DAVIS, W.Va. — West Virginia’s big game hunting regulations for 2024 were set in stone by a unanimous vote of the West Virginia Natural Resources Commission Sunday. During the second quarterly meeting of the year at Blackwater Falls State Park, members voted to adopted the recommended bear, antlerless deer, and turkey seasons as proposed for the coming fall without much change from 2023.
DNR Game Management Supervisor Keith Krantz delivered the results of the 2024 Sportsman’s Sectional Meetings to Commissioners. The two days of meetings in March included speakers from nine different clubs or sportsmen’s organizations representing 2,499 members. The comments also came from154 individuals who submitted questionnaires.
Sportsmen were largely in favor of the proposed changes for game and fish regulations for the coming year, but the biggest controversy arose from a question posed on the questionnaire by DNR Director Brett McMillion.
The question asked where sportsmen would stand on the idea of allowing a youth hunter to kill a buck or a doe during the youth hunting days. The youth weekend always precedes the rifle season for whitetail deer and for now is antlerless only. The questionnaire among the individuals reflected about 2 to 1 in favor of the idea, but it was a little less clear among the organizations surveyed. Although still the majority favored the idea, it was 57 percent to 43 percent when those organizations was polled.
“We’re kind of split on it. We don’t really have an opinion on the youth hunt,” said Jeremy Preston who is President of the West Virginia Deer Hunters Association.
Preston told members of the Commission during the public comments a poll of his organization’s membership reflected 55 percent of his organization opposed the idea of allowing the youth the either sex option. Preston’s organization was the most influential in the recent modification of the deer regulations which lowered the overall number of bucks allowed to be killed from 3 to 2 in a year. He said the buck limit was on the minds of many in his organization.
“We just lowered the buck limit. Are we sending kids the message that the purpose of hunting is just to kill a buck or are we teaching them the importance of harvesting does, learning woodsmanship skills, and spending time with their parents, grandparents and mentors?”
Morgantown resident Rick Bebout also addressed commissioners during the public portion. He was wholeheartedly in favor of the idea.
“I fully support the Director’s proposal. I think it’s a great opportunity for our youth hunters. It does not impact or conflict with the new two buck limit. So I think it’s a no-brainier if we’re talking about getting young hunters involved and keeping them involved, it’s just another opportunity,” said Bebout.
As proposed, the buck would count against a youth hunter’s two buck limit.
But it’s more than youth hunting. Holders of a Class X-S or “Senior Lifetime Hunting License” are afforded by state code the opportunity to hunt and with all of the privileges associated with the youth seasons as well. Therefore, the senior hunters would also be allowed the choice of a buck or doe on those days. That measure is particularly a non-starter among members off the Deer Hunters Association. Preston said when the Class X-S allowance was considered, the opposition among his members jumped up to 85 percent.
DNR Director Brett McMillion, who posed the question at the Sectional Meetings, said he understood the concern which needed to be addressed if they were to move forward.
“The X-S license holders get to participate in those days too, so there’s more to it than just face value. We are going to look into it and see if there are some different options,” said McMillion.
McMillion admitted he had hoped for better turnout and a wider set of opinions from the Sectional Meetings.
“The idea always goes back to getting more youth involved in our R-3 Iniative. I wanted to determine if the buck opportunity was big part of the program and should we look at that direction,” said McMillion. “Unfortunately we didn’t get great attendance. I think we should probably do a full on, scientific study by e-mail and so forth to determine if this thing is viable.”
A bill to allow for either sex hunting during the youth season was introduced in this year’s Regular Legislative Session. However, House Bill 4871 did not advance. There was no action taken by the Commission Sunday on the youth season measure.
Other notes from Sunday’s Commission Meeting:
–West Virginia State Parks announced plans for the annual controlled antlerless deer hunts in the parks this year. Four parks will hold the hunts. Beech Fork, Bluestone, Cacapon, and Twin Falls will all hold the special hunts to help reduce deer numbers within the park boundaries. The permits are on a lottery system and will be drawn from applicants.
–Commissioners heard a review of proposed changes to the state’s fishing regulations for 2025. Those won’t be voted on until the next Commission meeting in July. The only change proposed allows for a creel limit on black bass for Elk Fork, Woodrum, O’Brien, and North Bend Lakes. The limit would be six fish, with only one over 16 inches.
– Commissioner Tom Dotson said he would like to revisit the catch and release regulation on the Cranberry.
“We have forced all of the fishing pressure into the lower part of the river. You have to go eight miles before you can keep a trout. I think we’re doing the public a disservice. This is one of our premier trout streams in the state and I think it’s something we need to revisit.” said Dotson during Commissioner Remarks.
–Commissioner Jarod Harman asked for a status update at the next meeting on the ongoing Otter Study. He also asked if there could be a presentation on the status of the gray fox numbers in the state. He also wanted to have a conversation about the recent research done on bobcats and whether it examined the state’s bobcat population and whether it would be wise to consider raising the limit for trappers on bobcats. Commissioners heard concerns from the West Virginia Trappers Association during the February meeting about gray fox and bobcat numbers in the state.
–Commissioner Jeff Bowers also asked for an update at the next meeting on the Otter Study. He too was concerned about the turkey population and wanted to know if there was any tie into a reduced amount of raccoon hunting and trapping tied to those numbers.
–Commissioner Greg Burnette commented on the just launched wild turkey telemetry study. He asked for a status update on what predation looks like on the wild turkey numbers in the state.
–The third quarter meeting for the Commission will be July 21 at Twin Falls State Park and the final meeting of the year is set for October 27 at Stonewall Resort.