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2026-2027

West Virginia Deer Hunting Seasons 2026-2027

West Virginia deer seasons are mapped by county, including the Wayne County route split; eight eastern counties also surface current CWD rules with Pendleton's narrower baiting-only scope preserved.

Last checked: 2026-09-08 Source: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources 22 season records
Trip checker

Can I hunt here?

1. When are you hunting?
2. Where are you hunting?

County lookup loads from the active map layer.

or
Use the map Select a county or zone on the map below.
Season map

West Virginia deer map

Click a county or zone to see what seasons match that place.

Background
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Select a mapped area for details. Map layers simplify official geography for web use.

3. How are you hunting?

Find your season

Start with all methods, or narrow the answer by method.

Your answer

Choose a date, place, and method.

We will show matching season windows here before you dig into maps or source records.

Season data compiled and verified against official state sources. Regulations can change. Confirm current rules before hunting.

? Field Honest summarizes official hunting regulations for convenience. Official agency regulations remain controlling.
Technical detail Open source-record archive 22 detailed records with notes and agency links.
Underlying records

Source-record archive

The quick finder above is the main view. These records keep the supporting geography, harvest notes, and source links together.

Showing records by method. Large states show a preview first; search to narrow the source table.

Archery

Bow, crossbow, or archery-only windows where listed. 1 season
Season Dates Geography Notes
Deer archery and crossbow Deer General hunters
Sep 26, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
Statewide under WVDNR rules statewide

Additional county rules and bag limits are in the WVDNR summary.

Official source

Firearm

General rifle, gun, and firearm framework seasons. 17 seasons
Season Dates Geography Notes
Buck firearms Buck Deer General hunters
Nov 23, 2026 - Dec 6, 2026
Statewide under WVDNR rules statewide

Antlerless deer may also be legal during buck firearms season in open Class N/NN counties or public lands.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit three, special regulation - October split Up To Three Class N/NN Antlerless Deer; Special Antlerless-before-second-antlered Rule General hunters
Oct 22, 2026 - Oct 25, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit three with special regulation county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof with a Class N/NN bag limit of three and a special regulation requiring an antlerless deer before a second antlered deer in the county.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit three - October split Up To Three Class N/NN Antlerless Deer General hunters
Oct 22, 2026 - Oct 25, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit three county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof with an antlerless Class N/NN bag limit of three.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit one - October split One Class N/NN Antlerless Deer General hunters
Oct 22, 2026 - Oct 25, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit one county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof as unlimited resident and nonresident Class N/NN antlerless opportunity with a bag limit of one. No application is necessary for this county group.

Official source
Antlerless deer - limited permit - October split One Class N/NN Antlerless Deer by Limited Permit General hunters Special rules
Oct 22, 2026 - Oct 25, 2026
WV antlerless limited-permit counties county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof as limited resident and nonresident Class N/NN antlerless opportunity requiring prior permit application.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit three, special regulation - November/December split Up To Three Class N/NN Antlerless Deer; Special Antlerless-before-second-antlered Rule General hunters
Nov 23, 2026 - Dec 6, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit three with special regulation county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof with a Class N/NN bag limit of three and a special regulation requiring an antlerless deer before a second antlered deer in the county.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit three - November/December split Up To Three Class N/NN Antlerless Deer General hunters
Nov 23, 2026 - Dec 6, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit three county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof with an antlerless Class N/NN bag limit of three.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit one - November/December split One Class N/NN Antlerless Deer General hunters
Nov 23, 2026 - Dec 6, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit one county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof as unlimited resident and nonresident Class N/NN antlerless opportunity with a bag limit of one. No application is necessary for this county group.

Official source
Antlerless deer - limited permit - November/December split One Class N/NN Antlerless Deer by Limited Permit General hunters Special rules
Nov 23, 2026 - Dec 6, 2026
WV antlerless limited-permit counties county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof as limited resident and nonresident Class N/NN antlerless opportunity requiring prior permit application.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit three, special regulation - mid-December split Up To Three Class N/NN Antlerless Deer; Special Antlerless-before-second-antlered Rule General hunters
Dec 10, 2026 - Dec 13, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit three with special regulation county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof with a Class N/NN bag limit of three and a special regulation requiring an antlerless deer before a second antlered deer in the county.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit three - mid-December split Up To Three Class N/NN Antlerless Deer General hunters
Dec 10, 2026 - Dec 13, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit three county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof with an antlerless Class N/NN bag limit of three.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit one - mid-December split One Class N/NN Antlerless Deer General hunters
Dec 10, 2026 - Dec 13, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit one county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof as unlimited resident and nonresident Class N/NN antlerless opportunity with a bag limit of one. No application is necessary for this county group.

