Entry & Participation Procedures

Lottery Hunt | Stewardship Hunt | Management Partners | Walk-On Hunt

Lottery Hunt

Whitetail Deer, Feral Pig, Waterfowl, Quail, and Wild Turkey

Complete a 3"x 5" index card with the following information:

name

address

daytime phone number

e-mail address (if applicable)

requested hunt date/number.

Any entry card received that is smaller or larger than 3"x5" and not on card stock, lacks any of the required information, or without entry fee will not be accepted. If an entry is received that is not correct, the staff of Howell Woods is not required to contact the perspective hunter and notify them of the non-acceptance of their entry. For any entry not accepted, the check or money order will be destroyed along with the entry. Each destroyed entry will be logged in on a specified document with date received, reasons for non-acceptance, actions taken, outcome of actions, date entry and fee destroyed.

Mail card and entry fee (non-refundable) to Howell Woods ELC, 6601 Devils Racetrack Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524.

Only checks and money orders are accepted for entry fee and should be made out to Howell Woods ELC. Total fees received should match the required amount for the total number of entries received per hunter.

Feral Pig, Deer, and Wild Turkey hunts - Only one prospective hunter’s name per card; no groups or parties.

Duck and Quail hunts- The name on the card will be considered the hunt party captain. The hunt captain may choose the other hunters in his/her hunt party as long as they meet the general regulation requirements for qualified hunters at Howell Woods. For duck hunts - 2 hunters per party; quail hunts- 4 per party.

Each entry card is good for one hunt drawing only! Individual hunters/captains can enter more than once for each designated hunt date and may enter for multiple hunts, but each entry will cost the required entry fee.

Entries will be accepted by mail or may be delivered in person up to 3:00pm of the date of the drawing.

Four for each fall and winter (Oct-Dec) - feral pig and deer hunts and three entries for each spring (Jan-Mar) feral pig hunts, four entries (wild turkey and duck) and one entry (quail) card(s) will be randomly drawn between 3:00-5:00pm on the date specified for each hunt. The lottery drawing date for all whitetail deer and/or feral pig hunts will be on Fridays, ten working days prior to each hunt. Any unsold Stewardship hunt slots available five working days prior to each hunt will be drawn as lottery slots. Each drawing will be open to the public. In the event that the drawing can not be held due to an unscheduled closing of Johnston Community College, the official drawing will be held the next day the school is open for employees at 11:00am. New entries for the rescheduled date will only be accepted if delivered in person before the 11:00am drawing time.

If a prospective hunter enters more than one entry card for a set date, the first card drawn with that selected hunters name will be the card used for that hunter. Any subsequent cards drawn with that selected hunters name will be discarded and another card will be drawn in its place.

With each hunter drawn during the random drawing a stand/blind or area location will also be drawn to which that hunter is assigned to hunt.

Each selected hunter will be notified by phone and e-mail (if applicable) within 2-4 days of the official drawing. Howell Woods ELC will meet its notifying obligations when the selected hunter

has been spoken to in person,

a message is left with an adult at the number provided,

a message is left on voice mail or recorder at the number provided or

an e-mail message is sent and a return mail message is not received.

If a selected hunter does not acknowledge notification of selection before five working days of their designated hunt date a new entry card will be drawn and that selected hunter will have the opportunity to participate in the designated hunt date.

If a selected hunter cannot attend the designated hunt date that they were drawn for, that hunter may select any hunter, who meets the general regulations requirements for qualified hunters at Howell Woods, to take their slot in their designated hunt date.

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Stewardship Hunt

Whitetail Deer and Feral Pig

Dates | Fees

Quality deer management practices are strictly followed for whitetail deer harvests. Feral pigs are liberally harvested to control the extent of damage done by these feral animals.

There are two methods available to participate in the Stewardship Hunt - monetary payment or volunteer work. There are a total of 11 slots for the Oct-Dec Stewardship hunts and 12 slots for the Jan-Mar Stewardship hunts. All hunters for the Stewardship hunt must also meet the general regulations requirements for qualified hunters at Howell Woods.

