CHARLESTON -- The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources expects to see roughly 300,000 hunters in the woods the first three days of gun deer season. D.N.R. officials said the 2009 deer population is healthy and strong and hunters can expect to see a lot of deer. The agency attributes the increased deer population to the mild winter this past year.

For the upcoming 2009 - 2010 hunting season, D.N.R.'s Web site has released a the following summary of new hunting guideline changes.

1. Deer season (Class N or NN) will be open Nov. 23 – Dec. 12 and Dec. 29-31. All public lands having an antlerless deer season will be open Nov. 25 – Dec. 12 and Dec. 29-31. Bag limits vary among counties but will be either one, two or four antlerless deer.

2. Calvin Price State Forest in Pocahontas County has been designated a special Older-aged Deer Management Area requiring all antlered deer taken to have a minimum outside antler spread of 14 inches, limiting the bag limit on the area to one antlered deer for all seasons combined, and prohibiting baiting or feeding of wildlife on the area.

3. Black bear hunting seasons are less liberal in 2009 with only four counties open September 21-26; five counties open Nov. 23 – Dec. 5 during the Buck Season, and 44 counties open Dec. 7-31. The daily bag and season limit is one bear.

4.There will be a special controlled black bear hunting season with dogs Dec. 7-31, 2009 on Nathaniel Mountain Wildlife Management Area. Prior application is required.

5. The second split of the Special Youth and Class Q/QQ Hunting Season has been changed to the first two hunting days following Christmas Day (excluding Sunday).

6. There will be a one-week Special Antlerless Deer Archery Season on private land only in selected counties Sept 14-19, 2009, and will allow the taking of one additional antlerless deer that must be checked on a Class RB or Class RRB stamp.

7. There will be a one-week Special Antlerless Deer Muzzleloader Season on private land only in selected counties Sept. 21-26, 2009, and will allow the taking of one additional antlerless deer that must be checked on a Class RM or Class RRM stamp.


This information can be found at www.wvdnr.gov.