West Virginia Trapping Seasons End Soon for Mink, Raccoon, Fox, Muskrat, and Others

West Virginia trappers are reminded that the various trapping seasons for affected species will be ending soon, according to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

• Trapping season for fisher ends on January 31, 2012.
• The hunting and trapping seasons for red and gray fox, bobcat and raccoon will end on February 29, 2012.
• The trapping seasons for coyote, otter, mink and muskrat will also end on February 29, 2012.
• Trapping season for beaver will be in until March 31, 2012. Beaver trappers are reminded that it is illegal to set traps other than water sets during March.

All beaver, bobcat, otter and fisher pelts are required to be checked at an official game checking station within 30 days of the close of their respective season. Hunters and trappers are required to field tag bobcats before removing the carcass from where it was harvested.

Trappers, hunters and fur dealers are reminded that furs shipped out of West Virginia must have a fur shipping tag, which is available at WVDNR district offices and most game checking stations. Also, anyone who plans to sell an otter or bobcat pelt outside of the state of West Virginia should obtain a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) seal for each pelt. All otter and bobcat pelts, usually exported from the United States by licensed fur buyers, must have a CITES seal from the state where the animal was harvested.

The general public is reminded that now, before the trapping season ends, would be a good time to deal with nuisance muskrat or beaver problems.  Trappers may be more likely to assist landowners with nuisance problems while their gear is in working order and pelts are prime.

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Late Season Hunting Opportunities in West Virginia

The late part of winter presents an often overlooked opportunity for hunting in the Mountain State, according to Jeff McCrady, district wildlife biologist for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources office in Parkersburg. Rabbits, grouse, foxes, bobcats and raccoons are in season through the end of February.

For many hunters, this is the most enjoyable time to be afield. “The holidays are long past, and people just seem to have more time to get out,” McCrady said.

February can be a preferred time for serious rabbit hunters. There is less vegetation to obscure their vision, the ground is always damp enough to hold scent well and the weather is generally cool enough to keep the beagles from getting over heated.

Grouse hunters like late season outings for the same reasons. The final weeks of February will be the last chance to hunt with the dogs until next fall.

Raccoons are generally not very active during cold winter nights; however, a warm spell can change everything. As the winter begins to weaken and the days become longer, raccoons will become more active. Hunters should be vigilant through the end of the season.

With prey being scarce in late winter, predators are generally more susceptible to varmint calls. The imitated distress cries of a rabbit or a mouse work well for foxes, bobcats and coyotes this time of year. Predators might be a little easier to call in during February, but hunters still need to be mindful of the wind and be well hidden in order to be successful.

“With all of West Virginia’s late season hunting opportunities, there is no reason for a case of cabin fever,” McCrady said. “Success can’t be guaranteed, but fresh air and exercise can.”

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West Virginia Hunters Harvest 2,007 Black Bears in 2011

West Virginia hunters harvested 2,007 black bears during the combined 2011 archery and firearms seasons, according to Paul Johansen, assistant chief in charge of game management for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The preliminary harvest data for the combined 2011 seasons was 16 percent lower than the record harvest of 2,392 established in 2010. The 2011 black bear harvest is the third highest in West Virginia history. 

“As predicted in the 2011 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook brochure, mast conditions had a tremendous influence on the distribution of this year’s bear harvest,” said Johansen. “Lower mast availability in 2011 allowed archers to pattern bears more effectively and led to an increased archery harvest.  However, a shortage of fall foods drives bears to den earlier, which leads to a lower firearms harvest in the traditional December season. The firearm harvest for bears remained steady compared to previous years because of the early firearms seasons. These early seasons are designed to ensure that counties remain at their management goal.”

Hunters took 619 bears during the 2011 archery season. The top five counties were Randolph (70), Preston (56), Nicholas (44), Webster (41) and Wyoming (34).

Firearm hunters harvested 1,388 bears during 2011. Hunters took 631 bears in September, 76 during the concurrent buck/bear season, and 681 during the traditional December season.  Top five counties were Randolph (148), Greenbrier (141), Pendleton (132), Pocahontas (112) and Webster (110).

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West Virginia Hunters Harvest 1,172 Fall Turkeys in 2011

Preliminary figures for the 2011 fall turkey hunting season show a harvest of 1,172 turkeys, according to Paul Johansen, assistant chief in charge of game management for the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The 2011 harvest was four percent higher than the 1,126 birds checked in during the 2010 fall season.

