North Carolina wildlife officials are weighing a rule change that would restrict firearm hunting and deer hunting with dogs on a small section of public game land near Falls Lake. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission scheduled a virtual public hearing on June 23 regarding a petition to amend the rules for the Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land. The affected area covers about 230 acres south of Purnell Road, north of Bent Road, and east of New Light Creek.
Butner-Falls of Neuse Game Land spans roughly 37,500 acres across Durham, Granville, and Wake counties. The proposed restriction would apply to less than 1% of the game land, but it still lands in the middle of a familiar access fight: hunting opportunity, nearby homes, safety concerns, and hound hunting on public land.
What Would Change
The proposed rule would prohibit hunting with firearms on the 230-acre tract. It would also prohibit the use of dogs for deer hunting in that same area.
The rest of Butner-Falls would remain open under existing regulations. The proposal does not create a broader firearm ban across the full game land.
Why the Rule Was Proposed
The petitioners cited safety concerns about firearms being used near residential subdivisions. They also cited conflicts between hunters using dogs and adjacent landowners, including alleged property damage and harassment…