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A Hunting Primer
With only nine states sporting less surface area, West Virginia is far from the largest state in the Union. But in the world of sport hunting, the Mountain State stands head and shoulders above most others.
Eight-point white tail deer
Its population includes more hunters per capita than any other state. It sells more non-resident hunting licenses than all but five other states. Careful management and superb habitat have resulted in an abundance of deer, bear and turkey, making the Mountain State a hunter's haven.
Habitat, habitat, habitat
Seventy-nine percent of the state's hilly surface is covered with thick, mature hardwood forests. Critters have lots of space to grow and prosper, and sportsmen and sportswomen have the sort of elbow room that makes for a quality hunting experience.
National forests, state forests and state-managed wildlife management areas encompass an area half the size of Connecticut. Every acre of those lands has been set aside specifically for public hunting. The only time of the year when the woods are the least bit crowded is during the first three days of the gun season for buck deer. The rest of the time, the only other faces hunters are likely to see are those of the sun, the moon, and the birds and animals of the forest.
Hunter-friendly management
Since the early days of the 20th century, the animals that live on West Virginia's lands have been managed in a way that allowed them to thrive. Deer, estimated at fewer than 1,000 animals in 1910, now number more than 1 million. Bears, down to 500 individuals a quarter-century ago, now number nearly 14,000. Wild turkeys, once present in only the wildest locales, now boast healthy flocks in all of the state's counties.
And those are only the glamour species. Squirrels, rabbits, grouse, doves, ducks and geese are equally widespread and even more abundant than their more ballyhooed counterparts. For West Virginians who adopt the sporting life, the thrill of hunting is no farther away than the nearest patch of woods.
Four counties offer bow hunting exclusively
Bucking for attention
Deer stand at the top of hunters' most-wanted list. In November, after autumn's leaves have fallen and winter's approach has put a chill in the air, bucks and does begin to stir. It's their mating season, and it's the very best time to hunt.
West Virginia's late-November buck season attracts hunters from throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Schools close. Workers take vacations. Hunters stock up on food, lodging, licenses and gear.
Many deer hunters hope to bag a trophy buck, and bowhunters who frequent West Virginia's Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties accomplish the feat more often than anyone else. All four counties have been closed to firearm hunting since 1979, and the closure has given rise to a unique trophy-buck resource. Since 1986, the area has yielded seven state-record bucks.
Mid-November is the best time for bowhunters to visit. Stirred by the mating instinct, heavy-antlered "dominant" bucks lose their natural wariness and move about with abandon. No wonder that every year since 1994, the region has produced at least 50 bucks that qualified for the Pope & Young Club record book Phone: 304-558-2771 Address: see web site City: Mountain Lakes~ State: WV Zip: 26651 Region: Mountain Lakes Url: http://www.wildandwonderful.com Canaan Valley - Albright - Davis - - Mathias - Keyser - Thomas - Berkeley Springs - Potomac Highlands~ - Fayetteville - Harpers Ferry - West Virginia Regions - Roanoke - Moorefield - Beckley - Eastern Panhandle~ - Hico - Cass - Petersburg - Snowshoe - Elkins - Hatfield-McCoyMountains~ - Ansted - Franklin - Philippi - Fairmont - Buckhannon - NewRiverGreenbriarValley~ |
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