Monetary Payment

Pay slots for the Stewardship deer/feral pig hunts will be filled on a first pay basis. Slots can only be reserved with a 50% deposit or full payment for the total number of slots requested. Deposit is refundable if slots are cancelled more than 30 days prior to the scheduled hunt date. Deposit is non-refundable for any reason if the slots are cancelled less than 30 days prior to the scheduled hunt date.

Volunteer Work

To participate in the volunteer hunt, the hunter(s) must complete and mail/deliver a Stewardship Hunt Volunteer Sign-Up Form (*fillable PDF:76KB/1p) before starting to work the required number of hours on a specific program, activity or project.

The required number of hours must be completed before the hunter is allowed to hunt or before the requested hunt date is secured. As soon as the volunteer reaches the required number of volunteer hours for the number of slots requested, then the slots will be reserved.

The use of personal tools or equipment receives one bonus hour per visit with more than four hours worked per visit. Four bonus hours are awarded for assisting with prescribed burning activities that last longer than four hours.

Credit for volunteer hours is given only for actual work time conducted while under the supervision or direction of a Howell Woods staff member. Time for meal breaks is not credited.

One volunteer may earn enough hours for multiple hunters, or volunteers may combine, share, or donate their hours to other hunters for the desired hunt option.

Volunteer hunters may only receive assistance from staff members in recovering harvested animals.

Additional or unused hours will be rolled over to the next calendar year.

Volunteers may not volunteer during a hunt for which they are participating in by hunting.

Volunteers are subject to the supervision of any Howell Woods staff member and must conform to all the safe working procedures as addressed in the Johnston Community College Safety Plan while working on the property or performing work off the property for the volunteer hour credits.

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Management Partners

Whitetail Deer, Feral Pig, Waterfowl, Dove, and Quail

Dates | Fees

To participate in the Management Partner Program, the hunter(s) must pay an established annual fee.

A Management Partner Request Form (*fillable PDF:65KB/1p) must be submitted to Howell Woods and the nature of the donated equipment or supplies must be discussed and agreed upon by the Howell Woods director and JCC administration before the requested slots can be secured.

The Hoof & Hide management partner program consists of two options limited to eight donors per calendar year. The Wing & Feather management partner program is limited to two partners per calendar year. Partner hunt privileges are good for one year from the date payment is received and may be renewed on an annual basis three months prior to end of privileges.

All hunters for the management partner program must also meet the general regulations requirements for qualified hunters at Howell Woods.

Special rules and regulations apply to partner hunters upon entering the Management Partner program. Ask a staff member for more details.

One time, two-day hunts are available with the donation of durable equipment, supplies, or professional services with materials that will benefit the ongoing operations or programs at Howell Woods on a case-by-case basis. Fair market value of donated items or services must be between $1,500-3,000. There is a minimum of six hunters and a maximum of 15 hunters (each slot after six hunters is valued at $200).

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Walk-On Hunt

Gray Squirrel

Dates | Fees

Participation for a walk-on hunt for gray squirrel will be handled on a first come, first served basis based on the number of available hunting slots. All applicable hunt fees are due before proceeding to designated hunting area.

Gray squirrel hunting will begin after 9am and end 30 minutes after official sunset on the designated hunt days and will be limited to six designated hunting areas with a maximum of two hunters per area.

Walk-on hunters for gray squirrels must be present by at least 30 minutes prior to the desired hunt time the day of the hunt to take the Hunting at Howell Woods open book exam and to receive assigned hunting area. Hunting fee will not be pro-rated for half day hunting.

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*A PDF form may be filled out on your computer and printed (see PDF Fillable Form Help for instructions) OR you may print the form and fill it out by hand. This format requires the Acrobat® Reader™ which may be downloaded free from the Adobe Web site.