W.Va. asks hunters to review new 2023-'24 hunting, trapping laws

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. —  Officials at the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources are reminding hunters to review several essential changes to hunting seasons for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and black bear before their seasons open this autumn.

Included in the 2023-24 West Virginia Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary, now available online at WVDNR.gov/hunting-regulations, hunters who wish to obtain a printed summary copy should contact their local hunting and fishing license agent or division district office.

Copies will also be available at the division’s Elkins Operation Center and South Charleston headquarters in July.

Significant changes hunters should take note of include the following:

• Season dates and open counties for the antlerless deer season have changed; read pages 15-20.
• Season dates and open counties for the black bear season have changed; read pages 38-39.
• Season dates and open counties for the fall wild turkey season have changed; read page 42.
• All deer harvested on Nov. 20-21 in Barbour, Jackson, Mason, and Upshur counties must be brought to a designated Biological Game Examination Station for carcass examination. See page 14 for designated sampling station locations.
• The Special Youth, Class Q, and Class XS Bear Season will be a split season, with the first segment open Sept. 16-17. This segment is open in all or parts of 26 counties open to bear hunting with or without dogs. You may hunt with or without dogs during this segment. For more information, see page 36.
• It is now legal to use an encapsulated propellant charge that loads from the breech when the projectile is loaded from the muzzle in a single-shot muzzleloading pistol or single-shot muzzleloading rifle that has a bore diameter of .38 caliber or larger during the muzzleloader deer season. These encapsulated charges may not be used with muzzleloading firearms during the Mountaineer Heritage Season.
• Non-resident lifetime hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses are now available for purchase; read page 47.

To purchase a hunting license and stamps, visit WVHunt.com.