SOUTH CHARLESTON — West Virginia’s 2019-2020 hunting season dates and bag limits for mourning dove, woodcock, common snipe and sora and Virginia rails have been set. Mourning dove season, which normally opens Sept. 1, opens a day later this year on Sept. 2. These seasons are set within the annual guidelines established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Species Dates Daily Limit Possession Limit
Mourning Dove
(3-way split) Sept. 2 – Oct. 13
Nov. 4 – Nov. 17
Dec. 16 – Jan. 18 15 45
Woodcock
(2-way split) Oct. 12 – Nov. 23
Dec. 2 – Dec. 3 3 9
Common Snipe Sept. 2 – Dec. 17 8 24
Sora & Virginia
Rails Sept. 2 – Nov. 10 25 75
The dove season is split into three segments. The first segment runs from Sept. 2 to Oct. 13. Shooting hours Sept. 2 are noon to sunset. For the remainder of the season, shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is 15 birds.
The woodcock season is split into two segments. Both the snipe and rail seasons are a single segment. Shooting hours for woodcock, snipe and rails are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
All licensed migratory bird hunters, including lifetime license holders and senior citizens, must have a valid Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration card. HIP cards are available online at www.wvhunt.com and at license agents.
For more information, consult West Virginia’s 2019-2020 Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations brochure, available online at www.wvdnr.gov, at license agents and at Division of Natural Resources offices.