“Fall wild turkey harvests are highly influenced by annual reproduction and hard mast conditions,” stated Johansen.  “The reduced acorn crop of 2011 had birds more concentrated around specific food sources and easier to harvest than in 2010.  Although there were six fewer counties open to fall hunting in 2011, the harvest was slightly above the 2010 tally. Biologists had predicted that the harvest would be similar to higher because of the mast conditions and brood production and these predictions held true in 2011.”

Top counties for 2011 were Randolph (142), Greenbrier (91), Preston (76), Pocahontas (68) and Monroe (63).

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New Senior Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License Available in West Virginia

The new Senior Lifetime Hunting, Trapping and Fishing License, which becomes effective January 1, 2012, is now available for purchase, according to DNR Director Frank Jezioro. The one-time fee for the Class XS License is $25.

“Hunters and anglers can buy the license in person at the DNR South Charleston headquarters or they can obtain a form at any license agent or DNR district office and send it in to our headquarters,” said Jezioro. “I want to emphasize that the license will not be required for our hunters and anglers who turn 65 before January 1, 2012 or those who already have a lifetime license. In addition, it will not change the existing privileges of our senior landowners.”

Purchase of the Senior Lifetime License will allow seniors to hunt for small game, turkey and bear, and for deer during the archery, youth, buck-gun and muzzleloader seasons. License holders will also be able to fish for both trout and warmwater fish, as well as trap furbearing animals. Seniors, other than landowners hunting on their own land, will still have to buy the required stamps to hunt during the antlerless deer seasons or to harvest additional deer.

“In approving the legislation, the legislature added the opportunity for Class XS license holders to hunt during the annual Special Split Youth and Class Q seasons,” Jezioro said. “Seniors who turn 65 before January 1, 2012, who wish to hunt during those seasons starting in 2012, would be able to buy the Senior Lifetime License.”

Jezioro emphasizes that the Class XS License can be bought no sooner than 90 days before an individual’s 65th birthday and that the license is not valid until their actual birth date.

The West Virginia Legislature established the new lifetime license to permit the DNR to capture tax money which West Virginia seniors were already spending on hunting and fishing equipment. Jezioro explained, “Hunters pay a tax on hunting and fishing equipment which is given back to the states based partially on the number of licensed hunters and anglers. In the past, when our seniors became 65 and no longer had to buy a license, we could no longer count them as a license buyer. As a result, that reduced our apportionment of the taxes that they were spending on new equipment and ammunition.

“We estimate that the license fee itself will bring in approximately $150,000 in 2012 and should increase in future years. In addition, we believe we will capture about $31,500 of funds from the federal government that our hunters and anglers already spend on sporting equipment and ammunition, an amount that will also increase in the future.”

By law, the money the DNR receives must be spent only for fish and wildlife management efforts. Jezioro said, “We plan to spend the additional money for additional access for the mobility-impaired hunter, improvements to and operation of the state’s fish stocking program, and construction of additional shooting ranges. These programs will benefit our senior sportsmen.”

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Deer Hunters in West Virginia Harvest 59,835 Bucks During the Buck Firearms Season

South Charleston, WV – Preliminary data collected from game checking stations across the state indicate deer hunters in West Virginia harvested 59,835 bucks during the two-week buck firearms season, which ran from November 21 through December 3, according to Frank Jezioro, Director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR). The 2011 buck harvest was 38 percent more than the 2010 harvest of 43,461. The top 10 counties for buck harvest were as follows: Preston (2,162), Randolph (2,039), Jackson (1,960), Mason (1,931), Greenbrier (1,803), Roane (1,743), Wood (1,703), Hampshire (1,661), Upshur (1,596) and Hardy (1,574).

This year’s buck harvest is significantly higher than last year, with increases occurring across all DNR districts. The largest percentage increases occurred in the western and southern counties. This year’s preliminary buck harvest remains 3 percent below the previous five-year average of 61,428.

Wildlife biologists and wildlife managers collected age-specific biological information at checking stations in 12 counties this year. Preliminary analysis indicates antler development was good and many hunters harvested older-aged bucks. Other contributing factors such as the exceptional acorn crop in the fall of 2010 and deer densities more in balance with the habitat in many areas combined to make this year’s deer season successful for many hunters.

