MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. --
Just about anyone can gear up with camouflage, a
crossbow and a little bit of patience to catch themselves some game in the
primed-for-hunting, wooded areas of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, so
long as they follow the rules and regulations enforced by the game wardens
here.
To hunt on Cherry Point, participants must take a
hunter’s safety education course for the state of North Carolina, and purchase a
state hunting license. After the course, hunters must attend a hunter
orientation class where the regulations and rules about hunting on the air
station are explained. Upon completion of the orientation, hunters are allowed
to buy a base hunting permit.
“The hunters appreciate the fact that they can hunt
here,” said Eric Floyd, a U.S. conservation law enforcement officer with the
air station.
A variety of weapons when hunting on the air station
are allowed, to include appropriate firearms, bow and arrows.
Hunters tell each other what spots are “good” and
they exchange information and tips with each other which builds camaraderie,
explained Floyd.
On the air station, you are required to be at least
16 years old to purchase a hunting license alone. Personnel under 16 years of
age need to be accompanied by a licensed adult when hunting. Anyone under 12 years
old cannot carry their own firearm until they are in a hunting area and within
range of a harvestable animal.
According to Floyd, game available on the air
station includes, but is not limited to, white-tailed deer, turkeys, squirrels,
raccoons, ducks, doves and foxes. Hunting is authorized from a half an hour
before sunrise to a half an hour after sunset.
One of the game warden’s biggest safety concerns is
the use of fall-restraint systems when sitting in tree stands – if you fall
they catch you within a few feet before you can hit the ground. Another concern
is wearing blaze orange when in firearm season. Firearms have a greater range than
archery equipment. From a distance, a human can be mistaken for an animal.
“They are strict on safety, but it is for the
benefit of the hunters,” said Lance Cpl. Thomas Grubberd, a hunter of 10 years.
According to Grubberd, it is a great policy to allow
hunting on base because it keeps the wildlife population under control and reduces
the risk of car accidents with animals on the road.
“To a lot of people, hunting is a lifestyle, and I
see it as that, as well as being a positive hobby,” said Floyd. “If you are
sitting in a tree stand, you won’t be sitting on a bar stool. You also learn a
respect for nature, usually at an early age.”
Hunting on Cherry Point is open to active duty
personnel, their dependents, retirees, DOD employees and sponsored guests. Maps
for hunting areas on base are located in the game warden’s office. For more
information on hunting here or to view our station policies, visit:
http://www.cherrypoint.marines.mil/Resources/GameWarden/Hunting.aspx.