Watch me harvest a mature wv gobbler in a dreary, foggy, rainy morning on a ridge in. West virginias spring gobbler season opens april 15 wv. This is because the bird taken during the youth season counts as the first bird for the first week of the regular season. Use the pages below to learn about regulations for licensing, permits, and reporting. The estimated harvest for spring 2019 was 17,078 birds. This prediction is based on current mast conditions and wild turkey brood reports. Resident senior or disabled combination hunting and fishing licenses. Advertisement the harvest is the largest since 2006 when 11,735 birds were harvested and is more than 18 percent above the 10year average. Hunters can harvest one bearded bird per day with a.
Although hunting is prohibited on 600 miles of npsacquired a. West virginias fall wild turkey season opens october. The residentonly youth sportsmans license includes the annual youth hunting license, two 2 youth deer permits and two 2 youth turkey permits. Be a scientist and help wvdnr document box turtle sightings april 15, 2020. West virginia hunting seasons, 20192020 west virginia offers several big game hunting seasons through the beautiful appalachian mountains. Turkey eneral regulationsg west virginia division of. Nwtf west virginia will conserve or enhance 35,000 acres of wildlife habitat in the next decade. General information bag limits general one per day, three per license year, no more than two of which may be taken in the fall. In that portion of the state west of the chesapeake bay and the susquehanna river no limit no limit. Turkey 2019 fall season 42 west virginia hunting and trapping season limit.
Legal methods and restrictions for archery turkey season. West virginia hunting seasons, 20192020 hunting season hq. The oneday youth season will be held april, the saturday before the regular season. West virginia spring gobbler season set to open grand. Hunting west virginia division of natural resources. Turkey abundance is still substantially reduced from the levels observed in the early 2000s. Apr 01, 2016 wild turkeys west virginia division of natural resources. Everything you need to know about bird watching in west virginia april 1, 2020. A hunter calls a gobbler during spring turkey season in west virginia. West virginias statewide fourweek spring gobbler season opens april 15 and runs through may 11. The wild turkey population has increased from an estimated 2,000 birds in 1970 to an estimated 265,000 birds in 2015. Population size from year to year is determined by habitat, weather during the nesting season, insect production and other factors like that, just as it was when the first pioneers migrated into the state. Its a yearly indicator that the woods will soon turn green, and the gobblers will sound off like the playing of the national anthem before game time.
These birds have extremely strong eyesight that lets me them pick of the slightest movement, which means getting close and harvesting a west virginia turkey is very difficult, but also very rewarding. Turkey 2017 spring gobbler seasons regulations 20 16 34 west virginia hunting and trapping season limit. Beautiful hunt with my friend matt cummons in preston county, west virginia. Many west virginia hunters experienced some great mornings during the 2018 turkey season, as the kill of 12,274 was the best in 15 years. West virginias spring gobbler season opens april 15. Come to west virginia for the turkey hunting trip of a lifetime and attempt to harvest a wise ol tom. Spring turkey hunters harvested 11,539 gobblers in 2017, an increase of more than 11 percent over the 2016 harvest, according to preliminary numbers provided by the west virginia division of natural resources. Try these wildlife activity sheets to keep the kids occupied april 3, 2020. In the past, dec only summarized the number of birds actually reported by hunters. West virginia division of natural resources biologists make spring harvest predictions by looking at brood reports from two years earlier because the average harvested gobbler is a 2yearold bird. West virginia spring turkey harvest declined in 2019 west virginia. Fall wild turkey season dates and open counties have changed. Hunters may kill only one bearded turkey per day and are limited to two per season. The west virginia division of natural resources dnr predicts the wild turkey harvest this fall will be similar to the 2011 fall hunting season, when hunters took 1,186 turkeys in 33 counties.
