Did you know about West Virginia’s bow-only hunting?
While West Virginia is known statewide for its incredible hunting seasons, several southern counties stand out for one interesting reason. McDowell, Mingo, Wyoming and Logan counties are all designated as West Virginia’s bow-only hunting counties! In 1979, these counties were designated as bow-only hunting regions due to declined deer population, and since then it has become a mecca for bow hunting on the east coast!
The lack of firearms helps buck populations increase, and many of the bucks reach full maturity. Over the years, hunters have taken notice of this and continued to flock to southern West Virginia in search of a trophy buck. Many hunters know that there is great hunting to be found in the American West, but the reality of that is that many cannot afford to make a trek that far. However, West Virginia offers much of the same hunting as western states and rewarding challenges depending on what part of the state you are hunting in. In West Virginia’s southern counties, hunters are tasked with traversing mountainous, wooded landscapes. For many, this challenge is met with enthusiasm because they know they have to work harder for their hunt! Thanks to bow-only restrictions, some of the finest whitetail deer have been spotted in southern West Virginia, and many hunters continue to break records throughout the years, making bow-only counties a hot commodity in the hunting world!
If you’re interested in bow hunting in West Virginia, be sure to study the West Virginia hunting regulations and dates, offered by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources:
Hunting Regulations Hunting Dates
Be mindful of those around you, take necessary precautions, but most importantly – have fun!
This post was last updated on July 17, 2023