CalNewbie

I have a question for you North Carolina hunters. I'm planning on moving out of California next spring and am considering the Raliegh/Durham area. What do you hunters think of the opportunities in the state?

I enjoy camping and fishing and am new to hunting, having only harvested 1 hog at this point. North Carolina seems to be well represented on these forums.

I posted a similar question about Texas a while back, which is still in consideration, but North Carolina has the advantage of getting me closer to family. I could drive up to visit my mom in PA and get in a deer hunt!

farmcntry

There are just tons and tons of deer here. And the fishing is great for bass, cats, etc. Hogs arn't available in that area that I know of, but a couple hour drive and you'd be in them. Same for bear I think?

This state goes by counties. Each county has different regs and seasons.
Check out Wake County, NC.
But there are tons of deer in every county. All together you can kill 6 deer per year. Depending on county it is 4 does and 2 bucks or 4 bucks and 2 does. Some are mixed up a little, but we all get 6 deer a year, 2 hogs, 2 turkeys, 1 bear and fishing license for $40.00. Plus small game.
Good luck.

Hoopy

Anson county has most deer kills in the last 10 years for all of NC and Im only 10 miles away

121553

Cal, I use to live in Atlantic Bch area for about 11 yrs building in Camp Lejuen and Cherry Point. It was nice as it was on the beaches and fishing was great and the quota at the time was six a season for the deer. The off shore fishing and Hatteris and Ocracoke were great fishin. I sure do miss the beaches but I like the quality of wildlife out here. ( At the moment) Bobby

Hawgnman

Hi Cal. I live in Raleigh. if i can help just send me an email. I have a hunt club in Warren county, about an hour away from north Raleigh. http://www.advanceddesignsinc.com/RNSHome.htm

CalNewbie

Thanks for the info folks! Keep it coming! I'm so looking forward to getting out of this mad-house of an area. There's something like 16 million people in the LA/OC metro area. It'll be good to go someplace where you don't have to drive two hours just to get to the outskirts of town. [:'(]

Hawgnman - thanks for the info and link. The pics of your hunt club help me put the hunting area into perspective. I'd been out to Camp Lejuene visiting my brother a few times so I'm not totally unfamiliar with the terrain, but a reminder is always good. This area is a lot of desert scrub, tall pines in the forests, very dry. I'll have to drop you a note as I get closer to a move.

Hawgnman

Hoppy. I don't know where you get your figures, but several counties had more deer harveested than Anson in 2002-2003.

Halifax 4317
Northampton 3886
Wilkes 3414
Pender 3241
Bertie 3231
Bladen 2678
Anson 2618

Manybeards

>>>> I'm a Tarheel born and bred Cal,but I have to say the hunting leaves a lot to be desired. I grew up in Edgecombe county(always near the top in deer harvest numbers),but the quality just does'nt ever seem to meet expectations. I have 1600 acres in Northampton county,and although we practice stict QDM,the Dog hunters on each side of me and across the river shoot everything that moves. It's just an endless exercise in frustration! If numbers and NOT quality are what you're looking for..... then NC may be just the ticket for you. But,if you're looking for a top notch trophy opportunity,you might want to reconsider Texas(or better yet,Kansas,Iowa or Kentucky). Oh yea, Texas has no state income tax !

CalNewbie

Since I'm new to hunting I'd probably fall in a thought-process where "quantity has a quality all of its own". Getting out there and having an opportunity to put meat in the freezer, every deer would be a trophy to me. Sort of like when I've gone deep sea fishing. Our captain would ask if we want to fish for X, my first question is always "is it good eating?" I imagine that at some point I'd grow to the stage where I'd focus extra attention on getting a trophy to mount on the wall.

I think that the ability get within a 6-7 hour drive of a lot of family members makes the Raliegh/Durham area appealing. I did look at Lexington KY and also Pittsburgh PA (good deer hunting state BTW), but their economies didn't seem strong enough. Raliegh/Durham has a fair number of opportunities in my field - Applications Development & Integration management. I hope this career has a couple more decades in it, before they ship all the jobs off to India.

If the brother's-in-law in KY, GA, or VA were more interested in hunting I could always drive over/up and hunt with them!

You're right about the lack of an income tax in Texas. I think that their property tax might make up for it though. They get you one way or the other! [:@]

eng40sqd

Cal... why not consider Va... there is excellent hunting nad many different styles of it in the state. Depending on where you hunt the bag limits are pretty relaxed, they just went up this year again I believe. There is great public hunting both in national forests and military bases and excellent private property hunting as well.

I know Va is not know for tons of trophy deer every year but it holds its own I feel. BUt as far as filling your freezer it is excellent.

I am sure you would have no problem finding a job in your field in the northern Va job market.

Drop me a email if you would like to know more or would ike some photos etc..

[email protected]

Justin