Good news! I just got this of the NCBA forums.....
Now, you can take beaver legally with a bow and arrow after October 1, 2007.
The NCBA asks that this law be changed and it has been changed.
The change was a statutory law, not a NCWRC regulation. The change came at such a time it was not published in the current regulations digest.
The current NCWRC Regs states this.
QUOTE the NCWRC Regs:
BEAVER
There is an open season for taking beaver with firearms during any
open season for the taking of wild animals, provided that permission
has been obtained from the owner or lessee of the land on which the
beaver is being taken.
END QUOTE
What we have now, thanks to the NCBA, is this.
You can harvest beavers with a bow and arrow after October 1, 2007 and continue to as long as trapping season is open for beaver on private lands. The same rules apply for getting permission on private lands.
The new law also provides that you can harvest beaver with a bow and arrow on NCWRC game lands so long as there is an open season for other game animals.
Here again, the 2007-2008 NCWRC Regulations Digest does not show the changes. Next year's digest will contain the new wording.
I will, when time allows, find the new change to the NC General Statutes and post it.
Hope that helps,
Pinky