HARKERS ISLAND – The lottery for temporary duck blind permits on Cape Lookout National Seashore will be Aug. 23 at the visitor center, the National Park Service announced Tuesday.
All hunters at the visitor center at 8 a.m. Aug. 23 will draw a numbered ticket, which will determine the order for registering a duck blind permit. Hunters not present at the start of the lottery, which the park service has used in the past, will register on a first-come, first-served basis after the initial lottery participants have registered and selected their blinds.
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Permits for temporary duck blinds will be available at the Harkers Island Visitor Center 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 23 and then Monday through Friday, except holidays.
There is a $50 administrative permit fee that includes one blind, and a $25 fee for a second blind. The fees are used to administer and monitor the duck blind program.
Those seeking a permit must bring their current North Carolina hunting license with a signed federal duck stamp, photo identification and be prepared to identify the blind location on a computerized topographic map.
Hunting is authorized within the seashore, subject to State of North Carolina hunting regulations, as well as Federal law, according to the National Park Service. The Duck Blind Permit allows hunters to place and leave temporary duck blinds in the park from Sept. 10 until March 31, 2020, when blinds must be removed.
Construction of permanent duck blinds is illegal and Illegal duck blinds found in the park will be removed without notice.
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Hunters that fail to secure a permit or remove blinds at the end of the permit period may incur penalties, such as a bill for the cost of removing the blind, and possible exclusion from the program in the future.
Commercial hunting or fishing guides must obtain a permit to conduct commercial activities in a national park. Guides should contact park Business Manager Katherine Cushinberry about permits at 252-838-8899.