Official source
Antlerless deer - limited permit - mid-December split One Class N/NN Antlerless Deer by Limited Permit General hunters Special rules
Dec 10, 2026 - Dec 13, 2026
WV antlerless limited-permit counties county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof as limited resident and nonresident Class N/NN antlerless opportunity requiring prior permit application.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit three, special regulation - late-December split Up To Three Class N/NN Antlerless Deer; Special Antlerless-before-second-antlered Rule General hunters
Dec 28, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit three with special regulation county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof with a Class N/NN bag limit of three and a special regulation requiring an antlerless deer before a second antlered deer in the county.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit three - late-December split Up To Three Class N/NN Antlerless Deer General hunters
Dec 28, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit three county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof with an antlerless Class N/NN bag limit of three.

Official source
Antlerless deer - bag limit one - late-December split One Class N/NN Antlerless Deer General hunters
Dec 28, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
WV antlerless counties - bag limit one county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof as unlimited resident and nonresident Class N/NN antlerless opportunity with a bag limit of one. No application is necessary for this county group.

Official source
Antlerless deer - limited permit - late-December split One Class N/NN Antlerless Deer by Limited Permit General hunters Special rules
Dec 28, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
WV antlerless limited-permit counties county_antlerless_group

WVDNR lists these counties or parts thereof as limited resident and nonresident Class N/NN antlerless opportunity requiring prior permit application.

Official source

Muzzleloader

Muzzleloader-only or late muzzleloader opportunities. 1 season
Season Dates Geography Notes
Deer muzzleloader Deer General hunters
Dec 14, 2026 - Dec 20, 2026
Statewide under WVDNR rules statewide

Either-sex muzzleloader opportunity follows the counties or parts thereof open to Class N/NN antlerless season.

Official source

Youth

Youth-only, apprentice, or early youth windows. 2 seasons
Season Dates Geography Notes
Youth/Class Q/Class XS deer - October split Deer Youth hunters Special rules
Oct 17, 2026 - Oct 18, 2026
Statewide under WVDNR eligibility rules statewide

Special eligibility season. Youth and Class Q hunters may kill one antlerless deer each day of the special season.

Official source
Youth/Class Q/Class XS deer - December split Deer Youth hunters Special rules
Dec 26, 2026 - Dec 27, 2026
Statewide under WVDNR eligibility rules statewide

Special eligibility season. Youth and Class Q hunters may kill one antlerless deer each day of the special season.

Official source

Special

Antlerless, CWD, urban, holiday, or other special rules. 1 season
Season Dates Geography Notes
Winter 2027 Mountaineer Heritage deer, bear and turkey season 1 Deer under Mountaineer Heritage Rules General hunters Special rules
Jan 14, 2027 - Jan 17, 2027
Statewide under Mountaineer Heritage rules statewide

Primitive-weapons-only heritage season includes deer.

Official source
Plan the rest of the trip

Outfitters and gear stops in West Virginia

Find local help and a practical place to gear up before your West Virginia hunt.

View all outfitters
Hunting in West Virginia

How to plan a West Virginia deer hunt

Start by matching your exact hunt date and legal method to the county, unit, zone, hunt code, or special area that controls the trip. The map is for orientation; the linked agency rules remain the legal source.

Field Honest currently organizes 22 West Virginia deer-season records across statewide rules, counties and local areas. Use the trip checker above to narrow the list before comparing local outfitters and physical gear stops.

Methods represented Archery, Firearm, Muzzleloader, Youth, Special opportunities

A method label is only a starting point. Weapon rules and hunt-code restrictions may be narrower.

How the state is organized statewide rules, counties and local areas

Always match the place named on your license or tag to the current legal description.

Primary official source West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Field Honest source review: September 7, 2026.

Before you leave home

  • Confirm the exact season window, legal method, and harvest restriction.
  • Verify license, tag, draw, hunt-code, and hunter-eligibility requirements.
  • Check the legal boundary, land access, closures, and landowner permission.
  • Review current reporting, transport, and CWD rules where they apply.