Will Reedy
Hunters harvested 3,099 black bears during the combined archery and firearms seasons in West Virginia in 2019—the third-highest harvest ever recorded in the Mountain State. The preliminary harvest for the combined seasons is 19 percent above the 2,606 bears killed in 2018, and the harvest has exceeded 3,000 kills in four of the last five … Read more
No other U.S. state may be as strongly associated with hunting as West Virginia, says a Canadian writer who’s fallen in love with the Mountain State. Years ago, while writing for hunting and fishing magazines, Larry Oakley became aware of the state’s unique relationship with hunting and has been writing about the outdoor experience in … Read more
Two West Virginia record fish have been caught so far this January. Length records for grass carp and blue catfish were broken by two West Virginia anglers, the state Division of Natural Resources announced on Thursday. Zachary Adkins, of Cabins, caught a 53.1-inch, 59-pound grass carp at Warden Lake in Hardy County on January 3. … Read more
Preliminary data collected from the electronic game checking system indicates hunters in West Virginia harvested 36,796 antlered deer during the two-week buck firearms season, which ran from Nov. 25 through Dec. 7, 2019. The 2019 harvest was 17 percent below that of the 2018 harvest, according to Gary Foster, assistant chief of game management for … Read more
West Virginia hunting and fishing license applications now include the option to register as an organ donor. The Mountain State is one of the first states to offer the option. Senate Bill 613, passed during the 2019 legislative session and signed into law by Governor Jim Justice, permitted the state Division of Natural Resources to … Read more
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources is offering gift ideas for outdoor enthusiasts, including wildlife calendars, state park gift cards, and lifetime and 2020 hunting and fishing licenses. “If you know someone that loves the wonderful things West Virginia has to offer, we have gifts they will enjoy,” says Stephen McDaniel, division director. “Hunters, anglers, … Read more
Turkey hunters in West Virginia harvested 1,113 birds in autumn 2019, according to preliminary figures provided by the state Division of Natural Resources. Mike Peters, a game-bird biologist for the division said the harvest was slightly low as a result of more available food, which allowed birds to disperse more. “As reported in the 2019 … Read more
West Virginians may now purchase their 2020 hunting and fishing licenses earlier than ever before and will also be entered to win a drawing for prizes, Governor Jim Justice announced this morning. Beginning Sunday, anyone who purchases a Sportsman or Junior Sportsman license will automatically be entered to win a free lifetime license or a … Read more
Deer hunters in West Virginia are being reminded that a concurrent bear season (without dogs) will run from Nov. 25 through Dec. 7, 2019, in 51 counties, according to Colin Carpenter, the Black Bear Project Leader for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. All 51 counties that are open to buck firearms hunting will … Read more
A West Virginia man caught a 27.87-inch, four-pound chain pickerel on Oct. 13 at Upper Deckers Lake near Reedsville, West Virginia, in Preston County—a state record, according to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Angler Matt Born, of Reedsville, used an in-line spinner to catch the trophy fish, which is a state record in … Read more
