West Virginia Game and Fish

The natural beauty of West Virginia draws tourists to the state but the locals are so proud of their home state they often vacation here, too. If the sights alone aren’t spectacular enough to draw a crowd, the abundance of West Virginia game and fish makes the state a recreational paradise for the outdoorsman.

This interest in West Virginia game and fish industries generates an important segment of the state’s economy.More than 350,000 hunters apply for licenses every year and it takes more than 5,000 West Virginians to fill all the jobs associated with the sport.

Since hunting and fishing are best done in the wild, the industry brings much-needed jobs to residents of the state in rural areas, where jobs can be hard to find. Many of these jobs are directly related to the hunting and fishing industries but equipment, transportation, food, and lodging are necessary, too. Hunters and fishermen spend approximately $270 million in West Virginia each year on equipment, transportation, food, and lodging.

Regulations vary according to season and species so it’s always good to check with the West Virginia Division Of Natural Resources before landing in hot water.Weaponry is an issue, too, with separate seasons for hunting with muzzles,firearms, and bows.

BLACK BEAR – The black bears in West Virginia are being carefully monitored at all times and hunting seasons are established only after each year’s research data has been analyzed. Both archery and firearms hunting is allowed but seasons are different according to weapon.

BOAR – Like the bear, has separate seasons for archery and firearms and restrictions do apply although they don’t vary as much as those for black bear.

WILD TURKEY – West Virginia boasts as many as 140,000 wild turkeys gobbling across all 55 counties. These birds represent an exciting success story in wildlife management operations. A wild turkey transplant program introduced 2,000 turkeys to 39 counties within the state by the end of 1989 and now their population is both abundant and wide spread.

DEER – The abundance of deer in the state means an abundance of opportunity for hunting. There are separate seasons for archery and firearms hunting as well as a separate season for muzzleloader hunting. Special seasons are designated for antlerless deer, bucks, white-tailed deer, and special seasons reserved for children to hunt.

WATERFOWL are also important to game hunters in West Virginia as are many other animals that are trapped and hunted for fur rather than for sport or food.

West Virginia is an ideal place to take some spectacular pictures but it’s ideal for taking trophies, too.