Effective November 18, 2009, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission changed their guidelines for distance learning. Students are now required to spend a minimum amount of time on each course page before proceeding to the certification exam.

Click here to go to the latest version of the Today's Hunter in North Carolina online course—the official hunter education course of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

The following course material is for reference only. Please go to the new course to complete your North Carolina certification.

Carrying Capacity

The resources in any given habitat can support only a certain quantity of wildlife. As seasons change, food, water, or cover may be in short supply. Carrying capacity is the number of animals the habitat can support all year long. The carrying capacity of a certain tract of land can vary from year to year. It can be changed by nature or humans.

carrying capacity graphic

carrying capacity: The number of animals the habitat can support throughout the year without damage to the animals or to the habitat

Factors that limit the potential production of wildlife include:

Disease/parasites
Starvation
Predators
Pollution
Accidents
Old age
Hunting

If the conditions are balanced, game animals will produce a surplus, which can be harvested on an annual, sustainable basis.

Animal populations graphic