Hunting in West Virginia offers rewarding experiences and numerous benefits for outdoor enthusiasts and new residents relocating from big U.S. cities due to the remote-work revolution. With abundant forests, diverse wildlife, and well-managed public hunting lands, West Virginia provides hunters with opportunities to pursue deer, turkey, bear, and small game in breathtaking Appalachian settings. Hunting in the Mountain State promotes sustainable wildlife management, supports local traditions, and allows families to bond while spending time in nature. For remote workers seeking a balanced lifestyle and a deeper connection to the outdoors, hunting in West Virginia delivers fresh air, self-sufficiency, and a chance to enjoy the peaceful wilderness that makes living in this scenic state so rewarding. Be sure to visit our Hunting Travel Guide for more information about hunting and hunting areas in West Virginia.
West Virginia’s abundant wildlife and hunting seasons provide opportunities for many families to fill their freezers with highly nutritious wild game. A low-fat, high-protein alternative, white-tailed deer, for instance, contains fewer calories and approximately five times less fat than the equivalent serving of beef. “Hunting is a great reason to get into the woods and … Read more
West Virginia’s fall wild turkey season opens Oct. 12. All 55 counties will have at least a one-week fall season, according to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. It’s also the second fall turkey season during which Sunday hunting is permitted on both private and public lands. “Fall wild turkey season dates are based … Read more
Big-game hunting season is on the approach in West Virginia, and officials are reminding hunters that they must field-tag and electronically check their harvest. Field tags must be completed before moving the carcass and remain with the carcass until it’s electronically checked. Hunters are no longer required to transport their harvest to a check station, … Read more
A bounty of apples, black cherries, and red and black oak acorns will affect hunting in West Virginia this year, according to a report released today, while white and chestnut oak acorns are fewer and well below their long-term average. The fluctuation in food sources will greatly affect hunting, according to officials at the W.Va. … Read more
An early black bear gun season, with or without hunting dogs, will run from Aug. 31 through Sept. 15 in all of Logan, McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming counties in southern West Virginia, according to the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources. All or parts of 16 counties will open to bear gun hunting Sept.21-27, with or … Read more
West Virginia is experiencing an outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in the state’s white-tailed deer herd, according to the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. So far this year, deer have been found dead in small areas of Summers, Monroe, and Greenbrier counties. Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, virus serotype 2 (EHDV-2), … Read more
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, West Virginia, has announced a special West Virginia resident-only controlled deer hunt at the observatory reserve Oct. 11-12, 2019. Hunters must enter a lottery for limited permits, according to Andy Malinoski, a spokesman for the W.Va. Department of Commerce. Due to the nature of the work at … Read more
ROANOKE, W.Va.—The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is asking hunters and anglers to enter showcase pieces for the big buck and trophy fish display at the National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration Sept. 21-22 at Stonewall Resort State Park. Legally harvested, mounted trophy white-tailed bucks with a Pope-and-Young Club or Boone-and-Crockett Club net score … Read more
Applications for the 2019 Antlerless Deer Season limited permit areas are now available online and will be accepted until midnight Aug. 14, according to Chris Ryan, supervisor of game management services for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. “These limited permit areas provide antlerless deer hunting opportunities in counties or areas of the state … Read more
Preliminary data indicates spring turkey hunters harvested 11,210 gobblers in 2019, according to Mike Peters, Game Bird and Small Game Project Leader for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Although nine-percent less than 2018, this harvest is still three percent above the five-year average and nine percent above the 10-year average, Peters reported. Districts … Read more
