(a) Except when otherwise indicated, licenses in this section are annual licenses issued beginning January 1 each year running until the following December 31.

(b) Except as otherwise provided, no person may engage in any activity for which a license is provided under this section without first having procured a current and valid license for that activity. In implementing the provisions of this section, the Wildlife Resources Commission may by rule govern every aspect of the licensee’s dealings in wildlife resources. Specifically, these rules may require licensees to:

(1) Implement a system of tagging or otherwise identifying and controlling species regulated under the license and pay a reasonable fee, for each tag furnished by the Wildlife Resources Commission to defray costs;

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(2) Keep records and statistics in record books furnished by the Wildlife Resources Commission, and pay a reasonable charge to defray the cost of furnishing the books;

(3) Be subject to inspection at reasonable hours and audit of wildlife resources and pertinent records and equipment;

(4) Make periodic reports;

(5) Post performance bonds payable to the Wildlife Resources Commission conditioned upon faithful compliance with provisions of law; and

(6) Otherwise comply with reasonable rules and administrative requirements that may be imposed under the authority of this section.

(c) Repealed by Session Laws 1993, c. 18, s. 3.

(d) Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 830, s. 1.

(e) Repealed by Session Laws 1993, c. 18, s. 3.

(f) Fur-Dealer License. – Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, any individual in this State who deals in furs must obtain an appropriate fur-dealer license. For the purposes of this subsection, “dealing in furs” refers to any individual who buys and sells the raw furs, pelts, or skins of fur-bearing animals or other wild animals that may lawfully be sold, or the raw furs, pelts, or skins of wild animals which may not themselves be sold but whose fur, pelt, or skin may lawfully be sold. A hunter or trapper who has lawfully taken wild animals whose fur, pelt, or skin is permitted to be sold under this subsection is not considered a fur dealer if the hunter or trapper exclusively sells the raw furs, pelts, and skins, as appropriate, to licensed fur dealers. All fur-dealer licenses are annual licenses issued beginning July 1 each year running until the following June 30. Fur-dealer licenses issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission are as follows:

(1) Resident fur-dealer license, thirty dollars ($30.00). Authorizes an individual resident of the State to deal in furs in accordance with the rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission.

(2) Nonresident fur-dealer license, sixty dollars ($60.00). Authorizes an individual within the State to deal in furs in accordance with the rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission.

(3) Fur-dealer station license, one hundred twenty dollars ($120.00). Authorizes a person or individual to deal in furs at an established location where fur dealings occur under the supervision of a responsible individual manager named in the license. Individual employees of the business dealing in furs solely at the established location under the supervision of the manager need not acquire an individual license. Any employee who also deals in furs outside the established location shall obtain the appropriate individual license. Individuals dealing in furs at an established location may elect to do so under their individual licenses.

The Executive Director may administratively provide for reissuance of a station license without charge for the remainder of the year when either a business continues at an established location under a new supervising manager or the business changes to a new location. Before reissuing the license, however, the Executive Director shall determine that there is a continuation of essentially the same business previously licensed and that any new supervising manager meets the qualifications imposed by rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission. The supervising manager shall file the names of all employees of the business covered by a fur-dealer station license, whether temporary or permanent, including employees who process or skin the animals.

The Executive Director shall furnish supervising managers and individual licensees with forms or record books for recording required information as to purchase, sale, importation, exportation, and other dealings, and make a reasonable charge to cover the costs of any record books furnished. It is unlawful for anyone dealing in furs to fail to submit reports required by rules or reasonable administrative directives.

