Invest in Wildlife this Holiday Season. Give the Gift of a Lifetime.

RALEIGH, N.C. (Dec. 10, 2004) — Cabbage Patch Kids. Beanie Babies. Pet rocks. Once topping every child’s holiday wish list, these relics of Christmases past went from trendy toy to faded fad faster than Elmo could giggle, “Don’t tickle me!”

Jim Joyner of Elon and his son Will admire a hybrid striped bass reeled in during a family fishing outing near Burlington. Media: A hi-res version of this image may be downloaded here. Please credit Glenn Kimbrell, Alamance Outdoors Sportsman's Club.

This holiday season start a new family tradition by giving a gift that will collect memories, not dust. The Lifetime Sportsman license, offered by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, gives the holder a lifetime of fishing and hunting privileges in North Carolina, even if the licensee moves out of state.

“Buy it once, and you buy a lifetime of fishing and hunting trips with your child,” said Roger Jones, fish management supervisor for the Wildlife Commission. “The great thing about a lifetime license is its versatility — each and every outing will be a different experience. Let’s face it, you can only tickle Elmo so many times before the novelty wears off.”

In addition to providing unlimited outdoor experiences, a lifetime license helps conserve North Carolina’s fish and wildlife resources. Revenue from the sales of lifetime licenses is deposited into the Wildlife Endowment fund — from which only interest is used to pay for programs and projects that benefit fish and wildlife.

Since 1981, the Wildlife Commission has spent more than $32 million in interest on programs and projects. Some projects include:

• Acquisition of 30,000-plus acres of game lands statewide where sportsmen can hunt a variety of big and small game, such as turkey, deer, bear, squirrel and rabbits.
• Improvement of six state fish hatcheries which annually raise more than 7.8 million fish for stocking into North Carolina’s public inland waters — from trout and walleye in the mountains to bluegill and striped bass in the Piedmont and coastal regions.
• Purchase of wildlife enforcement equipment, such as decoy deer, digital cameras and global positioning systems, which help wildlife officers enforce hunting, fishing, trapping and boating laws.

Lifetime licenses range from $200 to $500 depending on the age of the person for whom the license is purchased.

“Sales of lifetime licenses fund wildlife conservation efforts that affect everyone,” Jones said. “All outdoor enthusiasts, whether they’re hunters, anglers, birdwatchers, hikers or kayakers, benefit from the many programs and projects supported by the Wildlife Endowment fund.”

To start a new family tradition this holiday season or to learn more about the Wildlife Endowment Fund, visit the Wildlife Commission’s Web site, www.ncwildlife.org/lifetime or call (888) 2HUNTFISH (888-248-6834).

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