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.
The legendary overlook at Coopers Rock State Forest provides a view of more than 30 miles across the valley of the Monongahela River. (Photo courtesy W.Va. State Parks)

Migratory Bird Day being celebrated May 13 at Coopers Rock

The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia will celebrate Morgantown Migratory Bird Day on May 13 at Coopers Rock State Forest, according to forest officials. The celebration begins at 7:30 a.m. with a guided bird walk on the Raven Rock Trail. Afterward, participants may gather in the pavilion near the Cheat canyon overlook to enjoy coffee, a … Read more

The sun sets beyond the New River Gorge Bridge in southern West Virginia. (Photo courtesy Wendy Parks Scott)

Photographer of iconic New River Gorge photo found

For more than a year after this iconic photograph of the New River Gorge hit social media, West Virginia Explorer editor David Sibray spent countless hours attempting to find its then-unnamed source, Wendy Parks Scott. Scott had published the popular image without a watermark, and the image went viral, so it appeared the editor might never get … Read more

Hiker At Kanawha State Forest in West Virginia

Saturday birding hikes return to Kanawha State Forest

The popular “Birding Around the Sun” nature hikes will return to Kanawha State Forest this May, and, for the third year, the hikes will be led by Sara Miller, a seasonal naturalist for two years who’s returning as a volunteer naturalist this year. Miller has recorded many species seen and heard in the forest since the beginning … Read more

A hunter in West Virginia uses a turkey call to attract a spring gobbler.

2017 spring gobbler season in West Virginia begins April 17

Spring gobbler season in West Virginia opens Monday, April 17, and state officials are predicting a good season boosted by the 2016 cicada emergence. Hunters may kill only one bearded turkey per day and two during the season, which runs through Saturday, May 13, according to Gary Foster of the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. Youth … Read more

Pioneer Farm at Twin Falls Resort State Park, West Virginia

Spring photography workshop at Twin Falls set for April 7-9

Amateur and professional photographers are invited to attend West Virginia’s annual spring photography workshop April 7-9 at Twin Falls State Park, which offers some of the best opportunities for nature photography in the state park system. Led by instructors Steve Shaluta and Steven Wayne Rotsch, the 2017 workshop will cover an array of subjects, including … Read more