(g) Controlled Hunting Preserve Operator License. – The Wildlife Resources Commission is authorized by rule to set standards for and to license the operation of controlled hunting preserves operated by private persons. Controlled hunting preserves are of three types: one is an area marked with appropriate signs along the outside boundaries on which only domestically raised chukars, Hungarian partridges, and game birds other than wild turkeys are taken; one is an area enclosed with a dog-proof fence on which rabbits may be hunted with dogs only; and one is an area enclosed with a dog-proof fence on which foxes and coyotes may be hunted with dogs only. A controlled fox and coyote hunting preserve operated for private use may be of any size; a controlled hunting preserve operated for commercial purposes shall be an area of not less than 500 acres or of such size as set by regulation of the Wildlife Resources Commission, which shall take into account differences in terrain and topography, as well as the welfare of the wildlife.

Operators of controlled fox hunting preserves may purchase live foxes and coyotes from licensed trappers who live-trap foxes and coyotes during any open season for trapping them and may, at any time, take live foxes from their preserves for sale to other licensed operators. The controlled hunting preserve operator license for domestically raised birds, foxes, and coyotes may be purchased for a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00). The controlled hunting preserve operator license for rabbits may be purchased for a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). The controlled hunting preserve operator license is an annual license issued beginning 1 July each year running until the following 30 June.

(h) Game Bird Propagation License. – No person may propagate game birds in captivity or possess game birds for propagation without first procuring a license under this subsection. The Wildlife Resources Commission may by rule prescribe the activities to be covered by the propagation license, which species of game birds may be propagated, and the manner of keeping and raising the birds, in accordance with the overall objectives of conservation of wildlife resources. Except as limited by this subsection, propagated game birds may be raised and sold for purposes of propagation, stocking, food, or taking in connection with dog training as authorized in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 113-291.1(d). Migratory game bird operations authorized under this subsection must also comply with any applicable provisions of federal law and rules. The Wildlife Resources Commission may impose requirements as to shipping, marking packages, banding, tagging, or wrapping the propagated birds and other restrictions designed to reduce the change of illicit game birds being disposed of under the cover of licensed operations. The Wildlife Resources Commission may make a reasonable charge for any bands, tags, or wrappers furnished propagators. The game bird propagation license is issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission upon payment of a fee of ten dollars ($10.00). It authorizes a person or individual to propagate and sell game birds designated in the license, in accordance with the rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission, except:

(1) Wild turkey and ruffed grouse may not be sold for food.

(2) Production and sale of pen-raised quail for food purposes is under the exclusive control of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The Wildlife Resources Commission, however, may regulate the possession, propagation, and transportation of live pen-raised quail.

Wild turkey acquired or raised under a game bird propagation license shall be confined in a cage or pen approved by the Wildlife Resources Commission and no such wild turkey shall be released for any purpose or allowed to range free. It is a Class 3 misdemeanor to sell wild turkey or ruffed grouse for food purposes, to sell quail other than lawfully acquired pen-raised quail for food purposes, or to release or allow wild turkey to range free.

(i) Furbearer Propagation License. – No person may engage in propagation in captivity or possess any species of furbearers for propagation for the purpose of selling the animals or their pelts for use as fur without first procuring a license under this subsection. The furbearer propagation license is issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission upon payment of a fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). It authorizes the propagation or sale of the pelts or carcasses of the species of furbearing animals named therein, including bobcats, opossums and raccoons, or red and silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes), for use as fur. The Wildlife Resources Commission may by rule prescribe the activities covered by the license, the manner of keeping and raising the animals and the manner of killing them prior to sale, in accordance with overall objectives of conservation of wildlife resources and humane treatment of wild animals raised in captivity. The Wildlife Resources Commission may require tagging of the pelts or carcasses of the animals prior to sale in accordance with the provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 113-276.1(5) and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 113-291.4(g). It is unlawful for any person licensed under this subsection to sell any pelt or carcass of any furbearing animal or fox to any other person who is not lawfully authorized to buy and possess the same, or to sell or deliver a live specimen of any such animal to any person who is not authorized to buy or receive and to hold the animal in captivity.

(j) [Reserved.]

