| West Virginia's 2013 archery seasons for white-tailed deer and black bear open on Saturday, September 28. The bear archery season is a split season (September 28-November 23 and December 9 - December 31). The deer archery season runs through December 31.
This is the second year the black bear archery season will have both a September start and an extended December segment. "The black bear population continues to expand," said Curtis I. Taylor, Chief of the Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section. "We believe the expanding population can sustain an extended archery season and provide a great deal of recreational opportunity."
In addition to a base license, bear hunters must purchase a Bear Damage Stamp (Class DS) to hunt bear in West Virginia. Two bear may be taken during the archery or the gun season (or one each in the archery and gun seasons) provided at least one bear is taken in Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh or Wyoming counties. Other than the Class DS stamp, no additional stamps are needed to harvest the second bear during the archery season except for non-residents hunting on the National Forest (Class I).
Hunters are also reminded that they need stamps if they wish to harvest additional deer during the archery season. One or two additional archery deer, depending on the county, may be taken with Class RB (Resident) or Class RRB (Nonresident) stamps (one per stamp). Hunters should also note in the regulations that in 23 counties or portions thereof, they must take an antlerless archery deer prior to harvesting a second antlered deer during the archery season. Additional archery stamps must be purchased prior to the start of the deer archery season.
The daily bag limit for deer has increased this year, allowing an individual to take up to two deer in one day. However, only one antlered deer may be taken in the same day. The first deer does not have to be legally checked at an official game check station prior to harvesting the second deer in the same day.
Special regulations exist for the four archery-only counties: Logan, McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming. In these counties, only two archery deer may be taken, one of which must be antlerless.
In all counties, legal resident landowners hunting on their own property and holders of Class DT (Life-threatening Conditions) licenses may use Class RB/RRB stamp privileges without stamp purchase.
For complete information, hunters should consult the 2013-2014 West Virginia Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary available at any WVDNR office, license agents, or by visiting the WVDNR website at www.wvdnr.gov
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