Bear hunting season opens today in western North Carolina

By Associated Press

SYLVA, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is reminding people to be careful as western bear hunting season opens.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reported that commission spokesman Geoff Cantrell says hunters should wear blaze orange. Cantrell advises anyone who spends time outside in areas that allow hunting to consider wearing blaze orange to make themselves more visible.

Western bear hunting season opens today and runs through Nov. 19, then closes for the western deer gun season. The bear season reopens Dec. 12 and continues through Jan. 2, 2012.

The western region is defined by the Wildlife Resources Commission as west of the boundary formed by Interstate 77 from the Virginia state line to I-40 and I-40 west to N.C. 18 south to the South Carolina state line.