KEYSER, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has planned eight controlled deer hunts this fall on six West Virginia State Parks. The state’s Natural Resources Commission approved the hunts during their second quarterly meeting of 2025 at Potomac State College in Keyser.
The heavily regulated hunts are held annually on parks where the deer population has grown beyond the carrying capacity of the park land.
“We do our deer counts in the fall and get an estimated deer population to help determine which parks need a hunt. Some of the numbers of permits issued as well as method of hunting is based on the park, its lay of the land, and how much huntable land it has,” said Matthew Baker District Manager for West Virginia State Parks.
The hunts have a limited number of permits which are awarded in a lottery drawing through the DNR’s Electronic Licensing System. The application period will open July 1st and applications will be accepted through August 1st. The drawing will be held September 1st and successful applicants will be notified the second and third week’s of September. Each application comes with a $15 non refundable application fee.
Hunters will be allowed to select a permit for using a muzzleloader of archery equipment. Some of the hunts at separate parks are on the same weekend and those who apply and are successfully drawn on both would be allowed to pick their preference.
During previous hunts there were drawings for buck tags on the day of the hunt as an incentive to hunters. But this year, the policy has been changed.
“All of our hunts are going to allow hunters to harvest up to two deer, but the first deer must be antlerless. It’s commonly referred to as ‘earn a buck,'” said Baker.
Baker said with the new format they hoped to encourage hunters to stay longer and kill more deer rather than leaving early.
The controlled hunts will be:
Beech Fork State Park
November 3, 4, 5 Archery or Muzzleloader 13 permits
November 10, 11, 12 Archery or Muzzleloader 13 permits
Bluestone State Park
November 3, 4, 5 Archery or Muzzleloader 15 permits
Cacapon Resort State Park
November 10, 11, 12 Archery or Muzzleloader 30 permits
Twin Falls Resort State Park
November 10, 11, 12 Archery only 20 permits
November 17, 18, 19 Archery only 20 permits
North Bend State Park
November 3, 4, 5 Archery only 20 permits
November 10, 11, 12 Muzzleloader 20 permits
Pipestem Resort State Park
November 10, 11, 12 Archery only 30 permits
November 17, 18, 18 Muzzleloader 30 permits