“White-tailed deer are a product of the environment,” Jezioro said. “Too many deer on a given tract of land will result in loss of body weight, reduction in antler development, decrease in reproduction and sometimes death due to starvation during winter months. Hunters and landowners must continually assess their expectations of the proper number of deer sightings versus the visible impacts deer have on vegetation. We need help managing the state’s deer herd by participating and encouraging antlerless deer harvests where needed to benefit not only the deer herd, but all wildlife dependent on our state’s woodland habitat.”

Wildlife Biologists will analyze data from the combined 2011 deer seasons (i.e., buck, antlerless, archery and muzzleloader) before making appropriate recommendations for next year’s deer seasons. These recommendations will be available for public review at 12 regulations meetings scheduled for March 12 and 13, 2012 (see current 2011 – 2012 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary page 5 or visit the WVDNR website at www.wvdnr.gov for scheduled times and places).

Director Jezioro reminds hunters that the traditional six-day antlerless deer season in selected counties on both public and private land ends Saturday, December 10. Muzzleloader deer season begins December 12 and runs through December 17. The Youth and Class Q/QQ antlerless deer season will be open on Monday and Tuesday, December 26 and 27 in any county with a firearms deer season, and will be followed by a four-day reopening of antlerless deer season (December 28 – 31) in 42 counties or portions of counties (see 2011 – 2012 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary or visit the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov for county and area listings).

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West Virginia Muzzleloader Hunters Must Purchase Additional Licenses Prior to Start of Season

South Charleston, WV –  West Virginia resident and nonresident muzzleloader deer hunters have until Dec. 11 to purchase additional deer muzzleloader hunting licenses, according to Curtis I. Taylor, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.  The deer muzzleloader season opens on Dec. 12, and the additional muzzleloader hunting licenses (Class RM and RRM licenses) must be purchased prior to this opening date.

Hunters may purchase only one RM license (resident additional deer muzzleloader hunting) or one RRM license (nonresident additional deer muzzleloader hunting) for use during the upcoming muzzleloader season.

Hunters are reminded of the following muzzleloader hunting regulations relating to the Class RM and RRM license:

• Muzzleloader season is closed in Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties.
• If you are hunting in a county that has an antlerless season with a bag limit of one deer or is closed to the antlerless deer season, then you are allowed to harvest one antlered deer on the RM or RRM stamp.
• If you are hunting in a county with an antlerless season bag limit of two or more deer, then you are allowed to harvest one deer of either sex on the RM or RRM stamp.

For complete information, hunters should consult the 2011-2012 West Virginia Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary or visit the DNR website at www.wvdnr.gov.

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West Virginia Muzzleloader Deer Season Open Dec. 12-17

South Charleston, W.Va. – The traditional muzzleloader deer hunting season opens Dec. 12 and runs through Dec. 17, 2011, in all West Virginia counties open to buck firearm hunting. A deer of either sex may be taken in counties or parts thereof that are open to antlerless deer hunting. As a reminder, hunters may take no more than three antlered deer per calendar year in all archery, muzzleloader and firearms seasons combined.

During the muzzleloader deer season, Class RM and Class RRM stamps may be used to take one additional deer of either sex in 22 counties or portions of counties that have an antlerless deer bag limit of two or more. In those counties or portions of counties with a bag limit of one antlerless deer, or in counties closed to antlerless deer season, or on selected wildlife management areas and other public lands, only one additional antlered deer may be taken.

Resident hunters may purchase one Class RM stamp and nonresident hunters may purchase one Class RRM stamp to take an additional deer during the muzzleloader season. Class RM and RRM stamps must be purchased prior to Dec. 12, 2011, the opening day of the muzzleloader season. Resident landowners or their resident children or resident parents hunting on their own property are not required to purchase the additional stamps.

A bow or crossbow cannot be substituted for a muzzleloader during the muzzleloader season. Concurrent archery hunting is legal during the muzzleloader season subject to all archery deer hunting regulations, except that archery hunters must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange as an outer garment.

For more information concerning the deer muzzleloader season, consult the 2011-2012 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary available at all DNR offices and license agents or visit the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov.

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Bear Poaching Convictions in West Virginia

Terra Alta, W.Va. – A father and son from Terra Alta, W.Va., have been convicted of several violations of West Virginia’s wildlife laws following a two-week black bear poaching/killing investigation in Preston County.

The investigation was conducted by Natural Resources Police Officer Paul Ferguson after he received information from a confidential informant about a bear poaching. That investigation resulted in the arrest of Arnold Dalton, age 77, and his son Eric Dalton, age 47.

