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.
Hunters Helping the Hungry in West Virginia

Wild game — a low-fat, high-protein alternative in W.Va.

Wild game provides a low-fat, high-protein alternative to beef or other commercial meats, says a wildlife biologist with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Its abundance in West Virginia also provides an opportunity for many families to fill their freezers with highly nutritious wild game. “Many West Virginians incorporate venison, wild turkey and other … Read more

A Wild Turkey In West Virginia

West Virginia’s fall wild-turkey season opens Oct. 13

West Virginia’s fall wild-turkey season opens Oct.13 — the third year that all 55 counties will have at least a one-week fall season and the first fall turkey season during which Sunday hunting is permitted on both private and public lands. “Fall seasons are based on county-specific spring gobbler season harvest, excluding the 14 traditional … Read more

Trout being stocked in WV State Parks

DNR: autumn trout stocking pushed back to help spawn

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will stock 26 streams and 11 lakes in the Mountain State with trout during the weeks of Oct. 15 and 22. Autumn trout stocking traditionally occurs during the week of Columbus Day and the following week, but this year’s stocking will begin a week later to help ensure … Read more

A youth watches golden trout swim at a West Virginia wildlife exhibit.

W.Va. to boost golden-trout stocking programs in 2019

The West Virginia Gold Rush—special stocking of golden rainbow trout—will return in 2019 with more fish and new locations, according to Stephen McDaniel, director of the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. “Gold Rush” will return the week of April 1-6, 2019, and include stockings and events at more than 55 lakes and streams across the … Read more

A youth learns to cast at Stonewall Resort State Park. Photo courtesy W.Va. Dept. of Commerce.

W.Va.’s largest hunting-fishing show set for Sept. 22-23

Outdoor enthusiasts are invited to Stonewall Resort State Park in Lewis County for West Virginia’s Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day Sept. 22-23, 2018, according to the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. The event is the largest outdoor hunting-and-fishing show in the Mountain State, with approximately 100 vendors exhibiting hunting, fishing and conservation-related merchandise … Read more

An archer in the West Virginia forest draws his bow. Photo courtesy W.Va. Dept. of Commerce.

2018 archery and crossbow seasons in W.Va. open Sept. 29

Archery and crossbow seasons for white-tailed deer, black bear, and wild boar will open Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, in West Virginia, and its archery and crossbow deer and bear seasons will run through Dec. 31. The wild boar archery and crossbow season is a split season, with the first segment also from Sept. 29 to … Read more

Mothman Legend in West Virginia

Sibray discusses Mothman, role in new Fallout 76 game

Mothman isn’t just any West Virginia monster, says David Sibray, publisher of West Virginia Explorer, who contends the beast that’s alleged to have haunted the hills near Point Pleasant may play a remarkable role in the upcoming Fallout 76 video game. “Of the five monsters we cover at West Virginia Explorer, all of which seem … Read more

A bull elk roams a meadow in Logan County in southern West Virginia (WV).

Tours of new W.Va. elk preserve set for Sept., Oct. 2018

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources will lead 20 guided tours of the Mountain State’s new elk-reintroduction site near Logan, West Virginia, in September and October 2018, according to Stephen McDaniel, director of the division. Public tours will start at Chief Logan Lodge and include a visit to the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area, where … Read more

A West Virginia hunter sights his gun.

DNR: Hunters should scout pre-season, check equipment

September marks the beginning of many hunting seasons, and officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources are reminding hunters to prepare by scouting, inspecting equipment, and sharpening their skills. “By late August you should be able to gauge fall mast conditions in the areas you hunt,” says Ethan Barton, a wildlife-biologist stationed in Romney. … Read more