SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.VA. — The opening of buck firearms season is a day many hunters have circled on their calendars and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources officials are encouraging hunters to use the coming weeks to get ready for the state’s most popular deer season.

“Right now, I would make sure I can find all my camo and supplies, have everything ready to go for opening day and take my rifle out to the range and practice shooting,” said DNR Law Enforcement Lt. Warren Goodson. “You don’t want the first day you take that firearm out be the first day of rifle season.”

West Virginia’s buck firearms season opens on the Monday before Thanksgiving each year and is traditionally a time for hunters and their families to hunt the state’s most popular big game during the holiday. This year, the season opens Nov. 23 and runs through Dec. 6.

“We’re still a few weeks out from the buck gun season, but we always want to remind hunters that they need to educate themselves about hunting legally, safely and ethically, ” Goodson said.

And if hunters haven’t done so already, they should be sighting in their rifles, gathering their hunting gear and scouting the area where they plan to hunt. Hunters should also look over rules and regulations for hunting buck during the firearms season by downloading a copy of the 2020-2021 Hunting and Trapping Regulations.

Stamps Needed To Harvest Additional Buck
During the buck firearms season, resident hunters who purchase an RG stamp and nonresidents who purchase an RRG stamp before the start of the season may take one additional deer. Hunters who don’t purchase an RG or RRG stamp may only harvest one buck on their base license.

West Virginia hunting licenses and stamps are available to purchase at www.wvhunt.com.

West Virginia’s buck firearms season is open in all but four counties. Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming are closed to firearms deer hunting. Hunters should also remember that they are required to electronically check big game online at www.wvhunt.com, at a license agent or by calling 844-WVCHECK. For more information about upcoming hunting seasons, visit www.wvdnr.gov.