Spring gobbler season opens april 15 sports register. Bones n beards now accepting requests for private hunting and fishing club in west virginia. West virginias spring gobbler season opens april 20 woaytv. Spring turkey season one per day, bearded turkeys only. The fall wild turkey hunting season in west virginia opens october in selected counties. West virginia turkey hunting guides and outfitters. West virginia wildlife officials said hunters killed 948 turkeys during the 2017 season, only 54 percent of the birds taken last year. Only one eithersex turkey may be taken during the fall hunting season with either bow, crossbow or gun. In addition, you will find turkey harvest data and tips for hunters. Wild turkey weight certification form pdf how to score your gobbler. West virginias fall turkeyhunting season for counties with twoweek hunts will close, onehalf hour after sunset. Ap the west virginia division of natural resources says spring gobbler season will open monday and run through may 24. Turkey general regulations season west virginia division. Spring gobbler hunt opening week west virginia 2017.
Oct 28 nov 4 allegany, garrett, and washington counties 1 1. The spring gobbler season is scheduled to open on april 20, the youth season is expanding to two days and turkey hunters can anticipate increased harvest opportunities. Virginia hunting seasons, 20192020 hunting season hq. Wild turkeys killed in the spring gobbler season must be checked using the telephone or internet checking system. Wild turkeys make comeback in west virginia grand view. The west virginia division of natural resources dnr predicts the. The grand slam network was created to help improve your turkey hunting skills and help you network with other turkey hunters to find turkey hunting opportunities in west virginia. Nwtf west virginia will recruit 10,000 hunters in the state over the next 10 years. Checking fall and spring turkeys wild turkeys killed in the fall except those killed in january must be checked at a game check station. Turkey hunting youth season two for one the turkeyologists 2018 duration. Peak gobbling typically coincides with peak nest incubation. Areas west of i55 and north of i20 plus areas south of i20 and west of u.
Statewide except in areas where there is a closed firearm season on turkey. Rules, seasons and reporting requirements for trapping beaver, bobcat, marten, mink, raccoon, and more. Advertisement hunters may kill only one bearded turkey per day and two during the season, which runs through saturday, may, according to gary foster of the w. Spring gobbler season starts april 15 west virginia division of. We are delighted to announce the release of the updated hunting, trapping and fishing map application. As described in decs wild turkey management plan pdf, dec has changed the way that seasonal turkey harvest is reported. West virginia spring gobbler season set to open grand view. Hunters in west virginia registered 108,856 whitetailed deer through the.
The youth turkey permit may be used during any turkey season. These birds traveled a long distance to aggressive calling on a tube call. Wild turkey north carolina wildlife resources commission. Sunday hunting is legal on public lands throughout west virginia. Discover the amazing variety of wild and wonderful hunting, trapping and fishing opportunities in the mountain state. Permit fall turkey season only one turkey of either sex may be taken during the fall season with either a bow or a gun. A limited number of west virginia resident hunters will be permitted to participate in turkey hunting in counties open to permit hunting. Turkey 018 spring gobbler seasons2 36est virginia hunting and trappingw season limit. The use of dogs is legal during the fall turkey season. Aptly named the mountain state, west virginia gives hunters the opportunity to hunt in majestic solitude while. Spring gobbler hunt opening week west virginia 2017 youtube.
Now, the dec reports an estimated total turkey harvest based on surveys of approximately 12,000 turkey permit holders after the close of the. This is a large 7mb file and may take a long time 20 min or longer to open on a dialup internet connection. In 2017, brood production was 30 percent below the fiveyear average. Published on apr 30, 2017 beautiful hunt with my friend matt cummons in preston county, west virginia. Hunting seasons and regulations washington department of. West virginias statewide fourweek spring gobbler season opens monday, april 15, and runs through may 11. Tags hunting, spring gobbler season, turkey season, west virginia. Its also important for traveling hunters to note, spring turkey hunting closes at 1 p. Hunting prospects for the 2016 west virginia spring turkey. Ideal for buddies to enjoy their own little piece of wild wonderful wv.
How to practice physical distancing while fishing at a public lake or stream april 3, 2020. The 201718 season dates and bag limits for migratory game birds will be available in midapril. Peak gobbling in virginia normally occurs in early may based on field surveys. All hunters are required to submit a hunter report, even if they didnt hunt. South charleston, wv hunting prospects look promising for the 2016 spring turkey season in west virginia, which runs april. One male turkey or turkey with visible beard youths who take a turkey during the youth season may not harvest a second bird until april 27.
