Does Hunting Need Constitutional Protections?

This November, North Carolina voters will decide whether to codify the right to hunt and fish in the state’s constitution. This type of amendment is not new, though it has rapidly gained steam in the last two decades. More than 20 states have cemented a constitutional right to hunt and fish -- most through the ballot box. The effort is backed by outdoor sporting groups and the National Rifle Association (NRA) and faces concerns from animal rights groups. If approved by voters, this change would limit the state's ability to regulate hunting and establish hunting as the "preferred" means of managing wildlife.