SOUTH CHARELSTON, W.Va. — For those who want to hunt like the first West Virginians, your time has come. The annual Mountaineer Heritage Hunting Season opens up Thursday and runs through Sunday.
The season is a specialty event put together with the challenge of using primitive firearms and archery equipment to take big game in a setting which can offer a very cold challenge.
“Fittingly named the ‘Mountaineer Heritage season’ it’s back to the roots. It’s primitive weapons and one of the goals of having it in January was the increased chances of having snow on the ground. It’s just one of those unique seasons,” said Steve Rauch, Assistant Chief for Game Management for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.
Hunters willing to brave the elements can kill an either sex deer, a black bear, and a wild turkey using only sidelock or flintlock muzzleloader rifles or pistols or for archery the recurve or long bow are the only acceptable implements for the season.
“It can’t be anything modern,” Rauch added.
The impact on the game isn’t expected to be dramatic. The weather across the state for the four days from Thursday through Sunday looks to be cold, windy, and with more snow coming into West Virginia.
Since firearms are involved, the typical blaze orange requirements are in place, but Rauch said many go all out and even dress the part for the season.
“I’ve heard of people who go out with the buckskins and go all out,” he said.
Since the massive snowstorm from last weekend which has covered much of the state with a blanket of white, the chances of killing a bear during the season are greatly diminished. It was already a longshot with many bears already going to den, but the snowfall may cover up any food sources which might have kept them out of the den long enough for hunters to catch a glimpse this weekend.
Then again a lot of hunters may also opt to go into the den rather than the woods as well with the forecast.
“Participation is going to be more weather related as far as the number of hunters. If it’s really, really cold, which it may be, that will have the most impact on a harvest where you’re not talking about a lot anyway,” said Rauch.