CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A special deer-hunting season opens Saturday, Oct. 17, across 51 West Virginia counties, allowing young hunters, senior citizens, and qualifying hunters with disabilities to hunt deer during a two-day period reserved for those groups.
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources says the season will continue through Sunday, Oct. 18, with a second hunting weekend scheduled for Dec. 26–27.
New this year, young hunters and qualifying hunters with disabilities may harvest one antlered deer during the special season, an opportunity previously limited to antlerless deer.
Brett McMillion, director of the division based in Charleston, stressed that the state is dedicated to ensuring every citizen is afforded the opportunity to hunt.
“We are dedicated to ensuring anyone can enjoy hunting in West Virginia, regardless of age or ability,” McMillion said. “We hope eligible hunters take full advantage of this chance to get out and experience the upcoming hunting season.”
Who can participate?
The special season is open to three groups of hunters.
Youth hunters: Anyone age 17 or younger may participate. Hunters younger than 15 must be accompanied by a licensed adult, while those ages 15–17 must meet applicable licensing requirements.
Senior hunters: West Virginia residents age 65 and older with the state’s senior lifetime hunting, fishing, and trapping license may participate.
Hunters with disabilities: Individuals with a permit may participate. The permit is intended for hunters with qualifying permanent physical disabilities that limit their mobility or physical abilities.
The season is open on public and private lands in 51 counties where firearms deer hunting is permitted. Logan, McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming counties are excluded.
How many deer can hunters harvest?
Participants may harvest one antlerless deer per day, with a combined limit of four antlerless deer across the two special hunting weekends.
An antlerless deer is generally a female deer or a young deer without developed antlers.
Youth hunters and qualifying hunters with disabilities may also harvest one antlered deer during the special season. That deer counts toward their regular annual antlered deer limit.
Senior hunters may harvest only antlerless deer during the special season.
Deer without antlers harvested during these special weekends do not count toward a hunter’s regular annual bag limit. Participants are also exempt from purchasing the additional antlerless deer license ordinarily required during other hunting seasons.
All hunters must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze-orange clothing for visibility and register harvested deer through the state’s game-checking system.
Special roads open for hunters with disabilities
West Virginia maintains a separate program that allows hunters with certain permanent disabilities to access public hunting areas using roads normally closed to vehicles.
The program includes 11 designated roads in national forests and 12 in state wildlife management areas.
To qualify, hunters must have a permanent and irreversible limitation involving their respiratory or cardiovascular systems or the use of their lower extremities. Applications require certification from a licensed physician.
Approved hunters receive a permit card, gate key, and authorization letter allowing them to enter designated areas.
Permit holders may also hunt from a stationary vehicle in approved locations, provided they comply with applicable hunting regulations.
Details about eligibility and accessible hunting locations are available through the state’s disability hunting access program.
Hunters should consult the 2026–2027 W.Va. Hunting Regulations Summary for county restrictions, licensing requirements, and other rules before hunting.
You can get licenses through the state’s online hunting and fishing licensing system.