Haven't hunted out here for ducks yet. Is there any special regulations on hunting the marshes or any areas that I could get to by canoe near surf city
The marshes/islands South of Surf City between the back bay and the ICW are part of the Topsail Township and are not legal to hunt from my understanding. Hope this helps.
I heard that but also heard lee island is open for hunting though. Any truth to that. I'm going to try and meet up with a warden to get more insight
Isn't a bunch of the east end of Lea Island land owned/controlled by the Audubon Society? If so, probably no hunting there either.
I think as long as you hunt from a boat it's out of city limits getting out of the discharge of a firearm ordinance but I'll try to get up with a warden this week and get clarification and I'll post it up for everyone
I am pretty sure the township boundaries extend to the midway point of the ICW. Therefore, no firearm discharge allowed in marsh from Surf City bridge south to Lee island and midway ICW to Topsail Island. Not sure about north of bridge.
Txrebel, this is a topic that interests me as well. And I've also heard different opinions on the matter. Please share what you learn from the warden.
Nothing to get excited about there. Mainly just a bunch of mergansers with a few buffleheads thrown in.
There's an article in the July 2013 NC Sportsman, page 20 (not available online, so no link) which is titled "Hunters no longer welcome at topsail." The article doesn't really do a great job of describing the off limits areas but says the off-limit part is part of the town of Topsail Beach and is "10 miles long and a mile wide." It does say that "just down the beach Surf City has not banned hunting in the marshes extending from the town to the ICW."
Still waiting to hear back from the wildlife area sgt but I will let you guys know what I find out
I know I m late to this thread but I hunt out there some last year, mostly toward WB area, i have been fishing though and seen and heard shots fired behind Lea Island. Mergansers, and buffleheads are all I have seen with the exception of some bluebills that came in a few days after the last season ended of course. Saw some birds in New River this week, maybe 10 small rafts max per raft maybe 25 birds. Ringnecks almost all of them, saw a few buffies too.
Had some buds go out and shoot a limit the other day in the new river. I've been killing some birds off the intercoastal but mainly hunting near nri to avoid the city limits ordeal and since I only have a canoe. Got hustled by a game warden about at LST and didn't get to start hunting until about 645 still left witha. Drake hooded merganser. Don't taste good but it sure is pretty
Yeah, there not much for table fare. What other birds are you seeing. I was fishing nri the other day and heard some shooting and saw several gansers and buffies light in the marsh. Any big birds around?
In the marshes I've been at it's been a feeder creek going to the intercoastal. Mainly been seeing teal ring neck gaddies and wood ducks and of course the everyday group of mergansers
Inland it's been teal woodies and greenheads