West Virginia Hunting Season Dates
Recorded hunting windows for West Virginia, including historical and unverified entries.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
1 of 7 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
West Virginia Hunting Season Calendar
Find all hunting season dates for West Virginia including deer, elk, turkey, and waterfowl. Filter by species and hunting method.
Coming Up in West Virginia
Seasons opening in the next 60 days
Nov 23 - Dec 6, 2026
Opens in 40 days
Recorded Season Windows
All West Virginia hunting seasons organized by species
Deer 5 seasons
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 27 - Dec 31, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Extended archery | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Nov 23 - Dec 6, 2026 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | Monongalia private non-exempt non-ClassXS adult resident ClassesA+CS first base-license antlered white-tailed bolt-action centerfire buck | Upcoming | Actual current July24 guide printed13/PDF17 and printed28/PDF32: Monongalia private non-exempt non-ClassXS adult resident ClassesA+CS first base-license buck white-tailed bolt-action centerfire Nov23–Dec6, not individual permission. One or both antlers strictly longer than3inches above hairline, not ≥3inches; one antlered daily, ordinary two combined antlered regular/following Mountaineer Heritage, CWD/ClassXS three exceptions separate. Second gun buck requires pre-opening RG/RRG or separate privilege, not this first-buck scope; Monongalia not nine-county antlerless-before-second group. Concurrent antlerless needs separate rights, no Dec10–13/28–31 or muzzleloaderDec14–20/archery/Heritage/youth/free/landowner/nonresident/public/CoopersRock14inch spread/other-county/sex/method bridge. Actual rifle centerfire allowed, no invented centerfire caliber floor; .25+rimfire legal category separate, not all rimfire prohibited, handgun .24 rule not rifle floor; no fully automatic. Current license/stamp/bag/antler/permission/orange/field-tag/electroniccheck72hours or24hours afterseasonclose whicheverfirst/transport/CWD/local/weapons/ammunition/amendments need checks; dates not hourly permission. Six histories/license metadata unverified. Actual official index links July24 not superseded June29 guide; index/current PDF monitored, current-law/local/other-publication updates manual, no semantic parsing/statewide verification. | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Nov 24 - Dec 7, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Buck firearms | |
| Rifle/Firearm | Dec 8-14, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Antlerless firearms | |
| Muzzleloader | Dec 15-21, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Muzzleloader season | |
Turkey 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Apr 20 - May 23, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Spring gobbler | |
Bear 1 season
| Method | Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Legal Method | Sep 27 - Dec 31, 2025 Unverified date record; agency review required | Zone not recorded; check your license | Historical record | Archery / gun | |
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West Virginia Hunting Regulations
License year, species, and agency information
- License Year
- Jan 1, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025
- Available Species
-
- Bear
- Deer
- Turkey
- Hunting Methods
-
- Archery
- Rifle/Firearm
- Muzzleloader
- Any Legal Method
- Wildlife Agency
- West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.
Important Note for West Virginia
Only Monongalia private non-exempt non-ClassXS adult resident ClassesA+CS first base-license antlered white-tailed bolt-action centerfire Nov23–Dec6 reviewed. Antler strictly longer than3inches above hairline, one antlered daily/ordinary two combined antlered, CWD/ClassXS three exceptions separate; second gun buck RG/RRG/other privileges separate. Monongalia not antlerless-before-second county group; concurrent antlerless/Dec10–13/28–31/muzzleloaderDec14–20/archery/Heritage/youth/exempt/nonresident/public/CoopersRock14inch/other-county/method excluded, no bridge. Centerfire allowed/no invented caliber floor, .25+rimfire separate legal category, no fully automatic; current licensing/permission/tagging/checking/CWD/bag/local/amendments need checks, not individual permission. Six histories/license metadata unverified; actual July24 index-linked guide read, June29 superseded.
Hunting Method Legend
West Virginia Hunting FAQ
Common questions about hunting seasons in West Virginia
What are the hunting season dates for West Virginia?
Recorded West Virginia entries cover Bear, Deer, Turkey. Dates include history and unverified records; the recorded license-year metadata is not current verification. Check row evidence and current agency regulations and your license.
When does deer season start in West Virginia?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2025-09-27 to 2025-12-31; 2026-11-23 to 2026-12-06; 2025-11-24 to 2025-12-07; 2025-12-08 to 2025-12-14; 2025-12-15 to 2025-12-21. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
Does West Virginia require a draw for hunting?
Draw requirements depend on species, GMU or zone, hunt code and license type. Recorded date windows do not establish eligibility. Check the current West Virginia agency rules and your actual license.
Which recorded windows include the assessment date 2026-10-14 UTC in West Virginia?
The next recorded window is Deer starting Nov 23, 2026. Check its row evidence and current regulations; the record may be unverified.
What should I know about hunting in West Virginia?
Only Monongalia private non-exempt non-ClassXS adult resident ClassesA+CS first base-license antlered white-tailed bolt-action centerfire Nov23–Dec6 reviewed. Antler strictly longer than3inches above hairline, one antlered daily/ordinary two combined antlered, CWD/ClassXS three exceptions separate; second gun buck RG/RRG/other privileges separate. Monongalia not antlerless-before-second county group; concurrent antlerless/Dec10–13/28–31/muzzleloaderDec14–20/archery/Heritage/youth/exempt/nonresident/public/CoopersRock14inch/other-county/method excluded, no bridge. Centerfire allowed/no invented caliber floor, .25+rimfire separate legal category, no fully automatic; current licensing/permission/tagging/checking/CWD/bag/local/amendments need checks, not individual permission. Six histories/license metadata unverified; actual July24 index-linked guide read, June29 superseded.
Other States
Compare hunting seasons across states
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