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.
West Virginia ramps cleaned and ready to eat. Photo courtesy Barbie Watson Howard.

Help build one of West Virginia’s chief guides to ramp fests

Do you have a favorite West Virginia ramp dinner or festival you’d like to share with the public? We’d like to hear from you. Now in its fifth year of publication, our guide to 2018 Ramp Feasts and Festivals is annually visited by more than 10,000 visitors, according to publisher and editor-in-chief David Sibray, who encourages readers to share the list … Read more

W.Va. DNR publishes Friday and Saturday trout stockings

In an effort to encourage families and new anglers to enjoy fishing this spring, the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources is publishing the locations of 104 trout stockings scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays. Locations were selected based on proximity to state parks and adequate access points and to accommodate anglers and hatchery staff, according to Stephen … Read more

Farmstead near Duncan, WV, Jackson County, Mid-Ohio Valley Region

W.Va. small-farms, FarmHer conferences set for Feb 21-22

The fourteenth annual West Virginia Small Farm Conference begins on February 21 at the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, West Virginia. “West Virginia has over 20,000 farms. Most of those operations are small. This gives West Virginia one of the highest percentages of small farms in the country,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt. “These … Read more

Stretcher Neck on New River, New River Gorge Nation River, New River Gorge Region

National parks in southern W.Va. reopen after partial shutdown

UPDATE Jan. 23, 2018: Following the enactment of the continuing resolution, staff at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Bluestone National Scenic River, and Gauley River National Recreation Area have resumed regular park operations. All roads, trails, campgrounds, and river access points are open and accessible, 24 hours a day, weather permitting, according to Julena … Read more

A black bear hides in a thicket in rural West Virginia

DNR reports second highest bear kill in W.Va. history

Hunters in West Virginia harvested 3,160 black bears during the combined 2017 archery and firearms seasons, which is the second highest recorded bear kill in state history. Due to more abundant mast production in 2017, the Division of Natural Resources expected a decrease in the archery harvest and an increase in the December firearms harvest … Read more

Deer crossing rural road in West Virginia

DNR: West Virginia hunters harvested 108,160 deer in 2017

Preliminary counts indicate hunters harvested 108,160 white-tailed deer in West Virginia during the 2017 hunting seasons. The 2017 harvest was four percent below the 2016 harvest of 112,384 deer and 15 percent below the five-year average of 127,803, according to a report published today by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. A breakdown of the … Read more

Re-introduced to West Virginia, an elk is featured on the front of the new W.Va. DNR wildlife calendar.

W.Va. DNR seeks wildlife paintings for 2019 calendar

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is requesting original color wildlife paintings for the 2019 edition of the award-winning West Virginia Wildlife Calendar. The deadline for submitting artwork is Feb. 19, 2018. Paintings may depict popular game and fish species, or feature the state’s other wildlife, such as snakes, frogs, turtles, salamanders, bats, songbirds, … Read more

Bald eagle populations are growing in West Virginia

Eagle population in West Virginia growing

West Virginia’s eagle population is growing, according to a spokesman for the state’s “Eagle Brigade,” which is conducting a survey of eagles and other raptors in the southern and north-central state on Jan. 6. Fifty bald eagles and a golden eagle were counted in January 2017, and 40 bald eagles were counted in March, according … Read more