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Will ReedyWill Reedy

Will Reedy is a West Virginia writer and contributor to West Virginia Explorer Magazine whose work focuses on hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. Through essays and feature writing, he explores the landscapes, communities, and traditions that define West Virginia, bringing a thoughtful perspective to stories about heritage, travel, and everyday Appalachian life.
Black bears are featured in the 2027 West Virginia Wildlife Calendar in a painting by West Virginia wildlife artist Misty Murray-Walkup. The annual calendar features original artwork depicting wildlife native to the Mountain State. (WVDNR image)
Arts

Bears, bats and a comeback species star in West Virginia’s 2027 wildlife calendar

by Will Reedy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Black bears, brown bats, flying squirrels and a forest predator once eradicated from West Virginia are among the animals featured in the state’s 2027 wildlife calendar. The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has released its annual West Virginia Wildlife Calendar, pairing original paintings by wildlife artists with hunting and fishing dates, moon … Read more

A young shooter receives guidance while handling a firearm. West Virginia has eliminated the minimum age for its special youth hunting seasons, although hunters younger than 15 must still be accompanied by a licensed adult. Photo credit: Remy Gieling
Hunting

West Virginia eliminates minimum age for youth hunting seasons

by Will Reedy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia no longer requires children to be at least eight years old to participate in the state’s special youth hunting seasons, a change taking on new relevance as the first youth black bear season of the fall opens Saturday. The W.Va. Natural Resources Commission eliminated the minimum age requirement in 2025. … Read more

A bull elk stands in the southern West Virginia coalfields, where the state's restored elk population is beginning to roam farther from its established range. (Photo: W.Va. Dept. of Commerce)
Wildlife / Conservancy

West Virginia elk are roaming farther as restored herd grows

by Will Reedy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s restored elk are beginning to roam farther from the southern coalfields where they were reintroduced, even as the state prepares to welcome visitors for another season of guided elk-viewing tours. The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources announced Sunday that tickets are available for its 2026 Elk Management Tours, which begin Sept. … Read more

Bear Lake is one of several small fishing lakes at Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area in Ohio County, West Virginia. Fishing access is temporarily closing while the state modifies two dams at the property. (Photo by Brian M. Powell/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)
Wildlife Refuges, Management Areas

Fishing closes at Bear Rock Lakes WMA as $1.5 million dam project begins

by Will Reedy

VALLEY GROVE, W.Va. — Fishing access at Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area near Wheeling will temporarily close as the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources begins modifications to two dams at the popular Ohio County fishing area. The work aims to bring the dams into full compliance with the West Virginia Dam Control and Safety Act, according … Read more

Hikers document an apparently ill white-tailed deer they encounter along a wooded West Virginia trail, illustrating the kind of observation that can now be reported through the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources' new online Wildlife Disease and Mortality Reporting Tool.
Wildlife / Conservancy

West Virginia launches online tool for reporting sick and dead wildlife

by Will Reedy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia wildlife officials have launched a new online reporting system that allows residents and visitors to quickly report sick, injured or dead wild animals, giving state biologists another tool to detect disease outbreaks before they become widespread. The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources announced Wednesday that it has begun using a … Read more