The weeks before year’s end are full of national and cultural holidays that bring families together. For those traveling to North Carolina on holiday travels and planning to go hunting, and others who host hunting enthusiasts this season, take a few moments to review local gun laws.

North Carolina hunting regulations vary by county. While one may hunt with dogs in Orange County, that act is illegal in neighboring Alamance County (if one is hunting deer or fox). County-level prohibitions passed by the North Carolina General Assembly address a number of hunting-related matters. From trapping, firearm restrictions, and game limitations, to permission-based land use and blind regulations – the North Carolina Wildlife Commission outlines the details by county:

Shooting sports introduce the possibility that an individual may share a firearm with a hunting buddy. Depending on the type of gun and how the hunter manages their firearms, this could be a felony. Sharing a restricted firearm (short-barreled rifles, silencers, and other NFA items) with an unauthorized party is a felony, even if committed unintentionally. Hunting with silencers has been legal in North Carolina since 2013. To help effectively manage firearms and prevent accidental felonies, learn about the benefits of a gun trust.

A gun trust allows for the legal sharing and use of regulated firearms by authorized persons. This not only helps manage sharing items during holiday hunting trips, but throughout one’s lifetime. Gun trusts also allow firearms to pass privately and immediately outside of probate upon the trust maker’s death.