Will Reedy
Trout stocking has commenced for the spring 2022 season in West Virginia, and 60 sections of stream have so far been stocked, according to the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. Stockings will increase in February and continue through spring. Updates on stocking are posted online at wvdnr.gov/fish-stocking. While fishing for trout in West Virginia, all … Read more
West Virginia hunters harvested 2,756 black bears during the combined 2021 archery and firearms seasons, a 22 percent decrease compared to the 2020 harvest of 3,541 bears. The decreased black bear harvest can be attributed to abundant mast production, which was 61 percent above 2020 numbers and eight percent above the long-term average, according to … Read more
The 2022 West Virginia Fishing Regulations Summary is now available online through the state Division of Natural Resources. Printed copies will also be available at license agents and division district offices in early January. Anglers are encouraged to review the new regulations to familiarize themselves with changes and should contact division offices for clarification if … Read more
Beginning January 1, 2022, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve will implement changes authorized by the recent legislation that expanded the park and will affect hunting therein, according to park officials. Additionally, the park has redesignated the use of an access road in the Gauley River National Recreation Area. The changes will be reflected … Read more
Furbearer hunting seasons are underway in West Virginia, with raccoon hunting continuing through Feb. 28, 2022, and the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources again is offering a $20 gift card for usable otter carcasses. Spotty but locally abundant mast and last year’s mild winter weather should have resulted in good reproduction and survival—leading to increased … Read more
The National Park Service will conduct deer management at national park areas at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and in nearby Virginia and Maryland through March, according to a press release from the service. To protect and restore native plants, promote healthy and diverse forests, and preserve historic landscapes, the service will reduce the population beginning … Read more
To help create even more natural habitat for wildlife around the state, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is encouraging landowners to join its Wild Yards program. The program, which has 300 members around the state, recognizes the efforts of landowners who landscape for wildlife use, according to Jim Fregonara, a wildlife biologist for … Read more
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources is asking trappers in the Mountain State to help collect data on river otter populations by donating otter carcasses. Between 50 and 75 otter carcasses are needed each year over the course of the next five trapping seasons. A $20 gift card of your choice is being offered for … Read more
Hunters in West Virginia harvested 38,776 antlered deer during its two-week buck firearms season in 2020, according to preliminary data collected through the electronic game checking system managed by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. Gary Foster, assistant chief of game management for the division, said state game biologists felt positive about the harvest, which … Read more
Anglers and hunters who purchase a 2021 hunting and fishing license in December have a chance to win a lifetime license and other prizes from the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. The division, which offered a lifetime license giveaway for the first time last year, will give away two lifetime licenses this year, along with … Read more
