Raleigh headquarters.
Today the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) Board of Commissioners approved an emergency rule that prohibits both intentional and passive feeding of black bears in Buncombe County, in efforts to reduce repeated incidents involving humans and bears. The language is not intended to prohibit bird feeding nor is it intended to prohibit the use of legal bait for the purposes of regulated hunting, unless those actions pose a threat to human safety or result in property damage.
The board will meet in the Commission Room, 5th Floor, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC, on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 9:00 am.
Members of the public may join in person or by Zoom.
The following committees will meet in the Commission Room, 5th Floor, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026:
9:00 am - 9:30 am
Boating Safety
9:30 am - 10:00 am
Finance, Audit & Compliance
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Migratory Birds & Waterfowl
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Fisheries
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Land Acquisition & Property
The Ad Hoc Game Land Use Committee will meet on Wednesday, September 29, 2026 at the Commission Conference Room, 5th Floor, 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh, NC, at 2:00pm.
Members of the public may join in person or by Zoom.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) will wait until November to stock Delayed Harvest Trout Waters.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s (NCWRC) Helene Restoration Division (HRD) is developing its team and beginning to move forward with implementing its Hurricane Helene habitat restoration plan. The 10-year plan is funded through a partnership with the U.S.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) will host two free family-friendly events to recognize National Hunting and Fishing Day, an annual celebration promoting outdoor recreation and conservation.
On August 24, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in the Chatham County Justice Center in Pittsboro, North Carolina, defendant Quinten Kight, appeared before Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour for sentencing.