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West Virginia's DNR officials have decided to cut-back on the state's doe deer hunt.
The proposed changes will affect Calhoun and regional counties.
If commission members approve the changes, the 2005 antlerless-deer season would be closed in all or part of 13 counties.
The season would be restricted to 18 days with limited numbers of lottery-drawn permits in six others, and restricted to 18 days with a one-deer bag limit in 10 others.
"In counties or parts of counties where deer numbers had fallen below our prescribed levels, we closed the seasons," said DNR chief Curtis Taylor.
Last year, the state allowed 22 days of unlimited, high bag-limit antlerless-deer hunting in 47 of the state's 55 counties.
"A lot of people are going to want to believe that we were pressured into making these changes by hunters' complaints of too few deer," said Taylor "That's not the case. We're only doing what our deer management plan tells us to do."
"In counties or parts of counties where deer numbers had fallen below our prescribed levels, we closed the seasons," Taylor said. "In counties that were borderline one way or the other, we continued to allow antlerless-deer hunting on a limited basis. In counties where hunters still aren't killing enough deer, we continued with liberal regulations."
Under the proposal, antlerless-deer season would be closed in Boone, Clay, Fayette, northern Greenbrier, southeastern Kanawha, Mercer, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Raleigh, Tucker, southern Wayne and Webster counties.
Unlimited numbers of sportsmen would be allowed to hunt antlerless deer for 18 days in Barbour, Cabell, Calhoun, Gilmer, Grant, southern Greenbrier, Monroe, western Preston, Roane and Upshur counties, but those hunters would be restricted to a one-deer bag limit.
The rest of the state would retain last year's regulations â unlimited numbers of permits, a 22-day season, and a three- to four-deer bag limit, depending on the number of unfilled tags in hunters' possession.
The DNR will have a series of hearings about the changes.
Other changes proposed:
- Deer hunters would be allowed to take no more than three bucks in any given year.
- The no-dog season for bear hunters would be expanded from six days to four weeks in western Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Hampshire, Jefferson, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, eastern Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, western Monroe, Morgan, Putnam, Summers, Upshur, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
Starting with the 2006 season, deer baiting would be prohibited between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
- Starting with the 2006-07 season, restrictions on the placement of beaver traps would be lifted.
Effective in the 2006 season, the statewide daily limit for trout would be six. Current regulations call for a four-fish limit on some waters and a six-fish limit on others.
- Also effective in 2006, Ohio River smallmouth, spotted and largemouth bass would be subject to catch-and-release regulations during the months of April and May.
- In 2006, an 18-inch minimum size limit and a two-fish creel limit would go into effect for Ohio River walleye. A 24-inch minimum size limit and a two-fish creel limit would go into effect for Ohio River blue catfish.
- In 2006, waters currently open to trotline and drop-line fishing would also be open to jug fishing.
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