Hunting in West Virginia: 8 Things to Know About Urban Deer Hunting in Cities and Suburbs

A special urban deer hunting archery season has been created to help incorporated areas deal with such conflicts. As town and city suburbs push farther into land once inhabited only by wildlife and game, West Virginia residents are finding themselves facing problems like deer hitting vehicles, stripping ornamental plants or otherwise damaging personal property.

The Special Urban Deer Archery Season runs from early September to the end of December. It is available to all incorporated cities, towns and villages in West Virginia that choose to adopt it by special regulation or ordinance.

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It also is available to incorporated homeowner associations, but they must first submit a request to the director of the state Department of Natural Resources by March 1 of the hunt year. The DNR director decides if they may have the season or not.

Here are eight things to know about the West Virginia special urban deer archery season:

1. Check with your local government, incorporated homeowner association or DNR office about the closest place you can hunt during this special season. So far, 15 cities have adopted this special deer season: Alderson, Barboursville, Bethlehem, Bridgeport, Charleston, Harpers Ferry, Harrisville, Morgantown, North Hills, Parkersburg, Ronceverte, South Charleston, Weirton, and Wheeling. Ten homeowners associations participate to date.

2. Check with the local authorities regarding any local regulations they may have enacted regarding the special urban deer season. These vary from locality to locality, and range from special permits to requiring landowner permission to establishing hunting zones.

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3. This season is for archery only – no firearms allowed.

4. A hunter may take up to seven deer, which do not apply to the regular archery season bag limit.

5. The first deer taken must be antlerless.

6. The seven deer may include no more than two antlered bucks.

7. Regular hunting requirements apply to the special urban deer archery season. To hunt, a person must have the appropriate license, stamps and permits; a photo ID; and proof of completing hunter education classes if required

8. Hunter education classes are required to get a license for anyone born on or before Jan. 1, 1975. In addition, some localities require bowhunting education classes for those participating in the special deer archery season.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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