- Sunday hunting will be legal in all 55 counties on private land only, with written permission, beginning July 6, 2017.
- Antlerless deer hunting season dates and open counties have changed.
Counties* or parts thereof open to Unlimited Resident Class N, Nonresident Class NN and Two Additional Class N or NN Three (3) Class N or NN deer may be taken in each county, not to exceed an annual statewide bag limit of three (3) Class N or NN deer. October 26-28 (Private Land Only) November 20 – December 2, December 14-16 and December 28-31 (Private and Public Land)
Berkeley, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Greenbrier (South Portion), Hampshire, Hardy, Harrison, Jackson, Lewis, Marion, Mineral (East Portion), Monroe, Morgan, Pleasants, Putnam, Ritchie, Roane, Taylor, Tyler, Uphsur, Wirt, Wood.
*In these counties, or parts thereof, archery and crossbow hunters are required to take an antlerless deer during the archery and crossbow seasons from one of these counties prior to harvesting a second antlered deer during the archery and crossbow seasons. In addition, buck firearms season hunters are required to take an antlerless deer during the antlerless deer gun season from one of these counties prior to harvesting a second antlered deer during the buck firearms season.
Counties or parts thereof open to Unlimited Resident Class N, Nonresident Class NN and Two Additional Class N or NN Three (3) Class N or NN deer may be taken in each county, not to exceed an annual statewide bag limit of three (3) Class N or NN deer.
October 26-28 (Private Land Only) November 20 – December 2, December 14-16 and December 28-31 (Private and Public Land).
Barbour, Braxton, Brooke, Cabell, Grant, Jefferson, Kanawha (North Portion), Mason, Mercer, Monongalia, Pendleton (East Portion), Preston, Summers, Wetzel.
Counties or parts thereof open to Unlimited Resident Class N and Nonresident Class NN One (1) Class N or NN deer may be taken in each county, not to exceed an annual statewide bag limit of three (3) Class N or NN deer. October 26-28 (Private Land Only) November 20 – December 2, December 14-16 and December 28-31 (Private and Public Land).
Hancock, Lincoln, Marshall, Ohio, Randolph, Tucker, Webster.
Counties or parts thereof, State Forests and Wildlife Management Areas open to Limited Resident Class N or Nonresident Class NN (Must Apply). Only one (1) Class N or Class NN antlerless deer may be taken in this group of counties and WMAs. October 26-28 (Private Land Only) November 20 – December 2, December 14-16 and December 28-31 (Private and Public Land).
Counties or parts thereof: Boone 600, Clay (North Portion) 350, Fayette (East Portion) 500, Greenbrier (North Portion) 200, Mineral (West Portion) 200, Nicholas 600, Pendleton (West Portion) 200, Pocahontas 300, Raleigh (East Portion) 400, Wayne (North Portion) 400.
Wildlife Management Areas and State Forests: Blackwater (Preston/Tucker counties) 100, Bluestone (Summers/Mercer/Monroe counties) 100, Calvin Price State Forest (Pocahontas Co.) 50, Camp Creek State Forest (Mercer Co.) 50, Elk River (Braxton Co.) 100, Greenbrier State Forest (Greenbrier Co.) 50, Kumbrabow State Forest (Randolph Co.) 50, Little Canaan (Tucker Co.) 50, Seneca State Forest (Pocahontas Co.) 50, Wallback (Clay/Kanawha/Roane counties) 100.
Counties not listed in the table are closed to firearms antlerless hunting.
- Fall wild turkey hunting season dates and open counties have changed.
Season limit: 1. Shooting hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. Only one either-sex turkey may be taken during the fall hunting season with either bow, crossbow or gun.
It is illegal to use electronic calls and to hunt with the use of bait.
Season dates: October 30-November 18, Berkeley, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, Tucker, Webster.
- Black bear hunting season dates and open counties have changed.
Daily Bag Limit: 1. Statewide Split Seasons: Sept. 30, 2017 – Nov. 18, 2017 and Dec. 4-Dec. 31, 2017. The Archery and Crossbow Seasons will be open September 30 – December 31 in Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties.
No person may take more than two bears annually during the archery, crossbow and firearms seasons combined, provided at least one bear must be taken in Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Nicholas, Raleigh or Wyoming counties. Only one bear may be taken per day. The use of dogs for bear hunting is illegal during the bear archery and crossbow seasons. A bow or a crossbow may be substituted for a firearm during the bear firearms season while hunting with dogs in counties where hunting with dogs is legal. Bear hunters are required to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange over his or her outer clothing while hunting in a county or part thereof open during a deer firearms season. This does not apply to waterfowl hunters and persons engaged in farming activities on their own land.
- All deer harvested by hunters on November 20 and 21, 2017 in Hampshire, Mason and Upshur counties are required to be brought to a designated Biological Game Examination Station.
Biological Game Examination Stations: All deer harvested by hunters on Nov. 20 and 21, 2017 in Hampshire, Mason and Upshur counties must be brought to a designated Biological Game Examination Station for carcass examination between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Hunters are still required to check their deer via telephone, Internet or at a license agent. This action will maximize the cost effectiveness of placing DNR personnel at sampling locations to monitor deer herd physical characteristics and age structure.
Designated Biological Game Examination Stations will likely include:
- Hampshire County: (CWD sampling will also be conducted)
- Slanesville General Store – Route 29, Slanesville
- L & M Market – U.S. Rt. 50, Augusta
- DNR District II Office – 1 Depot Street, Romney
- Country Store – Route 28, Springfield
- Capon Valley Market – U.S. Rt. 50, Capon Bridge Mason County
- New Haven Marathon – 5th Street and Lewis, New Haven
- Leon General Store – Arbuckle-Tribble Road, Leon
- Apple Grove Market – 2699 Huntington Road, Apple Grove
- Sandhill Food Mart – 4107 Sandhill Road, Point Pleasant
- Camp Conley Mart – 3369 Ohio River Road, Point Pleasant Upshur County
- Queens Community Building – (Junction of Jackson Fork and Tallmansville Roads), Queens
- WV State Wildlife Center – Route 20, French Creek
- Hodgesville Volunteer Fire Department – Route 20, Hodgesville
- Mountaineer Mart – Old Weston Road (off of U.S. Rt. 33), Buckhannon
- Tractor Supply – Route 20, Tennerton
- Dean’s Variety Mart (beside 7-11 Store) – Junction of Mt. Nebo Road and U.S. Rt. 33
Please check the DNR website and look for press releases before hunting season for final details regarding Biological Game Examination Station locations and times.
