Youth hunter kills his first bear in Henderson County

With deer season in full swing, bear season opened quietly

Deer hunting season is in full swing across the Old North State. Fishing, especially for crappie, bass, and catfish in freshwater, and just about everything that swims in saltwater, is as hot as it’s been in months.

But it’s also black bear season in most of North Carolina’s counties.

One of those counties is Henderson County, where youth hunter Arliss Levi of Zirconia, N.C. killed a black bear on his dad’s birthday, Nov. 1.

It was the 11-year-old’s first bear, and he killed it with his mom’s .308, making it a complete family affair.

“The bear weighed 250 pounds, and Arliss dropped it in his tracks with the .308,” said Tiffany Levi.

The daily limit of bears is one per person per day, which is also the season limit.

Seasons vary throughout the state

The Mountain Bear Management Unit season opened on Oct. 14 and runs through Nov. 23. It reopens on Dec. 16 and runs through Jan. 1, 2020. This zone encompases counties including and to the west of Surry, Wilkes, Caldwell, Burke, and Cleveland.

The Piedmont Bear Management Unit seasons are split into three sections. For the counties of Franklin, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Moore, Richmond, Scotland, Vance, Wake, and Warren, the season opened on Oct. 12 and closes on Jan. 1, 2020.

For Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Granville, Guilford, Lee, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, and Union counties, the season opens on Nov. 16 and ends on Jan. 1, 2020.

For Alexander, Catawba, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Stokes, and Yadkin counties, the season will open on Nov. 23 and end on Jan. 1, 2020.

The Coastal Bear Management Unit seasons are split into five zones. Zone 1, which covers Dare, Hyde, and Tyrrell counties, opened on Nov. 9 and runs through Nov. 24. It reopens on Dec. 14 and ends on Dec. 29.

Zone 2 covers Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Gates, Pasquotank, and Perquimans counties. That season opened on Nov. 9 and ends on Nov. 17, then opens again on Dec. 14, ending on Dec. 29.

Zone 3 encompasses Beaufort, Bertie, Craven, Hertford, Jones, Martin, and Washington counties. That season opened on Nov. 9 and ends on Nov. 17. It reopens on Dec. 14 and runs through Dec. 29.

Beginning on Nov. 16 and running through Dec. 15 is Zone 4, made up of Edgecombe, Greene, Halifax, Lenoir, Nash, Northampton, Pitt, Wayne, and Wilson counties.

Click here to read more about hunting bears in North Carolina.