SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.VA. — West Virginia’s wild boar firearms season, which is open to state residents only, will soon be underway.

The wild boar firearms season runs Oct. 24-31 and will include a second segment from Feb. 5-7, 2021. Boar hunting is currently not permitted for nonresident hunters and is restricted to Boone, Logan, Raleigh and Wyoming counties.

“Wild boars depend on available hard mast, and while hickory and beech production are down for 2020 in the four wild boar counties, acorn production is up,” said Nick Huffman, DNR wildlife biologist. “Boars will utilize this food source and will be scattered due to abundant acorn crops, which means hunters will need to cover more terrain to find feeding areas.”

To hunt wild boar, hunters must possess either a Class X, XJ, XS, AB-L or A-L license or be exempt from purchasing a license. They may also hunt boar with a Class A, AH or AHJ license if they purchase a conservation stamp and resident big game stamp.

Boar of either sex may be taken, but only one boar may be taken per year. Each harvested animal must be checked online at www.wvhunt.com, at an official DNR license agent or by calling 1-844-WVCHECK. In 2019, hunters took 88 boars during the boar firearm, archery and crossbow seasons.

Concurrent hunting of deer and bear, where legal, is permitted. Hunters are reminded that if they are hunting in a county open to firearms antlerless deer hunting, they must wear 400 square inches of blaze orange over their outer clothing during the antlerless season.

For more information about the wild boar season, check the 2020-21 West Virginia Hunting and Trapping Regulations or contact a local DNR district office. Hunting licenses and stamps can be purchased at www.wvhunt.com.