West Virginia’s mountainous forest lands are home to some of the most diverse wildlife in the east. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources maintains 96 wildlife management areas (WMAs) all over the state, providing visitors and residents with undisturbed hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation.

West Virginia Wildlife Management Areas

Statewide Wildlife Management Program

The Statewide Wildlife Management Program is designed to conserve and manage high quality habitats for a variety of wildlife species and to improve public access to these resources. Management activities on state and national forest lands include planting of trees and shrubs for food and cover, the establishment of wildlife habitat, maintenance of food plots, and the development of wetlands. In addition to conserving and managing high quality wildlife habitat, development projects improve public access and recreational opportunities. Construction of roads, parking lots, trails, and public shooting ranges are vitally important to wildlife management programs.

Wildlife Management Area Acquisitions

The acquisition of Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in West Virginia is a critical component of the Wildlife Resources Section’s effort to fulfill its mission to the citizens of West Virginia. Spurred by the decline in public access to private land and by the continued destruction of critical habitats, the WMA Program enables wildlife biologists to conserve and manage habitat to benefit all wildlife species. At the present time, 1.4 million acres, representing eight percent of the state’s total land area are managed by the Wildlife Resources Section for public wildlife associated recreation.

Physically Challenged Hunters

Providing hunting access for the state’s physically challenged is a priority of the Wildlife Resources Section. District biologists work with local and national advocacy organizations to modify public use facilities and develop innovative programs that address the needs of physically challenged hunters. Within the next 10 years, the Wildlife Resources Section plans on developing an additional 20 trails on WMAs for the use and enjoyment by the state’s physically challenged.

District 1


Ohio

  1. Bear Rock Lakes

Marshall

2. Burches Run

10. Dunkard Fork

Brooke & Ohio

3. Castlemans Run Lake

Marshall & Wetzel

4. Cecil H. Underwood

Harrison

5. Center Branch

Brooke

6. Cheat Canyon

7. Cross Creek

Hancock

11. Hillcrest

Wetzel

12. Lantz Farm & Nature Preserve

13. Lewis Wetzel

Monongalia

17. Teter Creek

15. Little Indian Creek

16. Pedlar

Barbour & Taylor

17. Pleasant Creek

Taylor

18. Pruntytown State Farm

Monongalia & Preston

19. Snake Hill

Barbour

20. Teter Creek

Preston

10. Fairfax Pond-Rehe

21. Upper Deckers Creek

Marion

8. Dents Run

Tucker

14. Little Canaan

District 2


Mineral

22. Allegheny

Hampshire

23. Edwards Run

24. Fort Mill Ridge

26. Nathaniel Mountain

28. Short Mountain

34. White Horse Mountain

Jefferson
27. Shannondale Springs

Berkeley & Morgan

30. Sleepy Creek

29. Sideling Hill

Hardy & Hampshire

31. South Branch

Pendleton

32. Thorn Creek

Hardy

25. Lost River

33. Warden Lake

Morgan

35. Widmeyer

District 3


Randolph

36. Becky Creek

35. Huttonsville

47. Valley Bend

Webster

37. Big Ditch

Braxton

38. Burnsville Lake

39. Elk River

Pocahontas

40. Handley

Pocahontas & Randolph

42. Slatyfork

Lewis

43. Smoke Camp

45. Stonewall Jackson Lake

Lewis & Upshur

44. Stonecoal Lake

Nicholas

46. Summersville Lake

District 4


McDowell

48. Anawalt Lake

60. Tug Fork

56. Panther

Fayette

45. Beury Mountain

57. Plum Orchard Lake

Summers, Mercer & Monroe

51. Bluestone Lake

Wyoming

53. Horse Creek Lake

Greenbrier

54. Meadow River

Monroe

55. Moncove Lake

49. Andrew Rowan

52. Daniels Ridge

Mingo & Wyoming

58. R.D. Bailey Lake

Mercer

59. Tate Lohr

District 5


Putnam

61. Amherst/Plymouth

Cabell & Wayne

62. Beech Fork Lake

Lincoln

64. Big Ugly

70. Hilbert

75. Upper Mud River

Mason

65. Bright McCausland Homestead

66. Chief Cornstalk

72. McClintic

Wayne

68. East Lynn Lake

Cabell & Mason

69. Green Bottom

Mingo

71 Laurel Lake

63. Big South

Cabell

673 Millcreek

Logan

74. Tomblin

67. Chief Logan

District 6


Tyler

76. Buffalo Run

78. Conway Run Lake

91. The Jug

Jackson

69. Frozen Camp

85. O’Brien Lake

87. Rollins Lake

93. Turkey Run

96. Woodrum Lake

79. Elk Fork Lake

81. Frozen Camp

89. Sandy Creek

Ritchie & Wirt

82. Hughes River

77. Burning Springs

83. Little Kanawha River

84. Lynn Camp

Ritchie

86. Ritchie Mines

Wood & Ritchie

88. Sand Hill

95. Walker Creek

Calhoun & Gilmer

90. Stumptown

Barbour

14. Pleasant Creek

17. Teter Creek

Roane

95. Wallback

Pleasants

80. Federal Ridge

Doddridge

92. Toll Gate


Current WMA Mapping

Rules And Regulations Governing Public Use of West Virginia Wildlife Management Areas

DNR-Owned Or Leased Public Boating And Fishing Access Sites

State Forests

National Forests

National Wildlife Refuges