Hunting season thus far in Halifax County has been mostly uneventful, finding state Wildlife Resources Commission enforcement officers dealing with trespassing and roadside hunting violations.

Sergeant Carl Hatcher said about five people have been charged with hunting from the roadside. “You're not allowed in Halifax County to fire from the roadway. The right of way is not a shooting lane. You can't discharge from one side of the road to the other.”

The violation carries a $100 fine and cost of court.

Deer gun season, which went into effect the second Saturday in October and runs through January 2, has already had a few trespassing issues, Hatcher said.

Enforcement officers have had three violations of trespassing, a low number considering the length of the deer-hunting season. “It means people keep us with us and know we're out there,” the sergeant said.

Proper way of marking tree.

The landowner protection act gives property holders two ways of posting their land; one is the traditional hand-posted signs and the other is marking property boundaries with purple paint. These markings or signs means a hunter must have written permission of the landowner before hunting.

The act, according to the commission's website, specifically relates only to hunting, fishing or trapping on posted lands. It clarifies the existing requirement for written consent to hunt, fish or trap on posted lands by specifying that written permission, dated within the past 12 months and signed by the landowner, leaseholder or agent of that land, be carried and displayed upon request of any law enforcement officer.

If a hunting club has leased the land, a person shall have a copy of their hunting club membership and a copy of the landowner permission granted to that hunting club.

Two different parties of individuals have been caught night-hunting, Hatcher said. “This year we caught some before the season started.”

The middle duck season is under way and runs through November 30. The last part of the season starts December 14 and runs through January 25.

Thus far, the only violations reported have been two groups of juveniles using a running motor boat to shoot ducks on Roanoke Rapids Lake. They also had no state waterfowl stamps and were operating boats without safety compliance.

There have been no violations during bear season, which runs through Saturday and begins again December 16 through December 28.