Will Reedy
Black bears are now found in all 55 counties in West Virginia, and officials at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources are warning residents not to feed them, a practice that can promote conflict. Colin Carpenter, a black bear project leader for the division’s Wildlife Resources Section, reminds residents that feeding black bears, the state … Read more
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources will host a public ceremony May 15 to introduce 50 elk recently acquired from Arizona. Gov. Jim Justice and division director Stephen McDaniel will speak about this next important step in the state’s elk reintroduction program. The event, which will start at 1 p.m. at the Tomblin Wildlife Management … Read more
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources and U.S. Geological Survey have confirmed that a northern snakehead fish was killed in another body of water and illegally dumped into Opequon Creek near W.Va. Route 9 in Berkeley County. [Add your comments about this potentially devastating crime below!] The survey received the dead fish at its Leetown … Read more
The West Virginia governor signed Senate Bill 451 Thursday to permit Sunday hunting on public lands following its overwhelming passage during the recent legislative session. Last year, the governor also signed a bill permitting Sunday hunting on private land with written permission of the landowner. The new bill will open more than 1.5 million acres … Read more
Your chances of striking gold during the special West Virginia Gold Rush trout stockings April 2-6 have increased. Due to growing interest and excitement, the Division of Natural Resources will stock golden rainbow trout at 20 new locations around the state, bringing the total number of stocked lakes and streams to 50, according to Jim … Read more
Fifty-one elk completed their journey from Arizona and were released into a holding facility in Logan County earlier this month, the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources announced today. The elk, which are part of West Virginia’s elk restoration project, were captured in late January and held near Flagstaff, Arizona for disease testing. The elk arrived … Read more
Fire managers for the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia are preparing for four prescribed fires between February 25 and May 31, weather permitting. Plans include burning four separate units ranging from five to 45 acre, according to Julena Campbell, public affairs officer for the National Park Service in southern West … Read more
The W.Va. Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, is proposing aerial treatment of gypsy moth infestation over approximately 5,298 acres in the central and eastern mountains in 2018. Officials are concerned that without treatment infestations in West Virginia will reach high enough levels to cause tree mortality, according to … Read more
Expecting an increased demand for campsites in 2018, staff at West Virginia state parks and forests will begin processing site reservations on Feb. 15, in advance of camping season this spring. State park campgrounds begin opening between mid-March and April, depending upon the park and weather, according to parks district administrator Matt Yeager. “We’ve been … Read more
The West Virginia Maple Syrup Producers Association has announced two statewide “Maple Syrup Days” to celebrate during the 2018 maple season, according to the W.Va. Department of Agriculture. On Saturday, February 24, and Saturday, March 17, sixteen sugar shacks and maple operations around the Mountain State will open their doors to the public and retail … Read more
