CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Black bears, brown bats, flying squirrels and a forest predator once eradicated from West Virginia are among the animals featured in the state’s 2027 wildlife calendar.
The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources has released its annual West Virginia Wildlife Calendar, pairing original paintings by wildlife artists with hunting and fishing dates, moon phases and information about the state’s wildlife and conservation programs.
Among the twelve paintings is February’s “A Fisher in a Log,” by Barbie Hillenbrand. The fisher has an unusual history in West Virginia. The forest-dwelling mammal was eradicated from the state before wildlife officials reintroduced it in 1969, according to a division release. Fishers are now again established in the Mountain State and are included among its regulated furbearer species.
Wildlife with West Virginia stories
Other paintings depict wildlife relationships familiar across the Appalachian landscape. Dinah McCloud’s August painting, “Opossum Family with PawPaws,” pairs West Virginia’s only marsupial with one of the state’s distinctive native fruits. Pawpaws grow across most of West Virginia outside the highest elevations, and the division lists opossums among the mammals that feed on their fruit.
June’s “Concert in the Clearing,” by Matt Tomko, depicts brown bats at Hosaflook Cave, while December’s “Flying Squirrels,” also by McCloud, features one of West Virginia’s more secretive nocturnal mammals. The division lists 74 mammal species currently occurring in the state.
The calendar begins in January with Ed Frantz’s painting of a red fox. March features Timothy Gump’s “Foggy Morning Breakdown,” followed by Lauri Waterfield Callison’s “Glorious West Virginia Spring” in April and Misty Murray-Walkup’s black bears in May.
Roger Marsh’s brown bats appear in July, followed by the opossums and pawpaws in August. David Kiehm’s resting ravens represent September, Murray-Walkup’s copperhead appears in October, Frantz’s crappie represents November, and flying squirrels close the year in December.
The calendar also reflects the variety of habitats found across West Virginia, from hardwood forests and rocky hillsides to streams, caves, and wetlands. That diversity helps support animals ranging from black bears and ravens to copperheads and crappie.
West Virginia lies within the Appalachian region, where changes in elevation, geology, and forest cover create numerous habitats within a relatively small geographic area. For calendar readers, the paintings offer glimpses of those environments and the animals themselves. The October copperhead appears among rocks and fallen leaves, for example, while November’s crappie represents the state’s abundant freshwater habitat.
A West Virginia tradition
Brett McMillion, director of the division, said the calendar is intended both as a showcase of West Virginia wildlife and as a practical resource for people who hunt, fish and spend time outdoors.
“The Wildlife Calendar is not only a showcase for West Virginia’s natural beauty but also a valuable tool for anyone who hunts, fishes or just enjoys the outdoors,” McMillion said. He said proceeds from calendar sales also support the agency’s conservation work.
The division requires calendar artwork to feature wildlife native to West Virginia, though it may also depict extinct species that historically occurred in the state. The agency does not accept photographs; it requires artwork created in color media such as oils, acrylics, watercolors, or colored pencils.
The 2027 West Virginia Wildlife Calendar costs $15 and is available through West Virginia State Parks gift shops and selected retailers statewide. The division said calendars typically sell out before Christmas.
You can also order calendars online through the West Virginia State Parks merchandise store. You can place bulk orders by calling 304-637-0245 or contacting the W.Va. DNR.
For information about the calendar and the wildlife program, visit the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.