Recreation

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia hunters harvested 2,469 black bears during the combined 2025 archery, crossbow, and firearms seasons, according to preliminary figures released this week by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. The total is nearly identical to last year’s harvest, falling just ten bears short of the 2024 total of 2,479. Wildlife officials … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources announced the winners of the 2025 West Virginia Big Buck Photo Contest during the opening ceremony of the West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Now in its fifth year, the contest highlights the state’s hunting traditions while promoting ethical … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The winter woods in West Virginia are echoing with the traditions of an earlier era as the state’s four-day Mountaineer Heritage Season for deer, bear, and turkey opened Thursday. The special season runs Jan. 8–11 and is open across all 55 counties, offering hunters the opportunity to pursue game with primitive-style weapons … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bumper crop of nuts and acorns and localized outbreaks of hemorrhagic disease contributed to a significant decline in the West Virginia buck harvest during its firearms deer season in 2025. According to the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources, hunters harvested 33,775 antlered deer during the state’s two-week buck firearms season, which … Read more