SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s traditional antlered (buck) firearm season begins Nov. 25, according to Curtis I. Taylor, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the Division of Natural Resources.
“The 2013 firearms buck season does not open Nov. 18, as indicated on the 2013 West Virginia Wildlife Calendar,” Taylor said. “Because our traditional November firearms deer season opens the Monday before Thanksgiving every year, the season opening can be as early as Nov. 19 and as late as Nov. 25. This year is one of the latest opening years.”
Extra buck
“Hunters can harvest an additional buck with the purchase of the appropriate stamp,” added Taylor.
Resident hunters wanting the extra buck must purchase the Class RG stamp prior to the beginning of the season, and the cost is $21.
The RG stamp must be accompanied by a Class A and CS, A-L, AB-L, X, XS, XJ, AH, AHJ or free license.
Resident landowners have the privilege of harvesting an extra buck without purchasing the RG stamp if they are hunting on their own property. Nonresident hunters wanting an extra buck must purchase a RRG stamp prior to the beginning of the season, and the cost is $43. The RRG stamp must be accompanied by the Class E, AAH, AAHJ or XXJ license.
Nonresident hunters who own land in West Virginia are not exempt from purchasing a license or the extra buck stamp, even if hunting on their own property.
Buck firearm hunters in 23 counties (see 2013-2014 Hunting and Trapping Regulations) are required to take an antlerless deer with a firearm (required Class N permit for residents or Class NN permit for nonresidents) prior to harvesting a second antlered deer during the buck firearms season.
Most counties are open to concurrent antlerless deer season hunting during the traditional buck gun season. Class N or Class NN permits to hunt during the antlerless deer season can be purchased at any time.
Regulations
Antlerless deer firearm season opens Nov. 25 on private land and selected public lands. Hunters should consult the 2013-2014 Hunting and Trapping Regulations available at license agents and at www.wvdnr.gov for specific antlerless deer regulations in each county and wildlife management area.
Hunters may harvest two deer on the same day, but only one of those can be an antlered buck. The first deer does not have to be legally checked at an official checking station prior to harvesting the second deer in the same day.
However, all deer must be checked at an official game checking station prior to hunting during any subsequent day.
