West Virginia 2026-27 Hunting Season Dates
Quick answer
West Virginia's listed 2026-27 archery deer season runs Sep 26-Dec 31, 2026.
Spring 2027 Youth Season Wild Turkey opens Apr 17, 2027 and closes Apr 18, 2027.
General Gray, Black, Albino and Fox Squirrel opens Sep 12, 2026 and closes Feb 28, 2027.
The tables below keep the rest of the listed seasons together by species, with source links back to West Virginia DNR.
- archery deer
- Sep 26-Dec 31, 2026
- spring turkey
- Apr 17-18, 2027
- squirrel
- Sep 12, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
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Key seasons by species
We summarize official agency information and link to the source for verification. Regulations can change, and zone details matter. Always confirm final dates, bag limits, permits, and legal requirements with West Virginia DNR before hunting.
Proposed 2026-27
federal openings
in West Virginia
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing hunting and fishing access changes at 2 stations in West Virginia. Public comment closes June 26, 2026.
Deer
White-tailed Deer
Archery and Crossbow
Sep 26-Dec 31, 2026
Must be electronically registered.
White-tailed Deer
Youth/Class Q/Class XS Split Season
Oct 17-18, 2026
Split season; second split December 26-27. Must be electronically registered.
White-tailed Deer
Antlerless Split Season
Oct 22-25, 2026
Split season with multiple segments: Oct 22-25, Nov 23-Dec 6, Dec 10-13, Dec 28-31. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
White-tailed Deer
Antlerless Split Season
Nov 23-Dec 6, 2026
Second split of Antlerless season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
White-tailed Deer
Buck Firearms
Nov 23-Dec 6, 2026
Must be electronically registered.
White-tailed Deer
Antlerless Split Season
Dec 10-13, 2026
Third split of Antlerless season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
White-tailed Deer
Muzzleloader
Dec 14-20, 2026
Must be electronically registered.
White-tailed Deer
Youth/Class Q/Class XS Split Season
Dec 26-27, 2026
Second split of Youth/Class Q/Class XS season. Must be electronically registered.
White-tailed Deer
Antlerless Split Season
Dec 28-31, 2026
Fourth split of Antlerless season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
White-tailed Deer
Mountaineer Heritage (Winter 2027)
Jan 14-17, 2027
Combined Deer, Bear and Turkey season. Must be electronically registered.
Turkey
Wild Turkey
Fall Split Season
Oct 10-18, 2026
Multiple splits: Oct 10-18, Oct 26-Nov 1, Oct 26-Nov 15. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Select Counties
Wild Turkey
Fall Split Season
Oct 26-Nov 15, 2026
Third split of Fall Turkey season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Select Counties
Wild Turkey
Fall Split Season
Oct 26-Nov 1, 2026
Second split of Fall Turkey season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Select Counties
Wild Turkey
Mountaineer Heritage (Winter 2027)
Jan 14-17, 2027
Combined Deer, Bear and Turkey season. Must be electronically registered.
Wild Turkey
Spring 2027 Youth Season
Apr 17-18, 2027
Must be electronically registered.
Wild Turkey
Spring 2027 Bearded Only
Apr 19-May 23, 2027
Possession limit 2, season limit 2. Must be electronically registered.
Bear
Black Bear
Firearm Split Season
Aug 29-Sep 7, 2026
Multiple splits: Aug 29-Sep 7, Sep 19-25, Oct 3-9, Oct 22-25, Nov 23-Dec 6, Dec 7-Dec 31. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
Black Bear
Youth/Class Q/Class XS Split Season
Sep 12-13, 2026
Split season; second split October 17-18. Must be electronically registered.
Black Bear
Firearm Split Season
Sep 19-25, 2026
Second split of Bear Gun season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
Black Bear
Archery and Crossbow
Sep 26-Dec 31, 2026
Possession limit 2, season limit 2. Must be electronically registered.
Black Bear
Firearm Split Season
Oct 3-9, 2026
Third split of Bear Gun season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
Black Bear
Youth/Class Q/Class XS Split Season
Oct 17-18, 2026
Second split of Bear Youth/Class Q/Class XS season. Must be electronically registered.
Black Bear
Firearm Split Season
Oct 22-25, 2026
Fourth split of Bear Gun season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
Black Bear
Firearm Split Season
Nov 23-Dec 6, 2026
Fifth split of Bear Gun season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
Black Bear
Firearm Split Season
Dec 7-31, 2026
Sixth split of Bear Gun season. Must be electronically registered.