Deer archery and crossbow september 30 december 31 deer antlerless. The hunting season start and end dates vary by animal, weapon, and sometimes location. The division of natural resources said the number was 23. Wild turkeys make comeback in west virginia grand view outdoors. The west virginia division of natural resources dnr predicts the wild turkey harvest this fall will be. Wear blaze orange when hiking in fall, winter or spring, and take other safety precautions. Gobbling rates decline as the spring season progresses tagged birds and hunting pressure are cited factors. Spring gobbler season opens april 20 april 8, 2020. West virginia spring turkey hunting, midmorning action. West virginias statewide fourweek spring gobbler season opens monday.
Hunters can harvest one bearded bird per day with a season bag limit of two. Oct 09, 2012 the west virginia division of natural resources dnr predicts the wild turkey harvest this fall will be similar to the 2011 fall hunting season, when hunters took 1,186 turkeys in 33 counties. As the 2017 spring turkey hunting season nears, the nwtf offers up the annual spring hunt guide as an overview of each states upcoming wild turkey hunting season. Wild boar seasons will be split, with the second portion for gun, archery and crossbow to be held feb. West virginia turkey hunters kill fewer birds wchs.
Turkey hunting is a tradition in the mountain state, and the spring season can be both challenging and fun for hunters of all ages. More information on the fall wild turkey season and other hunting regulations can be found in the 20142015 west virginia hunting and trapping regulations summary. Rules pamphlet for hunting aprilmay for merriams turkey, rio grande turkey, and eastern turkey. Archery and fall firearms season one per day, either sex may be taken. A turkey harvested that day counts toward the season limit of two. On an upside, west virginia does have good public land opportunity with 500,000 stateowned acres and another million under u. The youth turkey permit allows the hunter to harvest one turkey. There are 2 turkey hunting seasons, one in the spring and one in the fall. Check out a few of the most popular seasons and regulations here, and learn more with the georgia department of natural resources, wildlife resources division. The west virginia department of natural resources dnr has announced that the 2014 spring turkey season has gone down as the safest in the states.
West virginia turkey hunting forum forums are a great place to learn from other turkey hunters and pick up a few tips. South charleston, wv woay turkey hunters in west virginia can anticipate increased harvest opportunities during this years spring gobbler season, scheduled to open monday, april 20. General regulations turkey west virginia division of. Nwtf west virginia understands public access to hunting grounds is.
Jul 25, 2017 the hunting season start and end dates vary by animal, weapon, and sometimes location. West virginia hunters harvest 11,539 spring turkeys in 2017. Spring gobbler season in west virginia opens monday, april 17, and state officials are predicting a good season boosted by the 2016 cicada emergence. Wild turkeys now exist in all 100 counties in the state and all 100 counties now have a spring gobbler season. The story of the wild turkeys comeback in west virginia is one of the major success stories of modern scientific wildlife management. Hunting season changes explained in 20182019 west virginia. The grand slam network was created to help improve your turkey hunting skills and help you network with other turkey hunters to find turkey hunting opportunities in. If you wish, instead, to receive a printed copy, please visit an authorized hunting license agent or request a copy from a dnr district office. Aptly named the mountain state, west virginia gives hunters the opportunity to hunt in majestic solitude while pursuing deer, bear, turkey and small game. Mountain state academy beckley, west virginia college. Wild turkeys west virginia division of natural resources. West virginias 2019 spring gobbler season begins april 15 and runs through may 11. Last years take was 6 percent greater than 2017, and more than 10 percent above the 10year average.
Lodging and river access will all be included for club members. Turkey hunting regulations virginia hunting seasons. This is a decrease of 11% from 2018 and is below the fiveyear average spring harvest 19,600 birds. Taking elk counts towards a hunters deer permits and bag. Turkey season west virginia division of natural resources. These birds traveled a long distance to aggressive calling on a. Preliminary data indicates spring turkey hunters harvested 11210 gobblers in 2019, ninepercent less than. West virginia celebrates safest turkey season on record. Oct 09, 2014 more information on the fall wild turkey season and other hunting regulations can be found in the 20142015 west virginia hunting and trapping regulations summary. Photo courtesy of the west virginia department of commerce. Checking fall and spring turkeys wild turkeys killed in the fall except those killed in january must be checked at a game check. Hunting prospects for the 2016 west virginia spring turkey season.
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