

State proposing night-hunting for coyotes and hogs

READ MORE: State proposing night-hunting for coyotes and hogs

BOILING SPRING LAKES, NC (WWAY) -- Squeals and gunshots after the sun goes down may soon be coming to an area near you. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing to allow night hunting of wild hogs and coyotes.

For years, the only game animals North Carolinians could hunt at night have been raccoons and opossums, but thanks to increases in populations of wild hogs and coyotes, the state has called for changes on when folks can hunt these animals.

Scott Blevins is no stranger to hunting. He has a room in his Boiling Spring Lakes home dedicated to the sport, with trophy heads and pictures lining the walls. Blevins has a permit to night hunt wild hogs, and may soon be allowed to hunt coyotes after dark too.

“The hogs, more so than the coyotes are horrible to the land,” Blevins said. “They will decimate crops, tear people's yards up. They are detrimental to the habitat that they inhabit.”

The proposal to hunt the feral pigs and coyotes at night was spurred by the growing populations of both animals, who are considered a nuisance to many and not native to North Carolina. Blevins says night hunting would greatly reduce the problem.

“The coyotes and the hogs are predominately nocturnal,” he said. “They are very adaptable, very smart, very cunning animals. So they have pretty much understood that they can't do the things in the daytime that they can do at night.”

Seasons for both animals are open year round during daytime hours, with no bag limits. Blevins says opponents of the proposal may find it risky, afraid some may take advantage of the proposed law to spotlight deer.

“It's dangerous,” Blevins said. “If someone is going down the road and they see a deer out in a field, shine a spotlight on the deer and shoot it, you don't know where your back stop is, you don't know if there's any homes behind the deer, you don't know if there's any people behind the deer. That's where it becomes a safety issue.”

Blevins says if people use the proposed rule correctly to hunt just coyotes and hogs, they would need to be in an elevated stand, which would reduce safety concerns.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposal on March 26th at 7 p.m. in the Bladen County Courthouse.



pass this law!!!

i think that this is a great idea and the law should be passed wild hogs are very destructive and they are becoming abundant in this area, it also will help out the quail and other game bird species with hunting the coyotes at night, they have a huge impact on the population of quail and are becoming to common at night when no one is out there to harvest them, they have a huge impact on game bird reserves, and it is very rare you see them in the daytime, people should also consider the fact that they are becoming to abundant at night time even in urban areas. This will also have a big impact on youth hunters and will be a great experience, just think about being a young boy or girl in your early teens sitting in the black of dark having wild coyotes and hogs running all around you its a huge adrenalin rush, this could be a movement to get more youth involved in the sport. These words are coming from a 16 year old in high school who eat sleeps and breathes hunting.

night time hog hunting

Could you include night-crawlers and pedophiles also, my neighborhood is full of them.

coyotes and hogs

i understand. Coyotes and cowboys, it is what we do. Coyotes should be left alone. they feed off the dead.

The feral hogs are a different mzatter. They seem to be tearing up the natural area that we love. They should be shot. It is kiknd of like the problem in the everglades. Large snakes are not part of the real world down there.

coyotes feed on dead you say

coyotes feed on dead you say well your wrong they feed on the week such as house cats dogs deer turkeys they are a very big problem as well. you should really read up on coyotes they have killed people and and alot of children have been attacked you could bet if coyotes was not a problem they would not try to even pass a law of hunting them at night

Coyotes don't only feed off the dead

You sir, are 100% wrong.

Coyotes are one of the most intelligent and skilled predators in North America. I lived in Southern California for several years and responded to the screams of my elderly neighbor as two coyotes disappeared into the desert, one of them holding her toy poodle in its jaws.

I was there when a small girl was killed by a coyote down near San Diego. (If you doubt that, do a search on "Canadian singer killed by coyotes" and read about an adult being killed.)

In 1991 I noticed an old, skinny, likely ill adult coyote following me and displaying predatory behavior while I hiked a dry river bed.

It was only a few years ago that a coyote attacked a young boy in New Jersey and his uncle saved his life.

Most common of all, every year hundreds of thousands of pets are killed by coyotes. In the Porters Neck area, an outdoor cat is soon destined to be a dead cat, because coyotes are thick there. A young teen playing basketball in his driveway on Bald Eagle Lane saw movement out of the corner of his eye and saw five of them standing at the edge of the brush, watching him. He wisely backed away and went inside.

They are slowly taking over Castle Hayne as well.

I don't hunt, I'm usually 100% pro-animal, but I have a loaded rifle out when I am home. When I spot a coyote, it's a dead coyote. They pose too great a risk to my pets and the kids in this area.

hunting pukes

So now we'll have these gun toting morons all over the countryside at night..just great!! My land is posted and like last year I'll shoot any dog that trespasses on my property and have their idiot owners arrested. This continues to show what pinheads we have in the NC congress. Trying 16 yr. olds as adults, letting mopeds on the highway..No wonder this State is a joke.

Depends on what the 16 year

Depends on what the 16 year old did to cause them to be charged as an adult. Murder I can understand...stealing something...not so much. And you shouldn't underestimate the power of the dogs that you are shootings owner. You may think NC is a big joke...but the people here may think you're a joke too. And they outnumber you.


Morons? Pukes? What a great grasp you have of the english vocabulary. Nice !! But to the point, some of these "gun toting morons" you mentioned are highly degreed people. I know, I know, that does not make them smart; but morons? And if you had taken the time to read NCWRC law before flying into a rant and getting your blood pressure up, you'd know that there will be no dog hunting allowed. Thus you will be killing no dogs and having the idiot owners arrested. Anyway, killing dogs is a crime and you'd go to jail. Hey, I ain't comming to see you. Calm down, it'll all be ok shortly. Hopefully you aren't married. I'd surely hate to be the lady that has to put up with this flying off the handle stuff. Jeez, take her out to dinner and give her a break; as in you stay home. On the other part; mopeds? I'm with you on that one, me and you, yep, we're thick as leaves ole buddy. :~)

If you don't like it here,

If you don't like it here, then you are certainly welcome to relocate. I don't think anyone here will stop you or even miss you.


You shoot dogs who "trespass" on your land? That's cold-hearted and completely illegal. Calling the cops on the trespassing hunter is understandable, but shooting dogs for crossing property lines??? I guess they're supposed to notice those posted signs... What a jerk. One can only hope they'll catch you and punish you.

I guess you're including all hunters in your "gun toting morons" statement? You obviously missed out on the experience of hunting with a dad, grandfather, etc. Sadly, the vast majority of today's youth missed that, too. Imagine if more young people spent time in the woods, surrounded by nature, learning respect, patience, appreciation for life and food, etc. Away from the internet and the phone, learning to watch and listen.... I personally know of some very fine people who are hunters. As with any other group, there will always be a few renegades, but not all hunters are morons.

If you despise this State and think it's such a joke, do us all a favor and leave!


An excellent post. I am almost 73 and the skills of self reliance and common sense that came from growing up in the country have served me well all my life.

A single shot 22, which was my first gun, taught me to get it right the first time. This, later was responsible for my qualafication as "Expert" when I was in the Military. I can't spell worth diddly, but I can still shoot pretty good.



Native American

I come from family of hunters my mother, father and both my brothers. My mother would go out hunting with my brothers every evening during hunting season. They would kill rabbits for dinner and deer to put freezer. So, if these animals are tearing up land and peoples property they need to be killed down. Hunting to my family was a way of spending time together. Hunting brings young boys to become caring man for outdoor wildlife. I personal don't want my small house dog to become dinner for no coycotes when she goes out to use the bathroom. I had a hawk to get my last dog.