This page of West Virginia hunting seasons is updated annually. While Thepredatorhunter.com focuses on coyotes, fox, and bobcats, it is hoped other game hunters will take up predator hunting as well. We suggest you check out these predator hunting links specific to the state of West Virginia:
Updated: December 16, 2022.
Purchase a hunting license in West Virginia here.
Learn the rules for hunting coyotes in West Virginia.
Learn the rules for hunting bobcats in West Virginia.
Learn the rules for hunting fox in West Virginia.
These are the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources proposed hunting seasons for 2022- 2023 big game hunting regulations, 2023-2024 hunting and trapping regulations and 2023 fishing regulations.
West Virginia hunting seasons for deer.
Deer (Buck Firearms) – November 21 to December 4, 2022
Deer (Archery & Crossbow) – September 24 to December 31, 2022
Deer (Antlerless) – Split seasons running from October 20 to December 31, 2022.
Deer (Muzzleloader) – December 12 to December 18, 2022
Deer (Youth) (Split Season) – October 15 to October 16, 2022 & December 2 to December 27, 2022
Deer, Bear, and Turkey (Mountain Heritage) – January 12 to January 15, 2023
For area specific details check below.
West Virginia hunting seasons for bear.
Bear (Archery & Crossbow) – September 24 to December 31, 2022
Bear (Gun) – Seasons run from September 3 to December 31, 2022 on a county-by-county basis
Bear (Youth) – October 15 to October 16, 2022
West Virginia hunting seasons for big game and turkey.
Turkey (Fall) (Split Season) – October 8 to October 16, 2022 & October 24 to October 30, 2022 & October 24 to November 13, 2022
Turkey (Spring 2023) (Bearded Only) – April 17 to May 21, 2023
Turkey (2023 Youth Season) – April 15 to April 16, 2023
West Virginia hunting seasons for small game and furbearers 2022-2023.
Ruffed Grouse – October 15, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Bobwhite Quail (Hunting closed on Tomblin WMA) – November 5, 2022 to January 7, 2023
Cottontail Rabbit – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Snowshoe or Varying Hare – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Ring-necked Pheasant (cock birds only) – November 5, 2022 to January 7, 2023
Raccoon (Hunting) – October 15, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Raccoon (Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Red Fox/Gray Fox (Hunting & Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Bobcat (Hunting & Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Mink/Muskrat (Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Fisher (Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to January 31, 2023
Beaver (Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to March 31, 2023
Otter (Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Crow (Nuisance Crows) (Split Season) – October 1 to November 19, 2022 & January 1 to March 4, 2023
Coyote (Hunting) – All Year
Coyote (Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Skunk/Opossum/Woodchuck/Weasel/English Sparrow/European Starling/Pigeon – All Year
Skunk/Opossum/Weasel (Trapping) – November 5, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Proposed West Virginia hunting seasons for small game and furbearers 2023-2024.
West Virginia hunting regulations.
IT IS ILLEGAL TO:
Hunt in state parks (except as otherwise designated), in safety zones in state forests or wildlife management areas, and in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.
Shoot, hunt or trap upon the fenced, enclosed, purple paint marked or posted lands of another person without having written permission from the landowner in possession.
Have a bow with a nocked arrow, or a crossbow with a nocked bolt, or a rifle or shotgun with cartridges that have not been removed or a magazine that has not been detached, in or on any vehicle or conveyance (including ATVs/UT Vs) or its attachments. You can have a loaded clip or magazine in the vehicle as long as it is not in or attached to the firearm.
Exception for legally carried concealed weapons.
Carry an uncased or loaded firearm in the woods of this state or in state parks, state forests, state wildlife management areas, or state rail trails, except during open firearms hunting seasons where hunting is lawful.
It is legal to hunt unprotected species of wild animals, wild birds, and migratory game birds during
the open season in fields, waters and marshes of the state where hunting is lawful.
Hunt with a fully automatic firearm.
Hunt small game in counties having a buck firearms season during the first three days of this season.
It is legal to hunt waterfowl during this period on lakes, rivers, and waterways
during the open waterfowl season, to hunt bear in specified counties, and to hunt coyotes.
Hunt deer, bear or boar between 1/2 hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise or with an electronic call.