Arnold Dalton was charged with and convicted of illegal possession of a black bear and conspiracy to violate Chapter 20 of the West Virginia Code (wildlife law). He pled guilty on Nov. 14, 2011. His fines and court cost totaled $ 1,341.60.

Eric Dalton was charged with hunting without a bear stamp, illegally killing a black bear, illegal possession of a black bear, conspiring in a violation of Chapter 20. He pled guilty on Nov. 14, 2011, and his total fines, including court costs and replacement fees, were $4,163.20.

The total fines, court costs and replacement costs assessed in this case were $5,504.80. The subjects may also have their hunting privileges suspended for two years.

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West Virginia DNR Releases 2011 Deer Gun Seasons Fact Sheet

• The West Virginia firearm buck gun season is Nov. 22 – Dec. 4. It is open in all counties except Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming.
• Approximately 280,000 licensed hunters will be in West Virginia’s woods during this season.
• Hunters should review the 2010-2011 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for detailed instructions concerning bag limits and season dates. The regulations are available at license agents, DNR district offices, or online at www.wvdnr.gov.
• A list of wildlife checking stations in West Virginia can be found online at www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/check_stations.asp
• The firearm antlered deer bag limit during the two week buck season is two (one on the base license and one on an RG [resident] or RRG [nonresident] stamp). A hunter may take no more than three antlered deer per calendar year in all archery and firearms seasons combined.
• The last day to purchase an additional deer gun tag (Class RG/RRG Stamp) is November 20. Class RG and Class RRG additional buck stamps can only be used to take an additional antlered deer in firearm buck season. Unused Class RG and Class RRG stamps may not be used in antlerless or muzzleloader seasons.
• All private land in counties having a firearms antlerless deer gun season (Class N for residents and Class NN for nonresidents) will be open Nov. 22 – Dec. 11 and Dec. 29 – 31. All public lands having an antlerless deer season will be open Nov. 24 – Dec. 11 and Dec. 29 – 31. Bag limits vary among counties and will be one, two or four antlerless deer. Hunters may take only one deer per day; therefore, a buck and an antlerless deer may not be taken on the same day.
• Black bear seasons have been expanded with 10 counties open Nov. 22 – Dec. 4 during the buck season and concurrent antlerless deer season. A hunter may bag one bear and one deer on the same day during the concurrent seasons in those counties. See the 2010-2011 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for details.
• All deer must be field tagged and checked in within 72 hours of the time of kill or within 24 hours of the close of the season, whichever comes first. Additional deer may not be taken until all previously taken deer have been checked. Only one deer may be taken per day during the buck season.
• Deer hunting in West Virginia generates a total annual economic impact of $233 million, much of it in the rural areas of the state that depend upon the deer seasons for a large portion of their annual income.
• In 2009, deer hunters in West Virginia harvested 62,986 bucks during the two-week buck season, a decrease of 6.5 percent from the 2008 harvest. The 2009 antlerless season deer harvest decreased by three percent from 2008 for a total of 54,414.
• WVDNR forecasts that buck hunters should experience a similar harvest in 2010. Some slight overwinter mortality may have localized impacts on populations but will not have a tremendous effect on the overall buck harvest. Buck seasons are less affected by hard mast conditions compared to other seasons due to the total number of hunters afield during that time. Therefore, the abundant mast crop of 2010 will have less of an overall impact on the harvest. However, hunters should scout and notice the acorn crop prior to hunting. Available mast during the gun season should still have deer feeding on these food sources.
• Sunday hunting is legal in the following 14 counties on private land only: Boone, Brooke, Clay, Hancock, Jefferson, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Marshall, Mingo, Ohio, Wayne, Wetzel and Wyoming. The only Sunday that is open in these counties during the buck season is November 28. Hunters are reminded that deer gun seasons are closed in Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming counties.
• Hunters are required to wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange (about the size of a vest) as an outer garment for visibility and safety. Blaze orange camouflage patterns are legal as long as 400 square inches of blaze orange are displayed on the garment. A blaze orange hat is not required, but the hunter must have blaze orange visible from both the front and the back.
• Hunting licenses may be purchased online at any time and printed out on a home computer printer. Go to the goWILD! Web site at www.wvhunt.com, fill out the application, and purchase it over a secure server with a credit card.
• Hunters who wish to donate deer meat or dollars to the Hunters Helping the Hungry program, which distributes deer meat through the Mountaineer Food Bank and the Huntington Food Bank, should call 304-558-2771 or visit the DNR website at www.wvdnr.gov to find a participating meat processor.

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