I’m from NC and hunt gamelands quite a bit. The regs state you cannot permanently affix treestands with bolts, lags, screws, etc. “Lag screw” (screw in) steps for climbing are permitted as long as they are removed after use. I reached out to the Wildlife Commission for clarity on using bolts as a climbing method since they aren’t “permanently affixed” in the tree. They do no more damage than screw ins. I received no reply, but I feel like it will probably come down to individual game warden discretion. Also, I contacted the National Forest service in NC, and they let the state wildlife commission set the rules for hunting/climbing equipment—basically, if it’s permitted on NC gamelands, it’s permitted on NC national forests. That’s exactly what they told me. This isn’t the case in VA where I currently live; National Forest land up here plays by their own set of rules and screw ins/bolts aren’t allowed on federal land within the commonwealth.
My main point is this: contact the game warden stationed in the area you hunt and ask first. It’s better than spending your hunting gear money on a ticket.
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