Be afield with a gun and bow, or with a gun and any arrow, except that a handgun, rifle or shotgun may be carried, by whom is not prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law, for self-defense purposes only. The exception does not apply to an uncased rifle or shotgun carried specifically in state park or state forest recreational facilities and marked trails within state park orstate forest borders.
Carry any firearm, bow, or crossbow in or on any vehicle or conveyance, or its attachments, that is not in a case or taken apart and securely wrapped between 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise provided, time periods can be extended for one hour before sunrise or one hour after sunset if transporting uncased and unloaded firearms or crossbow to or from a hunting site, campsite, home or other abode.
Shoot a firearm within 500 feet of a school, church or dwelling, or on or near a park; provided, a resident or guest of a dwelling may shoot a firearm within 500 feet of the dwelling where the person lives, if all residents of the dwelling consent and no other dwellings are within 500 feet.
Hunt while under the influence of alcohol, controlled substance or any other drug.
For anyone under the age of 15 to hunt on public land or the lands of another unless accompanied by a licensed adult, at least 18 years of age, who remains near enough to render advice and assistance.
Hunt or fish with a modified bow without a special permit issued by the Director.
Get out of a motor vehicle along a public road and shoot a bow, crossbow or firearm unless you are at least 25 yards from the vehicle.
Shoot at any wild bird or animal unless it is plainly visible.
Shoot at a deer or boar while it is in water.
Hunt or conduct hunts for a fee when the person is not physically present in the same location as the wildlife being hunted within West Virginia.
Use or attempt to use any artificial light or any night vision technology, including image intensification, thermal imaging or active illumination while hunting, locating, attracting, taking, killing or trapping wild birds or wild animals.
However, artificial lights or night vision technology, including image intensification, thermal imaging, or active illumination, may be used for taking coyote, fox, raccoon, skunk and opossum.
Coyotes and fox may be hunted using any color artificial light in open season.
Smoke wildlife from its den or place of refuge except as provided by law or regulation.
Catch, kill, or attempt to do so by seine, net, bait, trap, deadfall, snare, or like device, any bear, game bird, protected bird or mammal, or wild boar.
Bait or feed bear at any time.
Hunt, harass, or shoot at wild animals or wild birds from an airborne conveyance, a drone or other unmanned aircraft (including the use of a drone or unmanned aircraft to drive or herd any wild bird or wild animal for the purpose of hunting, trapping , wounding, harassing, transporting, or killing), from a vehicle or other land conveyance, from a motor-driven water conveyance, or from or across a public road, unless specifically authorized to do so by law or regulation.
You may shoot from a motorized watercraft if the motor has been completely shut off and progress from the motor has ceased.
Use poisons, chemicals or explosives in taking any furbearing animal, game animal, game bird or protected song and insectivorous bird, provided that groundhogs may be controlled on private land by landowners, their resident children or resident parents, or a resident tenant from April 1-September 30.
Use shot larger than No. 4 or solid ball ammunition, except for .22 caliber or smaller centerfire during the buck firearms season in the four counties closed to the buck firearms season.
Hunt between 1/2 hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise with any firearm larger than .22 caliber centerfire, a shotgun using solid ball ammunition or shot shells larger than No. 2 shot.
dispose of animal carcasses by dumping them along any public road or highway or on public or private property.
Pistol regulations when hunting in West Virginia.
Handgun Laws and Regulations.
A person who is not prohibited from possessing firearms by state or federal law may carry a firearm for self-defense.
Only persons 21 years old or older are eligible for a Class Al stamp.
Only revolvers or pistols having a barrel at least 4 inches in length
are legal for hunting.
While hunting, the licensee shall carry the revolver or pistol outside his/her outer clothing, in an unconcealed and easily visible place.
A revolver or pistol may be used only during established hunting seasons. Only single-shot muzzleloading pistols of .38 caliber or larger are legal for hunting deer during the muzzleloader season
It is legal to hunt groundhogs in open fields with a revolver or pistol.
IT IS ILLEGAL TO:
Take migratory game birds with a pistol.
Hunt between 1/2 hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise with a revolver or pistol larger than .22 caliber centerfire.
Hunt bear, deer, or wild boar with a revolver or pistol using a straight-walled case of less than .357 magnum cartridge or a bottle-necked case of less than .24 caliber.
Hunt bear, deer or wild boar with a muzzleloading pistol of less
than .38 caliber.