(k) Taxidermy License. – Any individual who engages in taxidermy, including the tanning of hides, involving wildlife for any compensation, including reimbursement for the cost of materials, must first procure a taxidermy license. This license is an annual license issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission for fifty dollars ($50.00). In addition to a taxidermy license, license holders engaging in taxidermy of any species of the family Cervidae must also obtain a taxidermy cervid certification issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission for five dollars ($5.00), the proceeds of which shall be used to fund the Cervid Health Cooperator Program and for other chronic wasting disease surveillance. The Wildlife Resources Commission is authorized by rule to set standards and reporting requirements for taxidermy licenses and certifications. No taxidermist subject to license requirements may sell any game or game fish in which he deals except that a taxidermist may acquire a valid possessory lien upon game or game fish under the terms of Chapter 44A of the N.C. Gen. Stat. and, with a trophy sale permit from the Wildlife Resources Commission, may sell the game or game fish under the procedure authorized in Chapter 44A. Wildlife acquired by a taxidermist is deemed “personal property” for the purposes of Chapter 44A.

(l) Wildlife Control Agent License. – An individual who engages in wildlife damage control or wildlife removal activities, including bat eviction, for compensation, including reimbursement for the cost of materials, shall first procure a wildlife control agent license. This is an annual license issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission for fifty dollars ($50.00). This license shall not be required for licensed trappers taking wild animals during the established trapping season for that species. The Wildlife Resources Commission is authorized by rule to set standards for and to license wildlife control agents.

(l1) Wildlife Control Technician Certification. – An individual who is under the direct supervision of a licensed wildlife control agent and who engages in wildlife damage control or wildlife removal activities for compensation under the direct supervision of a licensed wildlife control agent shall first procure a wildlife control technician certification. This is an annual certification issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission for twenty-five dollars ($25.00). This certification shall not authorize the individual to issue depredation permits. This certification shall not be required for licensed trappers taking wild animals during the established trapping season for that species. For purposes of this subsection, the term “wildlife damage control or wildlife removal activities” shall include bat eviction and alligator damage control or removal activities, and the term “for compensation” shall include reimbursement for the cost of materials. The Wildlife Resources Commission may adopt rules to certify and set standards for wildlife control technicians.

(m) Alligator Control Agent Certification. – An individual who engages in alligator damage control or removal activities for compensation, including reimbursement for the cost of materials, shall first procure an alligator control agent certification, as well as a wildlife control agent license under subsection (l) of this section. This is an annual certification issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission for twenty-five dollars ($25.00). The Wildlife Resources Commission is authorized by rule to set standards for and to certify alligator control agents. This certification does not include privileges conveyed with an endangered species permit. The endangered species permit shall be obtained prior to conducting activities under the authorization of this certification. (1929, c. 333, ss. 1-7; c. 198, ss. 1, 2, 4; 1933, c. 337, ss. 1-4; c. 430, s. 1; 1935, c. 471, ss. 1-3; c. 486, ss. 4, 12, 21; 1937, c. 45, s. 1; 1945, c. 617; 1949, c. 1203, s. 1; 1957, cc. 386, 841; c. 849, s. 1; 1959, c. 304; 1961, c. 311; c. 834, s. 1; c. 1056; 1965, c. 957, s. 2; 1967, c. 790; 1969, c. 1030; c. 1042, ss. 1-5; 1971, c. 242; c. 282, s. 1; c. 515, s. 5; c. 705, ss. 1, 2; 1973, c. 1098; c. 1262, ss. 18, 86; 1975, c. 197, ss. 1-4, 13, 14; 1977, c. 658; 1979, c. 830, s. 1; 1981, c. 620, ss. 4-6; 1983, c. 140, s. 9; 1985, c. 476, s. 1; 1987, c. 133; c. 827, s. 98; 1989, c. 616, s. 3; 1993, c. 18, s. 3; c. 539, s. 854; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1997-261, s. 81; 2003-96, s. 1; 2019-204, s. 6(l); 2021-160, ss. 4(a), 9; 2022-65, s. 2(a).)