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2012-2013 Seasons, Dates and Limits

Species Opening
Date
Closing
Date

Daily Bag
Limit

Possession
Limit
Season
Limit

*Wild Boar (Gun)

October 27

November 3

1

*Wild Boar (Archery)

October 13

December 31

*Deer (Buck)

November 19

December 1

See pages 13-18.

*Deer (Archery)

September 29

December 31

*Deer (Antlerless) Split Season

October 25

October 27

November 19

December 1

December 13

December 15

December 28

December 31

*Deer (Muzzleloader)

December 3

December 8

*Deer (Youth/Class Q/QQ/Class XS)

October 20

October 20

1

Split Season (see page 30)

December 26

December 27

1

2

2

*Bear (Archery) Split Season

September 29

November 17

See pages 38-39.

1                     2                     2

December 3

December 31

*Bear (Gun) (Selected Counties)

September 24

September 26

September 24

September 29

November 19

December 1

December 3

December 31

*Turkey, Fall (Selected Counties - see page 33) Split Season

October 13

October 20

1

October 29

November 3

October 29

November 17

*Turkey (Spring 2013 - Bearded Only)

April 22

May 18

1

2

2

*Turkey (2013 Youth Season - see page 33)

April 20

April 20

1 - counts towards spring season bag limit of two

Squirrel (Gray, Black, Albino and Fox)

September 8

January 31

6

24

None

Small Game (Youth Season - see page 30)

September 29

September 29

See page 30.

Ruffed Grouse

October 13

February 28

4

16

None

Bobwhite Quail

November 3

January 5

3

9

None

Cottontail Rabbit

November 3

February 28

5

20

None

Snowshoe or Varying Hare

November 3

February 28

2

8

None

Ring-necked Pheasant (cock birds only)
Hillcrest WMA (cock birds only)

November 3

January 5

2

2

None

November 10

December 1

1

1

None

Raccoon (Hunting)
The bag limit during an 11-hour period beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 5 a.m.
is four raccoons for each person or groups of persons hunting as a party.

October 13

February 28

4

None

None

Raccoon (Trapping)

November 3

February 28

 

None

 

Red Fox, Gray Fox (Hunting and Trapping)

November 3

February 28

None

Red Fox, Gray Fox (Hunting - night with artificial light, see page 3)

January 1

February 28

*Bobcat (Hunting and Trapping)

November 3

February 28

3

Mink, Muskrat (Trapping)

November 3

February 28

None

*Fisher (Trapping)

November 3

January 31

1

*Beaver (Trapping)

November 3

March 31

None

*Otter (Trapping)

November 3

February 28

1

Crow - Split Season
Nuisance Crows - crows committing depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, home gardens, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated so as to constitute a health hazard and or other nuisance may be killed at any time.

October 1

November 17

None

January 1

March 2

Coyote (Hunting)**

Continuous Open Season

None

Coyote (Hunting - night with artificial light)**

January 1

July 31

Skunk, Opossum, Woodchuck, Weasel, English Sparrow, European Starling and Pigeon (Hunting)

Continuous Open Season

None

Skunk, Opossum, Coyote, and Weasel (Trapping)

November 3

February 28

Mountain Lion, Elk, Song and Insectivorous Birds, Owls, Hawks, Falcons and Eagles

No Open Season

Geese, Ducks, Mourning Doves, Gallinules, Rails, Woodcock, and Common Snipe

Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration required. See WVDNR Migratory Bird Hunting regulations available in September.

* Must be checked at an official game checking station ** See page 6 for additional regulations



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