You probably already have the day marked on your smartphone’s calendar app and if you’re old school, there’s a good chance it’s circled on the calendar hanging on your wall. West Virginia’s buck firearms season starts Nov. 20 and is traditionally a time for hunters and their families to hunt the state’s most popular big game during the Thanksgiving holiday.
While opening day is still several weeks away, now is the time to get ready for the state’s most popular deer season. Here’s a few things you can do right now to get ready.
Get organized
Start by getting all your camo and supplies ready to go for opening day. The last thing you want is to find out on opening day that you’re missing something and have to rush to a store when you should be in the woods sighting in a buck.
Practice your shot
As you get everything in order, make sure you take plenty of time to visit a local range to practice shooting. You don’t the first day of rifle season to be the first day you take your gun out. Practicing not only makes you a better shot, it makes you a better and safer hunter.
Look over the hunting regulations
You should also look over rules and regulations for hunting buck during the firearms season by downloading a copy of the 2023-2024 Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Game laws and hunting regulations not only protect you and other hunters in the field, they ensure wild game is harvested ethically.
Buy your license and stamps
During the buck firearms season, resident hunters who purchase an RG stamp and nonresidents who purchase an RRG stamp before the start of the season may take one additional deer. Hunters who don’t purchase an RG or RRG stamp may only harvest one buck on their base license. West Virginia hunting licenses and stamps are available to purchase at www.wvhunt.com.
Scout the area you want to hunt
If you haven’t done so already, make sure you take plenty of time to scout the area you want to hunt. When you are familiar with the terrain and where bucks come and go, you’ll have a better chance of harvesting a deer during the season.
If you want to hunt at a wildlife management area or on other public hunting land, check out our online map at mapwv.gov/huntfish. If you want to hunt on private land, make sure you get permission from the landowner.
West Virginia’s buck firearms season is open Nov. 20 to Dec. 3 in all but four counties (Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming are closed to firearms deer hunting).
Hunters should also remember that they are required to electronically check big game online at www.wvhunt.com, at a license agent or by calling 844-WVCHECK. For more information about upcoming hunting seasons, visit www.wvdnr.gov.