A white-tailed buck peers out from behind a woodpile.
A white-tailed buck peers out from behind a woodpile. (Photo courtesy W.Va. Dept. of Commerce)

W.Va. releases 2021 mast survey and hunting outlook

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Hunters getting ready for the fall hunting seasons can now review the 2021 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook publication available on the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources website at WVdnr.gov.

“Beech, walnut, hickory and black cherry production was up dramatically above last year and the long-term average,” said Chris Ryan, supervisor of WVDNR’s Game Management Services.

“Oak production improved over the last year but is still below its long-term average. Hunters can find a wealth of facts in the Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook, and it should provide them valuable information before heading into the field.”

According to the survey, soft mast production was very good in 2021. Apple and hawthorn were especially productive this year and should attract numerous wildlife species. Hunters are encouraged to do plenty of scouting. Locating good, natural foods can increase a hunter’s odds of success.

Since 1971, the WVDNR Wildlife Resources Section, in cooperation with volunteers from numerous other agencies, has conducted a fall mast survey to determine the abundance of mast produced by 18 species of trees and shrubs.

The 2021 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook may be found on the WVDNR website here.

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David Sibray
Meet the Author

David Sibray

David Sibray is a West Virginia journalist, publisher, and historian who has spent more than four decades promoting the culture, communities and natural landscapes of Appalachia. He is the founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of West Virginia Explorer, a news and travel magazine devoted to the state’s history, tourism, outdoor recreation and economic development. Born in Wheeling and raised in Beckley, he attended West Virginia University and Wheeling Jesuit University. Since beginning his journalism career in the late 1980s, he has worked in publishing, public relations and destination marketing, including leadership roles with Theatre West Virginia and the Southern West Virginia Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390 or at editor@wvexplorer.com

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