NCWRC's latest closings due to COVID-19

COVID-19 causes numerous cancelations, closures, postponements

As is the case across the nation, North Carolina’s Wildlife Resources Commission has canceled, closed, or postponed numerous activities, boat ramps, education centers, and workshops. This is a list that is current as of March 25, 2020.

The Commission expects this list to change as situations change, and we ask that North Carolina outdoorsmen check back often before heading to any specific game land, function, or boat ramp that is not currently listed.

At this time, no hunting or fishing seasons have been canceled. However, some places that were set to host hunting/fishing have been closed. While many of the closings listed below are due to the cornoavirus outbreak, some are because of other reasons. In such cases, the reasons are listed.

Boating Access Area Closures

Boat Access Area	County	Body of Water	Date Range Closed	Reason for Closure
Barkers Creek	Jackson	Tuckasegee River	2/28/2020 – Until Further Notice	Tree removal.
Brices Creek	Craven	Brice Creek	Until Further Notice	USFS restroom closure in response to COVID-19.
Cedar Cliff	Graham	Cedar Cliff Lake	9/3/2019 – 9/2020	Drawdown and dam maintenance by Duke Energy. Suitable for carry-in paddle boats only. For more information, see Water Access Alerts on https://www.duke-energy.com/community/lakes
Great Lake	Craven	Great Lake	Until Further Notice	Hurricane Damage
Hancock Creek	Craven	Hancock Creek	Until Further Notice	USFS restroom closure in response to COVID-19.
Hanging Dog	Cherokee	Hiwassee Lake	Until Further Notice	USFS restroom closure in response to COVID-19.
Haywood Landing	Jones	White Oak River	Until Further Notice	USFS restroom closure in response to COVID-19.
Horse Park PFA	Swain	Tuckasegee River	Until Further Notice	Renovation
Lemmons Branch	Swain	Fontana Lake	Until Further Notice	USFS restroom closure in response to COVID-19.
Pollocksville	Jones	Trent River	1/27/2020 – Until Further Notice	Renovation
Ranger Station	Graham	Lake Santeetlah	Until Further Notice	USFS restroom closure in response to COVID-19.
Rhodes Pond BAA & PFA	Cumberland	Rhodes Pond	Until Further Notice	Dam Renovation
Salters Creek	Carteret	Salters Creek	2/17/2020 – Until Further Notice	Intermittent closures due to dredge operations.
Straits Landing	Carteret	North River	3/5/2020 – Until Further Notice	Intermittent closures and limited parking due to dredge operations.
Surf City	Pender	Intracoastal Waterway	Until Further Notice	Closed at the request of the landowner in response to COVID-19.
Tory Hole	Bladen	Cape Fear River	2/18/2020 – Until Further Notice	Flooding damage
The Yadkin Shore PFA	Yadkin	-Yadkin River	2/26/2020 – Until Further Notice	Flooding damage

Facility Closures

March 17-30, 2020

Pechmann Fishing Education Center in Fayetteville
Outer Banks Education Center in Corolla
Pisgah Education Center for Wildlife Education in Pisgah Forest

March 20, 2020 – Until Further Notice

Watha State Fish Hatchery in Watha
McKinney Lake State Fish Hatchery, in Hoffman
Table Rock State Fish Hatchery, in Burke County
Armstrong State Fish Hatchery, in McDowell County
Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery, in Transylvania County
Marion State Fish Hatchery, in McDowell County

March 23, 2020 – Until Further Notice

John Lentz Hunter Education Complex in Richmond County
Flintlock Valley Shooting Range in Uwharrie National Forest, Montgomery County
R. Wayne E. Smith Cold Mountain Shooting Range in Haywood County
Holly Shelter Shooting Range in Pender County
Odom Shooting Range in Northampton County

Event Postponements or Cancellations

March 14 – April 25, 2020
YHEST Tournaments – POSTPONED; Date-TBD
YHEST District Tournament Page

March 14-April 30, 2020
Hunter Education Classes – CANCELLED

March 14 – April 30, 2020
Internet Field Days – CANCELLED

March 15-April 28, 2020
Boater Safety Education Classes – CANCELLED

March 25-30, 2020
Wild Turkey Hunting Seminars – CANCELLED

March 26, 2020
Green Growth Toolbox Workshop in Marion- CANCELLED
Forest Her Workshop in Marion – POSTPONED – Date TBD

March 27, 2020
Green Growth Toolbox in Asheville – CANCELLED

March 28, 2020
Bowhunter Education Workshop – CANCELLED

March 30 & 31, 2020
Public Input Meetings-Deer Hunting with Dogs in Kenansville & Williamston – POSTPONED – Date TBD

April 3, 2020
Green Growth Toolbox in Currituck County – POSTPONED – Date TBD

March 3-5, 2020
Becoming an Outdoors Woman weekend in Tyrrell County – CANCELLED

April 15, 2020
Outdoor Days at the OBX in Corolla – CANCELLED

April 16, 2020
Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee Meeting – pending teleconferencing arrangements

April 18, 2020
Trapper Education Workshop in Morrisville – CANCELLED

April 19, 2020
Family Fishing Fiesta in Apex – CANCELLED

Public Fishing Areas Closings

Yadkin Shore PFA in Yadkin County
Bells Church fishing pier is closed; public fishing area remains open.

Game Land Closings

Due to landowner’s requests in response to COVID-19, the following game lands are closed:

DuPont State Forest Game Land

NCWRC’s latest closings due to COVID-19