Zone: Selected Counties
Black Bear
Mountaineer Heritage (Winter 2027)
Jan 14-17, 2027
Combined Deer, Bear and Turkey season. Must be electronically registered.
Pheasant
Ring-necked Pheasant
General (Cock Birds Only)
Nov 7, 2026-Jan 2, 2027
Possession limit 2, season limit none. Cock birds only.
Ring-necked Pheasant
General (Cock Birds Only)
Nov 14-Dec 5, 2026
Possession limit 1, season limit none. Cock birds only.
Zone: Hillcrest WMA
Quail
Bobwhite Quail
General
Nov 7, 2026-Jan 2, 2027
Possession limit 9, season limit none. Closed on Tomblin WMA.
Grouse
Ruffed Grouse
General
Oct 17, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Possession limit 16, season limit none.
Rabbit
Cottontail Rabbit
General
Nov 7, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Possession limit 20, season limit none.
Snowshoe or Varying Hare
General
Nov 7, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Possession limit 8, season limit none.
Squirrel
Gray, Black, Albino and Fox Squirrel
Youth Season
Sep 5-6, 2026
Possession limit 12, season limit 12.
Gray, Black, Albino and Fox Squirrel
General
Sep 12, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Possession limit 24, season limit none.
Furbearer
Beaver
Trapping
Nov 7, 2026-Mar 31, 2027
Must be electronically registered.
Bobcat
Hunting and Trapping
Nov 7, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Must be electronically registered.
Fisher
Trapping
Nov 7, 2026-Jan 31, 2027
Must be electronically registered.
Mink, Muskrat
Trapping
Nov 7, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Otter
Trapping
Nov 7, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Must be electronically registered.
Raccoon
Hunting
Oct 17, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Bag limit of 4 is for the 24-hour period of 6 a.m. to 6 a.m.
Raccoon
Trapping
Nov 7, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Red Fox, Gray Fox
Hunting and Trapping
Nov 7, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Red Fox, Gray Fox
Hunting Night with Artificial Light/Night Vision Technology
Jan 1-Feb 28, 2027
Skunk, Opossum, Coyote, and Weasel
Trapping
Nov 7, 2026-Feb 28, 2027
Small Game
Skunk, Opossum, Woodchuck, Weasel, English Sparrow, European Starling and Pigeon
Hunting
dates not listed
Exact dates not listed in the current data.
Year-round season.
Big Game
Wild Boar
Archery and Crossbow Split Season
Sep 26-Dec 31, 2026
Split season; second split February 5 - February 7, 2027. Must be electronically registered.
Wild Boar
Firearm Split Season
Oct 24-31, 2026
Split season; second split February 5 - February 7, 2027. Must be electronically registered.
Wild Boar
Firearm Split Season
Feb 5-7, 2027
Second split of Wild Boar Gun season. Must be electronically registered.
Wild Boar
Archery and Crossbow Split Season
Feb 5-7, 2027
Second split of Wild Boar Archery and Crossbow season. Must be electronically registered.
Migratory Birds
Geese, Ducks, Mourning Doves, Gallinules, Rails, Woodcock and Common Snipe
General
dates not listed
Exact dates not listed in the current data.
Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration required. See Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations.
Coyote
Coyote
Hunting
dates not listed
Exact dates not listed in the current data.
Year-round season. Additional regulations see page 6 in the Hunting Regulations Summary.
Other
Crow
Hunting Split Season
Oct 1-Nov 21, 2026
Split season; second split January 1 - March 6, 2027. Nuisance crows may be killed at any time.
Crow
Hunting Split Season
Jan 1-Mar 6, 2027
Second split of Crow season. Nuisance crows may be killed at any time.
Elk, Porcupine, Song and Insectivorous Birds, Owls, Hawks, Falcons and Eagles
General
dates not listed
Exact dates not listed in the current data.
No open season.
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West Virginia Hunting Season FAQ
When does deer season start in West Virginia?
September 26, 2026 is the first listed deer opener for West Virginia; it is archery and crossbow white-tailed deer Sep 26-Dec 31, 2026.
When is West Virginia's firearm deer season?
West Virginia does not have a firearm deer row in the current data set yet. Check West Virginia DNR for firearm, rifle, or general deer season details.
When does spring turkey open in West Virginia?
April 17, 2027 is the first listed spring turkey opener for West Virginia; the listed window is Apr 17-18, 2027.
Do I need a license to hunt in West Virginia?
Yes. Hunters generally need the appropriate West Virginia hunting license, and some seasons may require tags, permits, stamps, or zone-specific authorizations. Confirm final requirements with West Virginia DNR.
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